CELebrate 2018 saw our fabulous team of Learning Technologists showcase what Brightspace can do for colleagues who are teaching large groups.
The team focused on four main areas: formative quizzes; communication via discussion boards and chat; intelligent agents and video notes.
Formative quizzes can be an excellent tool if you want to test your student’s learning as they develop across a semester, not only for summative assessment, but can be used strategically as a formative tool, as well. 
Communication doesn’t need to be over e-mail anymore! Not with Brightspace’s AMAZING communication tools: discussion boards, chat and virtual classroom. Discussion boards can bring large groups together in both large discussion and small group discussions. If you’re sick and tired of posting sign-up sheets outside your office door for tutorials, but end up sitting alone, why not move those tutorials online to Chat? Students can stay at home, and you can tutor them from anywhere in the world! Snow days no longer need to disrupt your entire semester, just move the class online using virtual classroom. There’s loads of opportunities here, be sure to check them out!
Intelligent agents are an excellent way of communicating with students without having to do any extra work. Want to make sure your students pass those formative quizzes BEFORE they get access to your lecture slides that week? Intelligent agents can help you out! Want to remind students to log on and read the unit guide? Intelligent agents are your new best friend!
Video notes are a wonderful way to introduce yourself to your students before
they arrive in your class, or as a way to leave the students video reminders of items they need to complete, or if you want to clarify something. Feedback from students this pilot year of Brightspace indicates that they LOVE them, and it’s an excellent way to manage your class by cutting down on email.
For more information on any of these tools, please contact one of the learning technologists at: learningtechnology@bournemouth.ac.uk
