This unit contains pre-recorded lectures in chunks (2 whole lectures released per week), a one-hour long live and interactive weekly workshop, and BB quizzes to aid students to assess their comprehension.

There are 3 main tools used in this course:

  1. Blackboard. The course has been laid out clearly for the students, so it is immediately obvious where they should go to find what information, including links to the weekly zoom workshops, MCQ quizzes, and exam tips. This has all been accomplished using the standard Blackboard tools. Training on various aspects of Blackboard can be found online, but those wishing to update the appearance of their course and make better use of folders may find these pages particularly useful. Information on how to make Blackboard quizzes can be found here.
  2. Zoom. Although Blackboard has a webinar system built in (Blackboard Collaborate), many instructors are choosing to use Zoom for their teaching. Some additional information on this can be found online. BIOL21221 makes use of breakout rooms and the polling features of Zoom.
  3. Videos. Lectures in BIOL21221 are pre-recorded using OBS with a one-shot take approach. If videos ever do require editing, making simple edits to trim out unwanted content can be done easily. Take a look at our training pages on video recording and video editing for more information.

Ben also mentions Nearpod, a live interactive presentation tool and Kahoot, a game-like Q&A app. Both of these can be used alongside other software such as Zoom or Blackboard Collaborate.