Recently the University has agreed a new set of minimum expectations for delivering e-learning: every module should be supported by a Blackboard site with certain minimum information in it. The Administration undertaken by academics project has also highlighted some administrative activities in Blackboard that could be done differently to reduce academic staff workload.

In response to these two developments, we are launching a consultation on changing Blackboard processes for module sites. These changes would entail creating Blackboard sites automatically for every module and ensuring the site is set up as much as possible ahead of time. Having things set up automatically should help support academic staff to meet these new expectations and promote consistency across the institution. It should also reduce the workload for academic staff in creating Blackboard sites.

This paper sets out the vision of what we want to aim for and we would like feedback on it from the wider University community. There may be current technical limitations to accomplishing some of the vision due to the setup of existing University systems. However it is hoped by defining the ideal we will be able to adapt systems in the future to meet these requirements.  After consulting on this vision, it will need to be agreed and resourced by the University before any changes would happen.

Some of the areas covered in the consultation paper include:

• automatically creating Blackboard sites
• enrolling appropriate staff members automatically
• prepopulating sites with content where possible
• how we manage the transition from year to year
• Grade Centre set up
• when sites are available to students

For each section there are numbered questions where there are potential choices or conflicts, which are numbered for easy reference. We would welcome responses to these questions in particular, as well as any other comments on the paper. Feel free to only answer those questions which are most relevant for you.

Please send any responses to the consultation questions to Brian Irwin at b.irwin@shu.ac.uk by 22 February. If you can refer to the specific numbers of the questions that will help in collating the feedback.

There will be face-to-face sessions advertised shortly if you wish to discuss the consultation elements in person.