Blackboard - 2026 Pricing, Features, Reviews & Alternatives

Reviewers appreciate Blackboard Learn's course management capabilities for organizing and managing course content, schedules, and multimedia materials. They find it user-friendly for both instructors and students, allowing easy navigation and course organization. However, some users mention a lack of customizability and counterintuitive UI elements. Users also note the need for administrative assistance to copy content between courses, unlike other platforms like Canvas. Overall, they value the ability to manage courses effectively, despite some areas needing improvement. Of the 25 Blackboard Learn users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Course Management, 100% rated this feature as important or highly important.

See related user reviews

“Course management is one of the most important features of the software because it allows professors to fit and manage all their classrooms to maximize the knowledge their students receive.”

Diego M.

Marketing Analyst

“This feature allows teachers to organize their course content, add multimedia materials, and manage course schedules.”

DN

Debbie N.

Manager

Reviewers indicate that Blackboard Learn's learning management capabilities are essential for managing course content, assignments, and assessments. They appreciate the logical organization of subjects and the ease of tracking progress. Users find it helpful for managing hectic schedules with clear due dates and deadlines. While some mention the mobile app's clunkiness, they generally find the LMS easy to use and beneficial for both students and faculty. They also value the collaboration between teachers and students in the system. Of the 25 Blackboard Learn users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Learning Management, 100% rated this feature as important or highly important.

Users report that Blackboard Learn's learner portal provides a personalized interface for accessing course materials, submitting assignments, and viewing grades. They appreciate the ease of navigation and the ability to monitor progress. Reviewers highlight the portal's customizable appearance and the integration of external tools. Some users mention occasional menu overload, but overall, they find the portal effective and efficient for students and teachers. They value the accessibility and organization of information within the portal. Of the 21 Blackboard Learn users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Learner Portal, 95% rated this feature as important or highly important.

Reviewers highlight Blackboard Learn's tests and assessments capabilities, noting the variety of question types and the ease of creating and administering quizzes and exams. They appreciate capabilities like autograding, Safe Assign for plagiarism detection, and the ability to set deadlines and time limits. However, some users report technical issues, such as the platform freezing during exams. Despite these issues, they find the assessment tools accessible and intuitive, with useful capabilities for both students and educators. Of the 19 Blackboard Learn users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Tests/Assessments, 95% rated this feature as important or highly important.

Users find Blackboard Learn's student information and records capabilities valuable for accessing and managing student data. They appreciate the real-time updates of grades and records, allowing for current interaction between professors and students. Reviewers highlight the ease of accessing school records, grades, and progress. Some users mention occasional difficulties in accessing specific records, but overall, they find the system useful for monitoring student performance and keeping all information in one place. Of the 15 Blackboard Learn users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Student Information/Records, 93% rated this feature as important or highly important.

Reviewers indicate that Blackboard Learn's activity dashboard provides a quick view of recent messages, grades, and feedback. They find it helpful for prioritizing academic tasks and staying updated with course activities. Users appreciate the detailed and customizable dashboard, though some mention initial confusion and the need for guidance. They value the ability to see assignments and progress at a glance, despite occasional issues with outdated information and complexity. Overall, they find the dashboard a useful organizational tool. Of the 15 Blackboard Learn users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Activity Dashboard, 87% rated this feature as important or highly important.

See related user reviews

“The activity dashboard is a quick view of recent messages, grades, and feedback related to student submissions in Blackboard Learn. This is a helpful resource to help students prioritize what is most current or pressing related to their academic performances and expectations. It's sometimes difficult, however, for instructors to know exactly what kinds of activities will trigger activities and notifications to students. Oftentimes, instructors will assume students will see the update, when in fact, they do not, or alternatively, there are excessive activity updates that bombard student dashboards. ”

MM

Michael M.

Director of the Global Stuudio

“The dashboard is very detailed, that is a pro and a con since the complexity can sometimes confuse the user. ”

Eduardo R.

Student