Anthology Introduces AI-Enabled Course Building and Student Success Features in Blackboard Learn

At its annual Anthology Together 2023 conference, Anthology introduced new features and products in Blackboard Learn, along with two new Intelligent Experiences. The company also announced it has adopted Microsoft's Azure Open AI to power its spectrum of higher education ed tech solutions.

New Blackboard Learn offerings include:

  • Course-Building Tools use artificial intelligence to suggest a possible course structure, generate images, suggest test questions and grading rubrics, and more, aligned with desired learning outcomes.
  • Accessibility Checker, powered by Anthology Ally, examines and flags educators on course content with accessibility issues. They can correct issues such as missing alternative text for images, the company said.
  • Holistic Student Overview shows a learner's performance overall and insight into how the student functions through their education journey.
  • Progress Tracking gives a detailed insight into how a learner is performing and progressing in a course. Coupled with Holistic Student Overview, instructors can reach out to offer informed help when needed.

"While other vendors might be looking at AI within a point solution, Anthology is assessing the power of generative AI technology across our vast stack of EdTech solutions," said JD White, chief product officer at Anthology. "By thoughtfully integrating AI into our ecosystem, we can harness its power to foster innovation. The collaboration with Microsoft ensures these solutions are scalable, secure, and seamlessly integrated into existing educational ecosystems, making them easily accessible to institutions worldwide."

The AI tools for Blackboard Learn Ultra clients will be tested in August and are planned for production in September, the company said. All Learn clients will be able to make them available. Available now to Learn Ultra institutions worldwide are Accessibility Checker powered by Anthology Ally, Progress Tracking, and Holistic Student Overview.

Anthology also announced two new Intelligent Experiences (iX), which help learners choose and use courses to enhance skills needed in their careers and to give advisors, who typically deal with hundreds of students, data for tracking progress to help them.

These two new iXs will provide "alignment of data across historically siloed systems to deliver personalized and actionable insight to learners and instructors," Anthology said. The iXs will:

The Anthology Occupation Insight, Anthology Milestone and Anthology Student iX is available now, and the Blackboard Learn and Anthology Reach iX is planned for Fall 2023, the company said. Anthology will continue to incorporate new iXs into the system and give institutions a platform for analyzing their integrated data set.

Visit the Anthology website for more information.

About the Author

Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.

Featured

  • Three cubes of noticeably increasing sizes are arranged in a straight row on a subtle abstract background

    A Sense of Scale

    Gardner Campbell explores the notion of scale in education and shares some of his own experience "playing with scale" — scaling up and/or scaling down — in an English course at VCU.

  • illustration of a futuristic building labeled "AI & Innovation," featuring circuit board patterns and an AI brain motif, surrounded by geometric trees and a simplified sky

    Cal Poly Pomona Launches AI and Innovation Center

    In an effort to advance AI innovation, foster community engagement, and prepare students for careers in STEM fields and business, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona has teamed up with AI, cloud, and advisory services provider Avanade to launch a new Avanade AI & Innovation Center.

  • Abstract widescreen image with geometric shapes, flowing lines, and digital elements like graphs and data points in soft blue and white gradients.

    5 Trends to Watch in Higher Education for 2025

    In 2025, the trends shaping higher education reflect a continuous transformation of the higher education landscape to meet the changing needs of students and staff, while maintaining sustainable and cost-effective institutional practices.

  • collection of glowing digital documents and seals

    1EdTech: 6 Key Steps for a Successful Credentialing Program

    A new report from 1EdTech Consortium outlines recommendations for creating microcredential programs in schools, colleges, and universities.