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Digital Learning

Blackboard and VLE Awards

Blackboard and VLE Award 2024 Winning modules

We are excited to announce our winners in the 2024 Blackboard and VLE Awards. These modules represent excellence in module design that resonates with our students. Whether it’s through engaging course content, cultivating an inclusive online space, or innovative use of online tools, the Blackboard and VLE Awards set the standard for online learning excellence. Thank you to everyone who took part in this years awards. 

Staff self-nomination winner

Module title Module ID Module Leader Academic School  Academic Faculty
Realising Success MANG1016 Rochelle Clark Southampton Business School  Faculty of Social Sciences

Student nomination winners 

Module title Module ID Module Leader Academic School  Academic Faculty
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) GGES2007 Andrew Phillips Ocean and Earth Sciences Faculty of Life Sciences
Technological Innovation MANG3072 Dorrie Chao and Rob Angell Southampton Business School Faculty of Social Sciences
Puzzles and Paradoxes PHIL3049 Giulia Felappi School of Humanities Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Reading List awards

Most accessed reading list (proportional to course enrolments)

Janek Gryta - The Holocaust 1 (HIST3060)
Well-structured list (both thematically and numerically); good mix of resources with relevant priority settings - very high view/student ratio, good use of student notes with annotated guidance.  Has also used sections within Blackboard weekly content – sections inserted into weekly reading will have boosted student engagement with reading list.  Janek created this list independently and it’s an excellent example of a highly engaging reading list, hence it’s top of the pile in this category.       
 

Most prolific reading list creator

Christian Enemark (PAIRxxxx)
Christian has done a lot of independent work on his reading lists across 5 modules.  All lists have a good clear structure with a mix of resources.  PAIR2033/3041 and PAIR2034/3042 could be potentially linked as single lists as they appear to be identical lists with the same module title.  One recommended enhancement: include thematic subtitle within main weekly section title in order for themes to appear within the Table of Contents for easier student navigation. 
 

Examples of reading lists which are exemplary  

Brian Hracs and colleagues - A Global World (GGES1008)
A really engaging thematically structured list.  A good mix of resources with high levels of student engagement.  Resources are not duplicated on Blackboard – so no confusion for students, they go to their embedded online Reading List to access their library and Open Access resources.  This is reflected in the high engagement levels: 3279 page views, 2243 clicks, 495 annotations.  This list has been collaboratively put together by several members of Geography.  It’s a model example of an engaging reading list which the Reading List Team have used it as their thematic example of “Best practice” within our online support pages.

 
Naveena Prakasam - Managing within a Global Context (MANG6273)
A really engaging reading list, structured by a combination of weeks and themes for easy student navigation.  A good mix of resources with high levels of student engagement.  There is also a good use of student notes with annotated guidance.  Naveena has created this list herself independently and has not duplicated these resources within Blackboard – so no confusion for students, they go to their embedded online Reading List to access their library and Open Access resources.  This is reflected in the high engagement levels: 6029 page views, 4740 clicks, 260 annotations. 

The 2024 shortlisted modules

After careful deliberation the Digital Learning team has processed the nominations and conducted an independant student survey of over 100 modules, we are proud to annouce our 2024 shortlisted modules. Each of these modules represents a positive learning experience underpinned with pedagogical excellence, we will be celebrating our 2024 winners as part of the 2024 CHEP Festival of teaching and learning

 
Module title  Module ID Module leader Academic School Faculty 
Origins of Biodiversity BIOL1029 Mark Chapman School of Biological Sciences       Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences
Pharmacology BIOL2049 Linda Holden-Dye School of Biological Sciences Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences
Theory of Computing COMP2210 Corina Cirstea School of Electronics and Computer Science Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Foundations of Cyber Security COMP6224 Leonardo Aniello School of Electronics and Computer Science Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Intermediate Microeconomics ECON2039 Tim Hellmann School of Economic Social and Political Science  Faculty of Social Sciences
Applied Economics ECON3007 Panagiotis Giannarakis School of Economic Social and Political Science  Faculty of Social Sciences
Digital System Design ELEC6236 Mark Zwolinski School of Electronics and Computer Science Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Electricity and Electronics GENG0004 Josh Robertson        School of Engineering Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) GGES2007 Andrew Phillips    School of Geography and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences
Leading and Managing Organisations and Systems HLTH6209 Richard Giordano     School of Health Sciences  Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences
Influencing Innovation and Change (Level 6) HSGM3000 Christopher Allen         School of Health Sciences Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences
Criminal Law
 
LAWS1020 Mark Telford  Southampton Law School Faculty of Social Sciences
Foundations of Contract Law LAWS1021 Emma Laurie Southampton Law School Faculty of Social Sciences
Introduction to Marketing MANG1015 Thomas Chapman Southampton Business School Faculty of Social Sciences
Financial Accounting 2 MANG2003 Jacqueline Campbell Southampton Business School Faculty of Social Sciences
Financial Econometrics 1 MANG2074 Ahmad Maaitah Southampton Business School Faculty of Social Sciences
Measuring Marketing Effectiveness MANG3057 Robert Angell & Hongfei Liu  Southampton Business School  Faculty of Social Sciences
Technological Innovation MANG3072 Dorrie Chao Southampton Business School Faculty of Social Sciences
Graph Theory MATH3033 Jim Anderson School of Mathematical Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences
Data Mining and Analytics MATH6183 Christine Currie & Selin Ahipasaoglu School of Mathematical Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences
Principles of Occupational Therapy Practice OCCT1033 Anita Bowser School of Health Sciences Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences
Puzzles and Paradoxes PHIL3049 Giulia Felappi School of Humanities Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Turbulence SESA6061 Christina Vanderwel    School of Engineering  Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Aircraft Propulsion SESA6075 Edward Richardson School of Engineering Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Zooplankton Ecology and Processes SOES2040 Catherine Lucas   School of Ocean and Earth Science Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences
 

2023 Blackboard and VLE Awards

The winners for the Blackboard and VLE awards have been selected by our final judging panel made up of students, academic staff, and members of our Student Union. It is with great pride that we can announce the 2023 Blackboard and VLE Awards winners.

VLE Superleague

VLE Superleague banner

In 2020 we launched the Blackboard & VLE Awards superleague, featuring courses that have won previously and are still consistently nominated by students for the outstanding support they provide. For inspiration, tour some of the superleague courses on YouTube or search the Blackboard Course Catalogue for 'Superleague'.

Super League courses

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Awards

Blackboard Catalyst Award 2020 winners logo
Our VLE Awards won an international Blackboard Catalyst Award in 2020

The Blackboard and Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) awards are an annual awards that surveys students and staff members to highlight modules they feel represent high-quality teaching. Over the the 12 years the awards have run, we have had close to 50 overall winners, and 1000s of modules have been nominated. Nominating a module helps us to discover good teaching practices across all areas of the University and share these practices further. The Blackboard and VLE awards at its core are an opportunity to ensure course design and delivery at the University of Southampton reflects you. We encourage nominations from all of our learning platforms used to deliver teaching online.

Award-winning courses are chosen for their innovative features and for the high standard of support they offer students. Our final judging panel includes student representation, Associate Deans (Education) and online learning specialists. Our course rubric explains some of the key aspects considered. Find out more about last year's winning courses in our 2023 Blackboard & VLE Awards blog post .

Central to the VLE Awards is the chance to share good practice. Our Award winners are encouraged to contribute case studies of their practice. Short presentations summarising features praised by students, using examples from shortlisted courses, can be viewed below. This is further explored through a series of workshops for staff, which showcase faculty-specific examples of excellent materials, offer practical tips and discuss good design for online learning.  

 

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