Blackboard Inc. (2012) Blackboard opens field trial for learning analytics solution, Jan 10
From the press release:
Blackboard Inc. has partnered with several colleges and universities that will test-drive its new solution for learning analytics, the company announced on January 10. The institutions will pilot the new solution – Blackboard Analytics™ for Blackboard Learn™, and provide feedback to the company.
Blackboard plans for the solution to provide a complete view of teaching and learning, monitoring usage patterns and data in the learning management system (LMS) along with information from the student information system. The real-time and longitudinal data generated by the system would be used to help better engage students, measure and improve learning outcomes, and assess the adoption and use of online learning tools.
A number of four-year colleges and universities and two-year community colleges are participating in the field trial, including the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Seton Hall University, Grand Rapids Community College and Montgomery County Community College. All of the institutions currently use Blackboard Learn 9.1 for learning management, and will provide feedback on the solution as well as how they use the information it generates to help shape final development of the product.
The solution is built on the Blackboard Analytics™ platform, which provides immediate, highly customizable access to data analytics from across the institution through dashboards, predefined reports, and guided data exploration. Blackboard Analytics was launched in 2011 and is now used to guide data-driven decision-making at over 150 higher education institutions.
Blackboard plans for Blackboard Analytics for Blackboard Learn to present both course-specific and institution-wide data over time. The information would also help individual instructors better identify and help at-risk students at the course level, while enabling administrators to better understand the impact of online learning and justify expenditures and investments at the institutional level.
Blackboard plans for the analytics solution to offer integration with all the leading SIS platforms and can be customized to integrate with other SIS solutions. The new product is scheduled to be generally available early this year.
For more on Blackboard Analytics, click here
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See my next post: Do we have too much innovation in e-learning? (Coming shortly) and also e-learning outlook for 2012: will it be a rough ride?
Dr. Tony Bates is the author of eleven books in the field of online learning and distance education. He has provided consulting services specializing in training in the planning and management of online learning and distance education, working with over 40 organizations in 25 countries. Tony is a Research Associate with Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network.
