What does openness and efficiency look like bundled into one? Blackboard continues to find ways to innovate and make users more efficient in their daily tasks. There are various ways we can accomplish this. It may be through the core Blackboard Learn™ platform. Or, it may be through Blackboard Building Blocks™ where we augment the platform and provide clients with a greater choice of instructional tools. And, as we develop, we continue to consider how we can contribute back to not only the education community, but the developer community, as well. We’re excited to announce two important Building Blocks – Bboogle and the Paste from Word Mashup – are now available and certified for the Blackboard Learn platform.

Having taught in the classroom for several years, I recall in-service days every two months or so where teachers and administrators in the school district had the opportunity to network and learn about current issues in the K-12 classroom. The most impactful were those where I could walk away with a new skill, different approach, more in-depth knowledge, or greater insight which I could then apply to my work with students and share with my colleagues. The most beneficial in-service days consisted of sessions where there was more than the dissemination of ideas; they were professional development experiences where I was part of the learning process.

The Pre-Conference Workshop Program at BbWorld is designed to engage you in the learning process. Just prior to the official opening of BbWorld ’10 and over the course of three days – Sunday, July 11; Monday, July 12; and Tuesday, July 13 – we are offering a number of workshops constructed to equip you with new skills and share the collective knowledge of our Blackboard learning community.