Blackboard Learn Software Reviews

“Very outdated design”

Pros

The way courses are organized works well and there's plenty of editing flexibility to customize the classroom around the specific needs of different students.

Cons

Honestly the platform just doesn't look very polished. I mean it still is overdue for a visual refresh and using it can be frustrating because it's not very user friendly.

“well-structured course organization”

Pros

Blackboard does a really good job of organizing training content in a clear and structured course format which makes everything feel well arranged and easier to follow.

Cons

It does take a little time to adapt before feeling completely comfortable using it and being fully at ease with the platform.

“training videos hurt usability”

Pros

The app itself seems fairly easy to use and most of the training videos were put together well, aside from a few notable exceptions.

Cons

A number of the training videos were hard to follow because some narrators had very strong accents. English clearly was not their first language and it felt like an effort to promote diversity ended up making the customer experience worse.

“Has powerful tools for teaching”

Pros

Blackboard has been a really powerful learning management system to use. It offers strong features for grading student assignments, handling communication, managing coursework and giving feedback on activities. It also does a great job supporting accessibility across different devices and browsers which makes it work well for a wide range of users.

Cons

Getting started with it was a little overwhelming for new users. A lot of people on our side have mentioned that the interface is hard to navigate.

“limited customization and higher cost”

Pros

One thing that worked well with Blackboard was its clean layout and it made group e-dialogue very simple to manage. Uploading files and sharing links including file links was also not a problem. Overall it served as a great place to post materials for users. On the user side it was very simple to understand and navigate and getting to the instructor's materials was not difficult.

Cons

A big downside with it was how limited it was when it came to page and template design. You were basically stuck with the way it structured the pages and there was very little room for customization. On top of that based on feedback from upper management, Blackboard was a bit more expensive than other LMS options which ultimately led to the decision to replace it with another platform.

“Well-suited for school security but outdated”

Pros

I used this platform years ago in my own classroom and now with my daughter's school. It seems well-suited to me for security and for use in elementary school.

Cons

It feels a bit outdated and I feel like could be more modern and user-friendly. Also finding our way around can be challenging sometimes.

“Not the best!”

Pros

Blackboard was a true pioneer in online education. The universities I attended and worked for were early adopters of putting courses online. In college, I was part of an educational technology team that helped choose the official system for online courses. We evaluated both Blackboard and WebCT and later Blackboard was acquired. My college ultimately selected WebCT but Arizona State University where I earned my degrees has always been a Blackboard Learn campus. Because of this, I have had vast experience using both systems from multiple perspectives.

Cons

The company acted like a monopoly, aggressively suing nearly every other Learning Management System vendor. I mean they behaved as if they held a patent on the very idea of an online learning environment which really suppressed competition and innovation in digital education.

“Lets me structure my course well”

Pros

The platform lets me structure my course so students can find their way around without confusion. The page design is similar to other systems so it feels familiar even to new users. Setting everything up is also pretty simple.

Cons

It has its quirks particularly with the gradebook. It is also always updating which can be both a good and a bad thing.

“All-in-one class organizationbut incomplete deadline aggregation”

Pros

Blackboard puts all the class information, virtual classrooms and student chat rooms into one easy-to-access app, keeping everything organized for me.

Cons

A common frustration for users is that it only aggregates due dates for some student assignments but not all of them. As this makes it harder for us to get a complete picture of upcoming deadlines.

“Works well but only for higher education”

Pros

This software works well for educators and university students, offering the necessary functions for many parts of higher education.

Cons

Navigating it is more difficult compared to other systems. There is definitely a steeper learning curve than with similar software. But it works well once we finally understand it but getting to that point is harder than it should be.

“All my classes in one place”

Pros

Having all my classes in one place and being able to manage my assignments through a single system was a huge plus.

Cons

Sometimes assignments would not load properly and had to be submitted again which I do not like.

“Simple to navigate and use”

Pros

From a student's point of view, I would say it is very simple to navigate and use.

Cons

The communication tools are not as effective as those in other programs I come across.

“Advanced Analytics but Expensive”

Pros

The analytics tools are top-notch and super useful.

Cons

The cost is pretty high compared to similar solutions.

“Well-organized but need more development”

Pros

The system is well-organized and fairly easy to get around though it is not quite as user-friendly as some other products out there.

Cons

I feel like the email and discussion forum features could use more development to make them easier to navigate.

“My favorite discussion board”

Pros

Discussion board is my favorite feature and it is the one I use the most.

Cons

The user interface looks dated next to newer LMS platforms. The colors, fonts and overall design could use a refresh too.

“Totally changed online learning”

Pros

Blackboard Learn which is now part of Anthology, totally changed the game for online and distance learning by bringing so many useful features together in one place. Its design is simple too and the variety of tools and integrations all work to make learning smooth and enjoyable. Also instructors can manage entire courses and users with just a few clicks, monitor activity feeds and create assignments and tests using built-in AI. The addition of these AI tools has definitely put it ahead as we can generate texts, activities and tests right within the platform without having to use external tools like ChatGPT.

Cons

A few important things are missing especially when it comes to system requirements. The platform often crashes or lags which really frustrates me. And I am still not a fan of cloud-based systems because it has a file size limit that blocks large uploads which is odd since educators often need to use bigger files for their classes. Another point is that it really is not a great fit for small businesses as it feels like it is built more for large institutions.

“fairly simple with a learning curve”

Pros

The platform is fairly simple though there is a bit of a learning curve. Some of the functions do not seem very logical until we have spent some time with them.

Cons

One thing I noticed is that you have to get through a bit of a learning curve when you start.

“Simple for onboarding new users”

Pros

Onboarding new users is simple which I feel like is great for people who are just starting out.

Cons

The folder system can feel a bit frustrating to work with sometimes.

“Handles core tasks well”

Pros

In general the platform handles its core tasks very well and has definitely gotten better and more reliable over the years.

Cons

Well the user interface was not the best when I first began using it.

“good for everyone involved”

Pros

Blackboard Learn is good for everyone involved, be it students and instructors with clear, dependable information that truly supports the entire learning process.

Cons

It is a very reliable platform with no major issues or faults to report. It consistently does exactly what we need it to do.