Blackboard Essentials for Teachers

I recently started a new part-time teaching job at our local university, and Blackboard is an optional tool which is made available to us. The school provides basic setup instructions, but I wanted to be able to use Blackboard for assignments, quizzes, grading, etc. Blackboard includes online tutorials, but I was looking for something faster and easier-- something I could just read and get the job done.I purchased the Kindle version of the book, which made it available immediately (nice). The price was good, and the content was just what I needed. I think I'm hooked on the Kindle's e-book features such as pulling up the table of contents and clicking on the item you want to read-- then going there directly. Using the cloud reader, I was able to open two windows and have the e-book on one side of my screen and Blackboard on the other. Very handy.My students appreciate having all of our material online, the ability to take quizzes at home before coming to class, the built-in email and the instant feedback on their assignments.

I'm a Blackboard novice who wanted to save money by downloading this thing onto my Kindle. A $45 paperback is too expensive if the Kindle version is a third that price. BUT DON'T DO IT! The tiny screen-shots on the Kindle exacerbate some difficult-to-follow explanations. Stretch the screen with your fingers and the image pixelates. As a remedy I plugged the Kindle into my desktop and put the thing up on my computer screen: Screen-shots weren't that much better but at least they were readable if I squinted and got close to the monitor. Aside from unreadable Kindle illustrations, the author's approach does not make it easy for greenhorns like myself to grasp the software's overall concept. I don't believe Mr. Rice is a teacher in the common use of the word, although perhaps he believes he is. He writes that he is an "e-learner professional" who works for businesses, presumably in the Big Apple. A room full of businesspeople, a flipchart, and a computer projector doesn't parallel running classes in high schools, colleges, or universities with this thing, week-in and week-out. There is no frank summary of Blackboard's ins and outs, nor any simplifying diagrams to understand it's architecture. (Of course, on a Kindle you couldn't see the diagrams anyway.) With no overview, the author begins "building a practice class," piece-by-piece, little step by little step. (Early on, from his wording, I thought the practice example was put on a website somewhere and went looking for it--it's not.) The effect is like getting familiar with a large hall wearing blinders, floor tile by floor tile. A friend of mine helped when he said "Blackboard is like one of those Russian dolls that fit one inside the other. Blackboard's parts fit inside other parts, and each has a name or label. Some of Blackboard is intuitive but a lot of it comes down to just memorizing where and how its dolls are stored." Now that was helpful. Instructors I know who use Blackboard don't respect it for its organization or other shortcomings. So, diagrams would help. Other acquaintances of mine who like Blackboard have memorized its menus and made peace with its idiosyncrasies. Keeping in mind one is describing a flawed design would, I think, raise the elucidity level of the text. But, not really being a teacher, I imagine Mr. Rice is not aware of the mundane. I'm surprised how highly rated this book is. Give this "e-learner professional" a "D+."

Good book for College students

This is not a horrible book, but it most certainly does NOT live up to its billing. To wit:* Are you aware that not all the versions of BB are the same? And I'm even talking about the LATEST versions! It's up to schools to decide what BB package or bundling of options they want, and what "School X" chooses may have little to do with what this book describes! That is EXACTLY what happened to me. I thought that since my school's BB version was identical to the one that is the topic in the book, that I would more or less be getting a "how to" to work in BB at my school. Not even close. I would say that my school's product is about 1/3 the same as that described in the book. In other words, this book was nearly worthless.* The cost is very high, esp. considering the above. MUCH BETTER to see if your target school has its own primer before throwing 50-odd bucks away on this* The writing and instruction are both not always as lucid as they should be, both assuming large amounts of technical expertise at some points (and skipping some portions), and written in an archaic style. The author should have received MUCH better help in learning how to write instructive books.* The index is POOR, only 5 pages, and with topics that are more or less simply a reprise of the T of C! That is not an index! The author and publisher should have had someone index this MUCH more thoroughly, because you will be NEEDING a good index if you decide to purchase this book.Definitely not worth the money, and perhaps the biggest waste of money I have made on Amazon.

Was a big help when my school went from ANGEL to Blackboard. My only complaint was things like the grade book setup was not detailed enough to set it up, and this is a VERY important part.

The instructional staff from a recent course on Blackboard (BB) highly recommended "Blackboard Essentials for Teachers" as a required tool for instructional staff. The book is an excellent resource and training tool.

The book was very helpful - especially when others "in the know" at school were not! I appreciate the speedy delivery! We were empowered by this book! Many thanks!Sue & Steve!

This is dated and the reader must line up the version they have with the books available to be the most good. This does provide a basic view of capabilities but is not a cook book trainer.