UTM has recently upgraded Blackboard, course management software made specifically for universities, from version 6.2 to 6.3. New features include minor improvements to the control panel and an entirely new feature, adaptive release.

Adaptive release allows professor to control access to course materials by setting conditions.

“This feature allows the faculty member, for example, to give a quiz and say student A passes he/she can go on to the next lesson while student B can’t go on until he/she passes the quiz,” explained Steve Holt, university webmaster.

“The upgrade is not huge, but every time the software companies release a new version, it (the company) fixes bugs. Also, new features are added that have been requested,” added Holt.

202 professors use Blackboard for 516 courses, according to Holt. “More faculty now are using Blackboard than ever before. Our statistics show that every single semester, the number of professors as well as courses increase,” said Holt.

Blackboard is paid for out of the technology fee, a $100 per semester fee that every students pays along with tuition and other fees.

“The tech fee is divided up into all technology we purchase from wireless equipment to computers and Blackboard is paid for from that fund,” said Holt.

Holt said that the yearly cost of Blackboard is about $100,000. Wilburn Sliger, a biology professor, uses Blackboard for his Biology 110 and 120 courses.

“I think it’s a good learning tool,” said Sliger.

“I feel like it’s useful and my in student’s evaluations the majority of the students commented that the lecture notes being available on line is very helpful. Right now, I’m revising notes for future use and I will able to email them to students as soon as I am done where as in the past I would not have been able to,” added Sliger. Sliger also noted that many students print out his power point presentations before class and that he enjoys being able to e-mail all of his students.

Many professors, however do not use Blackboard. David Coffey, a history professor, does not use it.

When asked if he thought it was a waste of university resouces, Coffey replied, “No, many of my colleagues are using Blackboard to good effect and I certainly applaud their efforts.”

“I understand that Blackboard offers an array of applications that really can enhance the educational experience, but I am of the opinion that we are getting too dependent on technology and I want my students to experience old fashioned lectures and write old fashioned papers. I teach history, after all. They get plenty of Blackboard without me,” added Coffey.