Book Image

Blackboard Learn Administration

By : Terry Patterson
Book Image

Blackboard Learn Administration

By: Terry Patterson

Overview of this book

Blackboard Learn is web application software that allows users around the world to participate in training and educational opportunities. This software is utilized in high schools, college campuses, corporations, and government entities."Blackboard Learn Administration" navigates both novice and experienced administrators through the simple and complex parts of the E-Learning portal.Readers go step-by-step with the author from planning and installing a Blackboard Learn instance to supporting and administrating a system with courses and users.The book starts with how to plan, install, and brand a Blackboard Learn instance. Readers then learn about the creation and management of courses and users. You then learn about the tools and controls that administrator's possess within Blackboard Learn. Readers also review how to improve security and performance within their system. You then dip into complex topics such as integrating Blackboard Learn with other information systems and publisher websites.Administrating Blackboard Learn educates the reader on the fundamental tools and tasks for basic administration, while explaining complex options that expert administrators want to tackle.
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
Blackboard Learn Administration
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
6
Creating Users in Blackboard Learn
Appendix
Index

About the Reviewers

David Hopkins is a respected and experienced Learning Technologist at the University of Leicester, U.K. Working closely with administrators, managers, and academic teams, David investigates and advises on the appropriate use of technology for both classroom and distance-learning students.

David writes on aspects of learning technology and the pedagogic use of technology in (and out of) the classroom on the Technology Enhanced Learning blog at www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk, and has a growing professional network centered around his blog and Twitter handle, @hopkinsdavid.

Dr Malcolm Murray has used Blackboard since Version 5.5. He has over a decade's experience in using Blackboard Learn as a system administrator, as a developer, and also to support his teaching. Currently based at Durham University in the U.K., he leads the University's Learning Technologies Team and is an Honorary Fellow of the School of Education. He holds a Ph.D. in Geography and a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning, Teaching, and Research in Higher Education. He is a member of the U.K. Heads of e-Learning Forum, a fellow of the (UK) Higher Education Academy, a certified member of the Association for Learning Technology, and the Director of OSCELOT (the Open Source Community for Educational Learning Objects and Tools). He regularly attends Blackboard conferences in the U.S. and Europe, participates in Blackboard's BugSquad and Beta initiatives, and is a past winner of the Blackboard Greenhouse Award (2005), Blackboard Innovators Award (2008), and Blackboard Catalyst Award (2010).

Simon Roberts has 30 years of experience in the IT industry, as a programmer and instructor. He teaches a variety of topics, including programming and system administration for various platforms. He enjoys the travel opportunities that come his way thanks to his work, and also acts as an FAA-certified flight instructor in his spare time. Simon lives in the Denver metro area in Colorado.

Wayne Twitchell is a leader in online teaching-and-learning for over 15 years, despite being denied admission to the prestigious Mensa club. As Blackboard administrator at Grinnell College and in his current position at the University of Northern Iowa, he has managed and supported a range of Blackboard products including Learning Management, Community, and Content management in a vertically-integrated way while integrating individual products (such as Learn) into an existing campus infrastructure. Dr. Twitchell's approach engages the visionary potential of technology both in and out of the classroom without forgetting the nuts and bolts of teaching. He currently lives in Cedar Falls Iowa with his partner (who was admitted to Mensa) and their amazing bearded dragon, Gogo, as well as their puppet sheepdog, Winston.

Mike Zimmerman has been a Blackboard system administrator at the University of Nebraska in Omaha since 2001. He is an active contributor in the Blackboard user community and ListServ, and has been a part of the Blackboard Dr. C user support forums since 2006.