From Whiteboards to Blackboard: clt Ramps up Online Assessment Teacher Training
On March 10, 2020, we informed about a university-wide webinar conducted by E-Learning Unit Supervisor, Mohsin Khan, titled 'Transformation to Full E-Learning.' This webinar also included a specially tailored session for the English Language Center on March 11, 2020. The purpose was to familiarize faculty members with useful content and tools within Blackboard, essential for conducting effective online classes. Due to inquiries about the logistics of virtual learning from students, a practical session was held on March 14, 2020, where Mr. Khan guided students on how to efficiently navigate and use Blackboard Ultra.
Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi commented on the recent events, acknowledging the challenge students living in remote areas might face with the shift to online learning, especially those enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in English program. "We need to remain flexible and address issues on a case-by-case basis. Diverse assessments and timely grade communication are crucial," he emphasized.
Answering Dean Al-Melhi's call for varied assessments and timely grade updates, Dr. Munassir Alhamami, the English Department Chair, and Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, the Vice Dean for Academic Development & Quality, tasked Mr. Khan with leading a webinar on "Using Blackboard for Online Assessment" on March 21, 2020. During the webinar, Mr. Khan trained around 70 faculty members on the fundamentals of creating and deploying more than 15 types of assessments, including assignments and discussion board activities. Additional technical training was provided on exporting created tests and sharing them across different sections and teachers within the same course.
A productive question and answer session followed the training, discussing the potential for cheating in online assessments. While it was acknowledged that no completely online assessment system could prevent all forms of cheating, certain steps, like randomizing questions and answers, were suggested. Chairman Alhamami recognized the high anxiety levels due to the abrupt shift to online learning, reassuring that with time and increasing familiarity, the situation would improve.
As an additional point of interest, Mr. Khan will be conducting another Blackboard assessment training webinar specifically tailored to students on March 22, 2020.
