Blackboard Analytics for Learn

Analytics has been a game-changer that is helping our institution create an overall better student experience.

Pros

Blackboard Analytics is an amazingly powerful data platform. Working in conjunction with Pyramid, Analytics lets you view Blackboard data from a "global" institution view, all the way down to a single mouse click, by one student in one course. In this ever increasing data-driven industry, Analytics is a powerful tool to help you make informed decisions based on real time data. Information is presented in easy to navigate dashboards, allowing users to interact with the data. Admins can create specific reports tailored to the institution needs. Customer support and training have been invaluable.

Cons

Going in, it helps if you have a working knowledge of databases. The dashboards are easy enough for the general user, but the report creation is not always intuitive. All that said, once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature.

As both a teacher and a student - Blackboard works for me

Make sure you explore the user guides and options, blackboard can be a powerful tool but some of it's features are less than obvious!

Pros

As a instructor blackboard lets me integrate a lot of different types of media through Kaltura, structure time released content ,vary assessments, and deliver individualized learning opportunities. All of these elements are crucial to my instruction. As a student, I get mobile access and notifications about grades, announcements, and course changes that help me manage my learning.

Cons

While the features are wonderful, they are somewhat convoluted to properly utilize, requiring more steps than I would like, and can sometimes be "hidden" in such ways that I have to refer back to user guides because it's not a very intuitive integration. Therefore, as a student, I find many of my professors do not fully take advantage of the learning management system because they have limited knowledge.

Great for students

I love using blackboard and was able to use it at both schools that I attended.

Pros

Blackboard is wonderful for students, it is very easy to use and they constantly do updates that help improve the system.

Cons

They should consolidate the updates to where they do it only once every 2 months of so, that way it doesn't take time that the students could be using the system.

Blackboard LMS is perfect for online courses

I love Blackboard. I am a user and an administrator and I haven't found much that Blackboard can't do.

Pros

Blackboard has all the necessary tools to create a great and effective online learning environment. There are so many LTI tools you can integrate into Blackboard to be successful. Also it is user-friendly and you don't have to be a tech genius to manage the tools.

Cons

We have had issues in the past with customer support for Blackboard. There is only so much we have control over and we often have to reach out to support with minimal responses.

Blackboard can be great...

Pros

I have used this system for as long as my university has had it available, 10+ years. I use it every semester and I am constantly finding new things it can do. It has been very helpful in keeping track and making available for my students their grades and assignments. It also has the ability to be personalized for each class.

Cons

As I said in the Pro's, I am always learning new things. The problem is I have to dig to find the information I am looking for and seeing what else blackboard can do. Also, I find it difficult to transfer information from one semester to another. I have used the help menu to find information but it is not very user friendly. You would think after 10+ years I would be more proficient but every semester I have to relearn the system.