BlackBoard
BlackBoard is probably the most comprehensive learning tool available online today. This tool offers not only an unparalleled amount of support, but also features so massive and varied that it would be difficult to name them all by ourselves.
BlackBoard is a leader, and has been a leader, in the eLearning tool industry for a long time now. The BlackBoard eLearning platform is a stunning example of what can happen when a school comes together in an exciting, cohesive way under one program.
Although BlackBoard is extensive, it is by no means a one-trick pony. BlackBoard offers solutions to nearly every part of campus life, far more than any other eLearning platform ever does. It’s an exciting tool that could easily be a sign of things to come in the online learning marketplace.
Need a pratical solution for your eLearning needs? Try BlackBoard
- BlackBoard eLearning Tool: Summary Overview?
BlackBoard eLearning platform is a wide array of tools. These tools include ways to evaluate, analyze, create, and ascertain data about a wide variety of campus activities all at once, in an easy and convenient fashion.
BlackBoard is not a cheap system, but the fact that they offer an integrated platform to appeal to all aspects of campus life is very tempting to educators and administrators alike. This is definitely one of those systems for which we warned to set aside a large chunk of the budget. For a system like this, you’ll definitely need an implementation partner. Choose a local partner, so that if anything goes wrong, you’ll be able to have constant on-the-ground help with anything that happens.
- BlackBoard: Who It’s For
BlackBoard is for any administrator or teacher who wants to integrate online learning tools with in-class learning tools. It is a complete campus system, and is focused on helping students and teachers learn and share together over the Internet.
In other words, it’s primarily for colleges. All levels of academia might benefit from a BlackBoard system, but it is primarily targeted towards colleges. There is also a spin-off branch, called BlackBoard Engage, which is targeted towards all the eLearning platform needs of a high school. This is a smaller version of BlackBoard for high schools.
- BlackBoard: Core eLearning Features
BlackBoard has seven major platforms. They are:
- BlackBoard Learn: This is the essential eLearning platform. This platform is geared towards professors, mainly, who want to access their courses at any time. It’s a Learning Management System (LMS) that allows teachers to engage students in a variety of ways. Success is tracked both through reported scores and through assessing outcomes at the end of every marked period. This is a fantastic tool for educators who want to reach their students in a variety of ways.
- BlackBoard Collaborate: BlackBoard Collaborate is the way that everyone involved in the learning process can collaborate together. It’s an interactive experience, designed to keep students engaged at all times. Unlike with most LMS, BlackBoard Collaborate allows students to keep track of all of their assignments on a mobile phone, enabling them to be connected to the teacher and to each other at any time of the day.
- BlackBoard Connect: The BlackBoard Connect program is an offshoot of the others; honestly, it’s just another way to reach the students a teacher already has. This is for the mobile phone, and enables students and teachers to connect by text and to set alerts pertinent to the courses.
- BlackBoard Transact: BlackBoard Transact is one of the reasons we call BlackBoard a “total campus system,” rather than just an eLearning platform.
Transact is a card-scanning system, put into place by a local implementation company (see our list of LMS implementation companies). This allows students to use just one card in order to pay for meals, pay for on/off campus purchases, and access buildings. It also allows administrators and guards to control building access from a centralized location rather than relying on scattered guards.
- BlackBoard Analytics: When the course is over, and you have the data about student performance, what’s next? How do you move forward? With BlackBoard Analytics, it offers reports, predictions, and a data transformation model that a lot of teachers and administrators absolutely love.
- BlackBoard Mobile: Everything is mobile these days, and so is BlackBoard. Not only does BlackBoard Mobile enable a teacher to connect through a mobile device with his or her students, but to connect with the administration, as well as prospective and alumni students and teachers.
- BlackBoard Engage: This is the High School version of BlackBoard. It has many of the same features as the BlackBoard Learning System, but is delivered in a High School –sized package for the convenience of educators.
- BlackBoard Review: What’s Great About BlackBoard
BlackBoard is the most comprehensive LMS on the market, no doubt. It makes it a breeze to go through any system, and is infinitely customizable. The fact that it extends to all aspects of campus life is a very exciting, forward-thinking methodology of approach to LMS, one that we’re sure the world will see a lot more of in the coming years
BlackBoard offers more than any other LMS that we’ve seen. It’s not as easy to use, but it does have a completeness of service that makes it very attractive to higher education and academia in general.
- BlackBoard Review: What’s Not So Great About BlackBoard
BlackBoard is costly and complicated. There are no few ways around those two pitfalls. If your college is on a shoestring budget as is, you may want to steer away from asking for the funding to bring BlackBoard to your school.
It is also not the kind of thing that an individual teacher can simply set up. This is a program that needs an implementation company on the ground, willing to walk the entire school through every step of the journey. If your school is willing to provide that kind of help, the system is good and comprehensive enough that it will be well worth your while.
- BlackBoard Pricing / Cost Explained
BlackBoard has no fixed price. Now that the trepidation from learning that has settled, we can reveal that yes, BlackBoard is a costly system. There is no one price, since the implementation for every company, organization and school is different. Each price quote is customized to the system needs of the individual school.
- The Final Word: BlackBoard Conclusion
BlackBoard is a pricey, complicated, and fantastic system. If your school or organization has the money and the resources to invest in learning to use it, you should take them up on it. While it’s not as user-friendly as Moodle, it’s an excellent program for eLearning platforms that will keep students excited and engaged in a variety of ways. The results for professors and administrators are good enough that within a few years, the switch will seem nothing less than retrospectively inevitable.
i never expected to review blackboard and give it such a negative review! what a shame, i know a lot of schools really like this but i just can’t
COMAPRED TO EVERY OTHER ELEARNING TOOL I HAVE USED THIS IS THE BEST. it is so professional, perfectly laid out, and in general perfect for my needs!
their software is okay but i have to admit their consulting services are really bad…i was not impressed and i will probably not be using them in the future
for an elearning platform, i am not the MOST disappointed in blackboard, but it could definitely be better. i think they have slipped a bit and could use a big overhaul!
A++ rating for me! this elearning site is FANTASTIC and i love using it for all of my courses. i will be using it in the upcoming years as well and i will probably never look at another one ever again
reviews led me to blackboard and i will say that i am enjoying it thoroughly. it is very easy to upload all of my course information and get off to a fast start for all of my students.
AN AMAZING TOOL. I am really pleased with using this with my new coursework this year and my students seem to like it as well. I haven’t had any issues whatsoever.
i went to test this out and i was mostly ok with it…i think they have some buggy issues with downtime and they should announce that more but it’s still quite good
Platforms like blackboard are popping up all over the place, so you kind of have your choice of different ones to use. I think this one is okay, but the downtime is usually quite long and obnoxious.
elearning has a new face and it’s called crap. i really can’t express how much i dislike this buggy mess that everyone else absolutely adores, it is heavy, bogged down, and generally a mess to work with.
I am SO glad to be able to give Blackboard a positive review. For me, it is the total package, and makes it so easy to get all of my coursework up, uploaded, and ready to go!
when compared to every single other elearning site out there, i really feel like this one is the pinnacle of perfection. you can’t beat it as far as professional looks and feel and it is the STANDARD.
I have been trying out a bunch of different elearning software and I think I have settled on this one. Their downtimes can be a bit troublesome but otherwise they are great.
NOT a good platform as far as i am concerned. blackboard is a mess of bugs and errors at the best of times, and i have had nothing but issues in uploading material
D rating at best. this elearning software is just not good and i have never not had something kicked back with incorrect formatting…i will pass and try something else
all of the reviews ADORE blackboard and i guess i am jumping on that bandwagon! i have never been so satisfied with the way my courses are laid out online until now!
a very good tool and one i will return to time and time again. i think that this is an amazing way to reach your students and help them stay organized and on track
I wanted to just test this out but I did end up really enjoying it. I think that this is the standard of elearning, and while it has its flaws, I will definitely be using it for my students in the future.
platforms like this are really not that impressive. blackboard does a decent enough job of handling my content but i will find another site in the future that doesn’t have so many uploading issues
elearning is really not the focus here anymore, i think. i think it is all about the MONEY and unfortunately you do not get what you pay for when you use this program.
I can’t leave anything but a positive review about Blackboard! It’s excellent and really does a lovely job of organizing all of my classes. My students love it as well!
when i compared this to a bunch of other elearning sites i think that i have hit the gold mine, no complaints at all and i love the way it uploads my content, always flawless
for an elearning software i am impressed. it does a good job of managing content and keeping things looking smart and organized. i haven’t had too many formatting issues, either.
a solid platform for elearning but that doesn’t mean blackboard is perfect. i think that some people just jump on it because it is the industry standard to some and it is still kind of buggy
I have to give this an A rating for sure! overall, i have not had ANY of the problems i have had with other elearning software, especially regarding uploads and downtime!
reviews for this are a joke, blackboard isn’t worth all the hype it receives, it is costly and really not worth a time of that what with all the TIME it wastes
i have no issues with using this elearning tool!!! i really think everyone should give it a trial run if they can because most students recognize it and it does a great job organizing your classwork!
i had been dying to give this a test run and i am so glad i finally did. overall, i really enjoyed using this, but i think it could still use some tweaks because of its bugginess.
unimpressed by most elearning platforms in general but this one is not bad. blackboard is pretty solid and my real beef with it is the downtime that often comes with it.
this is not the best elearning tool i have ever used. i am actually not fond of it at all, and don’t really understand the desire for EVERY single course to be related through it!
A+ review for me on blackboard! I really enjoy using this for my coursework. i think that most teachers would if they gave it a try, and so if it is available to you, utilize it!
compared to a dozen other elearning tools, this one really is the best. i think that it deserves all the attention it receives and should be used even more often!
software like this in a classroom setting works for a great many people and i am starting to think this will work for me. i just need to tweak a bit more and we’ll see.
NOT THE BEST ELEARNING PLATFORM. I HAVE USED SO MANY BETTER ONES AND BLACKBOARD JUST GETS A LOT OF ATTENTION BECAUSE IT IS USED SO OFTEN…BUGGY AND UNRELIABLE, AND MY STUDENTS OFTEN COMPLAIN
F rating for this one for sure. i am not impressed at all and i will probably never understand the hype that surrounds this program, it is a buggy mess
reviews should always be great for blackboard as i have NEVER had a problem with it! my course content always looks amazing once it’s uploaded and my students have a seamless experience
i have used this for both courses and their consultation services and i have never once been disappointed. this company is amazing to work with and i love my results!
a test of patience for me to see how long i can hold out before diving straight in! overall this is an amazing program and the only real issues i have are with lagginess and customer service slowness
blackboard is one of the WORST elearning platforms i have ever used, but i can’t get away from it because it is so firmly integrated into the school system. what a mess.
for elearning you really can’t beat this! it’s such an organized program with a great backbone of support that anyone can use it and be successful.
happy to review this and give blackboard the giant F it deserves. I AM REALLY NOT HAPPY. i can’t count the ways that this program has messed me up and wasted so much time!
compared to every other elearning tool i’ve utilized in the past, this one is just flawless. I have not had a single problem with uploading anything and no formatting issues at all!
software like this makes my job so much easier. it is not without its flaws and i find myself irritated by its downtime at times but otherwise it does a good job of course management
for an elearning platform blackboard is mostly solid, but i have still had my issues regarding uptime and uploading inconsistencies. there are other programs out there that might be better.
i will give this one an A+ rating! i have had NONE of the problems other reviewers have talked about and this program consistently performs and gets it done for me!
positive reviews for blackboard are all a load of crap, my students have really suffered using this program at times because of the downtime and overall bugginess
FANTASTIC LEARNING TOOL. I AM SO HAPPY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS AND I WILL CONTINUE TO USE IT AS LONG AS I CAN!!! THIS IS AMAZING AND MAKES MY CLASSES SO EASY TO ORGANIZE!
if you can do a test run of this then definitely take the chance. you will never see a better way to organize your courses again and will wish you had this for all of them!
elearning platforms are all basically the same and blackboard is honestly no different, it’s just more expensive. good luck utilizing this and making any kind of cash
obviously if you deal with elearning you have heard of this program and all of the hype around it. i am just not impressed as it is basically the same thing but on a larger scale
every review i will ever leave for blackboard will be a giant positive! i have nothing but wonderful things to say about this program, it has made my life so much easier!
COMPARED TO ANYTHING ELSE THIS IS MY FAVORITE ELEARNING PROGRAM. I WILL NEVER GO TO ANOTHER ONE AFTER USING THIS BECAUSE IT IS JUST SO CONSISTENT IN MAKING MY COURSES LOOK AMAZING!
i have been around the block when it comes to elearning software. that being said i am still fond of this one and will probably stick with it in spite of all of its bugginess
a decent learning platform. i really think blackboard needs some updates, however, and that is what discourages me from using it more consistently. maybe after they have a major update.
nothing but a poor rating from me because i am sick of the downtime, unplanned and planned. how much work do you REALLY need to do cocnerning this thing if it is soldi?
reviews in general got me interested in using blackboard and then when i actually got a chance to jump into it, i was thrilled. it’s an amazing content management program for your courses!
A REALLY AWESOME ELEARNING TOOL. i will never go back to anything else, this one is just consistently perfect and i have never even had any formatting issues that others talk about
test this out and then make a decision-chances are you will like it! i know i did. i think that overall most people do but there just some kinks to work out along the way
for elearning platforms i think blackboard is solid….not great but solid. you can’t really mess it up but there are still some flaws with its programming that you will undoubtedly notice.
for elearning i prefer so many other things to this. you can’t change a lot of the things that you’d like to with this program and in general you are just suffocating underneath its ideals.
FOR MY BLACKBOARD REVIEW I HAVE TO SAY THAT I ABSOLUTELY HATE THIS PROGRAM AND REALLY FIND IT OBNOXIOUS TO USE. I CANNOT MODIFY THINGS LIKE I’D LIKE TO AND GENERALLY AM FRUSTRATED ALL THE TIME.
compared to a bunch of other elearning softwares and i really found that this one is the best for me! no complaints on my end and i love that my formatting is always perfectly arranged
in my search for the perfect software i tried this out and i am mostly satisfied. i wish it had a few more features that didn’t make everything all the same but it’ll do
a decent platform. blackboard is pretty consistent and good about getting your content ducks in a row. it is not without its lagginess and bad days however so just watch out
F rating at ABSOLUTE BEST. i am so frustrated with this program because it is EVERYWHERE. i can’t seem to get away from it lol what a mess
reviews that pat this on the back makes me grind my teeth. blackboard is really not the pinnacle of perfection as far as elearning software goes and it drives me nuts!
a useful tool that i will use again and again. my courses go so much easier with this website and i am so happy that i can upload all of my material to it for my students
did a test run of this and was quite pleased. i think i will have to do some tweaking to the usual formula that this site is used but overall i am very happy
PLATFORMS LIKE THIS ARE REALLY HIT AND MISS AND I THINK THAT BLACKBOARD IS MOSTLY OKAY…JUST KIND OF BUGGY AT TIMES…I WILL KEEP USING IT OUT OF DURESS
NOT MY ELEARNING PLATFORM OF CHOICE. I REALLY AM SICK OF HAVING TO UTILIZE THIS IN MY CLASSROOM BECAUSE OF HOW BUGGY IT IS BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS I SUPPOSE
A++ review from me, i really do love using blackboard and think it is an excellent choice for most school systems. no issues at all on my end and i will happily continue using it!
i have never found anything that can be compared to this program. it is excellent and REALLY helps me out in organizing all of my classes! thanks a bunch!
a good software choice for those making traditional classroom decisions online. i like it well enough though i am sometimes hindered by how strict it is
not a good platform and it makes me go insane to see blackboard used EVERYWHERE. it is not consistent in formatting and causes a lot of problems for my students.
a low rating on my end because i think it is just overused and overhyped. it messes up so many things and the downtime really does drive me crazy