Tips for using Brightspace by D2L in the Development and Delivery of a Fully Online Language Course

Adam Gacs Michigan State University (University of Illinois at Chicago)

Session goals •  Introduce features of Brightspace by D2L utilized in fully

online language course during development and piloting •  Share tips and tricks •  Invite participants to share their own experiences with some of

these features, exchange ideas

About the facilitator •  Instructor and Technology Specialist at Michigan State

University, German Studies Program and Center for Teaching Language Advancement (CeLTA)

•  Doctoral student at University of Illinois at Chicago •  Assistant in Instructional Technology Lab

gacs@msu.edu Twitter: @edtechlang487

Background •  Department initiative:

•  Online language learning initiative: German, LCTLs online and ESL, Russian, Chinese blended

•  promote the development of hybrid and online language classes •  Technology specialists collaboration

•  University LMS: •  D2L picked as centrally supported LMS in July 2012 •  ANGEL will be retired in May 2015 •  D2L Version 10.2 since December 2013 and 10.3 since May 2014

Basic online language courses offered in German •  Elementary German 101 and 102 Pilot courses Summer 2014

•  Intensive 7-week courses, 10-13 students, capped at 15 •  Elementary German 101 Online section Fall 2014

•  Regular 15-week session, capped at 15 •  Elementary German 102 Online section Spring 2015

Elementary German 101-102 •  Asynchronous part: D2L, iLrn Heinle Learning Center (Quia)

from publisher with eBook (Vorsprung) •  Synchronous part: Online live meetings with Adobe Connect

(twice a week) •  Stays in sync with the F2F curriculum •  ACTFL-Standards based, proficiency-oriented

iLrn Heinle Learning Center •  Focused grammar practice activities from eBook •  Voice board recordings

Goals •  ability to comprehend (spoken/written) German and to

communicate appropriately in German about everyday topics with the instructor and fellow course participants at the ACTFL Novice Low-Mid sublevels

Course outcomes •  reflect how language learners

perform whether learning in classrooms, online (…) or in blended environments.

•  performance tasks targeted to the appropriate performance range

•  - See more at: http://www.actfl.org/

USING BRIGHTSPACE FEATURES DURING DEVELOPMENT

Quizzes, surveys, replacement strings, release conditions

Release conditions •  Modules and topics in stages •  Condition types:

•  Content topics visited •  Checklist completed •  Authored a Discussion post •  Completes attempt on a quiz

Release condition tips •  Meeting the condition cannot be reset after adjusting or

clearing grade •  Take your course as a student before it goes live, set up all

conditions and test them •  Any release condition based purely on viewing something will

not work for the Demo Student (but CommunityID with member rights would)

Replacement strings •  Personalize messages •  e.g. First name, last name, organization, login page •  Works in a variety of tools: News, Discussion, Content

Quizzes •  Question library for organization •  End of module summative assessment, delayed feedback •  Shorter quizzes with feedback upon submission (answer-

specific or question-specific) •  Provide special characters for written responses •  Submission views

Surveys •  Instant feedback available •  Cannot be tied to the Grade Book •  Instructor can see attempts under statistics or completion

summary if anonymous, run reports •  Examples: Student background questionnaire, syllabus quiz,

midterm course feedback survey

TRACKING USER ENGAGEMENT AND PROGRESS

Reports, user progress, completion tracking, classlist

Completion tracking •  Automatic •  Manual •  Great progress indicators for students •  Monitors how students interact with the

material

Completion summary •  For each topic with dates •  Reset completion tracking

Completion tracking tips •  Any automatic tracking based purely on viewing something

will not work for the Demo Student (but CommunityID with member rights would)

View Reports - Content •  Overview

View Reports - Content

View Reports - Users

Class Progress: Overview •  Helps to see who is active •  Content and Objectives not available after course ends

Login History Progress

Content Progress

Class Progress Setup

EXTERNAL SCORM CONTENT IMPORTED INTO BRIGHTSPACE

SoftChalk Create, Adobe Presenter

External lessons imported into Brightspace •  Present students with engaging, unified lessons •  Instant feedback •  Variety of question types, content presentation •  Customized feedback (answer types, audio)

SCORM package •  Add SoftChalk, Adobe Presenter, Adobe Captivate, Camtasia

lessons and track scores •  Students get scores instantly in minibar Alerts

SoftChalk Create •  What: create engaging interactive lesson content and add to

LMS •  Great for mashup of images with audio, vocabulary

presentation, review •  Used for formative assessment with immediate feedback •  Scores not heavily weighted

SoftChalk Create activities

Slideshow activity

Sorting activity

Settings within SoftChalk Create

SoftChalk Cloud •  Recommended: SoftChalk Cloud for easier management and

sharing of e-learning content and detailed score tracking (Score Center)

Adobe Presenter •  Provides unified content adapted from the textbook with pre-

and post-listening quizzes •  Presents textbook images with audio, advanced by students •  Strong visual support, manageable chunks •  Immediate (audio) feedback for quizzes

Import Options for SCORM in D2L

Score updates •  Update alerts in the minibar •  Score updates each time, displays LAST score

SCORM packages •  Some limitations:

•  Must re-upload lessons after each revision •  When removing current lesson, need to disassociate grade item or

item cannot be deleted from Grade Book •  Embedded non-secure elements will not be allowed and if

refreshing the lesson starts from the beginning

KALTURA MY MEDIA EXTENSION D2L Video extension

Kaltura My MediaSpace

•  Ease of use: Create, upload, share videos directly from LMS •  Media hosted on Kaltura Medispace, no video files uploaded to

LMS •  Authoring tools:

•  Webcam recording: Instantly add video for announcements, introductions, provide audio or video input

•  Screen capture: explain instructions, feedback, screencasting •  File upload: no need to leave LMS to insert audio or video file into

Content Editor, saves some steps and time •  Content organization: My Media, Course gallery

My Media extension •  Insert Stuff •  Access to private media library from Mediaspace, no need to copy

embed codes •  Record, upload, publish, or edit file in as if logged in to My

Mediaspace

Webcam Recording and embed •  Helps build instructor presence •  Additional spoken language input •  Spontaneous, shows immediate

environment •  Quick to record from within D2L, without

using external tools •  Can be added to anywhere content editor is,

e.g. course file, news, quiz, discussion board

•  Example: welcome video, announcements, weekly video posts, video feedback for assignments

Screen Recording •  Capture screen including audio and/or webcam feed for

instructions, step-by-step guides, presentations •  Review assignment with voice over or video feedback

Course Media Gallery widget •  Students or instructors can publish clips

and share with the entire class •  Post on course homepage as system

widget

Kaltura My Media extension – considerations •  Mics might not get picked up for webcam recordings on MACs •  Webcam recording video could not be resized once embedded,

size is enforced •  Full screen possible if file uploaded/created through Insert

Stuff My Media or used embed code •  Files uploaded through a particular course are associated with

that course and must be re-inserted after a course copy

Example: Discussion Board – Embed video •  Video-based discussion for more

speaking practice later in the semester or for introductions

•  Students show creativity with video •  Supports development of presentational

mode of communication (ACTFL) •  Creates rapport and community •  Freedom to use external tools but access

to Webcam Recorder and Screen recorder within the LMS

Student feedback •  Based on just module 0, I am enjoying the d2l setup for

reminders and due dates. It may be the new update to d2l or the way you have set it up, but it is by far the best organized and set-up I have used.

•  I found German to be an enjoyable online course that MSU offered this summer, and I hope it continues. Overall I enjoyed taking this class and thought the organization that was used to put together this class was efficient in helping students learn the material.

Q&A

References •  ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language Learners http://www.actfl.org/publications/guidelines-and-manuals/actfl-performance-descriptors-language-learners