In case you missed it, Ray Henderson blogged last week about, reflecting on 2011, looking ahead to 2012 and what we mean by “The Ocho.” Originally posted on Ray H Blog on January 10, 2012: Over the course of the year, I enjoy a large quantity of anecdotal feedback on how we’re doing – emails, client meetings, Tweets, etc. – but it’s our client satisfaction surveys that give me the best overall view of our progress. These are the numbers I look at to see how well we’re doing. In the spirit of 2011 review, I’ll share news of the direction in those surveys, alongside a couple of key milestones we reached this year in the digital content and open education areas. I’ll also preview some of the news you can expect from us in early 2012. Improving the Experience Since I arrived at Blackboard we’ve made the improvement of our product and service quality a tremendous focus. We needed to be much better in these areas, and we committed a great deal to the effort with more staff, resources and new programs. By far, this has been the biggest priority for us as a company during my time at Blackboard. To read the full letter, please click here to jump to Ray’s Blog.

The smart people from the Online Colleges Guide put together a new infographic about Tech Use on American College Campuses. While it’s no surprise that students have the ability to be super-connected to their learning, it’s interesting to note that 43% of students surveyed agree that their institution needs more technology. Of course, we were excited to see that among the list of favorite websites student’s browse (i.e. couldn’t live without), Blackboard was ranked in the top five, even beating out Facebook! We really love following the data in infographics, like this one. What stat do you find most interesting? 

We are excited to share the news that registration for BbWorld 2012 is now open! As you recharge over this winter break, why not get a jump start on your summer plans and consider joining us in New Orleans for our annual user conference. If you joined us last year in Las Vegas, it’s hard to forget the incredible opening keynote with Steven Johnson and the closing keynote from Sir Ken Robinson. Through the course of two and a half days, we kept you busy with dozens of sessions, networking opportunities and executive discussions, details on Blackboard’s technology roadmap, special receptions with your peers, Blackboard executives and staff, and a corporate keynote from founder and CEO Michael Chasen. We left you excited (and exhausted) and ready to head into the school year with best practices and new ways to deliver a more impactful learning experience at your institution. Don’t you want to join us again?

Blackboard wants to hear your voice! The BbWorld and DevCon 2012 call for presentations is now open and will remain open until January 20. We would love to hear your story at this year’s Developers Conference July 9-10 and BbWorld July 10-12 in New Orleans, LA. Why should you present? Blackboard user conferences are a great way to share best practices with peers, influence and enhance teaching and learning at other institutions, and shape eLearning around the world. We are looking for experts to lead by example and connect with the education community.