It can be easy to dislike Blackboard

It can be easy to hate Blackboard; Drury's content management system may seem like a hassle to navigate, but its benefits outweigh its shortcomings.

"I think a lot of the complaints about Blackboard come from people who haven't really used it before," said Andy Nelson, Drury's online technical support facilitator.

"Blackboard does require a lot of clicking around," admitted Nelson, "but once you get used to it just as you would any other software, you'll find that things are consistent across the system."

A Blackboard template is set up in advance for every class at Drury, regardless of whether or not the class's teacher uses it.

Blackboard gives professors the ability to post the class syllabus, calendar, PowerPoint's and other lecture notes among other things. These things, which may not seem like a lot, can add up.

"Students get a lot of stress just the from uncertainty about having to plan ahead for the next day, in addition to the required coursework," said Dr. Kelley Still, associate professor of accounting. "Now if I make a change to the syllabus or an assignment, or if a student loses a handout, it's all posted on Blackboard, so they can check at any time of day or night, which reduces a ton of stress on their part."

Blackboard also reduces stress on the educator's part. "Managing classes and keeping track of assignments just piles things on top of all the grading and testing professors already have to do, so Blackboard really streamlines the process," continued Dr. Still.

"And it drives me crazy when students constantly ask me about their grade in class," she added, "which I honestly feel is disrespectful to the time we need to spend on the coursework, so with Blackboard I can just keep the grades updated and post the score of each individual assignment and students can check them whenever they'd like."

Obviously, the more professors and students use Blackboard, the more intuitive it will become. "Students should encourage their professors to use Blackboard," said Nelson, "and for more than just posting grades, too."

Dr. Still wants to challenge students to get into the habit of checking Blackboard regularly.

"It might also help if more information about Blackboard was given out during Freshman Orientation," suggested Dr. Still.