Communication and interaction
These practices ensure that each course provides a consistent level of communication and opportunities for interaction.
Watch the Communication and Interaction video (2 mins) below to see the baseline standards in practice.
Baseline Practices
- Students are informed what Blackboard communication tools will be used and how (Announcements, Messages, Discussions, Conversations).
- A copy of each Announcement is sent via e-mail.
- If Messages are not used, they are removed from the top menu.
- Students have a way of asking questions (eg, using Discussions or Padlet) and are provided with responses in a timely manner.
- The course includes self-paced activities designed with a clear purpose (eg, reflection questions, knowledge checks, practice tests, case study discussions).
- Students are provided with learning aims and clear guidance for all self-paced activities (what they should do, when and why it is important).
- Instructors engage with and provide feedback on activities set for students (eg, contribute to online discussions, provide automated feedback on practice test questions).
- Explicit prompts and exemplars are used to help learners engage with online activities (see Designing Discussions).
- Students are provided with instructions on how to engage with interactive tools used in the course (see Learning Online - Student Support).
Beyond the Baseline
- All units across the programme or school use a consistent method of communication with students.
- Staff use Analytics to support student engagement and retention.
- Students are shown how to use Progress Tracking to monitor their learning.
- Students have opportunities to engage in online activities which foster collaboration, interdependence, and collective learning (eg co-created portfolios in Padlet, blogs in Xerte, discussions).
- Students have opportunities to develop self-monitoring and reflection (eg guided reflective journaling).
- Students are encouraged to create their own learning resources and provided with appropriate instructions and support (see Enhancing revision effectiveness with interactive learning materials created in Xerte).
- Students are encouraged to pause Re/Play recordings at key points to engage in tasks or activities (eg quizzes in Re/Play).