UCBOnline 9.1 - Coming along

The new UCB online is coming! with pilot studies moving along well and the new look interface taking shape. Our user centred approach to the development of a new UCBOnline will provide a
vast number of improvements when compare the current version

We hope to be demonstrating the new and improved UCB online very soon.

Taster Sessions - the improved UCB Online

Welcome Back!

With the second part of the year underway the development of the new UCB Online is moving quickly. You've already heard about the launch of an improved UCB online, now watch a 2 minute video to see how it will minimise the amount of time you spend on day-to-day administrative tasks for building and maintaining your courses.

To view this video and our YouTube Channel please Click Here or click the video link to the right of this post.

If you would like to find out more please book on to one of our lunch and learn sessions by emailing - elearning@ucb.ac.uk

Taster Sessions - Times and Dates
Monday 7th Feb - 12-1pm
Tuesday 8th Feb - 1-2pm
Wednesday 9th Feb - 12-1pm
Thursday 10th Feb - 1-2pm
Friday 11th Febraury - 12-1pm

Please post your thoughts and comments below.

Bringing to you a new UCB Online...September 2011

The e-Learning team will be upgrading the technology on which UCB Online runs. This is required as the Blackboard Company will be phasing-out the system we are currently running (release 8), replacing it with the new Blackboard Learn, release 9.1 technology. Although this is only an upgrade rather than a complete change of VLE, it will take some familiarisation. However, we anticipate that whilst maintaining your current provision, you will be able to enhance it with much ease of use.

Check out these videos – on the features found on the new UCB Online

• Use of drag and drop to add files or folder to your course/module
- Click here for video

• Enable active collaboration through wikis to see how group-based projects evolve
- Click here for video

• Promote reflection through learning using Blogs and Journals
- Click here for video

• Integrate visually engaging content using resources from You tube, Flickr and SlideShare
- Click here for video

The e-Learning team are keen to ensure that the views of staff and students are captured as we prepare for this upgrade and we have therefore teamed up with the Learning and Teaching Group to make this upgrade a success. Over the coming months, your colleagues will be helping the e-Learning team by testing the new environment, piloting current modules with students, advising on the new appearance of UCB Online as well as the tools that are most important to you, the lecturers. We will be holding focus group sessions with students to find out their ideas and for their input on various issues including what they would like to see in their future Virtual Learning Environment.

The new UCB Online offers some exciting new features as well as a number of key improvements and we anticipate that you will find it to be a more user-friendly and pedagogically engaging teaching and learning environment. Many of the improvements made have focussed on speeding up the time it currently takes to perform day-to-day tasks through UCB Online, whilst other improvements have focussed on providing you with opportunities to facilitate a more active and engaging learning experience for your students.

Training will be available to all staff in due course but if you would like to preview the new UCB Online environment then please contact a member of the e-Learning team.

If you wish to find more about the new UCB online release – Click Here

For further information or queries, contact the e-Learning team on ext. 273 and 631.

Please feel free to leave comments and thoughts about the new UCB online system in the comments section found at the bottom of each post on this blog.

On the move!

The move to blackboard 9.1 and an improved UCB online is well on the way! The e-learning unit has teamed up with the Learning and Teaching group to test, develop and support the implementation of Blackboard 9.1 across the college.

With several academic staff now testing their existing modules in the new version of Blackboard, we aim to run several pilots with students in the New Year. These pilots will allow us to identify both pedagogical and economical practices that best meet the needs of staff and students! Speak with the learning and teaching group or the e-learning team if you wish to take part in a pilot or to help in the development of your new UCB online.

Check out this week’s featured Blackboard 9.1 improvement

– Using Course Files

Advantages of this new feature

• Can greatly reduce the time needed to upload course materials to UCB online
• Allows single files such as PowerPoint’s to be placed on multiple UCB Online sites
• Creates a better work flow for storing files, which can avoid the complications with excessive file sizes.
• Enables quick and easy access to your learning materials

Click here to find out more

(Note: UCB Online is powered by Blackboard technology; any reference to Blackboard 9.1 is a reference to the system that runs UCB online)

Welcome to the UCBOnline Blog

Thank you for visiting the UCBOnline blog. Here we will post all of the news regarding the new version of UCBOnline. Please visit this area regularly to find out more about the system developments and what new features you can expect.

Click here to find out more about some of the new features.

Any valuable comments and feedback are more than welcome.