Blackboard Collaborate Reviews

Pros
As background information, this was used for online classes - so my experiences is limited and based only on that. With that said, though, I was pleased with my interactions with Blackboard Collaborate. Here are the pros: - It has an Interactive Whiteboard feature that is quite helpful. Teachers can add their slide deck or presentation here. The students can then "interact" with the presentation using some nice features (type words, underline texts, even highlight). - Similar to other programs, you can share your device's screen with the class or you can allow other students to share their screen if they need to show a presentation or something. This comes in very handy if used well. - If you've never used Blackboard before, I think it's pretty easy to get the hang of. It's well organized and has a nice user interface. - Without Blackboard, managing the workflow in an online class would be extremely difficult. However, Blackboard does a phenomenal job of allowing information, assignments, quizzes, etc. to be assigned and returned/collected in an organized fashion. - If a student is unable to attend a live session, Blackboard includes a record option so they can go back and watch the lesson whenever possible. This can also be used for remediation and review. - They have some nice little features that often go overlooked, like the quick response or thumbs up/thumbs down features. It's helpful when quickly checking for understanding. - Breakout/small group feature.

Cons
Here are some concerns: - While it works well with Chrome, this platform does not seem to work with Safari or Edge. (This could be user error, though.) - This may be user error, too, but I found the audio to be a little off. It seems like they could do some updates here to help it sound a little more smooth and less choppy. Sometimes you don't always hear everything. - Even though the record feature is awesome - it can be annoying because the video and the audio are sometimes off. - I guess this could be based on the WiFi connectivity, but video quality is inconsistent.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 7/10

Pros
Blackboard Collaborate is such a great option for online teachers. We use it to meet with students and present lessons live on the computer. I use it weekly. It is seamlessly integrated with PowerPoint. The features are neat - you have lots of controls as a moderator. You can allow students to speak, use video cameras, type, draw, add pictures to the whiteboard, etc. You can set how many students can be speaking at once. You can mute them by taking away tools. You can create breakout rooms. You can play all sorts of media. You can remove students who are not behaving. You can lock the room or allow attendees in late. I've met with anywhere from 1 to 700 participants. You can make permanent forcing slides and make sure that students can't do anything without a teacher being present, but there are downsides to those functionalities as well. The app is really great. It is limited, and simple, but I've never had a problem with it.

Cons
The major thing I dislike is the "exception error" that I get CONSTANTLY. Basically, BBC can only handle so much data. Because it can't tell which participant needs what, it actually has to save and stream anything within a certain time period and send that out to everyone in the room. So, it really bogs the room down. It is just saving a TON of data at any given time. We've had to create separate rooms for back to back sessions instead of hosting them in the same room for this reason. It'll give an exception error if you try to do too much with too many people in too small a timeframe. Don't try to host a session over a wireless hotspot unless you have unlimited data. One session cost me like 2 gigs of data. Recording can only be done in the main room. If you need to record in a breakout session, you'll have to figure something else out. We use Snagit for breakout room recordings. The administrator panel is very confusing. I'm really tech savvy and I have a hard time navigating. It is definitely not intuitive when it comes to setting up new rooms and adding moderators. The permanent forcing slides are good. No issues there. However, what a pain to set up -- it just makes no sense. I wish it was easier to figure out how to do that.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 6/10

Pros
As a student the software is easy to use and has an easy to use dashboard. It is nice to be able to email other students or teachers, especially when you get to the university level. I like how there are different options to view your grades and when you submit your assignments there is a confirmation code that is generated. There is also a variety of tools besides email in which communication can take place, like discussion boards, videos, or links to other websites. I also found it handy to keep track of important announcements from campus organizations and professors. As an Administrator I like how the software can keep me organized and track the progress of the students.

Cons
I did not have many issues as a student, but as an administrator I found a few places with room for improvement. At times it was difficult to upload assignments, I would always get an error message. I know I am completing the correct steps because I have uploaded many assignments. Another issue I had was that this software always seemed to go down at the most in opportune times, like right before finals and then an extension had to be given to the students to be fair. I can't say if it was the fault of the school or the software, all I know is it is frustrating.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 7/10

Pros
Everything you needed for the course could be found under its heading, so you always had access to your syllabus and course requirements. It allows the unconventional student to be equipped with everything they need to still learn outside of the classroom - at the convenience of their own time.

Cons
Just because all the information is provided does not mean you are automatically organized - toggling between tabs creates the possibility of potentially missing an assignment, as blackboard does not alert you when something is due. therefore, if you happen to skip over a tab in the class you may also be skipping over an assignment.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 7/10

Pros
I enjoyed using Blackboard as a student of a local community college. I found that it was really easy to use and one of the best programs I had ever encountered! It was so important to me to be able to learn not only in class, but also at home. Being that I had not been in classes in some time it sometimes took me longer than my classmates to understand, and learn things. I was able to use Blackboard at home and they had many different activities that would help you get extra practice from flashcards, quizzes and labs that you could use to help you better understand the curriculum that was being taught that day!

Cons
Sometimes down for scheduled banner maintenance so was not able to access my grades or assignments when I needed to. Thankfully I was always informed of any maintenance beforehand so I was able to see the information needed before it was down! (Not usually very long at all though!)

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 10/10

Pros
I used this platform while in college. All of our classes were accessible in one place and we had access to teachers/classmates at all times. Could ask questions and get immediate responses. Could submit papers/assignments so you never had to worry about your dog eating it (😁). Calendar kept you organized on due dates and class material. Grades on classwork/tests were easily accessible at all times.

Cons
From a student perspective it was a great program. There were only a couple of things that I found difficult but I think it had more to do with the teacher who set up the class on Blackboard. Some material was hard to find. Too many options to put assignments. They should all go in one place. Didn't like the fact that I had to open up 5 folders to find reading assignment or questions to be answered. Discussion board could get overwhelming and looked very disorganized

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 7/10

Pros
The thing I like about blackboard is the ability to download app onto phone and easily navigate through messages, discussion post, new grades submitted.. the list goes on. Blackboard has taken in the evolving approach in technology implemented into this software. You can modify, add or dismiss what you don't want shown. Blackboard if your platform and can customise it as you wish to fit your need. It is very user friendly.

Cons
I don't think there's anything I dislike about this software. Perhaps the one thing I like least about this software is not being able to view attempted assessments via the phone application. It will direct you to use your desktop browser to view details.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 8/10

Pros
I like the ease and setup of the course in blackboard. The layout is super-friendly in terms of finding your course materials, your email, instructor information, or accessing discussion boards. As a student in different schools, I found blackboard worked pretty much the same way, no issues in attending my live class sessions or taking my tests.

Cons
No cons regarding blackboard from a student's stance. It is really laid out where anyone can log in and find their way around after a brief tutorial.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 10/10

Pros
I really liked using blackboard for all of my classes. It was an easy website or app to go to everyday to check my grade and assignments that are due. It made it easy for me to contact teachers when needed.

Cons
I don’t love the set up of the website when you log in. It takes some getting used to to fully understand it. I also didn’t like how it showed all the classes i took in past semesters first so i had to go to the bottom of the page to find the classes I’m currently enrolled in.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 8/10

Pros
Lots of useful features for professors and students that makes online learning feel more personal. Instant messaging works well and the interactive whiteboard is indispensable. It's a nice touch that it's browser-based, so there's no need for students to download a desktop version as it can be accessed anywhere. Students seems to benefit from the instant interaction with the teacher with the two-way webcam capabilities. Uploading files, slides, and videos is smooth and useful.

Cons
All features are hard to realise if you don't have a lot of IT resources or experience. Students should be able to record private sessions/breakout rooms. Sometimes students find that the more people in attendance, the more instance of freezing and errors. Some students have also mentioned issues interacting with the MacBooks. Tablet/mobile capability could also be tweaked as the interactive whiteboard seems to have issues on these platforms.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 7/10

Pros
We use Blackboard for my graduate school classes, as well as my undergraduate experience. It works well for what we need it for - posting in-class materials, submission of homework assignments, communication of information between professor & students and also between students. Also, this time around (in my grad program), I now get automated emails when my professors update info or grade assignments, which is very nice to have. I didn't have that as an undergrad.

Cons
Sometimes it can be somewhat clunky. I have seen it from the professor's side when they have tons of classes they're teaching, and it is a mess - I don't know how they navigate it. But overall it serves the students well.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 7/10

Pros
Collaborate integrates seamlessly with Blackboard, so it's a perfect fit for any institution that utilizes Blackboard. This program allows teachers to hold class virtually, which is especially nice for virtual makeup days or online classes. Collaborate itself is pretty easy to use--certainly more so than Blackboard itself.

Cons
Collaborate is fairly easy to use, but it's still probably not as easy as Hangouts or Skype. However, its integration with Blackboard overshadows any shortcomings with ease of use. Cost can also be a large hurdle when purchasing Blackboard.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 7/10

Pros
Seeing grades posted throughout the semester, referencing resources that teachers posted, and taking quizzes and tests on it. I also appreciated that they worked with group projects to connect with other students in the class and to upload assignments.

Cons
It would crash every so often, not enough to make a huge deal about it.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 10/10

Pros
The most important part of this program is its web conferencing feature ,which gives us access to functionalities needed to support a modern teaching and learning work environment, such as 2 way VoIP, built-in phone conferencing,multi-point video,rich media ,mobile collaboration , interactive whiteboard, application and desktop sharing, breakout rooms, and session recording.

Cons
Blackboard is restrictive in terms of the file formats, we are able to play. Also there is the tendency for text boxes and some dialogue components within the Blackboard framework to suddenly malfunction.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 8/10

Pros
The software is very detailed. There are many part to one action, you can control everything you need to. It is easy to learn, which i have had to do. But also it is easy to learn and study on your own. The outcome results for example as on a register, is also detailed and self explanatory.

Cons
It is an older system. I think it needs to be updated where there is not so much room for error. It is very 90s set up.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 7/10

Pros
- I used Blackboard as a student for both local college and distance learning programs. It is so easy to use and all of the course resources (outlines, notes, etc.) were easy to locate for each lesson. - Contacting the course professor was simple through the interface, and the live chat was great! - The interactive whiteboard is amazing during lessons

Cons
- File formats were limited in terms of what types of files could be hosted/played. - Blackboard would, on occasion, crash and cause me to relaunch the site. Not a huge deal as it didn't happen that often.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 8/10

Pros
I love that the "receiver" (in our case, the student who is meeting a tutor or academic coach online for a video session) doesn't have to download an app or program or even create an account or log-in. They can access a session through their browser using the link we send. This saves a lot of tech issues or the student having to make an account to access other options like Hangouts, Skype, FaceTime, etc.

Cons
Some of the features aren't easy to find. It could be more intuitively designed. There are help guides, but I have often thought that many features should be obvious and easy to find and not require the use of the Help section.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 8/10

Pros
I used this software when I taught business courses for Ashford University. It was incredibly easy to use and I was able to upload video as well as the text for each chapter of the book. Once you have put all the work into setting up your course it is super simple to duplicate.

Cons
Every once in a while a student would have trouble uploading their paper or assignment to blackboard, however this was an easy fix with a call to support. Every time I called support they were able to quickly resolve the issue the first time I called.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 10/10

Pros
Ease of use and integration into Blackboard courses with the additional capability of use outside of the LMS. The ability to hold virtual meetings for business as well as academics is great. Our instructors love using Collaborate for virtual office hours and our HR department uses it for job interviews and board meetings. Great program.

Cons
The compatibility with browsers other than Chrome has caused issues for faculty in the past. It is our understanding that Collaborate is made specifically for Chrome, which is not everyone's browser of choice.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 9/10

Pros
Overall I would say this product is straight forward when it comes to its functionality. The average user does not have to play around with the software to figure out what they need

Cons
Administratively it can be difficult to find how to adjust the settings and launch things using the software. It can take multiple steps to do something that should be easily handled.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 7/10

Pros
It doesn't cost anything for us to install and use. We don't have to worry about subscriptions.

Cons
Some times it just doesn't seem to be able to support the number of users on at one time in one class room

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 7/10

Pros
This software is easy to utilize within an organization. It offers the opportunity to collaborate with others, go into private discussion rooms, and do instruction.

Cons
Crashes at moments and does not opporate all the time as expected.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 9/10

Pros
There is so much to keep track of with classes, assignments, grades, etc. and blackboard lets everything stay in one place so students and teachers aren't spending too much time just locating items.

Cons
It can be a little glitchy at times but overall, the pros greatly outweigh the cons for blackboard as a student.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 10/10

Pros
I have used Blackboard for years as a college student. It has a lot of great features, like built-in messaging and grading scales, that make it easy for students to communicate with professers and understand course requirements.

Cons
Blackboard is not the most intuitive, and it takes a while to get the hang of.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 9/10

Pros
I enjoy to preparer the scenario previously and while the students login to the platform, I chat with them: "Hey, welcome" and I invite them to change their profile, after that, I share with them my PowerPoint files or I give them the guideline to share their files. To assign or change the session-role with the students has been a great experience: let them drive the class and expose their jobs from their device, sharing their desktop, letting them to use any software to show it. Its `no necessary a big bandwidth of Internet, it works fine with medium/low bandwidth, in this way the video and the sound communication are pretty good, considering this.

Cons
I must take time to teach/familiarize previously for the students in the use of the platform, it is not an intuitive software.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 8/10