Blackboard Blogs

Have you thanked your System Admin today?

Today is a day to celebrate some unsung heroes – the people who make our lives possible in this 24x7 networked age.  I’m talking about System Administrators. 

Without them our computers couldn’t talk to one another, our email would remain undelivered, our VoIP phones would fall quiet, we couldn’t teach and learn online.  System Administrators know that we’re counting on them to keep the electronic services we’ve come to rely on, up and running.  They usually only hear from us when we’ve got problems – system down, forgot my password, laptop infected with a virus.  They put in long hours on nights and weekends to ensure that the rest of us experience minimal disruptions.  How often have they been the calm voice on the other end of your phone line reassuring you that everything is going to be all right? 

Today is SysAdmin Day, the day to say thanks to the fine men and women who keep our networks, servers, websites, laptops, printers, and entire IT infrastructures humming. 

Thank you!

Greenhouse Winners and the Grant for Virtual Worlds

BbWorld is one of those events where so much happens that it becomes information overload for blog purposes: what do I want to write about first?  I think one of the highlights for me – and a good place to start – was the Blackboard Greenhouse Program. We finally announced our Greenhouse winners and our new Virtual Worlds grant.

Dropping the "e" from e-Learning: Further Thoughts on BbWorld '07

The Quiet Anniversary

BbWorld ’07 marked the first 10 years of Blackboard as a company, and more importantly the first decade of course management systems being used across campuses, in schools, and by organizations and government agencies.  Learning using electronic technology certainly occurred before 1997, but only became systematic and widespread 10 years ago.

Many important accomplishments in the education technology have occurred during those 10 years, and last week the rooms and hallways of the Hynes Convention Center were filled with quiet pride.  It was apparent to me that the education technology pioneers, experimentalists and entrepreneurs in attendance had established themselves on their campuses around the world.  They and the use of education technologies are no longer considered odd; they are firmly part of the education strategy.

We are on the cusp of further industry advancements in which the traditionalists (the place-based people), those who cannot or will not employ technology to extend, deepen, and make more relevant curriculum, disciplines and community online, are becoming the odd ones out.  Unless traditionalists join technology proponents, they are on the verge of becoming the black box technology people we once were seen as.