Blackboard Learning Review - why 3.9 stars?

Shlomi Lavi / updated: Feb 28, 2023

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What is Blackboard Learning?

Blackboard Learning System is a powerful and user-friendly Learning Management System (LMS) that has been helping students and educators for over two decades. This software is designed to streamline the teaching and learning process, making it easier for instructors to create and manage courses, while also offering students an intuitive platform to access course materials, assignments, and discussions.

The Blackboard Learning System is used by a wide variety of educational institutions, including K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. It is also used by many corporate training programs and professional development organizations. This software is particularly well-suited for institutions and organizations that want to offer online and blended learning opportunities, as it allows instructors to easily create and deliver content in a variety of formats.

One of the key features of the Blackboard Learning System is its flexibility. Instructors can use a variety of tools and formats to create and deliver content, including multimedia presentations, interactive quizzes, and discussion forums. This allows them to tailor their teaching to the needs and interests of their students, while also providing multiple ways for students to engage with the material.

Another useful feature of the Blackboard Learning System is its communication tools. Instructors can use the system to send announcements, messages, and emails to their students, while students can use it to ask questions and participate in discussions. This helps to create a more collaborative and engaging learning environment, where students can connect with each other and with their instructors.

The Blackboard Learning System also offers a range of assessment tools, including tests, quizzes, and assignments. Instructors can create and grade these assessments within the system, making it easy to monitor student progress and provide feedback. This also allows instructors to easily track student performance and identify areas where additional support or instruction may be needed.

Blackboard was established in 1997 in Washington, D.C. and has since become one of the most widely used LMS platforms in the world. The company has over 3,000 employees and offices in cities across the globe, including New York, Amsterdam, Sydney, and Tokyo. Blackboard is committed to providing innovative and effective solutions for education and training, and continues to evolve and improve its products to meet the changing needs of educators and learners.

In conclusion, the Blackboard Learning System is an essential tool for anyone involved in education or training. Its intuitive interface, flexible content creation tools, communication features, and assessment capabilities make it a powerful platform for online and blended learning. Whether you are a K-12 teacher, a college professor, or a corporate trainer, the Blackboard Learning System can help you create engaging and effective learning experiences for your students.

Who is it best for?

Blackboard Learning System LMS software is typically used by educational institutions, such as K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, as well as corporate training programs and professional development organizations. Here are five examples of customers that use Blackboard Learning System LMS software:

1. Florida International University: Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university in Miami, Florida. They use Blackboard Learning System LMS software to deliver online and blended courses to their students, as well as to provide faculty with tools for creating and managing course content.

2. University of Maryland: The University of Maryland is a public research university in College Park, Maryland. They use Blackboard Learning System LMS software to provide students with access to course materials, assignments, and discussions, as well as to allow instructors to create and manage course content.

3. IBM: IBM is a multinational technology company that provides a wide range of products and services, including corporate training and development programs. They use Blackboard Learning System LMS software to deliver online training modules and track employee progress.

4. American Red Cross: The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and education. They use Blackboard Learning System LMS software to deliver training and certification programs for their staff and volunteers.

5. International Baccalaureate: The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a non-profit educational foundation that offers programs for students aged 3 to 19. They use Blackboard Learning System LMS software to provide online resources and support for their students and teachers.

In addition to these customers, many other educational institutions and organizations around the world use Blackboard Learning System LMS software to enhance their teaching and training programs. This software is known for its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and wide range of features, making it a popular choice for institutions and organizations of all sizes and types.

Main features and functionalities

Blackboard Learning System LMS software can help your business in several ways. Here are some examples:

1. Training and development: If your business needs to provide training and development opportunities for your employees, Blackboard Learning System LMS software can help. You can create and deliver online training modules, track employee progress, and provide feedback and support. This can help improve employee skills and productivity, while also reducing the time and cost associated with in-person training.

2. Onboarding: Blackboard Learning System LMS software can also be used to onboard new employees. You can create onboarding modules that cover topics such as company culture, policies and procedures, and job-specific training. This can help new employees get up to speed quickly and feel more confident in their roles.

3. Collaboration and communication: Blackboard Learning System LMS software includes a range of communication and collaboration tools, such as discussion forums, messaging, and video conferencing. These tools can help your employees connect with each other, share ideas, and work together more effectively.

4. Compliance training: If your business operates in a regulated industry, you may need to provide compliance training for your employees. Blackboard Learning System LMS software can help you create and deliver compliance training modules, track employee progress, and generate reports to demonstrate compliance.

5. Performance management: Blackboard Learning System LMS software can also be used for performance management. You can create performance goals and metrics, track employee progress, and provide feedback and support. This can help improve employee performance and job satisfaction, while also helping your business achieve its goals.

Overall, Blackboard Learning System LMS software can help your business improve employee skills, productivity, and engagement, while also reducing training costs and improving compliance. By providing a user-friendly platform for online training, collaboration, and communication, Blackboard Learning System LMS software can help your business stay competitive in todays fast-paced business environment.

What is the actual cost?

The cost of license starts at $9,500 per year. ITQlick pricing score is 8 out of 10 (10 is most expensive). Access ITQlick pricing guide for Blackboard Learning.

Pros

• Blackboard Learning System LMS software offers a range of advanced features that are not available on some other LMS platforms. For example, their Pro plan includes virtual classroom functionality, which allows for synchronous learning experiences. This feature is not available on some other LMS platforms, giving Blackboard an advantage for organizations that prioritize virtual classroom capabilities.
• Blackboard offers a high degree of customization to meet the specific needs and goals of organizations. This can be particularly beneficial for organizations with complex learning and development needs or unique training requirements. Some of Blackboard competitors may offer more limited customization options, giving Blackboard an advantage in this area.
• Blackboard has been in the LMS market for over two decades and has a strong reputation for quality and reliability. This can be an important factor for organizations that prioritize stability and longevity in their technology solutions. Some of Blackboards newer competitors may not have the same level of established reputation in the LMS market.

Cons

• Some users have reported that Blackboard user interface and overall user experience can be more complex and challenging to navigate compared to some of its competitors. This may require additional training and support for users to fully utilize the platform.
• While Blackboard offers a range of integrations with third-party tools and platforms, some users have reported that the integration options are more limited compared to some of its competitors. This may be a disadvantage for organizations that rely heavily on other tools or platforms for their training and development needs.

How it stacks up?

Access a head to head analysis of Blackboard Learning vs alternative software solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Blackboard Learning right for you or your business?

Blackboard is a good choice for organizations looking for an LMS platform that allows them to serve varied workers and learners with the flexible professional development, training, and online learning that they require to be successful.