Blackboard forums and wikis

Blackboard forums and wikis

by Stuart Anderson -
Number of replies: 17
Hi there,

I run a few moodle installations in the School of Computer Science, University of Manchester, England. Our University has spent a lot of money to introduce Blackboard Vista to the University campus. Having evaluated Moodle and Blackboard as fairly as possible, the overall conclusion was that Blackboard manages content better, but Moodle has better teaching tools. I am still being asked information about Blackboard, but in some cases I am struggling to find answers due to the lack of openness of Blackboard information. I was wondering if the moodle community could help me answer some question (and therefore help combat the corporate Blackboard onslaught!).

  • Are there any versions of Blackboard or plugins that provide the same forum emailing support that features in moodle? Digests or single email alerts.
  • Are there any versions of Blackboard that include a wiki tool, or is the only way to use wikis with Blackboard via a Bb Powerlink to a third-party wiki.
Your help appreciated.

Regards,

Stuart Anderson.

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In reply to Stuart Anderson

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Matt Gibson -
Can't say much about blackboard, but the Moodle file system is about to be re-written along with a new repository API that should eliminate Blackboard's content management lead in Moodle 2.0. Have a look here for more info.
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In reply to Matt Gibson

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Stuart Anderson -
Thanks Matt, yes I knew all about this anyway and am also looking forward to moodle 2.0. Unfortunately, I need to compare things as they are now.

I noticed you seem to be quite involved in the discussion for the repository. Do you know if there are plans to have a hierarchy within the respository with permissions on who/what can edit the contents. For example, one of the only things I like about Blackboard is the ability to add documents at institutional level that everyone can see, but then also have documents at lower levels, for example group level (that might represent a faculty/school). To me such a feature gives a far more sensible structure to the repository.

Regards,

Stuart.
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In reply to Stuart Anderson

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Matt Gibson -
As far as I know, integration with the roles system is planned to be a big part of the repository. Having different editing/viewing permissions for different people is one of the main reasons it is being developed.

As for a hierarchy, we have one at the moment whereby site files uploaded to the front page are visible by everyone and can be linked to from any course, whereas course files can only be seen by teachers, and by students if teachers choose to link to them within the course. Its a bit basic and inflexible though.
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In reply to Stuart Anderson

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Ralf Hilgenstock -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Translators
Hi Stuart,

I saw your request on a repository and document management system for Moodle. Please have a look at MoOdalis (http://moodalis.de/index.php?docid=1&lang=en&;).

Ralf
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In reply to Ralf Hilgenstock

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Lance Hinds -
This looks like a nice product. But lordy it is very expensive!!!. We are looking at Alfresco and another product called Knowledgetree

Lance Hinds
BrainStreet Learning

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In reply to Stuart Anderson

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Derek Chirnside -
Isn't it ironical for you to have to ask in a Moodle forum about Blackboard?

You ask:
  • Are there any versions of Blackboard or plugins that provide the same forum emailing support that features in moodle? Digests or single email alerts.
No
I have no idea if this is planned for Bb or not.
As an aside: we heard of some US settings where it was a showstopper if Bb did NOT have a closed e-mail setup. "I don't want my personal email cluttered up with stuff from student!!" Here, in a litle College of education, it was a showstopper if the LMS could NOT communicate with personal e-mail intrays. smile
  • Are there any versions of Blackboard that include a wiki tool, or is the only way to use wikis with Blackboard via a Bb Powerlink to a third-party wiki.
The next version of Bb in their roadmap that is not yet public has a wiki functionality planed, but I am not sure if it is a paid add-on or not.

By the way: What is a 'corperate blackboard onslaught'?

Cheers -
Derek

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In reply to Derek Chirnside

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Steve Hyndman -

Isn't it ironical for you to have to ask in a Moodle forum about Blackboard?

Yes, it would be ironic of it were true. Answers to those questions are readily available on the blackoard forums.

http://www.blackboard.com/communities/ask_drc/

Steve

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In reply to Steve Hyndman

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Stuart Anderson -
Thank you Steve, however, I did spend some time trying to find this information at the Ask Dr C site before posting on the moodle forum. I found the search results not particularly helpful. I guess the correct thing to do would be to ask the same questions in the Bb forums rather than here.

Apologies,

Stuart.
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In reply to Derek Chirnside

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Frances Bell -

I thought that students could not subscribe to Blackboard forums but had to eat my words.  There is a forum setting to allow students to subscribe that they can then opt into (I don't think we are using Vista).

One interesting thing about Blackboard, as compared to Moodle and lots of other forums, is its poor integration between identity and interaction.  Students can create an identity in Blackboard but it's quite hard work for others to see it (unlike the name click profile link in Moodle).  CLicking a name in Blackboard forums brings up an email.

I am not sure What is a 'corperate blackboard onslaught'? but I think this might have been an earlier manifestation http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=noone+ever+got+sacked+for+buying+IBM&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

wink

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In reply to Frances Bell

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Steve Hyndman -

Frances choosing a WordPress blog over a Moodle Blog...I can't believe my eyes wink

Regardless of the criticisms people around here want to throw at BB from every angle. I've used both platforms extensively and, in my opinion, discussion forums is one area where BB is superior to Moodle.

Steve

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In reply to Steve Hyndman

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Anthony Borrow -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers
How ironic, I have used both too and find Moodle's forums to be much more flexible and convenient. When I recently gave a presentation for a university and described the features of the Moodle forums the faculty were excited and it seemed that there was some disatisfaction with discussion boards. It could be that the school was using an older version of BB; however, if I were able to choose between the two I would not hesitate to use Moodle. I like being able to subscribe to the forum and to see the entire discussion thread rather than one at a time. I'm not sure if BB has ratings or not, if it does the faculty were not aware of them. Peace - Anthony
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In reply to Anthony Borrow

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Steve Hyndman -

I like being able to subscribe to the forum and to see the entire discussion thread rather than one at a time.

If you are implying that in BB you are limited to seeing the discussion thread "one at a time" then you're not very familiar with BB discussion forums. If you don't know whether or not BB has forum ratings, then you are not very familiar with BB discussion forums.

You find Moodle's forums to be "much more flexible and convenient"...that's not "ironic"...it seems you don't really know a lot about BB discussion forums, so that's perfectly understandable.

Of course, if you did know as much about BB discussion forums as you do Moodle discussion forums, then you may still be of the opinion that Moodle's forums are superior...and you would also have an "informed" opinion.

Steve

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In reply to Steve Hyndman

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Derek Chirnside -
Hi guys, I apologise for introducing the word "Ironic" into this discussion.
I guess I dislike the word "superior" as well which again is a subjective concept like "Intuitive". Maybe "convenient" fits into this as well.
In making comparisons, it is all about where we decide we value things.

I like Moodle's forums for real work and serious interaction because I can have several windows open at a time. I can cut and paste and craft posts a little quicker, and I think I can also do a better job for this reason.
Writing a summary post for the week when there are four threads of discussion is possible simply by having four windows open at a time. Suits my work style: and, early indications are, that students like this also.

[Disclaimer: this is because up until now I cannot find a way to have multiple windows open in Bb]

The one click subscribe/unsubscribe option in Moodle gives real power. One of our current systems (Home grown) has an option "E-mail me replies to This Post". I think we are going to need to this if we switch to Moodle.

In terms of all these subjective words: flexible, superior, convenient, better . . . One other question we have is this: How much support do lecturers need to become familiar with the functionality? How much hidden information do they need to be told? How standard is the navigation (like back button, bread crumbs, right click, multiple tabs . .) How clear is the help on the screen? How consistent is the button placement? This is terribly hard.

I enjoyed watching Malcolm Gladwell's video from TED yesterday:
www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/20

Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell gets inside the food industry where differences between chunky and smooth, spicy and mild, sweet and sweeter, can mean the difference between success and failure.

Put Bb/Moodle in as you wish.

We have had one odd response in our Bb vs Moodle trial, in several settings . . . .
"Moodle looks so "white" ".

smile People make incredible subjective judgments on the most unexpected things. We are also trying to ask the right questions.

If you watch MG, you may get an idea what I mean. Have a nice day, what evfer timezone you inhabit



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In reply to Derek Chirnside

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Richard Ingalls -
We have had one odd response in our Bb vs Moodle trial, in several settings . . . .
"Moodle looks so "white" ".

Moodle looks "white", but you can change the theme! big grin
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In reply to Steve Hyndman

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Stuart Anderson -
This is obviously going to be a subjective one and down to personal opinion. For the needs of my School and users, we would argue it is that other way around and moodle's forums are superior to Bbs.

--Stuart.
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In reply to Frances Bell

Re: Blackboard forums and wikis

by Stuart Anderson -
Thanks Frances,

Unfortunately in the version of Bb that my university has just rolled out either doesn't support this feature or it has been disabled as there is definitely no option in the forum settings. This will be decidely unpopular in my School.

Regarding the "corperate blackboard onslaught", I should learn to keep my mouth shut. There are reasons for this remark, but it would be inappropriate for me to go into them here.

Thanks for your help.

--Stuart.
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