Taking Blackboard on the go

With a new emphasis on mobile devices in today’s world, colleges and universities aren’t left out.  There is an add-on to the Blackboard learning management system called Blackboard Mobile Learn.  This mobile component to Blackboard allows students to access Blackboard features on mobile devices such as iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.  The interface for the mobile app is very well designed.  When a student logs in, they are presented with the announcements page. The announcements page shows all announcements from all classes in one place.  The app also allows students to view PDF, Word, photos and videos right within the app.  Along with being able to view content, students can contribute content as well.  It is possible to respond to discussion threads and take assessments, all from a smartphone or tablet.  The developers of Blackboard Mobile also thought about the design of the app.  The app is designed to look like a bulletin board and chalkboard with post-it notes on it.  There is also a feature on the tablet version of the app that allows windows to be flicked off the screen and docked to the side of the screen.  

Unfortunately, Blackboard Mobile Learn is not available at Kishwaukee College at this time.  However, it has been considered.  Scott Armstrong, director of Information Technology said, “It would be good to see what the demand is.” Demand seems to be the main factor in deploying the mobile app.  Armstrong said, “If we were to just deliver [Blackboard Mobile], we wouldn’t know what to expect.” It is for this reason that I ask you to consider completing the short survey at kishkscope.com/mobile-survey in order to find out whether it would be worth it to spend the time and money to implement it.  Following the survey, there would possibly be a trial period when the new software would be tested and perfected before it would be deployed campus-wide.  If you are interested in being part of a test group, please contact Scott Armstrong at scott.armstrong@kishwaukeecollege.edu.

Take the Survey