Southampton VLE Review

Southampton University uses Blackboard to provide a Virtual Learning Environment. This is a location for files, forums, and other course resources to be stored and accessed by students. It can also be used for assignment submission, communication between students and academics. News and events can also be scheduled, and grades tracked as feedback on assignments is received. Blackboard is just one of many software systems that offer these services, and to ensure that the University offers the best learning experience, the Virtual Learning Environment is being reviewed.

The Southampton Virtual Learning Environment – Blackboard

The review is being undertaken by the Institute for Learning Innovation and Development, with two Excel interns assisting the work over the summer. A range of techniques will be used to research available systems and evaluate them against Blackboard, to recommend the best possible VLE for Southampton. The findings will be presented to the key decision makers at the University, and the outcome will have an impact on every one of nearly 30,000 students here.

I’m working in the same department as a group of Digital Skills Interns, who are looking at ways to improve the IT ability and technology literacy of students at Southampton. We occasionally hold joint meetings where a huge range of tools, which could be used to simplify your life or make completing assignments a little easier, is demonstrated, and I’ll be updating about these sessions too.

VLE Posts

Here’s a list of all of the articles that have been posted so far. You can also check out the VLE Review category for all of the articles as they appear.

• First Day At The Office – 02/07/15
• If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It – 04/07/15
• Information – Present and Correct – 23/07/15
• Presenting Challenges Presents Challenges – 06/08/15
• Adapting for Learning, Learning to Adapt – 12/08/15
• Surveys, Specifications, and Statistics – 01/09/15