A GREATER MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY

“The University is large but has a friendly atmosphere and the community spirit is overwhelming.”

Nat West Student Book 2000

University of SalfordSchool of Nursing

Karen Staniland

Senior Lecturer/Flexible Learning Co-ordinatork.staniland@salford.ac.uk

Lyn Rosen

Lecturer

l.rosen@salford.ac.uk

Background

• Nationally:• The Higher Education Agenda• Lifelong Learning• The NHS Plan

• At Salford:• Faculty E-learning project• Existing open learners on a recognised

programme

Aims of the Project

• Improve communications between students, lecturers and support staff.

• Ensure that relevant information is available to every one at the same time.

• Make more effective use of staff time.• Reduce the need for students to visit the University

between group tutorial sessions.• Make the Open Learning Conversion Programme

available to a wider audience.• Develop the IT skills of users

Recommendations

• Before allowing Blackboard to be incorporated into programmes minimum quality standards for the appearance of materials on line will need to be determined.

• A record of Blackboard programmes used should be maintained and be subject to internal quality assessment.

• Sessions for staff development in the use of Blackboard will need to be organised

Recommendations

• Staff workload in the upkeep of Blackboard currently on a 24/7 basis needs to be recognised.

• It is deemed essential that support services to an overall institutional strategy should be pursued in order to offer programmes on a 24/7 basis.

Recommendations

• Dedicate a member of module staff to take responsibility for specific Blackboard components, for example, discussion and conferencing forums.

• All Email addresses used (specifically student Emails) should be standardised into a format that is recognised by a tutor receiving and responding to the same.