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Blackboard

Welcome to Blackboard!

Hello online faculty. Del Mar College began using the WebCT course management system in the late 1990’s to offer online courses to our students. WebCT has served us well over the years and allowed us to reach out to the growing number of students wanting an alternative to campus-based classes. The next step in our efforts to become a premier provider of online courses and programs is an update to our online classroom.

Enter Blackboard

Beginning Fall 2009, the college is converting to a new and much improved online classroom known as Blackboard Campus Edition 8.0. The new Blackboard system is being piloted by a number of faculty during the Spring 2009 term. Reactions from faculty as well as students has been quite positive.

It is now time to begin preparing for Fall 2009 by converting the remaining courses and begin training faculty to the new Blackboard system. Note that you won't begin actively teaching using Blackboard until the beginning of an academic term. However, you can become familiar with your newly-created Blackboard course upon completion of training and the course migration process. The conversion process involves four steps:

  • Step 1: Get trim
  • Step 2: Get trained
  • Step 3: Get migrated
  • Step 4: Get reviewed

Step 1: Get trim

The first step is a meeting with an IT representative to review your existing WebCT course. You will examine your course for ways that can increase efficiency such as the removal of unused files and the moving of large media files to streaming servers. This important step ensures a better course experience for you and your students.

Step 2: Get trained

The initial Introduction module is presented in the classroom and will provide an overview of the Blackboard classroom environment from a student perspective. The overall look and feel of Blackboard will be presented, along with general navigation and a look at the course tools available.

The remainder of Blackboard training can be done either web-based, classroom-based, or any combination. Please note that all modules must be completed before moving to the next step in the conversion process.

Step 3: Get migrated

The migration of your WebCT course materials is handled by an IT technician and usually takes just a few minutes. Once migrated, you will examine all elements of your course to ensure the migration was successful and elements are in the right places. Areas of particular concern in a post-migration examination are selective release dates, quizzes and assignments, links to other sites, and selective release dates.

Step 4: Get reviewed

The final step in the migration process is a technical review of your new Blackboard course. This review is done by E-Learning Services and examines the technical aspects such as links, fonts, graphics, colors, navigation, and similar aspects. A rubric is used to ensure that technical elements meet the standards for online courses at the college. The course designer and instructor are an integral part of this final step prior to placing the course into the online inventory of active courses.

Upon completion of the course review, you are ready to begin teaching with your new Blackboard course.

Teaching Summer I or II?

Those of you teaching Summer I or II online courses are encouraged to teach using the new Blackboard system. However, please allow at least two months time to learn the new system, clean up your course, migrate, and perform your technical review. The cutoff date for the adoption of Blackboard for Summer courses is May 1st.

Fall 2009 Target Date

WebCT will no longer be available beginning Fall 2009 (with limited exceptions). We recommend taking the Blackboard training as soon as possible to become familiar with your new course management system. To teach online for Fall, you must have all training completed by Friday, August 7th. This means that training must begin by July 20th.

Additional Information