WASHINGTON, March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- California State University, Chico has selected
Blackboard Learn™, Release 9.1 to replace WebCT Vista as its
learning management platform, Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB)
announced today. The decision was driven by recognition of
Blackboard Learn as a proven, stable platform with improved
features and its ability to go beyond course delivery to manage
digital content and to better engage campus communities and
groups.
The selection follows Chico
State's comprehensive evaluation of commercial and open
source course management systems that included feedback from
students and faculty members. Users cited Release 9.1's ease of use
and ranked the platform highest in ten different categories of
features rated to be the most important. Administrators also
recognized a number of features in Release 9.1 designed
specifically for institutions moving from the WebCT platform, and
expressed confidence in the Company's plans to deliver continued
innovation and features for Release 9.1 over time.
With more than 15,000 students, Chico
State also wanted to leverage the full range of Blackboard
Learn capabilities that address communication, collaboration and
content management beyond the course. With Blackboard Learn
for Content Management and Community Engagement, Chico State can more effectively manage and
share digital content across the institution and help different
kinds of groups interact more easily including study groups,
student organizations and clubs, and others.
Although Chico State's evaluation
was primarily focused on its learning platform, the institution
also saw an opportunity to work more closely with Blackboard for
educational collaboration, given the institution's longtime use of
Wimba, a Blackboard Collaborate™ solution for video and Web
conferencing, to deliver distance learning courses and extend the
learning experience online for face-to-face courses.
"The ability to utilize the full breadth of the Blackboard Learn
platform and to move beyond courses with content, community and
collaboration tools was big for us," said Scott Kodai, Manager of Distributed Learning
Technology and Classroom Technology Services at CSU, Chico. "Our faculty members use our LMS both
broadly and deeply and they are excited about the opportunities for
managing content and leveraging Blackboard's support for open
standards to use other learning tools that can be easily integrated
with their courses."
Blackboard announced in January full support for two key
industry standards, Common Cartridge and Basic Learning Tools
Interoperability (LTI), which make it easier for instructors to
share educational content and resources. With the standards in
place, educators and institutions have more choices for creating
and delivering course content and integrating external learning
tools within their courses. Together, the standards help preserve
the investment that educators and institutions make in their
academic content.
"Chico State's evaluation process
was one of the most extensive that we've heard of, and we're
delighted that our latest product was chosen after such an in-depth
comparison in the field," said Ray
Henderson, President of Blackboard Learn. "We're pleased
that the investments we've made in change management to support
WebCT users making the move to Release 9.1 have given them – and a
growing number of institutions – greater confidence in choosing
us."
In making the move to Release 9.1, Chico
State also noted the importance of Blackboard's product
development and community programs as avenues for effective client
participation in product development. Chico
State administrators will take part in the Product
Development Partnership (PDP), where they'll work directly with
Blackboard developers on the design and delivery of possible new
features; and the Blackboard Idea Exchange™ (BIE), where they'll
share best practices with peers, provide early product analysis and
influence product direction, and consult on Company strategy,
trends and standards.
"We're excited about the ability to help shape the direction and
future of the Blackboard Learn platform through Blackboard's
product development and community programs," said Kathy Fernandes, Director of Academic
Technologies at CSU Chico. "These programs empower us and provide a
constructive framework to help us identify, prioritize and
communicate features we want to see in the pipeline. It allows us
to help build on a powerful LMS instead of modifying code to bring
the LMS up to Chico's expectations."
Since being launched in April
2010, more than 1,200 institutions have moved or are
planning a move to Release 9.1, including over 200 that are moving
from a WebCT platform. Many institutions are using Release 9.1
independently or in tandem with Blackboard's mobile learning, mass
notification and collaboration technologies.
For more information about Blackboard Learn, please visit
http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Learn/Overview.aspx.
About Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) is a global leader in enterprise
technology and innovative solutions that improve the experience of
millions of students and learners around the world every day.
Blackboard's solutions allow thousands of higher education, K-12,
professional, corporate, and government organizations to extend
teaching and learning online, facilitate campus commerce and
security, and communicate more effectively with their communities.
Founded in 1997, Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in North America, Europe, Asia
and Australia.
Any statements in this press release about future expectations,
plans and prospects for Blackboard and other statements containing
the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will,"
and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements
within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated
by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important
factors, including the factors discussed in the "Risk Factors"
section of our Form 10-K filed on February 18, 2011 with the SEC. In addition, the
forward-looking statements included in this press release represent
the Company's views as of March 16,
2011. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and
developments will cause the Company's views to change. However,
while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking
statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically
disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements
should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of
any date subsequent to March 16,
2011.
SOURCE Blackboard Inc.