By Dr. Deon Gibson
In Summer 2024, QCC will begin use of CUNY’s new Learning Management System (LMS), and by Fall 2024 all courses at QCC will be taught using the new system. In this article I provide a brief comparison of Blackboard and Brightspace while sharing details of my own experience using both simultaneously for 2-3 years.
LMS’s are similar in that they are intended to facilitate the communication of information between faculty and students. However, the platforms upon which they operate, and software licensing agreements can result in entirely different functions and features. Blackboard Learn utilizes the Blackboard 6.x-9.x platform, while Brightspace is located on the D2L platform. This significantly influences the differences in design and appearance, for example the navigation menu in Brightspace is located at the top of the screen while in Blackboard it is to the left, but the intuition remains the same. Differences in the platform did contribute to some migration issues, for example, from Blackboard to Brightspace, some of my quizzes and exams containing diagrams and charts did not copy over entirely. This is because the test generation software and publisher manufactured test banks, were designed to work with Blackboard, therefore it was necessary for me to either convert existing tests form Blackboard 6.x-9.x to D2L format using a test generation software or upload new test banks into Brightspace and create new tests.
Still the course migration process from Blackboard to Brightspace was relatively easy and required me to export a Common Cartridge Package (a zip file of content that can be shared across multiple platforms) from Blackboard and import the package into Brightspace. In my experience the platforms are about 90-95% compatible, with the incompatibility primarily manifesting in the importation of quizzes and exams and the organization of learning modules. For example, in Blackboard modules are organized into content folders, while in Brightspace modules are layered vertically and organized into content titles, so when importing courses from Blackboard into Brightspace, I had to check that my content remained organized as I originally intended.
In my opinion Brightspace is easier to use than Blackboard. For example, to create an assignment in Blackboard, requires that you open the content area, click on “Assessment” before clicking on “Assignment” to open the “Create Assignment” window. In Brightspace you will click on the “Assignment” tab at the top and then click “New Assignment” on the page that opens. Quizzes and Exams are created in a similar fashion across both platforms, and once these exercises are created, they must be synced to the Gradebook and released or made available to students so that they can be completed, scored, and tracked. Uploading materials into Brightspace is also easier, users can choose either to “drag and drop” files or “browse and attach” them. There are short instructional videos posted on the web to help users learn about the functions of Brightspace and QCC IT will likely create a repository of information to support the transition process.
Online reviews have both systems evenly matched. For example, “Software Advice” gives Brightspace a higher rating of 4.26 compared to Blackboard’s 4.15. In categories such as Ease of Use, Functionality and Customer Support, both LMS’s were rated equally at 4.5 respectively. The website “SelectHub” gives Blackboard a slight edge over Brightspace with an Analyst rating of 76 versus 73 respectively. Its User Sentiment rating was Great for Brightspace but Good for Blackboard, see the following summary of reviews:
“Brightspace has been lauded for its easy to use and pleasing design and the way it fits in with multiple content and course delivery options whether blended or fully online. The customer service was friendly, and users enjoyed its navigation, course management tools and many of its options. As with many learning solutions, a significant subset found the tool difficult to use. Instructors and administrators found issues with the grading, communications functions, and some integrations - though nearly 30% found the integrations worked well.”
“Blackboard users appreciated its features, useability, grading functions, and the different channels of communication. The most common complaint was that it’s hard to learn. However, many said it was easy to navigate after getting over the initial learning curve. Though many people liked its features, there were gaps and additional functionalities wished for in almost every category.”
In Fall 2024 Brightspace will have replaced Blackboard as CUNY’s LMS, and in preparation for the transition CUNY will provide online training sessions, while at QCC, the Faculty Champions Program will provide within department support, and we can expect workshops.
Reference
Software Advice, Last Updated November 10th 2023, Blackboard Learn vs Brightspace, Software Advice, accessed on November 10th 2023, https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/blackboard-learn-profile/vs/brightspace-lms/
SelectHub, Last Updated October 30th 2023, D2L Brightspace vs Blackboard Learn, Confidence in Software, accessed on November 10th 2023, https://www.selecthub.com/lms-software/brightspace-vs-blackboard-learn/