Course Management System Upgrade Allows More Flexibility, Customization for Faculty

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Return to Issue of April 13, 2009

Upgrades to the Blackboard Vista course management system are in the works.

Beginning this summer, Kent State's Division of Information Services will upgrade the Blackboard Vista (formerly Web CT Vista) course management system. The upgrade to Vista 8, while similar to previous versions, features several enhancements, including heightened content control for faculty, increased opportunities for customization and an easier-to-use interface.

Testing took place across the university last fall and continued this spring with faculty who volunteered to serve in a small pilot program. All courses will go live in Blackboard Vista in Summer Semester 2009.

"I am currently using Vista 8 for a calculus I course," says Janice Kover, associate professor, Mathematical Science, at Kent State Stark, and a participant in the pilot program. “I have found everything to be as user friendly as the old version, and many features are much better. The new sidebar makes for easier access when building your course. The grade book statistics, with the bar graph on tests, are wonderful for a quick analysis. As an additional benefit, the students that used Vista in the past have little adjustment to the new system.

"I have yet to find any glitch that is unique to this system, and overall I am pleased with the updates that have been made."

Vista allows instructors to create and manage Web-based learning activities. It's a way to put course information online, giving students easy access to the syllabus, handouts and review materials, as well as providing them with a place to interact with each other and the instructor.

Among the enhancements of the new version are:

• Faculty will be able to move their own content and merge e-Packs (publisher created digital content) into their courses without overwriting their own information;
• Faculty will have more options for customizing course appearance;
• Teaching and learning tools have been enhanced with the addition of blogs and journals;
• A new social bookmarking service gives faculty and students an opportunity to save and share Internet material;
• New grading forms are provided to allow professors to provide qualitative assessments of assignment and discussion topics; and
• Interface enhancements — including a quick-start page for course set-up, new course preview area and more flexible Web links — make using Vista faster and easier.

Faculty interested in learning more about the new version of Vista are invited to attend an open house, where they will see a brief presentation about the changes and have the opportunity to ask questions. The open house will be held on Thursday, April 30, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the Moulton Hall Ballroom. Registration is available online.

Support for faculty members interested in learning more about using the new version of Vista also will be offered extensively throughout the spring and summer. Options include a hands-on Vista Drop-In Center in Room 304 Moulton Hall; enhanced Vista Help Site with online tutorials; weekly instructor-led workshops (with registration available online ); and one-on-one or departmental specific assistance provided upon request.

More information is available on the Elearning Web site , through the Vista Helpline at 330-672-8557 or via e-mail at vistasupport@kent.edu.

Questions also can be directed to the Helpdesk at helpdesk@kent.edu or 330-672-HELP (4357).

By Christa Skiles

Return to Issue of April 13, 2009