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Where's Wally (or Waldo) ? Why Structure is Important in Blackboard Sites. Presentation at the 10th April, 2013 Blackboard Teaching and Learning Conference. For more information contact [email protected]
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Where's Wally (or Waldo) ?
Why Structure is Important in
Blackboard SitesName: Rob Howe
Date: 10th April, 2013 http://www.flickr.com/photos/sinsiwinsi/2055036353/
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What is a Wally ?
• wally• Pronunciation: /wali/•
Definition of wally• noun (plural wallies)• British informala silly or inept person: I must have looked a total Wally but I didn’t care• Origin:• 1960s: perhaps a shortened form of the given name Walter. There are many theories of the origin: one story tells of a
Wally who became separated from companions at a 1960s pop festival; the name, announced many times over a loudspeaker, was taken up as a chant by the crowd
• http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/wally
http://www.flickr.com/photos/infomatique/5846115985/
A Character in a chain of books who hides among the pages... (in America see: Waldo) http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wally
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Wally’s Top Ten guide to creating Blackboard sites
Key principles:
•Students have it too easy•They like a challenge•Don’t make it too easy to find Wally
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#10 - The Escher Site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamcromar/5230835657/
Key principles:Students are sent round and round without actually getting anywhereWally is never found !
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#9 – The one click site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/verbatim/295643968/
Key principles:Everything on one pagePoor labelling of contentWally will be the 300th item on the last page
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#8 – The camouflage site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/razvanradu/3960121586/
Key principles:Poor colour combinationsWally is well hidden in the content
Wally Tip: Use red / green combinations for maximum effect with colour blindness.
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#7 – The Russian doll site
Key principles:Content within contentWally will be found in the 15th embedded folder
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#6 – The minimalistic site
Key principles:No content (or at least none of any value)Wally is not going to be found anywhere
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#5 – The overloaded site
Key principles:Lots of irrelevant contentReading List with 100s of itemsWally could be in somewhere in the mess
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#4 – The Las Vegas site
Key principles:Gaudy graphics (exploring course themes ?)Poorly resized graphicsStudents are distracted whilst looking for Wally
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#3 – The Spaghetti Junction site
Key principles:Many routes – badly signpostedNot all routes will lead to Wally
Wally Tip: Ensure that you show links even if there is no content
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#2 – The Outer Mongolian site
Key principles:Obscure file typesYou won’t have the right program to access Wally
Wally Tip: Raise stress levels by testing students on the content
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#1 – The Crazy Mirror site
Key principles:There are reflections of documents that are all slightly different versionsWhich Wally is the right one ?
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The Northampton approach....
2011 – Consulted on standard items to include in a Blackboard site2012 – First implementation of new site template for modules and courses2013 – Audit, review and redesign of template
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Results of the audit
10% of sites were audited. Key points for action noted:• Organisation
• Idiosyncratic• Empty content areas• Variation caused student confusion
• Assessments• Details may be spread over several buttons / guides
• Reading List• May be found in a Word guide or linked from the site
• Updating• Some sites with little / no content• Some with old content
• Format of materials• Inconsistency in versions of files (particularly with many tutors)• Font colours not always accessible
• Contact details• Some details had been entered for the core teams only
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Benefits of a consistent template
Tutors have clear guidance on what to includeTutors have contextual helpBetter use of institutional tools (e.g. Talis Aspire)
Students will know how to find contentLess time spent searching – more time being efficiently usedLess confusion over contentAccessibility benefits
Students notice the difference…..
“An effort has been made to present transparent readable
material/s and attractive layouts.”
“easy to navigate and search for the information needed for
my assignment..”
“The new NILE is very stream lined and a massive improvement from earlier "models".
Very user friendly and has all the info needed-including grades-on this single page. Brilliant!”
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Beyond the foundation template....
Level Focus Key features
Foundation Delivery • Absolute minimum expected• Course information • Learning materials
Intermediate Participation In addition to ‘Delivery’:• Online participation designed into the course. • Tasks provide meaningful formative scaffold.• Online participation encouraged and moderated, but not
essential for achievement of learning outcomes.
Advanced Collaboration In addition to ‘Delivery’:• Regular learner input designed into course & essential
throughout.• Participative tasks provide meaningful scaffold to formative
and summative assessment. • Collaborative knowledge construction central to a
productive learning environment.
In development.....
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Wally’s Top 5 Tips
1) Work through your sites as a student would
2) Align the site with standard designs
3) Layout your site with a logical structure
4) List only the items which students really need
5) You have control – don’t waste the opportunity
Don’t be a Wally (unless your name is Walter)
Rob ‘Wally’ Howe [email protected]
