Blackboard is AU's new shared system for learning activities and handling course material for students and teaching staff. The system has been piloted and tested by BSS and is now being implemented in the other main academic areas. At Health around half of the students and their teachers will begin using Blackbord after the summer holidays.

2014.03.27 | Sabina Bjerre Hansen

Students and teachers at Health are about to use Blackboard.

Blackboard is AU’s new Learning Management System (LMS). At Health it replaces AULA and after pilot testing at public health science and the dental hygienist degree programme, it is now time to implement Blackboard for all study programmes.

At Health around half of the students and their teachers will begin using the system at the start of this year’s autumn semester, while the remainder follow suit in the spring semester 2015.

Implementation in two phases

The implementation of the new LMS takes place in two phases, with approx. 1,800 students from all departments initially making use of the new LMS.

"We have chosen a two phase implementation at Health. We already have some good experience of the system from the pilot phase and we can support the users and ensure a reliable solution for both students and teaching staff," says Vice-Dean for Education Berit Eika. "We have, among other things, already established a network of super users in the departments," she adds.

Initially, students on the following Bachelor’s degree programmes will begin using the new LMS; public health science, dental hygienist, sport science, those on the fifth and sixth semester at medicine, and fifth semester students at odontology.

In the case of the Master’s degree students, the following will use Blackboard from the autumn semester: all public health science and sport science students, all optometry and visual science students, and first and second semester students at medicine.

Strengthen learning and preparation

"We look forward to implementing Blackboard at Health. The system has many advantages and I am confident that both students and teaching staff will benefit from it. Blackboard makes a range of new tools and functions available which can strengthen student learning and preparation and give the teaching staff a better insight into these," says Berit Eika.

"Teaching staff will be offered introductory courses before implementation in the autumn semester.  We know from BSS that the students find the system easy to use, but nevertheless introduction material will of course be available," she says.

Blackboard is expected to be fully implemented throughout AU by the end of 2015.

What is Blackboard?

Blackboard is a joint AU system for learning activities and course material. First and foremost, it is a system that provides the opportunity for contact between teacher and student outside of normal teaching. For teaching staff and the administration it will be possible to communicate information and teaching material, but the system will also be able to function as a forum for actual online learning. 

Blackboard will be a focal point for course material and will serve as a forum for online learning and student activities.

In contrast to e.g. AULA, Blackboard will be used by all students. It will also be much easier to maintain the new shared system and add new functions on an ongoing basis. Work is already under way in connection with implementation to establish a support organisation for users that includes technical, functional and educational aspects. 

Blackboard is currently used by more than 9,300 educational institutions in more than 60 countries. It is the most widely-used LMS in the world. In the long term, Blackboard will replace current systems such as AULA, CampusNet and FirstClass.

Read more about Blackboard at AU.