Blackboard Learn Software Reviews

“Lags at times”

Pros

Latest update really improved the visual design and makes everything look much more polished.

Cons

The software tends to lag at times and isn't very user-friendly for newcomers

“Offers so many options :)”

Pros

I like appreciate how many options this platform offers for handling classes, organizations and training programs. There's quite a bit to work with here. Students get tons of flexibility for managing coursework, booking appointments with staff and staying connected with various organizations and class activities. They can even add their own activities and student groups, which makes sending emails and creating events much simpler. Staff members can work through self-paced training modules and easily find new training opportunities to pursue.

Cons

Interface feels really outdated and hasn't seemed to change much over the past decade. When I compare it to what I remember from college years ago, it looks practically identical. Not sure if this is due to our institution's settings but the whole visual design feels dated. Better color schemes and more user-friendly nature would definitely help it compete better in today's market.

“poor notifications are frustrating”

Pros

I appreciate how many tools are built right in including calendars, announcements, grades, quizzes, messaging boards, you name it. Having everything centralized made tracking my progress really convenient. The quiz interface was tidy and never gave me trouble.

Cons

The way tools are laid out could definitely be improved. Since every professor seems to use it their own way, it becomes less helpful overall. Another frustrating thing is missing notifications unless youre actively logged in. If I didn't have a reason to check the platform one day and an assignment got posted, I'd have no idea it was there.

“Doesn't need much learning”

Pros

Creating tests, adding assistants, setting up layouts and grading all happen quickly and smoothly. Whether you're a student, professor or staff member, it's user friendly and doesn't require much of a learning curve.

Cons

Finding the right students and assignments can be confusing since the grading system isn't always the simplest.

“Simple to get the hang of”

Pros

Really simple to get the hang of and I can monitor all my ongoing courses from anywhere. Plus, submitting assignments through the app is super convenient.

Cons

The app doesn't always show the most recent scores so I end up having to log into the computer version to get accurate info.

“Feels overwhelming”

Pros

It's not difficult to upload assignment files and move around the platform. The "jump to" feature during grading has been a huge time-saver for me as it's made my workflow so much smoother. The interface feels user-friendly once you get the hang of it, which makes managing online courses much less stressful than I expected.

Cons

At first, this platform feels pretty overwhelming. There's clearly a ton of functionality available but figuring out how to actually use it all is another story. You'll definitely need some proper training to get started and honestly, it might take months before you really feel comfortable with everything.

“Poor mobile experience”

Pros

It's simple to email the whole class through the system. Just one click and announcements go straight to students' inboxes. Unlike other platforms where students can adjust their notification settings and might miss important updates, this ensures everyone gets the message. Creating new grade center columns is also easy, perfect for adding participation scores or extra credit without any difficulty.

Cons

Browsing requires too many clicks to move between course pages, which gets frustrating for both instructors and students. The mobile experience is pretty poor and things don't display properly on smaller screens.

“Nothing negative”

Pros

The interface is really clean and I can find what I need easily.

Cons

I can't really think of anything negative to say. The whole experience has been pretty smooth and made my college life much more manageable.

“Accessible”

Pros

I find it so user-friendly and I can access everything.

Cons

The interface could be even more well-structured.

“Simple to use”

Pros

Quite simple to handle. Both my students and I can manage it without any trouble. The communication features work well and organizing course materials is easy.

Cons

Grading features need some work to make them flow better.

“Unreliable due to frequent crashes”

Pros

Interface looks nice overall. Finding what I need is manageable when I stay organized with my course materials.

Cons

The platform crashes way too frequently during the semester, making it really unreliable when I need it most. Navigation feels complex compared to other systems I've used.

“Most organizations do not implement it well”

Pros

The accessibility is fantastic and practically every college uses it since it provides solid training programs.

Cons

The real issue isn't the software itself but how organizations implement it. Most places roll it out without giving instructors the quick, targeted support we actually need. Instead, they expect us to sit through endless hours of training sessions. Without proper guidance, the platform feels way less friendly than it should be but honestly, who has time for all those lengthy workshops? Training should focus on specific skills and immediate needs rather than these marathon sessions.

“Good enough for basic tasks”

Pros

I tried this during my college years and found it adequate for basic tasks. While it handled what I needed, I could see it had untapped capabilities that weren't fully realized.

Cons

Overall user experience felt like it could be more visually attractive and simpler.

“Onboarding could be better”

Pros

Appreciate how this platform is cloud-based, letting me access everything from anywhere with internet. Makes getting work done and grading assignments convenient. What's great is it can handle all sorts of content like videos, PDFs, you name it without making me jump between different sites.

Cons

The onboarding process could definitely use some work. I struggled quite a bit when I first started using it. It felt confusing initially and took me longer than expected to get comfortable with. Finding and dismissing notifications was particularly frustrating, even after I'd already read them it wasnt always clear how to clear them out.

“Easy once you get used to it”

Pros

Gets easy once you get the hang of it. Sure, a bit complicated at first and it can feel awkward but after setting up your templates and getting familiar with the layout, moving around becomes second nature.

Cons

I feel like it gets annoying when you have to resubmit things multiple times and the gradebook setup process is pretty frustrating to work through.

“Challenging set up”

Pros

The latest version is definitely their strongest release so far. They've moved away from java-based programming, which makes things much more accessible for students who aren't tech-savvy or don't have admin access to change their system settings.

Cons

Setup was pretty challenging and when we requested a demo during our RFP process, they didn't showcase their latest features or best products. The system also lacks hierarchical capabilities for managing subsystems within the main platform.

“Buggy at times”

Pros

I really like how flexible the interface is and how it can organize tons of data across different categories without getting cluttered.

Cons

I frequently run into bugs that have cost me several hours of lost work on multiple occasions.

“great for viewing courses and connecting”

Pros

Its great being able to view my complete course lineup and academic history all in one place. The way professor announcements automatically sync with my university email is super convenient too. Plus, it makes connecting with classmates really simple.

Cons

I'm not sure if this is a software issue but I really dislike that we can't access past course materials. It would be much better if we could view documents directly on the website instead of having to download Word files every time.

“Works well across all devices”

Pros

The platform makes it really easy to share and access materials across different devices. I appreciate that it works smoothly on both PC and Mac and having a mobile version is a nice bonus for when I'm on the go.

Cons

Content doesn't always appear in the feed right away. There's usually a delay of a few hours before posts show up.

“Effective for sharing information”

Pros

I appreciate how easily information flows between different classes and instructors making collaboration much smoother.

Cons

id prefer easier grade entry access through the mobile app.