Blackboard Provides Fast Track to Digital Class Software Subscription

Learning management system company Blackboard has enabled a self-service portal where colleges and schools can immediately subscribe to its digital collaboration platform, Blackboard Collaborate. The idea: to reduce "the time from purchase to deployment in direct response to the need for institutions and districts across the globe to quickly transition to digital teaching and learning modalities as part of COVID-19 contingency planning," according to a news announcement. The company said the portal is designed to "help institutions begin instruction within a virtual classroom within hours."

For $9,000 for the year, the subscription covers any number of virtual classrooms, each of which can support up to 250 students. The classrooms run through a browser and integrate with any LMS, including Blackboard's own Learn, Instructure Canvas, Sakai, D2L's Brightspace and Moodle.

Collaborate features include the ability for class participants to view each other on screen; raise hands; run and respond to live polls; share screens; do texting in a side chatroom; use video, audio and text content; and work on a digital whiteboard. Faculty can elevate students to the presenter role where they can share files, documents and programs on the screen. The program also facilitates captioning in real-time and provides for high-contrast display colors for greater accessibility.

"We recognize the importance of making this transition to a fully digital learning environment as streamlined and efficient as possible for the entire academic community — especially for instructors and students who may be accustomed to in-class or hybrid teaching and learning environments," said Kathy Vieira, the company's chief strategy, portfolio and marketing officer, in a statement.

Blackboard is also promoting access to a digital teaching and learning series, which the company produces through Blackboard Academy. The courses are LMS-agnostic and come with a certificate. Coverage includes fundamentals in digital instruction, designing for digital teaching and learning and using more advanced techniques. Each course is $400 for the individual. Currently, individuals can also subscribe to a three-course program for $999, with online classes beginning in April, June and August. Institutional licensing requires speaking with a company rep.

Access to the self-service sign-up for Blackboard Collaborate is on the company's website.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • abstract geometric pattern of glowing interconnected triangles, hexagons, and circles in blue, gold, and white, spread across a dark navy-to-black gradient background

    OpenAI Unveils 'Operator' AI for Performing Web Tasks

    OpenAI has launched "Operator," an AI agent designed to perform web-based tasks autonomously using its own browser. Currently available as a research preview for Pro users in the United States, the tool aims to automate everyday activities such as filling out forms, ordering groceries, and even creating memes.

  • computer with a red warning icon on its screen, surrounded by digital grids, glowing neural network patterns, and a holographic brain

    Report Highlights Security Risks of Open Source AI

    In these days of rampant ransomware and other cybersecurity exploits, security is paramount to both proprietary and open source AI approaches — and here the open source movement might be susceptible to some inherent drawbacks, such as use of possibly insecure code from unknown sources.

  • two abstract humanoid figures made of interconnected lines and polygons, glowing slightly against a dark gradient background

    Microsoft Introduces Copilot Chat Agents for Education

    Microsoft recently announced Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, a new pay-as-you-go offering that adds AI agents to its existing free chat tool for Microsoft 365 education customers.

  • glowing shield hovers above a digital cloud platform with abstract data streams and cloud icons in the background

    Google to Acquire Cloud Security Firm Wiz

    Google has announced it will acquire cloud security startup Wiz. If completed, the acquisition — an all-cash deal valued at $32 billion — would mark the largest in Google's history.