Supporting the student learning experience through a university community Blackboard Site

Neil RobertsBond University

Student Learning Support• Academic support for all students• All faculties• Post grad and undergraduate• Native and non native speaker• Not just remedial

Academic areas that we supportGrammar PunctuationReferencing Maths supportStudy skills PronunciationFormal style Reading skillsPreparing for exams

IELTS

Student Learning Support• Individual appointments• Workshops• Embedding support into core subjects

Student Learning Support• Established 2005 • Originally for non native speakers• Currently 1300 appointments per semester

(of a student population of 4000)

Our needs• Hosting of an online appointment booking

system• Platform to provide support material• Platform for marketing and advertising SLS

services & to receive feedback

iLearn Community Site• All student and staff access• Easy to update• Flexible and easy to customise

iLearn Community Site• Students are automatically enrolled• Easy access for all students

Online booking• Supersaas booking system• Students can see what timeslots are available

and book them• Weekly schedule hyperlinks from Blackboard• Students receive email confirmation and

reminder email

Platform for support material

Platform for support material• Interactive exercises (Hot Potato)• Worksheets with explanation, exercises and

answers• Screencasts• Youtube videos• eBooks

Platform for support material

Platform for support material

Platform for support material

Platform for support material

Platform for support material

Platform for support material for embedded subjects

• Cultural and Ethical Values (international)

Platform for support material for faculty specific subjects

Advertising Student Learning Support services

• iLearn provides information on– Workshop schedule– Workshop PPTs and screencasts

Advertising Student Learning Support services

• iLearn Calendar and Announcements

Feedback on Student Learning Support

• Discussion board – irrelevant comments• iLearn survey function• Response to their comments

Feedback on Student Learning Support

Study Tips

Students’ use of iLearn community site this semester

Students’ use of iLearn community site

• Main use is for booking appointments 54.6% • What we do 23%• CEV international 6.3%• Workshops 5%• Writing 2%• Referencing 1.7%• HSS 1.6%• ELSA English test 0.07%

Conclusion• Blackboard community is an effective, simple

means to provide materials to students and for disseminating information regarding a student service at a university