Blackboard. Again

It feels like I’ve come full circle, that the last four years didn’t happen, but I’m back as a Blackboard (Bb) user again. 

My new role with Keypath Education, an online program management partner, has me working as an Instructional Designer in their course design and development team on programs for their partners. Specifically I’ll be working on the Aston University projects, and that means Blackboard. Again.

So. what’s changed? Well, I’ve obviously heard of some developments through my networks on Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as a visit (or two) to the Durham Blackboard Users Conference. My last real ‘user’ experience of Bb was at Leicester, who are still Bb users as far as I know, and it was a confusion of templates, webdav folders, Institutional vs faculty vs module vs school content, tool availability, library services. I still can’t believe the opening page a student sees is, more often than not, an empty screen of possibility – such as wasted opportunity (yes, I know you can change the opening page for a module, but so many didn’t and still don’t). And don’t get me started on the grade centre or course calendar or announcements! Or those discussion fora/forums.

So, is it any different now? I think it’s too early to tell but the interface hasn’t changed, the underlying infrastructure is the same, the method for displaying and cataloging the courses and content is still not very user friendly, error messages are still not informative or helpful. Yes, I am a little critical, but it’s only through highlighting these issues or opinions can providers such as Bb take on board the view of the user or administrator and work to fix or improve their product.

I apologise in advance, I will become a Blackboard bore again, I will ask lots of questions, and I will pester you all with Bb tales, tips and hints. And I hope to see some of you at Bb events again soon (I missed you)!

More again soon.

Image source: Aileen G S (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)