User Reviews Overview

About Blackboard Learn

Help learners, instructors and institutions achieve their goals with Blackboard Learn by Anthology, a market-leading Learning Management System (LMS). Blackboard Learn runs from course development to assessments and integrates...

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Feature ratings

Value for Money
4.1
Features
4.1
Ease of Use
3.9
Customer Support
4.0

Browse Blackboard Learn Reviews

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Eduardo
  • Industry: Renewables & Environment
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
4
Features
5
Ease of Use
3
Customer Support
N/A

5
Reviewed on 7/9/2022

Blackboard, learn in a complex fashion

If you compare this to operating systems, blackboard provides a more linux/windows experience. The platform is robust and complex with a lot to offer, but this pro at the same time makes it a downside since it is not user friendly compared to other market competitors. As a student who used it for 3+ years. I understand and appreciate what the platform provides but I prefer simplicity over complexity.

Pros

The big scale design of the platform is ideal to have all your academic needs in one. Access to a combine calendar allowing for easy visualization of homeworks, projects and tasks. Easy view of currents classes and course materials. With the years of experience this platform is reliable and complete.

Cons

Even though the complexity is robust, sometimes it can be overwhelming for students and ease of access across the platform is not the best compared to other market competitors.

Andrea
  • Industry: Broadcast Media
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
5
Features
5
Ease of Use
3
Customer Support
2

5
Reviewed on 21/4/2023

After the pandemic, Blackboard Learn became a staple for online education

Pros

I like that it organizes courses in a very neat way, the website is easy to navigate and looks great visually. The calendar is very helpful.

Cons

It's not very easy to use for teachers. They often have a hard time understanding all of the features Blackboard provides.

Rachel
  • Industry: Education Management
  • Company size: 10,000+ Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
4
Ease of Use
5
Customer Support
N/A

5
Reviewed on 14/10/2023

An effective tool, worth the cost

Pros

Blackboard is a well-created product that is easy to navigate for both administrators and students. It was intuitive to follow the flow a path to find content needed at a given time. There was no confusion to find lecture notes, grades, or messages from an administrator. I have used multiple learning management systems, and BBL is my favorite

Cons

Blackboard was more costly than other competitors, so our organization had to transition tools because of this.

Top Blackboard Learn Alternatives

John
  • Industry: Higher Education
  • Company size: 1,001–5,000 Employees
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
N/A
Ease of Use
1
Customer Support
2

1
Reviewed on 23/3/2016

a Long Term User's Honest Experience

Quick background, was in high tech sales and marketing for many years prior to teaching and heavily involved with custom Computer Graphics systems since Time Arts Lumena was around (predecessor to Photoshop). Check out my LinkedIn profile for more details.

On to the product review -- I've been using Blackboard for *many* years, and have been teaching (and doing) Web Design and Development since 1993. I'm retiring shortly, so I can be absolutely frank and honest about my experience with this app without fear of upsetting IT folks or admins that I would have to work with in the future.

Truthfully, the ONLY reason I use this app is because I have no alternative at the College where I teach and it gives the students easy access to information, but so would any LMS (Learning Management System).

The UIX (User Interface Experience) is incredibly archaic and counter-intuitive. It's also painfully slow to use, as it does constant server requests (just paste the URL for a Blackboard connection into http://www.webpagetest.org/ for testing).

Sometimes one single click every 15 seconds is all the system will react to when I'm using the grade book, etc. -- in the "real" world, without captive users, no one would ever return to a site with those response times. To be fair to Blackboard, part of that may (or may not) be our schools network or Blackboard interface setup.

As far as usability, Blackboard needs to let the User Interface and UIX designers (if they even had any) direct the techs and coders. It's *very* obvious that it's been the reverse, . They should 'steal' some Apple UIX people and give them some *real* power to direct how the app works and what it looks like.

I've just finished using Blackboard for 3 hours+ doing things that should have taken 1 hour or less had the interface been optimized and more thought out. For example, under the 'Assignments' and 'Course Documents' sections there is no easy way to reorder or batch select using something basic like check boxes or a multi-select hot keys.

Also, any NEW assignment or document post goes to the BOTTOM (the absolute reverse of a Blog post) So I need to drag it back to the top (where it logically should go). However, even that is awkward, since when I drag to the top of the browser the window does not auto-scroll. I have to hold the left mouse button at the same time as I use my middle finger to roll the mouse wheel -- duh!!.

There IS a small text window pop-up accessed via an archaic icon to reorder posts, however, that shows only 5 assignment titles at a time (no window resize function to show more than 5). I can reorder them there, but need to do a single mouse click each time it moves up one position, but again, with no way to see more than 5 and no way to multi-select. So, if I have 50 course documents and want to shift 5 new documents to the top (where they belong) that's almost 250 mouse clicks to re-position 5 documents to where they should be in the first place - duh!!

In Gradebook it only shows 10 students listed by default. I can change the setting up to 50 but the next time I go back it's back or need to refresh something -- it's back to 10. It doesn't save defaults or give me a choice. This may seem to be nit-picking, but over the period of a 14 week semester that's a lot of wasted time time and clicks.

I'm going to end my review here as I have more work to do, but when I saw a 4 star review for this LMS being the solo review I had to balance it out. Bottom line is, the concept is good -- many, many modules/tools in a LMS bundled package but the execution is absolutely awful.

Just Google search 'Blackboard sucks' or 'I hate Blackboard' if you want real faculty and user opinions sans any marketing spin. Other telltale signs are when a company start to lose long-term clients. Ryerson University in Toronto just did a switch from Blackboard after "a multi-year consultation process". More on that process is here http://lms.blog.ryerson.ca/

Hopefully that last paragraph doesn't get censored, because that's the source of raw truth.

Pros

1. it's an LMS and something is better than nothing.
2. It's full of examples I can show my students on how not to do UI and UIX
3. Well established company is behind it
4. Modular front-end
5. Many bells and whistles

Cons

1. Counter intuitive, clunky, awkard UI (User Interface) - improve it by hiring UI/UIX experts and giving them actual control over the app interface and functions.
2. Slow (even when on the same network node or high speed cable connection) - needs a code rewrite/optimization.
3. Ancient aesthetics (although some design elements are now "flat design-ish") - hire UI and UIX designers and actually allow them to direct the final interface.
4. Many glitches (I've a folder full of screen-shots, if you want proof) - again a code rewrite needed, or ideally a complete start-over with newer code philosophies and methods.

Nisarg
  • Industry: Construction
  • Company size: 201–500 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source
Value for Money
4
Features
4
Ease of Use
5
Customer Support
3

5
Reviewed on 12/8/2023

Easy to use and user friendly platform

Blackboard is a very advanced tool to help elevate the online learning experience and it’s also easy to use.

Pros

It’s impressive how online learning can be easily managed by utilizing key features. It’s virtual classroom and assignment/tests are one of the best in the industry.

Cons

Sometimes it takes too long to load the documents or lags when all the students log in at the same time for a common use like test or group activity.

Gerald
  • Industry: Design
  • Company size: 501–1,000 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
3
Ease of Use
4
Customer Support
N/A

4
Reviewed on 24/2/2022

Blackboard as a home base for college students

I had a fairly pleasant experience with blackboard, i was able to do much of the tasks I expect to be able to do on an LMS. I just wish that the design interface would be more simple and modern. Also more functionalities and integrations would be nice. Eg: opening a pdf file on blackboard directly instead of a redirection to a page or a pop up

Pros

I like that it is fairly easy to use. Users don’t require extensive training to be able to use the product, and I like that as a student I can upload assignments and get learning modules from the same place, so it is convenient.

Cons

I think the user interface design is a bit outdated. It is less appealing than other LMS such as canvas learn. I also hear a lot of my professors complain about how complicated it is on their side to navigate blackboard due to the repetitiveness and redundancy of blackboard.

Kim
  • Industry: Hospital & Health Care
  • Company size: 1,001–5,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
4
Ease of Use
4
Customer Support
N/A

3
Reviewed on 9/11/2021

Better Learning Tool Out There

Overall my experience with Blackboard was not bad but since using other software I do prefer the others to Blackboard Learn.

Pros

Hosting courses on Blackboard is better than having another software. Helps with managing your class and multiple users can work together to add work to it. Integration with zoom is great and necessary. Eases the maintenance that comes with large classes for teacher assistants and professors.

Cons

So many features could be improved. We now use Canvas and prefer that to Blackboard Learn. Need more integration and more improvements on the mobile app.

Newkirk
  • Industry: Libraries
  • Company size: 201–500 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
5
Features
5
Ease of Use
5
Customer Support
5

5
Reviewed on 9/2/2023

Blackboard Learn for Aiken Technical College's Embedded Librarian Program

I post announcements about our Library's online resources and also monitor a Discussion Board thread called "Ask a Librarian." I get plenty of questions in the Discussion Board and also in response to the announcements, especially closer to assignment due dates.

Pros

I can post a variety of media in the Announcements section and in the Content Areas. The more options I can give students to access the information they need, the better.

Cons

There may be a way to do this and I haven't figured out how yet, but I would like to be able to transfer a whole content area from one course to another instead of starting from scratch each time.

Alternatives Considered

Moodle

Reasons for Switching to Blackboard Learn

It had better functionality with the campus portal.
Verified Reviewer
  • Industry: Management Consulting
  • Company size: 201–500 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
5
Features
5
Ease of Use
4
Customer Support
4

5
Reviewed on 7/10/2022

Perfect and always saves time

Pros

The softwares capacity to synchronize contacts and users information.

Cons

Near to perfect but it has little hitch when it comes to support.

Alternatives Considered

CANVAS

Reasons for Switching to Blackboard Learn

Canvas tend to favour learning institutions only.
Rachel
  • Industry: E-Learning
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
2
Ease of Use
2
Customer Support
N/A

3
Reviewed on 7/4/2023

A helpful LMS from the student perspective.

I think that overall it was functional and did the job. I think there is room for improvement, but it functions in the way you'd expect from an LMS.

Pros

I liked that you could set it to send reminders about when upcoming assignments were due. It was very helpful from that perspective.

Cons

I thought the user interface was clunky and needed work. It was sometimes hard to navigate and there would often be times where students would have to ask how to do something in the platform.

Debbie
  • Industry: Health, Wellness & Fitness
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 6-12 months
  • Review Source
Value for Money
5
Features
5
Ease of Use
5
Customer Support
5

5
Reviewed on 2/2/2023

Blacboard Learn from a Person who is not techie

Improving student engagement and outcomes Streamlining course management Enhancing collaboration and communicationImproving reporting and analyticsI could elaborate but theres not enough room hereBenefitsUser-friendly interface, Blackboard Learn has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for teachers and students to use.Customizable content The platform allows teachers to create and upload their own course content, including multimedia materials, assignments, and assessments , Real-time feedback,Blackboard Learn provides real-time feedback to students, which can help improve their learning outcomes. Analytics, Integration, Improved student engagement and outcomes

Pros

User-friendly interface: Blackboard Learn has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for teachers and students to use.Customizable content: The platform allows teachers to create and upload their own course content, including multimedia materials, assignments, and assessments.Real-time feedback: Blackboard Learn provides real-time feedback to students, which can help improve their learning outcomes.Analytics: The platform provides detailed analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing teachers to monitor student progress and make data-driven decisions to improve their teaching.Integration: Blackboard Learn integrates with other tools and platforms, such as Google Drive, Microsoft Office 365, and more, making it easy to share and access course materials.

Cons

Cost: Blackboard Learn can be expensive for schools, especially when compared to other learning management systems.Technical issues: Some users have reported technical issues with Blackboard Learn, such as slow performance and system crashes.Limited customization options: While the platform allows for some customization, some users have reported that it is limited compared to other learning management systems.

Laura
  • Industry: Higher Education
  • Company size: 5,001–10,000 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
4
Ease of Use
2
Customer Support
N/A

3
Reviewed on 27/5/2022

BB Learn-the old workhouse

I will continue to use BB Learn or soon we will be using Ultra, for as long as I have to for my job. If my job were to ask me should we keep BB or switch to another LMS - I would say SWITCH!

One of the absolute worst features within BB is the Voice thread area. I used to use it and had to teach others how to use it. They (BB) decided to "improve it" a couple years ago and now it is so difficult to use that I tried to create user guides and could not get it to work and it was so complicated now, I have given up on it entirely and do not recommend that area at all for anyone to use.

Pros

I like the powerful features and security of the program

Cons

BB is the most frustrating program I have ever used. It was one of the 1st LMS programs-I have heard. Its design is clunky and seems to be created by someone with little UXUI experience, I mean UXUI was a field that was known only by the people in the top of their field 20+ years ago so that would make sense! The lack of logical design for buttons and search areas is aggravating. The lack of them going back and changing things for the better and getting a visual designer and UXUI person involved NOW to fix the program-is again aggravating. An example to add a user, you click on a menu item-it goes to a window on the right and there is a search field there which one is supposed to ignore and know somehow to click on a button that does not look like a button called "Find Users To Enroll". WHY, is the search field even showing? Do you know how many times if I get away form using BB for a few weeks or months I end up typing in that filed instead of a button that does not look like a button? Explaining to faculty to NOT type in the field is a constant, because your intuition thinks the design makes sense-it does not.

Abhuday
  • Industry: Education Management
  • Company size: 501–1,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source
Value for Money
5
Features
5
Ease of Use
5
Customer Support
5

5
Reviewed on 16/4/2023

Easy and flexible learning management system.

Students are satisfied with it.

Pros

It has very strong and fast customer support service.

Cons

It's bit costly and there are no free version.

Alternatives Considered

Moodle

Reasons for Choosing Blackboard Learn

More features are there in Blackboard.

Switched From

Google Classroom
William
  • Industry: Education Management
  • Company size: 1,001–5,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for 6-12 months
  • Review Source
Value for Money
1
Features
2
Ease of Use
1
Customer Support
2

1
Reviewed on 24/4/2020

Avoid this program at all costs. Use literally anything else.

Awful. If I had the choice, I would never use this program again. I use a different program at another college where I work, and I can say without any reservation that Blackboard is garbage. I don't know how it's priced, but I'm sure it can't be worth whatever the administrators are saving. Truly horrid, and now that most of our work is going to be online for awhile, teachers just can't afford to be hamstrung by this abysmal program any longer.
Oh, and Safe Assign is a joke. I've caught ten times more plagiarism using common sense than that thing has ever spotted. It misses almost ALL of the plagiarism I have found from my students. Ridiculously bad.

Pros

There is nothing this software does that other software doesn't do better. I like that it allows for the creation of rubrics, as all programs of this sort do. Really can't seen anything about this that is better or even as good as other programs

Cons

Whole passages of feedback will suddenly disappear if you move the mouse into the wrong area or scroll a bit while you are typing comments on the essay. This is a persistent problem that everyone in our school has verified. In order to use one editing tool (a highlighter), the program locks out the other editing tool (the comment field), unless you refresh the screen, which then erases any comments not held in place by a highlight. I could go on and on and on, but I'm afraid I'd have to type it all over again if this review field is made by the same people who made Blackboard's essay editor.

Brian
  • Industry: Medical Practice
  • Company size: 10,000+ Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
4
Ease of Use
3
Customer Support
2

4
Reviewed on 7/11/2017

Great way to manage several classes with great flexibility to match personal style

Overall it’s an improvement over just 20 years ago when a syllabus and careful listening were the only way to connect with students. Also, I’ve had great success sharing ideas with colleagues. Of course, faculty can be just irritating as the abovementioned students. I’d say an “ignore” buttons would make this score go from a 7 to a 9.

Pros

I love the ability to reach all of my students or any subgroup in multiple ways. For example, personalized announcement, group emails, meeting and grading in realtime, scheduling office hours, and getting notifications are just a few of the native services, and each can be customized l.

Cons

The law of unintended consequences applies directly to blackboard. The same convenient and varied options that make the product great also give students more access (and wildly unrealistic expectations) to their professors. This is great for the 5% of students who have helpful and legitimate questions, but obnoxious for those who expect instant responses, midnight submissions, and A grades for D papers because “they clearly are trying. Just look at their blackboard logs and see!”

Verified Reviewer
  • Industry: Higher Education
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Review Source
Value for Money
4
Features
N/A
Ease of Use
2
Customer Support
4

4
Reviewed on 23/2/2016

Well established platform

I am consulting for two institutions - the one a large higher education institution - 45 000+ Blackboard users - self hosted and the other - smaller business school - 1000+ Blackboard users - hosted.

I present training and support to the faculty on how to use the LMS. Although one can discover a lot for yourself using the Blackboard help site, there are a few tips and tricks that make life a lot easier which is not always that intuitive.

Problems that we are trying to solve: changing the faculty's teaching philosophy from traditional lecture based teaching to a more active learning environment. Blackboard certainly address that well - as long as you plan your activities properly, you can get excellent feedback for example let the students read or view a video on a specific concept and then let them write a pre-test before they come to the lecture. This will help you to identify where the gaps still exist which you can address then in class. Also using a flipped class room approach - Blackboard can be used to assist you in flipping your class room where you can also monitor and track which of your students engaged beforehand.

I have been using WebCT and then Blackboard.

Pros

Everything is in one space - lots of tools - the sky is really the limit.
I also like the Best Practice parts of the help site - it helps you to get ideas of how you can use the tools.

Cons

In terms of support from Blackboard, sometimes the person who receives the inquiry do not read properly or English is a second language because we often have to explain again and again before they understand - that is the only frustration I currently have with the support.

It is unfortunately a very expensive product since the institutions are not based in the USA and therefore we are subjected to the exchange rate.

anitha
  • Industry: Higher Education
  • Company size: 10,000+ Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
5
Ease of Use
4
Customer Support
4

5
Reviewed on 12/4/2021

blackboard Learn for undergraduate classes

I used blackboard as a graduate student and I have been using it now as an instructor for my larger chemistry classes with 200 to 250 students, and it is really very helpful, makes my classes run smoothly.

Pros

it is easy to post all assignments, class materials, notes and grades using blackboard. Especially for larger classes I don't have to print the paper copy, posting the class material on blackboard will help students to print and refer to the material easily. Gradebook is one of the best features of blackboard, I have quizzes almost everyday for my students, posting these quizzes grades were very straightforward using blackboard. I have also used blackboard for online quizzes and exams, and for lab exams.

Cons

Blackboard gets slower when many people are using at the same time and some times it becomes unavailable due to maintenance(but we do get notice prior to it). other than that I had no issue with it.

Joel Thomas
  • Industry: Education Management
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
4
Ease of Use
4
Customer Support
N/A

4
Reviewed on 24/11/2018

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.

Verified Reviewer
  • Industry: Education Management
  • Company size: 501–1,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
5
Features
5
Ease of Use
5
Customer Support
4

5
Reviewed on 25/9/2018

Blackboard LMS

Classrooms disorganized?! Not with Blackboard! This will make classroom administration a breeze, saving your instructors and administrators a lot of time and make your classroom management 1000% more efficient!

Pros

The greatest feature of this product is the ease of use with regards to its navigation. When we started using Blackboard LMS, I literally trained a large portion of our staff on the ins and outs of the software in less than 2 hours. This has made classroom organization the easiest it has been in decade. Our instructors can distribute class materials, assignments, and grades with a few clicks. It is absolutely amazing!

Cons

Installation can be both lengthy and problematic if you are moving from an incompatible LMS. While we were lucky, we still ran into bugs while making our transition. This was frustrating, but was luckily done during the summer, when attendance was at its lowest.

Delaney
  • Industry: Legal Services
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 6-12 months
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
5
Ease of Use
4
Customer Support
N/A

4
Reviewed on 4/11/2021

Complicated but Helpful

The layout is more complex, and has a great many details missing from other platforms, but it is less streamlined for it. Helpful once you know what you are doing.

Pros

This software has little details on the student side that is missing from other learning platforms, like specialized involvement for presenting or using collaborative videos/meetings. It gives the students more freedoms and ways to ask questions without leaving the teacher unable to see or change needed items.

Cons

It was difficult to learn once you open the program, and there is not a tutorial or walkthrough for the overall site. You have to explore on your own, and it can be tough.

Joshua
  • Industry: Mental Health Care
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
4
Ease of Use
4
Customer Support
N/A

3
Reviewed on 15/7/2022

Great LMS for school or uni

Pros

Blackboard is reliable and easy to use LMS, requiring little to no direction or training for new users. Communication and notifications are great, found all in one place for easy access and viewing. Gradebook is another fantastic feature. All the information about your assessments can be found in one place, including submission dates, marking criteria and overall grades. Submission process is great, allowing users to thoroughly review their documents and their similarity report before submission.

Cons

UI could be updated to be more user-friendly, e.g., minimise clicks, add more shortcuts for site navigation. Features to allow for collaboration in group projects/tasks would be useful as many users prefer external software for collaboration, communication between students and instructors and productivity. However, it is perfectly adequate for users familiar with the LMS.

Justin
  • Industry: Primary/Secondary Education
  • Company size: 201–500 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
3
Ease of Use
1
Customer Support
N/A

1
Reviewed on 7/5/2018

Blackboard Learn

Pros

Blackboard is one of the giants of the e-learning industry, so you can expect resourcing and the support indicative of a premier product. The mobile experience was relatively intuitive, which is a must in the current environment where students may be working full time while earning an online degree.

Cons

Compared to other learning management systems (such as Canvas or Schoology), Blackboard reflects the features and structuring of learning management systems of days gone by - specifically, it is structured most closely around a 'document dump' approach to online learning. This approach has been soundly refuted in the research, and while one can certainly design a quality learning environment, many of your end users will likely not have the discernment to do so. From a student's perspective, it is often difficult to access key pieces such as messaging and grades when enrolled in multiple courses at once.

Elena
  • Industry: E-Learning
  • Company size: 501–1,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source
Value for Money
4
Features
4
Ease of Use
4
Customer Support
4

5
Reviewed on 11/7/2022

Using BB

I have a good platform for online and in-person lessons.

Pros

Simple in use, easy to explore. It didn't take too much time to get used to this product

Cons

Not enough functionality - no options for embedded videos, you can not insert links or audio files in the body of the learning module, only below.

Rebekah
  • Industry: Marketing & Advertising
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source
Value for Money
N/A
Features
4
Ease of Use
4
Customer Support
N/A

3
Reviewed on 8/11/2021

Functional, with some philosophical flaws

It served its purpose and I don't recall any major issues with use, but when I graduated high school I was delighted to switch to Canvas in college instead. Everything about Blackboard struck me, as a student, as outdated and depressing.

Pros

Blackboard is easy to learn and usually intuitively easy for any goal you have. It helps coordinate large teams or classes, and with creative use can be set up to use most styles of teaching (group discussions, online learning, video/attachments, etc).

Cons

My concerns with Blackboard are at the philosophical level. From the way it is systematically set up, you can tell that it uses some outdated methods of teaching. Use as a student can feel oppressive, with students too easily shut down and overruled and the general aesthetic vibe being a bit darker and more confined than examples such as Canvas.

Krystal
  • Industry: E-Learning
  • Company size: 501–1,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source
Value for Money
4
Features
4
Ease of Use
3
Customer Support
N/A

5
Reviewed on 9/9/2019

Gets better every year

Pros

I like that I can add content, links, video's that can be played right from Blackboard. Each year this system gets better and more versatile to use. It also does not require much training to lean how to use it which make it user friendly on both sides. I also like that I can pull it up on my my phone even if the fromat is not always right.

Cons

It can be hard to find certain things and often tabs are hidden withing other tabs. This an also be frustrating to students when trying to locate content. The mobile app does also have some kinks, it does not format well. It is nice to check things like grades but not alot of work can be done from the mobile app.

507 reviews