Module Design

Module Designer Tool

Announcement, Blackboard, Module Design /
Laptop computer on a cluttered desk, with chalkboard diagrams on screen and drawn on wall around this.

Whether you’re building a new module from scratch, revalidating an existing one, or developing a clear blueprint to enhance student outcomes, the Module Designer Tool supports you through every stage of the design process. From initial preparation all the way through to evaluation, it helps you maintain constructive alignment between learning outcomes, activities, and assessments, while embedding accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles throughout.

Everything you enter saves automatically as you work, with all data stored securely in your browser so nothing ever leaves your device. You can revisit any section at any time to refine and enhance your ideas, and when you’re ready to share your work with colleagues or stakeholders, you can export the complete documentation to PDF or Word format.

The tool integrates proven pedagogic frameworks, including Bloom’s Taxonomy, Laurillard’s Learning Types, and the Cognitive Apprenticeship model to help you structure learning that is purposeful, inclusive, and aligned. 

You can also use this tool for general guidance on how to set up online content and activities, supporting well designed and easy to use Blackboard course areas for other staff and students to interact with.

Try the Module Designer Tool now!

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From Feedback to Best Practice: Designing Blackboard Ultra Modules that Work for Students

Announcement, Blackboard, Module Design /

From Feedback to Best Practice: Designing Blackboard Ultra Modules that Work for Students

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A new online resource is now available to support staff in designing engaging and effective Blackboard Ultra modules. It draws on research exploring students’ expectations and experiences of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), bringing together key insights and practical strategies for effective VLE design.

As part of the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, I explored students’ perceptions of Blackboard Ultra and its role in supporting learning.

The findings from this research have been developed into an online resource that highlights key principles of good course design and offers practical strategies that colleagues can apply to enhance their Blackboard Ultra modules. The resource is structured around six student-informed themes, covering areas such as clear structure and navigation, flexible and accessible content, effective communication, and active engagement. Each theme provides actionable guidance that can be implemented within individual modules or across wider course teams.

The aim of this resource is to support colleagues in reflecting on their current modules and identifying opportunities to build on existing good practice to further enhance the student experience.

👉 You can explore the full resource here.

If you would like support in reviewing your Blackboard modules, implementing these approaches, or simply discussing how these principles might apply to your teaching, please get in touch. You can contact me directly: Nisha Atkins – n.atkins@worc.ac.uk, or reach out via the TEL Team at TEL@worc.ac.uk. We are happy to support you individually or as part of a course team.

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