Blackboard Learn Software Reviews

“makes course communication easy

Pros

Appreciate how easy it is to communicate with everyone in the course. Makes discussions and asking questions really convenient. What's great is being able to access all sorts of information that either opens in external apps like Google Drive or Microsoft Word or just displays in a new tab for quick viewing.

Cons

There's a chance for mistakes when instructors don't set up assignments properly or forget to make them visible to students.

“Consistent bugs

Pros

It's cool being able to collaborate with my team and having that peace of mind knowing I can see exactly who uploaded what and when it happened.

Cons

The platform has been consistently buggy on my end. I deal with frequent downtime and things never load looking the same as when I originally uploaded them.

“Versatile and customizable

Pros

Love how you can manage organizations and classes and the possibilities feel almost endless! Whether it's online tests, work teams or announcements, this works perfectly for any classroom setup or organizational structure like residence halls or group classes. The tools for organizing coursework and extracurricular activities are excellent, plus you can customize the layout and appearance to match your institution's branding. Transfer students especially benefit when they're already familiar with the platform. Using it beyond just classrooms has shown me how truly versatile this tool can be. I rely on it for residence hall announcements, particularly for sharing important documents like student handbooks and housing policies.

Cons

Can be difficult to learn since there are so many features. I find myself only using a fraction of what's available because figuring out all the functionality takes time. Would really benefit from some targeted training sessions designed specifically for our school's setup.

“Awesome messaging feature

Pros

The messaging system is fantastic. When instructors post something, it appears both on the platform and in our email automatically. My professors use this constantly and having the mobile app makes everything so convenient to access on the go.

Cons

I find it frustrating that the mobile app doesn't show everything available on the desktop version. When I rely on the app heavily, I worry I'm missing crucial information that's only visible on the computer.

“Even more user-friendly now

Pros

I really appreciate how the recent updates have made browsing so much smoother. Having experience with both this platform and Converge, I find this one significantly more user-friendly overall.

Cons

Nothing comes to mind that I'd change about this platform.

“Accessibility based on role is frustrating

Pros

The variety of activity options for students is amazing. It makes tracking progress easy for both instructors and administrators. This platform works well for students across all age groups and since our program is entirely online, we serve many older students who consistently give positive feedback. The template-based system ensures everything stays consistent and user-friendly across classes.

Cons

The accessibility restrictions based on user roles are really frustrating. As an admin, I end up controlling practically everything for our online faculty which means they constantly have to come to me for even minor changes. Plus, this platform has way too many glitches that pop up regularly.

“Excellent Organization for Class Materials

Pros

This platform organizes class materials for students. Being able to separate readings and handouts into different modules makes teaching online courses so much smoother and it's surprisingly useful for in-person classes too.

Cons

Setting up courses as an instructor is pretty challenging, even after going through training. The interface isn't very friendly when you're trying to build out your class materials. I still struggle to figure out how to do certain things I need for my courses despite the training sessions I've attended.

“User-friendly software

Pros

Really user-friendly and everything's labeled clearly so you won't get confused or lost trying to find what you need.

Cons

The platform can be sluggish sometimes, though I suspect that's more my internet connection acting up rather than the software itself.

“Basic interface

Pros

I can connect with my students and fellow teachers through the platform. Keeps track of grades and assignments all in one place. The announcement feature works well and students can submit their work directly through the system.

Cons

Pretty bare-bones interface that could definitely be more friendly.

“Needs upgrading

Pros

I find it really simple to pick up and creating that collaborative feeling among users comes naturally with this platform.

Cons

The platform feels pretty outdated at this point. Most of it runs on older tech that struggles with newer file formats and compression types, plus it doesn't really handle modern collaboration needs between instructors and students very well.

“Buggy website

Pros

It makes connecting with professors convenient and I can quickly access all my assignments and class materials.

Cons

Website can be buggy at times and gives students issues.

“We need additional tools

Pros

Blackboard handles so many different tasks really well. The LTI compatibility is solid and it integrates smoothly with our other external systems. There are tons of internal tools to work with too. Faculty love creating discussion boards, building wikis and hosting meetings through BB Collaborate Ultra. Pretty much any lesson idea instructors come up with, this platform can make it happen.

Cons

The thing I appreciate most about this platform is ironically its biggest downside i.e all those features. Sure, it has discussion boards but nobody really wants to use them since they feel so impersonal. Our university had to integrate YellowDig to fix this because it looks more like actual social media that people are used to. Since we don't really like most of the built-in features, we end up needing several LTI tools and Building Blocks, which gets expensive fast. I know plenty of people who'd prefer switching to something else but too many are just comfortable with the current system even though we have to keep buying additional tools.

“Confusing interface

Pros

I can easily upload tons of materials for my students to access in one spot.

Cons

It's interface can be pretty confusing and doesn't feel very simple

“Too complicated for me

Pros

It's definitely better than going without any learning management system at all. I find it helpful across some areas of my work.

Cons

It's too complicated for my liking. I had to watch multiple video tutorials just to figure out the basics. There are so many processes that you simply have to memorize because they don't make logical sense. Since this is what our organization uses, I'm stuck with it whether I like it or not.

“Efficient online learning

Pros

I appreciate how convenient this makes online learning. Being able to watch recorded lectures, turn in assignments and complete exams from anywhere without needing to be on campus. The flexibility it offers for accessing coursework in traditional classes is really helpful too.

Cons

I only get notifications through my school email, which I barely check. Would be great if I could route them to my personal email instead. The discussion threads are pretty confusing too and I can never tell if I've actually read everything that's been posted or if I'm missing something.

“Ease of use

Pros

It is so easy to use and makes it simple for me to find my way around assignments and course materials without getting lost.

Cons

During my internship in the Institutional Effectiveness office, we often talked about how this platform struggled with tracking learning outcomes assessment effectively.

“Can adjust it according to my needs

Pros

It's amazing how well-organized everything is and love being able to customize the interface to fit my needs.

Cons

I'm not a fan of the discussion feature as it feels clunky and doesn't work smoothly for conversations.

“Complex system!

Pros

I can grade papers online and leave voice comments, which is incredibly convenient. The integrated turnitin.com feature is brilliant. Creating modules for online teaching is easy and students really enjoy the journal feature. The discussion boards are user-friendly too.

Cons

The interface is complex and helping students becomes challenging since I can't view their screen alongside mine simultaneously. Many features like the feedback studio feel slow to respond, plus finding specific tools or information the easiest.

“some features are confusing

Pros

This tool really ties together all the different parts of my work and coursework.

Cons

Online features aren't very user-friendly and can be pretty confusing.

“Full of problems!!!

Pros

Nothing good to mention. I find myself constantly having to log back in which gets really frustrating after a while.

Cons

The system is constantly offline for maintenance which is incredibly frustrating. The mobile app barely functions properly and honestly, it causes more problems than it solves. Even though most schools rely on this platform, dealing with all these issues feels like it shouldn't be allowed.