Blackboard is the University of Bristol's centrally supported online learning environment. The Blackboard online learning environment (OLE) has a range of tools for communication, collaboration, assessment and content management, as well as providing an online space for activities to support student learning and new in 2011-12 a space for social or non-teaching activities called organisations. Blackboard is one example of a virtual learning environment:
"...a 'Virtual Learning Environment' (VLE) [is] designed to act as a focus for students' learning activities and their management and facilitation, along with the provision of content and resources required to help make the activities successful." [1]
In 2009 we invested in two additional elements of Blackboard, the Content System and the Community System, which are now available for all staff and students to use.
"The benefits [of using Blackboard ] are independence of location, one point of access, peer and tutor communication, self-paced learning, and informed learning..." [2]
Many of the examples of best practice in technology-enhanced learning on this web site use the suite of tools available in the Blackboard OLE, eg:
References
[1] Styles, 2000, Effective Learning and the Virtual Learning Environment, http://www.staffs.ac.uk/cital/poznan.html, accessed 4/11/2010.
[2] Feedback from a University of Bristol Masters student, October 2010.