Hop into our 2023 course highlight videos
Discover the course attributes that led students to nominate our finalists for 2023 awards in this video playlist.
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.
Module title | Module ID | Module Leader | Academic School | Academic Faculty |
---|---|---|---|---|
Realising Success | MANG1016 | Rochelle Clark | Southampton Business School | Faculty of Social Sciences |
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 |
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.
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.
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.
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 |
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.
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'.
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.
Discover the course attributes that led students to nominate our finalists for 2023 awards in this video playlist.
Video interviews with category winners from 2022's awards.
Explore why students nominated the finalists for 2022's Overall award winners in this video playlist.
Tour the winning courses and hear from award winners what worked well in an extraordinary year.
7-minute overview summarising students' comments from the record-breaking 2021 VLE Awards.
What did students value in 2020's award-winning course sites?
Video interviews and demonstrations from 2019's shortlisted courses.
Animation featuring 2018's shortlisted courses.
Blackboard site featuring examples and advice from 2017's shortlisted courses.
Prezi featuring 2016's shortlisted courses.
Prezi featuring 2015's shortlisted courses.
Prezi featuring 2014's shortlisted courses.