Blackboard Collaborate Software

For 4 years I was using this software and I can say I am very satisfied. But they can make some improvements to make it even better!

Pros

You can easily watch lectures and presentations online or recorded. It is easy to use and you can even download the recordings for future reference.

Cons

The interface seems a little outdated. Also when you download the presentation in pdf the format sometimes is not readable if there are letters in non English language.

Overall, I think there are other collaboration platforms that can serve the same purpose and have better functionality online.

Pros

Blackboard Collaborate has a very easy to understand layout and a simple tutorial to get you up-to-speed quickly when you are new to the program. It works really well with other programs (such as PowerPoint) to integrate additional content into online lives session courses.

Cons

This semester, Blackboard Collaborate has had several issues with lag time, which is especially difficult to deal with in a Spanish course. It is hard to understand when someone is speaking in your native language on this program, let alone trying to understand someone during a live session when they are attempting to learn a second language. There have also been issues with people attempting to log in and it just spins and says "attempting to connect". Students have missed entire live sessions because they were unable to connect during the specified class time. It has been a very frustrating experience.

Overall, this software has made distance learning easy and interactive.

Pros

I really enjoyed how easy it was to use this software. I've used the software for one my online learning classes. I like how interactive you can get with others and the amount of ways you can interact with each other in the virtual classroom.

Cons

I was having trouble connecting at first to my class room and getting the room setup but once I was in there I had no trouble. There was occasional lag with the webcams but once it leveled out all was fine.

Pros

The software is very detailed. There are many part to one action, you can control everything you need to. It is easy to learn, which i have had to do. But also it is easy to learn and study on your own. The outcome results for example as on a register, is also detailed and self explanatory.

Cons

It is an older system. I think it needs to be updated where there is not so much room for error. It is very 90s set up.

Pros

Ease of use, navigation is way easy, the look /design is good.

Cons

The mobile access. The double authorization sign in from the website. No way for it to remember and its a hassle signing in over and over again.

It is good and helps to be in classes when is you are not physically in a class.

Pros

It has a lot of useful features.
Good to keep track of courses.
You can view again the material.

Cons

It is needed a very good Wif connetion, if the internet is not good it fails.

Blackboard Collaborate creates an interactive classroom environment. Online learning, which is definitely blowing up, is a new avenue to connect students from almost any device. It has some limitations as the sound and video doesn’t always work, but it’s the closest thing to an online classroom as you can find. Works on almost any device, so I recommend this software.

Pros

Connects users nationally and globally into an interactive environment.

Cons

Can be glitchy and doesn’t always allow some functions.

Faculty and administrators are using Collaborate to conduct interviews with candidates at a distance. It works very well, and that is one of our major uses for the tool.

Pros

I like that it is geared toward educators, unlike many other webinar software. Its whiteboard, integration with Blackboard for ease of use, and breakout rooms are fantastic for teaching. I also like that with the update in the past two years, it no longer requires Java or any download of 3rd party software to work.

Cons

With all of the problems of the previous software, it did have some features I miss in the update. The ability to combine multiple sessions into one is sorely missed by our faculty. In Blackboard, each class is assigned a separate room. Sometimes faculty want to have one session, and providing the guest link to other students enrolled in another class does not work.

Pros

What I like most about Blackboard Collaborate is the interactive tools.

Cons

I was glad to see this software updated with great new features.

This is a great tool for online teachers, however learning how to use all of the features can be tedious. There should be more user friendly options in the program.

Pros

Many options for conferences via the internet, accessible on many devices, stable connection

Cons

Takes a lot of practice to learn how to use effectively, not easy to figure out without training

Pros

Blackboard is a virtual classroom as it can show you power point presentation at the same time your presenting it, through a camera! Distance learning is now made easier and more convenient by having your power point presentations play at the same time you are explaining it. It is also very helpful for the student who cannot follow through a manual side by side slideshow presentation of the power point and the speaker.

Cons

It might require quite a lot of data usage or a fast internet connection for it to work properly and for you to actually understand something in your lessons. Some features might also be confusing for the students who are first time users but overall, the concept and idea of having both your presentation and you at the same frame is a great idea!

Simply put, this is great for online learning.

Pros

I like that there even is a program like this. We use this for my daughter with her online schooling and she's able to access the learning screen and see/hear her teacher speak.

Cons

It took a bit to even get this program running correctly on our iMac. Also, we still cannot get the microphone/video option to work. We did all the setup and diagnosing for this and still can't get it to work.

I miss it!! One of the institutions recently switched to BB Collaborate ULTRA and that's a nightmare! My students can't log into and sharing my entire screen creates what I call the "infinity death stream" where an endless repeat of what I am sharing displays and no one can see anything! I WISH I could use BB Collaborate again!!! I would much rather have a slower start up with seamless screen and program sharing than a faster start up.

Pros

Sharing my entire screen is so easy, so no matter what program I am sharing or switching to, all can easily be seen. I also like that I can easily set up all the live chats for the whole month.

Cons

Sometimes it would take a while to load and my students would be late to the live chats. But in reality it was that big of a deal. I think ti still works great compared to BB Collaborate Ultra!

The ability to hold virtual meetings for business as well as academics is great. Our instructors love using Collaborate for virtual office hours and our HR department uses it for job interviews and board meetings. Great program.

Pros

Ease of use and integration into Blackboard courses with the additional capability of use outside of the LMS. The ability to hold virtual meetings for business as well as academics is great. Our instructors love using Collaborate for virtual office hours and our HR department uses it for job interviews and board meetings. Great program.

Cons

The compatibility with browsers other than Chrome has caused issues for faculty in the past. It is our understanding that Collaborate is made specifically for Chrome, which is not everyone's browser of choice.

The benefits from this is that there is no longer an obstacle between students learning and professors teaching, it can be done from the comfort of home thanks to this software!!!

Pros

How it helps expand teaching beyond the classroom.

Cons

Connectivity issues due to software glitches can happen but they don't occur frequently.

Pros

Easy to use even for my 7 year old! I love the updated version.

Cons

It's not compatible with mobile devices.

Once my computer was upgraded, I had an 7 year old computer previously, all of my issues went away.

Pros

I like that this is already a tool in Blackboard and that I don't have to go outside of the LMS to hold a video conference. This saves us time and money so we don't have to buy or train on an outside tool.

Cons

I don't like that it only works well in Chrome. Also, you have to have a fast computer to hold a session. I was using a dated computer at one point and it kept dropping the session. But if you can remember to remind users to only use Chrome and if you have a fast computer, you'll be able to use this.

I have used Blackboard across the years in different educational facilities as an online student. It has been non-problematic and I've achieved to college degrees and would recommend to anyone looking to set-up a learning environment.

Pros

I like the ease and setup of the course in blackboard. The layout is super-friendly in terms of finding your course materials, your email, instructor information, or accessing discussion boards. As a student in different schools, I found blackboard worked pretty much the same way, no issues in attending my live class sessions or taking my tests.

Cons

No cons regarding blackboard from a student's stance. It is really laid out where anyone can log in and find their way around after a brief tutorial.

Pros

I like the way the software is organized. It is easy to collaborate with others and make sure everyone is on the same page. Everyone can see the calendar and add events to it, allowing for easy communication.

Cons

Although it is an easy way to collaborate, I feel that there are software options that are easier to use.

As a user (student), Blackboard Collaborate is excellent!

Pros

Working and using Blackboard in an academic setting has simplified my use of the software. Being able to view Blackboard from both an administrator and student has helped me become very proficient in the software.

Cons

The user interface of Blackboard Collaborate can be somewhat cumbersome when you first use the software.