BlackBoard at BK will help erase college obstacles

By Stephanie Scheibe

Not very many people like homework, but they do it anyway. Not many people like getting home from school then going directly to work for five hours, but they do it anyway.

Why do they do it? Well that's simple; I don't need to explain that to anybody.
Now, not very many people like using Blackboard, but they use it anyways. Why do they use it? Well, it seems that this answer is not very simple for many, so I guess I will have to explain.

According to Blackboard, 85 percent of PC Magazine and The Princeton Review's 20 Top Wired Colleges rely on Blackboard. PR Newswire exclaims that three-fourths of the 129 universities of U.S. News and World Report's Top-Ranked National Universities use Blackboard.

So, why do we use Blackboard? To ready ourselves for the use of it in college. Sara Quilici, who is the faculty head of the Blackboard program, even had a student come and thank her for implementing Blackboard in the Bishop Kelly curriculum. The student told her that because of her experience using Blackboard she was able to jump right into her college classes without any trouble.

It is unfortunate that many students don't enjoy using Blackboard. We could go back and do it the old fashioned way, chalkboards and all, but where would that get anybody? Technology is advancing, ways are changing, and the use of Blackboard just happens to be a part of it.

If you still need a reason to love Blackboard, look at it this way. You happen to be sick, so you stay at home from school. You sit on the couch, watch TV and virtually do nothing while at school your English teacher is assigning your class a five-page paper. Now because there is no Blackboard, you are unable to know this assignment, and you find out about it when you come back to school. Everyone came to school with it finished, but you did not. Your teacher gives you an extra day, but you have soccer practice. You stay up all night working on the paper. Because of Blackboard, you can be sick at home but still get assignments done.

Here is another reason; think about the discussion boards, where you can post answers and opinions, get feedback of others, and give other people your feedback. This program gives many people who have a hard time speaking up in class an opportunity to voice their opinion. It also allows people to become more open-minded by realizing that there are so many other perspectives besides their own.
One of the main issues that students have with Blackboard is because of the technical problems they see associated with the program. But Ms. Quilici wants everyone to know that these technical problems are separate from Blackboard, and have actually nothing to do with the program itself.

Blackboard also improves communication between students, teachers and parents. Many of us know that communication is key when it comes to schoolwork and getting it done.

"Optimists see opportunity in every disaster and Pessimists see disaster in every opportunity." So let's all be the optimists. For those who see Blackboard as once a disaster, see it now as an opportunity to learn and better communicate with those around you. After all, it is not that big of a deal, it is just a simple computer program that just takes a bit of time to get used to.

Blackboard: more of a hassle than a benefit

By Lauren Naughton

Blackboard is a website designed primarily for use by college students where students in large classes can keep informed on assignments, tests, turn in assignments, and even keep a start a discussion board topic with other classmates. Blackboard is handy for college, but is it really necessary for Bishop Kelly?

This year the administration seems to think so, requiring both teachers and students to use it. Although once thought of as a helpful tool for students and teachers at BK, Blackboard seems to provide more hassle then benefits for students and teachers alike.

Many students are having problems simply accessing the website. Students in Marta Watson's class rely on Blackboard to access class materials; however the school network makes accessing documents during class impossibly slow. Dominic Chumich, a senior at Bishop Kelly, had tried multiple times to log onto blackboard at his home but had been unsuccessful. "It's very frustrating," Dominic comments, "I've been trying for the past three weeks to access blackboard unsuccessfully. I feel like in some classes you have to rely on blackboard instead of paying attention in class."

Those of us able to access Blackboard at home are confused by its consistency. Some classes are neatly organized on Blackboard; assignments and due dates are posted; students may turn in assignments, and even access class links. Other teachers, however, don't post anything on Blackboard because they don't see the purpose of it or they are not sure how to use it. How can Blackboard be efficiently used at BK if there are no set expectations for its use?

By far the largest concern about making Blackboard a required tool for students is the concern of technology replacing classroom experience. "I have to admit, I don't use blackboard," says Lindy Freeman. "My classes, in particular my AP English Classes, require in-class discussions. I like the face-to face aspect of teaching, and I think students should be responsible for what happens in class, instead of relying on blackboard"

Blackboard is not a necessary tool for Bishop Kelly. Before Blackboard, students were responsible for what happened in class. Students got face-to-face contact with teachers as opposed to just dealing with technology.

If students needed to access an online link, all they had to do was find a link from their class off of the library section at bk.org. Now Blackboard is just extra work for students and teachers. I think some things need to be changed if we still want to use Blackboard. Before we require students to use Blackboard we need to make sure everyone can log on both at school and at home. The school network needs to be adjusted so students and teachers are able to have access to Blackboard at school, and finally teachers and students need to be properly educated on how to use Blackboard in concurrence with classes. Without this, Blackboard is simply a waste of BK's time and resources.