Blackboard is now accepting submissions through April 1, 2020 for the 2020 Blackboard Exemplary Course Program. The Exemplary Course Program gives awards for high quality courses! Professors Julia VanderMolen, Cheryl Kautz, and Szymon Machajewski from Grand Valley State University have received the award in the past!
The Exemplary Course Program began in 2000 with the goal of identifying and disseminating best practices for designing high quality courses. The core of the program is the Exemplary Course Rubric, which defines key characteristics of high quality courses within the framework of Course Design, Interaction and Collaboration, Assessment, and Learner Support.
The Exemplary Course Rubric is offered under a Creative Commons license, and we encourage you to reuse and remix it as part of your own discussions on quality course design.
Sit back, relax, and watch as Cheryl Kautz, Affiliate Instructor, in the School of Computing and Information Systems at GVSU guides you through her CIS 231 course in Blackboard.
As a previous “Blackboard Exemplary Course Award” and “Most Inclusive Classroom Award” recipient, Cheryl focuses on using quality course design methods including key tools in Blackboard such as Blackboard Ally for accessibility (eg. Syllabus, course content etc. includes alternative formats such as audio only), Panopto for video with popup formative quizzes, and tips for improving navigation including using course links to keep students on track and to provide easier navigation.
Highlighted in Cheryl’s course tour are the following design principles in using Blackboard to delivery quality instruction at GVSU.
Streamlined Course Menu
Customizing the course menu provides students with a simple and easy way to navigate the areas of her course. When designing your menu, aim to keep your navigation areas as clean, short and simple as possible. Use headings and dividers to break up the menu into chunks.
Course Links
Course Links assists students with navigating and jumping from section to section in a course site. Using Blackboard Course Links ensures students can easily navigate to other areas of your course quickly.
Checking for Accessibility with Blackboard Ally
Cheryl has dedicated time for inclusive learning by ensuring the content uploaded is accessible with Blackboard Ally. A GREEN indicator indicates that the file has a good rating. Yellow or red indicators appear when a file has low or poor levels of web accessibility.
Students benefit from using Blackboard Ally by accessing alternative file formats such as audio only.
Getting Started
Establish a “Getting Started” content area to help students “get started”. This area of Cheryl’s course provides:
links to “Are you ready for online learning at GVSU”
encouraging students to upload a Blackboard profile picture for increased engagement
an introductory Blackboard blog post for student to student interaction
a course link directing students to begin the “week 1 tasks”
Weekly Folders
Each weekly folder uses a consistent design and includes key dates and reminders such as midterm, spring break, final exams, and most importantly the objectives to be covered. The objectives are connected to the learning activities and assessments to inform students clearly about what they are expected to accomplish throughout the week which is good instructional design.
Inside of each weekly folder, students are presented with a “To Do” instruction list, practice assignments, video lectures, discussions, projects, quizzes, audio PowerPoints, and homework help.
Panopto Videos with Quizzes
Cheryl uses Panopto to present video based instruction with quizzes to check for students’ understanding and to provide formative feedback.
eLearning and Emerging Technologies Team offers Course Design and Development Support
As you build courses in Blackboard, please feel free to reach out to the eLearning and Emerging Technologies team for assistance in most effectively leveraging the use of Blackboard in your teaching at GVSU. We’re here to help!
In short, the Blackboard Exemplary Course Program recognizes faculty and course designers from schools, colleges and universities around the world who develop exciting and innovative courses that represent the very best in technology and learning.
The award highlights technologically rich, engaging, well designed, and pedagogically sound courses that showcase best practices for the user community. Submissions are judged by peers and by experts on the following components through an Exemplary Course Program Rubric:
The following video spotlight features the exemplary course program and includes a segment by GVSU Affiliate Instructor, Szymon Machajewski, from the School of Computing and Information Systems.
Last year, Grand Valley State University’s professors Szymon Machajewski and Cheryl Kautz, earned recognition from education technology company Blackboard Inc. as recipients of the “Exemplary Course Award” through the Blackboard Catalyst Award program. The winners were recognized during the BbWorld 2017 conference to be held July 25-27 in New Orleans.
Szymon Machajewski, Affiliate Instructor, in the School of Computing and Information Systems at GVSU received a 2017 Blackboard Exemplary Course Award for his CIS150 – Introduction to Computing Course. The award also recognized Brad Brege, CIS150 course coordinator, as a course collaborator and contributor.
Cheryl Kautz, Affiliate Instructor, in the School of Computing and Information Systems at GVSU received a 2017 Blackboard Exemplary Course Award for her CIS238 – Internet Media and Programming Course.
About the Blackboard Exemplary Course Award – This award recognizes faculty and course designers who develop exciting and innovative courses that represent the very best in technology and learning.
Congratulations again to GVSU faculty Szymon Machajewski and Cheryl Kautz, along with all of the 2017 award winners:
Hawaii Pacific University: Dr. Han Nee Chong
Algonquin College, Ontario, Canada: Dr. Albert Dudley
Grand Valley State University, Michigan: Cheryl Kautz
Grand Valley State University, Michigan: Szymon Machajewski
Columbia Southern University, Alabama: Jacqueline Pica and Dr. Christine Whitaker
Congratulations to Grand Valley State University’s professors Szymon Machajewski and Cheryl Kautz! These GVSU professors recently earned recognition from education technology company Blackboard Inc. as recipients of the “Exemplary Course Award” through the Blackboard Catalyst Award program. The winners will be recognized during the BbWorld 2017 conference to be held July 25-27 in New Orleans.
Szymon Machajewski, Affiliate Instructor, in the School of Computing and Information Systems at GVSU received a 2017 Blackboard Exemplary Course Award for his CIS150 – Introduction to Computing Course. The award also recognized Brad Brege, CIS150 course coordinator, as a course collaborator and contributor.
Cheryl Kautz, Affiliate Instructor, in the School of Computing and Information Systems at GVSU received a 2017 Blackboard Exemplary Course Award for her CIS 238 – Internet Media and Programming Course.
The eLearning and Emerging Technologies department offers our congratulations to Cheryl Kautz and Szymon Machajewski in their hard work to support student success through excellence in course design and teaching!
The Blackboard Catalyst Exemplary Course Award recognizes faculty and course designers from schools, colleges and universities around the world who develop exciting and innovative courses that represent the very best in technology and learning.
The award highlights technologically rich, engaging, well designed, and pedagogically sound courses that showcase best practices for the user community. Submissions were judged by peers and by experts on the following components:
course design;
interaction and collaboration;
assessment; and
learner support
About the Blackboard Catalyst Exemplary Course Award:
Exemplary Course Award – This award recognizes faculty and course designers who develop exciting and innovative courses that represent the very best in technology and learning.
Congratulations to GVSU faculty Szymon Machajewski and Cheryl Kautz, along with all of the 2017 award winners:
Hawaii Pacific University: Dr. Han Nee Chong
Algonquin College, Ontario, Canada: Dr. Albert Dudley
Grand Valley State University, Michigan: Cheryl Kautz
Grand Valley State University, Michigan: Szymon Machajewski
Columbia Southern University, Alabama: Jacqueline Pica and Dr. Christine Whitaker
“Blackboard is proud to recognize this year’s Catalyst Award winners for their commitment to leveraging technology to improve the education experience,” said Bill Ballhaus, Chairman, CEO and President of Blackboard. “We look forward to continuing to work with these educators and institutions to support learner success, and to share best practices widely for the benefit of the education community.”
Cheryl Kautz, affiliate instructor in the School of Computing and Information Systems at GVSU, recently received the 2016 Blackboard Exemplary Course Award for her Internet Media and Programming class.
Award Recognizes Outstanding Development of Community Best Practices Through Innovative Course Design
Grand Valley State University’s Cheryl Kautz earned the distinction from education technology company Blackboard Inc. The Exemplary Course Program recognizes faculty and course designers from schools, colleges and universities around the world who develop exciting and innovative courses that represent the very best in technology and learning.
The Blackboard Exemplary Course Award highlights technologically rich, engaging, well designed, and pedagogically sound courses that showcase best practices for the user community. Submissions were judged by peers and by experts on the following components:
course design;
interaction and collaboration;
assessment; and
learner support
The Blackboard Exemplary Course Program recognizes and honors innovation and excellence in the Blackboard global community of practice, where teachers and learners work every day to redefine what is possible when leveraging technology.
“I’m proud to recognize educators who are constantly finding new, innovative ways to inspire their students to learn,” said Bill Ballhaus, Chairman, CEO and President of Blackboard. “We congratulate the winners of the Exemplary Course Award, and we look forward to continuing to partner with these and other talented educators to bring their unique visions to life.”
Cheryl Kautz, affiliate instructor in the School of Computing and Information Systems will be honored alongside other Blackboard Exemplary Course designees on the blackboard.com website as well as in the Blackboard Community.
Blackboard is now accepting submissions through April 1, 2020 for the 2020 Blackboard Exemplary Course Program. The Exemplary Course Program gives awards for high quality courses! Professors Julia VanderMolen, Cheryl Kautz, and Szymon Machajewski from Grand Valley State University have received the award in the past!
Grand Valley State University’s 
eLearning Technologies @GVSU 