North America

Quick take: To promote improved teaching and learning, the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith is piloting a solution integrated with Blackboard Learn.

Quick take: By using Blackboard Outcomes Assessment and EAC Visual Data, Davenport university found an easier way to collect and analyze assessment data, leading to better decision making.

Quick take: At MedStar Health, online learning offers new opportunities for professional development.

Quick Take: Indian River State College has managed to increase their online student success rates through their Virtual Campus. Other areas of success include the master course development, making students more proactive, and having faculty apply their learning on online environments in their face-to-face classes as well.

Quick take: Belmont University is exploring new possibilities with the Ultra experience for Blackboard Learn.

Read the essentials or go deeper In this special: K-12 schools and districts have unique challenges when it comes to preparing students for their future. For its innovative ways of applying technology to solve problems in teaching and learning while…

Quick take: At DC Public Schools, blended learning has become an integral instructional practice utilized throughout the district to improve student experience.

Lake Charles, La., United States At Calcasieu Parish School Board, a school district in Louisiana, educators have been provided with continuous professional development (PD) for more than 17 years. The school district’s Technology Training Center offers a plethora of PD…

Reno, Nev., United States In 2006, the Davidson Academy opened as the first free public school of its kind for profoundly gifted middle and high school students in the United States. In 2015, the institution began offering online courses and…

Vestavia Hills, Ala., United States At Vestavia Hills High School, students wanted to promote school spirit and unity through a mobile app they envisioned, designed to improve communication among peers. Facilitated by high school leaders, the VHHS student life app…

Missoula, Mont., United States Montana Digital Academy, created in 2009, is the state online program that serves all 146,000 K-12 students1 in Montana through their local public school. The academy offers various online programs that have greatly benefited students across…

Hicksville, N.Y., United States A virtual school for grades 6-12 based in Hicksville, New York, Obridge Academy attracts many non-traditional students, including those with documented learning disabilities and accommodation needs. Due to its initiative to use technology to reach those who need differentiated instruction and support services in the virtual environment, the institution is among the winners of the…

Quick take: At Tyler ISD, teachers and campus leadership development is the key to successful student outcomes, with technology as a central partner to achieving professional learning across the independent school district’s multiple locations.

Quick take: This community college in North Carolina, United States, is applying new tools to increase electronic accessibility and create a more inclusive digital learning environment.

Quick Take: Drake University’s CITO, Chris Gill, shares insights about learning analytics and what we might expect in the near future regarding higher education and the challenges related to serving students who are digital natives.

Quick Take: Central Michigan University’s new course design model is benefitting faculty, instructional designers and students by making the developing process more efficient while increasing the number of available courses every year.

Quick Take: Keeping students from dropping out depends on a retention strategy that is based on understanding why they are choosing to leave school in the first place.

Quick Take: Learning analytics is going global. Read more about how Charles Sturt University (Australia), the University of Windsor (Canada) and the University of Groningen (Netherlands) are putting it into practice.

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it” – Peter Drucker Just over 20 years ago, Blackboard set out to solve the most critical challenges of education institutions. Blackboard founders recognized the impact that the Internet could have on…

Challenge  Marshall University is committed to expanding access to education across West Virginia, and beyond, through the power of technology.

Challenge To better serve its 4,330 students in central Florida, Stetson University aspired to be an innovator in online education. When Jose Bernier, chief information officer, came to Stetson, he struggled to realize his vision for innovation and excellence with…

Allendale, Mich., United States Student retention and student success are important areas of focus for educational institutions today. With the rising costs of higher education and the value of employability after graduation, student retention plays a strategic role in our…

Quick take: Lewis & Clark Community College developed an innovative way to analyze student retention rates, in relation to student support services around campus. By targeting at-risk groups, they were able to increase retention by offering students timely assistance.

Read the essentials or go deeper In this special: Inclusive education and digital access: Is your institution on top of it? Highlights from Blackboard’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

Quick Take: The Exemplary Course Program (ECP) allows Blackboard clients to examine their courses’ design, collaboration and interaction, assessment, and learner support characteristics, and to share insights with other community members through peer review.

Quick take: In only 15 months after migrating to the online environment, ManchesterCF’s financial intelligence courses are reaching thousands of subscribers globally.

Quick Take: It’s an effective way to Improving Public Health Systems and help health officials end the intersecting epidemics of HIV, viral hepatitis, and related conditions. Learn more about how NASTAD strengthens national and global government public health through capacity building.

Quick take: Expert on corporate learning, Josh Bersin helps companies prepare for the future of work by investing in their people.

Quick take: Training The Street went from offering face-to-face courses only to using online learning as a way to engage corporate students and expand globally.

Quick Take: To solve key organizational challenges, companies depend on employees to have the right tools and training to be avid problem solvers. Corporate universities are a great resource companies have been implementing to ensure employees are motivated and stay ahead of the game.

Quick take: As markets, jobs and activities evolve, new skills become needed. Companies will have to work in collaboration with individuals and education institutions in order to develop these capabilities.

Quick take: The use of behavioral science in educational research is helping institutions to understand what makes a successful student.

San Juan, Puerto Rico Nowadays, higher education institutions are at a crossroads, both for trying to capture students’ attention worldwide, and for creating interest in their academic programs –  and the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR) is no exception….

Quick take: The BITS Program started seven years ago and now it is expanding to offer international clients the opportunity to engage in webinars focused on higher education best practices.

“It’s a struggle, to be honest. But it’s reality, and you can’t escape it. Sometimes you can’t eat. But nothing else matters now. Try not to fail or get probation. To be honest, education now isn’t about learning. It’s about…

Quick Take: How can previous work experience within a university setting help consultants assist educational institutions solve key challenges? Five Blackboard consultants share their experiences.

At Blackboard, we recognize that an LMS is simply not enough to solve your most critical challenges.  As we look to the future, we are focused on developing a comprehensive, digital learning environment aimed at helping institutions to solve their…

Quick take: California State University – Chico had many challenges to overcome in order to create a more inclusive learning experience and comply with federal and state laws. Collaboration and the right technology made it possible for the institution to move up on the accessibility spectrum in record time.

Quick take: Neuroscience reveals that no two students learn in the same way, a process that is as varied as our fingerprints. Universal Learning Design gives all individuals equal opportunities by providing multiple ways of representation, engagement and expression.

Quick take: Being truly inclusive means considering different needs and abilities when designing course curriculum and content, instead of making accommodations. Most higher education institutions, however, are still far from achieving that outcome.

Quick Take: Author, speaker and professional consultant in accessibility/Universal Design for Learning shares his thoughts on inclusive educational design practices.

Quick Take: Do you know about UDL? Universal Design for Learning is an approach to curriculum that gives students equal opportunities to learn and succeed.

Every time I sit down with an instructor to talk about the rollout of a new course, I’m amazed by how many different work streams must come together to launch a new course. All of this happens before the course…

Since the first learning analytics conference, held in Canada in 2011,1 the field has been developing rapidly. Some of the trending areas in research are teacher and learner dashboards, predictive analytics and automatic feedback. There is also rising use of…

Quick Take: Anticipating students’ struggles and lending them a hand: with the use of Learning Analytics solutions, Concordia University Wisconsin is able to provide a more personalized academic experience and increase retention.

Quick take: Learning analytics is trending and it seems to offer endless possibilities. Institutions and education professionals can benefit from this powerful technology, as long as they remember that working with data requires human wisdom.

Learning analytics turns raw data into valuable strategic information, offering insights to improve teaching, learning, and the environments in which they occur. We’ve gathered 10 reasons why learning analytics has the power to improve the educational experience.

Assessment plays a major role in education, as a student grading and support mechanism, but also in program improvement. All over the world, there are varying perspectives and approaches, and regions are taking action in different forms of assessment, both…

Quick take: How to effectively assess outcomes? How can technology facilitate this process for faculty? How can outcomes assessment lead to higher quality in education? Proper assessment conduction can be challenging for instructors, but a few tips can help.

Academic effectiveness serves as central focus for institutions of higher education across the globe. The pursuit of academic effectiveness drives numerous activities within institutions including, but not limited to the following: Creating and delivering high quality curriculum and instruction Meaningful,…

Quick take: What types of assessment are being used to measure quality in education? Different paradigms are emerging, and institutions and faculty need to be aligned in order to properly measure learning outcomes and offer a student-centered education.

Quick take: The design of accessible course content, materials and interactions benefits all students and guarantees more inclusive learning experiences.

Hiram, Ohio Hiram College is integrating mindfulness and technology into students’ daily lives and is the first four-year college in Ohio to launch a one-to-one iPad initiative: Tech and Trek. This initiative, in the Traditional College, and a change in…

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Technology has become an essential part of modern society. However, it can be difficult to adopt new technologies, particularly in areas where it has traditionally been ignored. Students today don’t just ask for technology tools to…

Mexico City, Mexico Nancy Olmos and Abraham López are Blackboard Customer Success Advocates for Latin America, and as such their work includes ensuring that company clients adopt solutions as effectively as possible and get the best value out of them….

Technology has always played a role in education. During the 19th century, it was the chalkboard that changed how teachers interacted in the classroom.1 During the 20th century, the advent of record players, radios, televisions, and eventually computers, led to…

Quick take: How can I help students be interested, engaged, and successful? What tools can be used to personalize learning? Every instructor has their own approach, and best practices deserve to be shared.

Quick Take: Being student-centered is no longer a choice for institutions, but a pressing necessity. How to do that? Think like a student.

Quick Take: More autonomous learners, capable of developing an active role in educational processes: that’s what student-centered learning is all about. However, there are educators who believe a more teacher-driven method is still the best way to go.

Quick Take: Is your institution student-centered? Investing in a student-focused approach can ensure a better educational experience and increase student engagement. Virtual student services, the use of mobile technologies and cognitive solutions are examples of initiatives that extend beyond campus reach

Quick Take: In a knowledge economy, we need to ensure that every student is getting the right opportunities to fulfill their potential. Online learning offers a flexibility that can help transform Education into a student-centered learning system beneficial to all.

Quick take: What do students want? Students from different generations seem to have a lot in common when it comes to expectations regarding their education experience. They share concerns and expectations, and institutions must listen.

Quick Take: How can a higher education institution help students succeed? The Student Experience Redesign Project was created by George Mason University to enrich students’ first year experience, provide better student support and services, and generate a culture of continuous improvement. That will be done through the use of new technologies and student, staff, and faculty collaboration.

Quick take: A university in the United States has created an award to recognize instructors and staff members who are committed to improve the online student experience. The initiative fosters academic effectiveness in online learning by sharing teaching best practices.

Quick take: Texas A&M has invested heavily in supporting faculty in course design and technology integration in the classroom, generating a great response to online education from administrators, students and teaching staff. Backboard Learn tools and resources make it easy to develop engaging courses and reduce the time needed in course preparation.

Quick take: In order to differentiate its online programs in the market and increase online student enrollment, California Baptist University invested in high-definition video conferencing technology, course design facilitation, faculty training, and student advisory services. These initiatives have extended the reach of the campus and promoted online student engagement.

Nicolaas Matthijs, Fronteer – Accessibility is not optional – E-learn

Quick take: Does your institution teach all students? Promoting accessibility in digital environments, ensuring all course interactions and online teaching are accessible to learners of all abilities, is the next big challenge for educational institutions in order to offer equal opportunities.

Quick Take: IntelliBoard is a great plug-in for open source LMS, useful to store data for future use.

Toledo, Ohio, United States According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 1 billion people in the world with some sort of disability. Technology has played a significant role in making teachers aware of their students’ needs, as well as including…

“I attribute my love for accessibility to my parents. My parents were both deaf and they were both educators. They both taught in middle and high school at the Missouri School for the Deaf. Interestingly enough, they also impacted other…

Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Dynamic courses can lead to higher student interest, generating enhanced learning and knowledge. When individuals take control of their own learning, the amount of knowledge acquired can increase significantly, due to a general awareness of their…

Lucy Greco: “I am blind and visually impaired, I have been since birth. And very early on, I discovered how much more I could do using assistive technologies. When I was in grade school, I was given access to a…

Quick Take: The use of community participation tools will enable the offer of face-to-face and online classes in not just one, but in multiple institutions at once.

Quick Take: Tele-presence makes it possible to have a class with all the benefits of distance and face-to-face teaching, all at the same time.

Quick Take: Students’ success depends on many factors, including a good teacher-student relationship, suitable technologies and curricular design. The proper combination of all factors leads to a better alignment of students’ goals and institutions’ methodologies.

Quick Take: Jonathan Bergmann is a Pioneer in the flipped classroom model, which aims to ‘flip’ the classroom dynamic by turning students into active participants and teachers into observers and guides.

Quick Take: Dr. Jill Biden explains the importance of community colleges as an engine of American economy and as a source of improvement for US citizens’ skills.

Quick Take: Blackoard’s first Hackboard is aimed to stimulate participants’ creativity, as well as to promote collaborative and open work for LMS development.

Quick Take: The use of learning technologies, such as an online instructor, allows to optimize teacher-student communication and create a perfect space for online participation and interaction.

New Castle, DE, United States Most people in industries around the world will tell you that video is the present and the future. Industries like advertising, journalism, entertainment, and even education are embracing the video format to completely transform their…

Traditional learning has always been a time-based industry. A student sits in a chair for hours listening to lectures in a “chalk and talk” approach. The credits are not given based on if the student has learned but if they…

If you pay attention to educational development, you may have heard of competency based education (CBE). In 2015, Inside Higher Education[1] reported that approximately 600 institutions have some form of a CBE program in the design and development phase, and…

Portland – OR, United States Online learning environments can be synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous online collaboration tools remove the distance or location. Asynchronous collaboration minimizes both location and time as barriers to working and learning together. It has a huge…

Atlanta – Georgia, United States E-learning continues to thrive and erase geographic distances using digital communication and Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) for formal and informal learning. This gives people the same leverage regardless of location. Gautam Saha, Instructional Designer at…

Thanks to the Personalized Learning Designer (PLD) from Blackboard Open LMS, students who are recovering credit at the Montana Digital Academy from a previously failed face-to-face class  receive  personalized feedback that allows them to successfully achieve the course objectives they…

Texas, U.S.A Due to its small-schools model that allows teachers to really get to know each student, Frisco Independent School District is one of the fastest growing in the United States. Technology and e-learning systems are a big part of…

Accessibility according to the institution Electronic accessibility has strong legal implications for educational institutions, the most notable legislation we are required to comply with in the U.S. being the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Section 508 of the…

Accessibility according to the student Accessible technologies are the key to truly leveling the playing field between students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers. While pursuing my undergraduate degree I had the opportunity to experience a wide array of courses…

As an instructional designer who also teaches in higher education, I am in the unique position to fully understand the constraints of and empathize with faculty who are faced with the task of redesigning courses to make them accessible.  It…

The World Health Organization reports that, approximately, one billion people in the world have some form of disability. That, and because they recognize that everyone learns in a different way, is a key driver behind Blackboard Inc’s focus on designing…

Raleigh, NC, United States In 2004 and 2005, four students at Harvard University created a website where students from the university could enjoy fluid communication and share content in a simple way via the internet. Their creation was so successful…

Holt, MI, United States When you see Dr. Chuck, you might not realize that he is a walking billboard for Learning Management Systems. He is known for tattooing logos of LMS companies that use the LMS learning tools interoperability (LTI)…

The IMS Global Learning Consortium (IMS Global) is an international non-profit organization that develops and supports interoperability standards to promote collaboration between education technology organizations and applications. Since its founding in 1995, the IMS Global Learning Consortium has approved and…

Hudson, NC, United States The use of a digital platform like Blackboard Open LMS at Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute (CCC&TI) has allowed education programs to be complemented and expanded beyond daily classroom sessions, and this has also increased…

London, England For over 50 years, The American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) has been committed to cross-cultural exchange. Under the guidance of founder Sir Cyril Taylor, AIFS operates as a social enterprise based in Stamford, Connecticut. The organization maintains…

Missoula, MT, United States For the University of Montana, innovation and accessibility go hand in hand. By working with Blackboard Open LMS and the Moodle Accessibility Collaboration Group, the institution strives to provide an online learning management system that is…

Boston, MA, United States Drew Mirque is the Senior Applications Support Specialist at Simmons College, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. He has extensive experience in e-learning dating back more than 20 years, and he faces challenges every day in improving…

Baltimore, MD, United States Having 174 public schools in a single system can seem hard to handle, even more so when there is a worldwide transition into digital and blended learning. 174 is the number of schools, centers, and programs…

Baltimore, United States Product development in the technology market now a day is a very challenging job. Companies have to keep up with the different trends, update existing software and innovate while hundreds of thousands of people are trying to…

Minneapolis, MN, United States It’s a curious thing that, generally speaking, when someone tells you that they’re an expert in usability and instructional and educational design, it’s tough to imagine what type of person they’ll turn out to be. “The…

Salt Lake City, United States Utah’s premier online school is leading the way in terms of e-learning strategies. We talked to DeLaina Tonks, director of Mountain Heights Academy, about the main challenges and the great advantages of virtual education.

Spring Green, USA When you think of Spring Green, an old farming community in southern Wisconsin, high-tech education doesn’t really come to mind. However, amid the big open spaces, the cows and the towns with 1,000 people or fewer, River…

Sumter, SC, United States Behind every computer there is, obviously, meticulously crafted hardware that allows everything to function correctly. From wires to buttons and from microchips to high-resolution screens. We all know this, but rarely think about the human element…

London, United Kingdom Phillip Miller is the International Vice President of Open Source services at Blackboard. He has worked there and in Blackboard Open LMS, the main Open Source product for education from Blackboard for over 10 years. Phillip works with 1,500…

Thomas Edison  

Los Gatos, CL, United States Phil is Co-Publisher of the e-Literate blog, Co-Producer of e-Literate TV, and Partner at MindWires Consulting. As a market analyst, Phil has spent the last 15 years analyzing the growth of technology-enabled change for educational…