Blackboard

As an educative tool, I really think blackboard is helpful! It is nice to have one place to upload all class documents (assignments, announcements, etc.) It is also a wonderful way for students to keep track of their grades (if the teacher so chooses to use this tool). I think it is much more effective than email in that there can be no complaints from teacher or students about an overwhelming number of emails being sent. People can check it at their leisure. Also, I love the discussion board postings. It's a wonderful way for students to interact with one another, ask questions, share ideas, etc. For instance, in many of my classes, we post lesson plans for everyone to use at the end of our semester. It is really helpful to have all the extra resources that fellow classmates can upload. As with anything, blackboard also has it's downfalls. The biggest problem with Blackboard is getting students to check it. Email is a bit more direct in that way, and blackboard requires students to be a bit more proactive about their learning. I can see that being a potential frustration for the teacher. Overall, I think it's a wonderful tool, and I may consider using it in my classroom one day!