school of medicine faculty of medicine and health sms announcements in the blackboard learning...

School of MedicineFACULTY OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH

SMS Announcements in the Blackboard Learning Environment (SABLE)

Scott Hennessy

Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210

Please Switch Your Phone ON

Text a message with the keywords s hennessy to:

01133 201 210


About the SABLE Project

To trial an SMS building block within the Blackboard VLE

Aims

• To address the priority T7 of the Strategy Map (Deliver excellent and inspirational learning and teaching):

• Support face to face teaching by communicating supplementary and timely information

• Build on previous experience of SMS in Learning and Teaching

• Identify the diversity of applications that SMS can be used for in the support of learning & teaching and students.


What are SMS Announcements

Text messages sent individually or to a group using a software application instead of a phone.

Similar to VLE / Portal announcements, or email

Messaging application used by staff only

Students can text in using a keyword


Two ways of SMS messaging

Blackboardtxt Building Block Txttools Standalone Service


How it Works

Blackboard

TxtTools Service

Student Information Systems


Importing Mobile Numbers

In Medicine students asked to opt in by keyword

Numbers collected in Txttools inbox and exported to a spreadsheet

In Nuffield and Healthcare numbers were imported from Banner and students given the option to opt out (none did)

VLE team uploaded the numbers into Blackboard

The ideal approach would be to ask students to update their numbers in the Portal and export from Banner


Case Studies

Faculty wide trial:

International Health BSc Students (Nuffield Centre)

MBChB Year 1 & 2 medical students (Medicine)

Pharmacy prescribing module (Healthcare)


Uses of SMSMedicine International Health Pharmacy

Reminder to complete tutorial form

Request for questions prior to a tutorial

Pointers to VLE announcements

SSC Assignment choices Exam mark feedback Preparatory information before a lecture

Room reminder for student appraisals

Follow up message to student to respond to staff email

Follow on to Digital Story presentation

Last minute change to appointment time

Feedback /survey reminder

Contact staff member

Appointment reminder (occupational health time)

Reminder to students to get ethical approval first before going on project

Assignment submission reminder

Assignment submission reminder


Other Intended Uses of SMS

To support students on placement

To support discussion in tutorials

To notify students on occupational health appointments


Student’s Views on SMS

3. How useful were the SMS messages that you received?

Useful:

51.5% 34

Partly useful:

19.7% 13

Not useful:

21.2% 14

Don't know:

7.6% 5

6. If you answered no to question 1: Would you view a text message service as a useful way of receiving information about your course?

Yes:

67.2% 43

No:

1.6% 1

Don't Know:

4.7% 3

N/A:

26.6% 17

“As someone who travels from home everyday I can't access my emails any later than about 7:30 so if there are any cancellations or anything its handy via text.”

“Good way to get last minute info - avoids the frustration of turning up somewhere and being told there was an email sent when you had no way of checking”


Email the Preferred Channel7. How would you have preferred to receive information about your course?

Email:

45.7% 42

VLE:

3.3% 3

Portal:

6.5% 6

Text message:

39.1% 36

Noticeboard:

0.0% 0

Other (please specify):

5.4% 5

“Emails are best for important and big amounts of information, they are less likely to get lost than text messages. Quick reminders or urgent things are good with texts.”

“Emails are better overall, but text messages have a definite role when the information needs to be given at short notice (eg room change/cancelled lecture).”

“For notices that give information at short notice txt message is best. For info that has a longer time to respond email is much better. A combination is the best. Putting information in the portal is not very helpful.”


Students Use of Mobile Email

8. Do you access email through your phone?

Yes:

46.5% 47

No:

53.5% 54

8.a. Does your phone tariff allow you unlimited internet / email access?

Yes:

43.4% 43

No:

56.6% 56

8.b. If you can receive emails on your phone, which of these statements do you most agree with?

I tend to read/respond to both text messages

and emails immediately:

19.6% 10

I tend to read/respond to text messages more

than emails:

76.5% 39

I read/respond to emails more than text

messages:

2.0% 1

I read/respond to neither texts nor

emails immediately:

2.0% 1


Email vs SMS

I tend to consider text messages as more urgent than emails and check them more regularly. However this impact might be lost if routine messages were sent this way. Therefore I think it would be most effective if routine communications were sent using emails, and text messaging reserved for times when students need to be contacted urgently.


Staff Views

Very useful for certain times & situations (assignments, assessment, Timetable cancellations)

Usage limited to certain times in the academic year

Need for a process to deal with timetable changes

Additional Requirements

• More refined group management beyond modules

• Support for organisations as well as modules

• Need to share account

• Way of seeing which students have opted in

• Alternative email option


SMS/VLE Integration Elsewhere

Institution SMS System Funded/Managed

University of Salford Blackboardtxt/Txttools By IT service & recharged to depts

University of Brighton Blackboardtxt/Txttools By Blackboard team & recharged to depts

Southampton Solent University

Moodle VLE and JanetTXT via Page One

By Telephone admin & recharged to depts

Harper-Adams University College

Txttools with Moodle plugin

Through L&T budget

Manchester Metropolitan WebCT &Txttools Project funded

University of Edinburgh WebCT &Txttools Centrally and recharged to depts

JISC MeLAS project (2007-08), Wolverhampton

Bespoke software with Edutxt

JISC funded


Summary

Tool needs further development before it can be implemented fully within the VLE

SMS has a specific use for time sensitive information, such as lectures, appointments and assessment deadlines


Discussion

Would this be of use to your school/department & how might you use it?

Would an SMS service be of use as a campus wide system and, if so, how should it be funded?

school of medicine faculty of medicine and health sms announcements in the blackboard learning...

Documents

text s hennessy

keywords s hennessy

medicine students

banner slide

keyword slide

students views

health sms announcements

module healthcare slide