Learning Technologies Unit Institute of Education, University of London LTU@ioe.ac.uk | www.lkl.ac.uk/LTU | +44 20 7763 2183 London Knowledge Lab, 23‐26 Emerald Street, London, WC1N 3QS Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 Report: August 2010 Dr Kit Logan & Tim Neumann Background This report supplies a brief comparison of the Blackboard and Moodle virtual learning environments (VLE), more specifically a comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0. Blackboard 9.1 is currently available while Moodle 2.0 is due for release summer of 2010. This report aims to focus on the functional aspects of each VLE and how these are perceived from a usability and pedagogical viewpoint. Methodology This report has been compiled from a number of sources: ‐
Technical reports released by Blackboard and Moodle detailing new and changed product features. ‐
Interviews with users with experience of both of Blackboard and Moodle. ‐
Experience of using Blackboard 8.0 and Moodle 1.9.8 ‐
Literature published about Moodle and Blackboard. ‐
Experimentation with the Moodle 2.0 beta at http://qa.moodle.net/ ‐
Experimentation with Blackboard 9.0 at https://blestaging.blackboard.com Summary It is important to emphasise that the majority of this report comprises what, at the time of writing, is a comparison between a relatively new version of Blackboard (v 9.1) and a soon to be released version of Moodle (v 2.0). As there is therefore little hands‐on experience with these versions this comparison has taken a best guess appraisal based on a blend of: • The list of features that the developers of each VLE state will be present and the known benefits of such features. • Testing of the beta or staging versions • Previous academic work (Craig, 2007; Feldstein, 2010; Katsifili, 2010; Lane 2007, 2008; Loon & Teasley 2009) • Users’ experience of current and previous versions of the VLE’s and extrapolating these opinions to the newer versions where the feature remains. Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 1 However, as the new versions are expected to be in common usage by 2011 and bring with them some fundamental changes this report focuses on what to expect from the new versions. Consideration has been given to the fact that Moodle 2.0 at the time of writing was not readily available, but only a publically viewable Beta. However, as Moodle is open source and supported by a large community, there are few reasons to believe that the mentioned features will not be implemented in this version. Overall comparison Essentially there is little difference in the features available within two VLEs. This is because even if the VLE does not have the functionality inbuilt, both VLEs support add‐ins [building blocks (Blackboard) or plug‐ins (Moodle)] which not only provide this functionality, but often better the VLE itself can build. It is also highly likely that the institution or organisation the user is registered with will therefore have in some form these additional functionalities. The difference between the VLEs is in their general usability, underlying course and file structure, support and community behind each product. Blackboard Blackboard is a commercially developed VLE. Already in version 9.0 a more flexible interface was added to the portal page allowing the boxes (Blackboard uses the term “modules”) within the page to be moved around and arranged by the user as desired. Blackboard has also joined with Wimba and Echo 360 to add functionality to version 9.1 and provide instant messaging and lecture audio‐visual recording functionality as part of the standard package. However, both Wimba and Echo 360 are limited versions of their full functionality (the extent of these limitations is described in the full text later). Blackboard in version 9.0 also added a drop down/folding menu interface to their tools menu which allows individual tools to be found within the menu rather than navigating away from the page you are on. Another feature of Blackboard 9.1 is the technical infrastructure allowing it to be accessed from mobiles and via Facebook. Blackboard also offers separately licensed products such as Blackboard Connect for text message notifications and MobileEdu for more sophisticated mobile access (currently US only). Moodle Moodle is open source, as a consequence the software is free, but unless you host it yourself on a server, you will need to pay for a dedicated hosting service. Moodle 2.0 is due for release in summer 2010 and version 2.1 is already in the planning stages. It is worth noting that version 2.0 has been in development for 2 years and therefore not a small change but a reworking of its whole functionality guided by the Moodle community to produce a number of desired improvements. This includes a folding menu system improving ease of navigation for both the course and the course tools, also the addition of a trifold combination of File API, Repository API and Portfolio API which provide an integrated system for accessing and sharing resources. This includes accessing a centralised shared repository, and easy access to external resources from other repositories for students and tutors from sources such as YouTube and Flickr. There is also support from Microsoft to allow Moodle to interface with SharePoint or for SharePoint to become the central content system. Pedagogy Moodle states that it “tries to support a Social Constructionist view” (Dougiamas, 2010). In comparison Blackboard makes no statements about supporting any underlying pedagogy although some tutors familiar with Blackboard have criticised its underlying pedagogy as being a ‘linear pedagogy’. Moodle’s support for a Social Constructionist pedagogy could be viewed as a learning environment that supports constructionist pedagogy and provides a social experience. This is evident in the way that the VLE allow students to develop a profile with a picture (which accompanies any posts or comments they make) as well as see who else from their course is online and recent activity. While support for constructionist pedagogy Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 2 is supported through the provision of wiki’s and other tools that allow the production of collaborative artefacts. The social aspect is something tutors and students state they appreciate. Blackboard has added some social aspects in Blackboard 9.1, such as recent activity, but it is still lacking other aspects such as system‐wide, activity‐integrated user profiles. Usability Tutors familiar with Blackboard and Moodle (v 1.9.8) commented that they found not much difference between the VLEs once you know your way around them, although they felt Moodle was more intuitive and easier for a novice to get started with than Blackboard 8.0. However, Blackboard 9.1 is also being reported as intuitive, so it is possible that the previously reported usability differences for novice users will no longer exist. File and Course Structure In the current versions, Blackboard has a multi‐level folder like structure very similar to Windows. However, this and the initial layout are felt to constrain instructors into certain pedagogies. It also allows courses to become disorganised as a lack of structure in a course can be disguised by the apparent structure of the folders. Moodle’s single page unit based structure has been described as allowing more freedom and incentive to instructors to think about what pedagogy they want to use. The open structure also encourages good housekeeping as it is obvious when the course structure becomes messy. In the new versions of both VLEs there has been no changes in the overall structure so the problems and advantages inherent in the earlier versions are still applicable. Community and support Blackboard is a commercial concern, while Moodle has always been open source. This has fundamental implications for how each product is developed and supported, namely in how each product engages with its community of users. Moodle is supported by a large international community of users and developers (Moodle.org users as of May 2010 = 923,566 [http://moodle.org/stats/]). Blackboard also has its own communities, but it is difficult to determine the exact size of these, as the communities organised by Blackboard (Blackboard connections = 4145 users [http://connections.blackboard.com/people]) does not include the more local communities worldwide. Blackboard in recent years has been criticised for its Quality Control, however they are initiating the Blackboard Ideas Exchange (Cooper, 2009) which aims to get users involved in the development of the product from the start rather than at the point of release. The desire to support and use open source software has been a factor in Kingston College’s choice to switch from using Blackboard to Moodle. An advantage of this open source software, and in common with open source software that has a strong following, is the community support. This also usually leads to speedier resolution of bugs. Commercial software on the other hand has the promise of continuous, organised and reliable support structures. However, in recent years, commercial organisations such as ULCC have started to provide hosting and support of open source software. Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 3 Comparison of Blackboard and Moodle Pedagogical Comparison Pedagogical Similarities Both Blackboard and Moodle provide tools which encourage the following: Encouraging contacts between students and instructor •
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Discussion tools Notification of Recent Activity (providing alerts about new discussion postings and new content) Development of reciprocity and cooperation among students •
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Group collaboration tools Real‐Time Chat The approaches to groups are very different in Blackboard to Moodle. Although both offer a similar level of functionality, Blackboard’s approach is less consistent and more time‐consuming to set up. Giving prompt feedback •
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Digital DropBoxes Gradebook Surveys and Quizzes Help students’ manage their time spent learning •
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Assessment tools Online content (Providing the syllabus, lectures and links which students can view at their leisure and manage their time) Recent activity (Such as peers activity including when assignments were submitted) Communicate (high) expectations •
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Assignments – set out clearly what is expected. Examples of good, average and poor performance can also be given Discussion tools – can be used to allow students to post their papers for peer evaluation. Cater to different (preferred) ways of learning •
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Provision of multiple content formats and also learning paths, eg audio, text, movie, games, etc Repetition – providing course goals/objectives and information about the course in different locations. Conditional/time release (In Blackboard, was missing in Moodle, but will be in Moodle 2.0) Conditional release allows for materials to available only after material has either been read, a certain grade or a certain date reached Access to a wide range of different media •
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Content repository Media Integration Moodle 1.9.8 and earlier versions have a course‐based content storage. Blackboard also uses course‐based content storage, but also offers an optional Content System component which needs to be purchased separately. While Moodle 2.0 has a central repository philosophy as a default, which as implications for the usability. A centralised repository has the advantage of encouraging sharing of resources as well as increasing the number of individuals who are able to add to the resources. Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 4 Pedagogical differences Despite Moodle and Blackboard being very similar in their functionality and ability to present materials, there are differences in the way this material is organized as well differences in the social elements. Interface and file organisation Although there are changes to the organisation of the menu systems in both Blackboard 9.0/9.1 and Moodle 2.0 there is no change to the essential underlying structure of either VLE. With Blackboard offering a folder based structure, while Moodle presents the whole course on the same page broken into units defined by the tutor. Lane (2007, 2008) argues that systems organised like Blackboard could limit pedagogy for the novice user. This is because although Blackboard does not limit the content (and therefore does not limit individuals’ preferences with regards to the types of media that they can access (this is only limited by the instructor)) the inherent structure behind Blackboard could constrain the way an instructor thinks about and designs the learning path/s for his/her course. It is worth noting this view is primarily concerned with novice users of Blackboard who do not have access to (or do not use) specialised e‐learning units such as the IOE’s Learning Technologies Unit. Lane’s concerns follow from the default way Blackboard presents itself based on managerial and administrative tasks centred on instructor efficiency: gradebook, test creation, threaded discussion, rosters, and instructor‐student messages, which encourages novice users to plug their content in following this pedagogy rather than think about how they could adapt it. With Moodle’s system, the initial unit based interface encourages instructors to decide what activities to do week by week or unit by unit, which does not constrain pedagogical methodology. It is therefore possible for the novice instructor to explore pedagogical options more freely than within Blackboard. However, Mellar (2010) raises a concern that less experienced online course developers may find it difficult to keep larger courses structured within the confines of these units. However, VLE’s in general have been criticised for replicating the instructor‐classroom or lecture hall model (McLoughlin & Lee, 2008) and for obstructing students’ choice and independence in shaping their own learning paths, not exploiting network potentials and failing to support learning preferences (Craig 2007). At least one study has shown that is still a pervasive attitude and that students use VLE’s mostly as a document repository and communication tool (Loon & Teasley, 2009). Social interaction Moodle is also more social than Blackboard which students and tutors have commented they appreciate ‐ allowing students to create their own profile and include a picture, in much the same way as social spaces such as FaceBook do. This image is included as a personal identification in communications within Moodle . Additional features that assist the social aspect of Moodle are: Participants page: a central location where you can see information about everyone in the course. It makes available a lot of information about the participants, for example how recently they have been there, and provides access to the user profiles, messaging and tracking functions. Online Users block [unit within a page]: provides a way to see everyone in the course who is logged in and therefore might be available for synchronous communication. This is possible in Blackboard through the use of the free Wimba Pronto Building Block, however this building block requires installation on all client machines. Almost all modules tag an entry or change with the name of the user who amended it, making it possible therefore to see who did what and when. Figure 1 shows an example module/course page in Moodle 2.0 while Figure 2 shows an example module/course page in Blackboard 9.0. It can be seen that Moodle retains its single page presentation and Blackboard its multilevel folder system. Both however have adopted multi‐level navigation panels on the left. Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 5 Moodle has also retained its social information panel on the right (positions are flexible), while there is no equivalent in the Blackboard page. Figure 1: Screen shot of a Moodle 2.0 demonstration module layout as perceived by a tutor. Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 6 Figure 2: Screen shot of a Blackboard 9.0 module page. Other Changes The University of London Computing Centre (ULCC), have reported that Moodle 2.0 is slimmer than Moodle 1.9.8 and designed to give 3rd party developers more flexibility, scalability and safety. Blackboard with version 9.1 by comparison has integrated into its core build attenuated versions of popular tools (available as separately, optional building blocks such as Wimba), to give it additional functionality. Detailed feature comparison Functional comparisons are becoming less useful as VLEs are more or less regarded as being 90% functionally equivalent and it comes to down fine details within the functionality that make the difference (Feldstein, 2010). The following comparison is based on the EduTools comparison of Blackboard Academic Suite (version 8.0) with Moodle 1.9 (EduTools, 2010) and updated with the new and changed publicised features of Blackboard 9.0/9.1 and Moodle 2.0. The table is not an exhaustive list of features, but rather highlights the publicised changes in the new versions. Features of Blackboard 8.0 and Moodle 1.9 are in light green text. While the upgraded or new features in Blackboard 9.0/9.1 or Moodle 2.0 are in black. Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 7 Blackboard Learn (Release 9.1) Moodle 2.0 Communication Tools Discussion Forum Students can enable or disable posts to be sent to their email. Students can receive posts by email as daily digests of subject lines or whole posts. A spell‐checker is available for student and instructor responses. Students can enable or disable posts to be sent to their email. Students can receive posts by email as daily digests of subject lines or whole posts. Students can subscribe to forum RSS feeds. A spell‐checker is available for student and instructor responses. Discussion Management Instructors can allow students to create discussion groups. Instructors can set up moderated discussions where all posts are screened. Posts may be peer reviewed by other students. Instructors can view statistical summaries of discussions displaying participation which can be used to generate grades. Discussions can be shared across courses, departments, or any institutional unit. Instructors can allow students to create discussion groups. Instructors can set up moderated discussions where all posts are screened. Posts may be peer reviewed by other students. Instructors can view statistical summaries of discussions displaying participation which can be used to generate grades. Discussions can be shared across courses, departments, or any institutional unit. File Exchange Students can submit assignments using drop Students can submit assignments using drop boxes. boxes. Students can share the contents of their personal folders with other students. Administrators can define disk space limitations for each user. Internal Email Students can use the built‐in email functionality to email individuals or groups. Students can use a searchable address book. Instructors can email the entire class at once at a single address or alias. All email by Moodle is now treated as a message and managed and directed via the current Messaging module allowing users to have finer control. Students can use the built‐in email functionality to email individuals or groups. Students can use a searchable address book. Students can elect to forward their mail to an external address. Email notification Not available Users can receive email notification of any course updates. Blogging New – Available as individual or group and available for weekly or monthly posts. Blogging restricted to a student‐owned content area. Integrates only with Gradebook. Blog module visible on all pages. Users can throughout Moodle add a Blog or Journal entry at any time. An “add an entry about this course” link allows the blog entry to be linked directly to the relevant section being discussed. Online Journal/Notes New – Blog for individuals or groups but visible only to themselves for self‐reflection. Blog/Journal module visible on all pages. Users can throughout Moodle add a Blog or Journal entry at any time. An “add an entry about this course” link allows the blog entry to be linked directly to the relevant section being discussed. Instant Messaging Powered by Wimba Pronto: an instant messaging Available as a Moodle plugin. solution. Fully integrated with the Blackboard Learn™ platform. Application prepopulates with classmates. However, only the simple instant messaging is supplied and requires downloading and installation on every client machine. Whiteboard The whiteboard supports image and PowerPoint uploading. The whiteboard supports mathematical symbols. The software supports group web browsing. The software supports application desktop sharing. The software can archive a recording of Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 Not native ‐ requires plug‐in such as Elluminate 8 Blackboard Learn (Release 9.1) Moodle 2.0 whiteboard sessions for future viewing. Notifications Dashboard NEW (from v 9.0)‐ New content that's been added to the course and information for all courses in which a student is enrolled or the instructor is teaching are funnelled to this page. A current feature that is improved in Moodle 2.0 the Recent Activity block [unit within a page] providing information about recent events, and links to more detailed reports. Majority of content tagged with time and user who last changed it. Lecture Recording Special lecture capture Building Block™ that is Available as a Moodle plugin separate to the Echo360 publishing building block. Allows up to 25 faculty to download a non‐
expiring, limited use version of personal capture software. Unlimited personal storage on own machine. 3Gb storage for each faculty on Echo360 servers. Database activity Not Available Already in Moodle 1.9. Instructor can set up a database of varying complexity to be populated collaboratively by students. Applications range from simple resource collection and categorisation activities to more complex matrix‐style inter‐
linking idea development. The flexibility and ease of use of the tool makes it applicable for a wide range of scenarios. Blackboard Learn Web browser toolbar (Internet Explorer and Via free plugin Toolbar Firefox). Provides context aware decision support information rather than raw search results. Also provides users with Blackboard notifications. Mobile Access iPhone app and Blackboard’s “MobileEdu” Via free plugin Productivity Tools Calendar/Progress Instructors and students can post events in the Review online course calendar. Instructors can post announcements to a course announcement page. Students have a personal home page that lists all courses in which the student is enrolled, new email and all course and system‐wide events from their personal calendar. Students can view their grades on completed assignments, total points possible, course grade, and compare their grades against the class performance. Instructors and students can post events in the online course calendar. Instructors can post announcements to a course announcement page. Students have a personal home page that lists all courses in which the student is enrolled, new email and all course and system‐wide events from their personal calendar. Students can view their grades on completed assignments, total points possible, course grade, and compare their grades against the class performance. Students can subscribe to RSS feeds to be notified of changes to materials. Searching Within Students can search all discussion threads. Course Students can search all discussion threads. Students can search chat or virtual classroom session recordings. Work Students can compile and download the content Offline/Synchroniz for an entire course into a format that can be e printed or stored locally. Instructors can publish course content on a CD‐
ROM that can be linked to dynamically from within the online course or viewed offline. Students can download course content and discussion group content with a PDA. Orientation/Help The system includes online tutorials for students that help students learn how to use the system. Students can access context sensitive help for any tool. The system includes online tutorials for students that help students learn how to use the system. Notification Dashboard Already in Moodle 1.9 but improved in Moodle 2.0 the Recent Activity block [unit within a page] NEW ‐ New content that's been added to the course and information for all courses in which a Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 9 Blackboard Learn (Release 9.1) Moodle 2.0 student is enrolled or the instructor is teaching are providing information about recent events, and funnelled to this page. links to more detailed reports. Majority of content tagged with time and user who last changed it. Module Page New ‐ Similar to dashboard notifications on the Blackboard home page. Modules contain information for instructors and students about new content and due dates for the current course. Modules Upcoming events and recent activity both displayed left hand side of the course material. Can be docked as a tab to the left of the page. Student Involvement Tools Group organising Group created first and then modified manually Groups created first then group members selected later to add users. Instructor can allow students to from list on same page. Automatic allocation create their own self‐enrolled groups and edit available. Students can also self‐select groups. their student‐created groups. “Group Set” Ability to create multiple groups based on same Not applicable setting and quantity of members at same instance. Function has self and random enrol as options Community Networking If allowed, at system level, students can create online clubs, interest, and study groups. These groups can have their own catalog, templates, discussion boards, and more. Community Hub (NEW) Wikis New ‐ enable active collaboration around course content and group projects through generation of collaborative document using only a web browser. Instructors can see each participant’s contributions and grade accordingly. Wiki functionality already present in version 1.9. In Moodle 2.0. wiki functionality completely re‐
written from scratch and based on NWIki from UPC. Supports Mediawiki‐style syntax, as well as Creole. Improvements to the interface. Student Portfolios Students can create a personal home page in each course. Students can use their personal home page to selectively display their course work. Students can export their personal home page. Major focus of Moodle 2.0 allowing different Moodle installations to network. Idea is for instructors to be able to access a location where they can share with peers ‐ in their own topic ‐ best practice, ideas and resources. Also allow users to join in with communities of practice that might be hosted by other sites. The functional aspect is to allow anyone to turn their Moodle site into a Moodle Community Hub, with seemless log‐
in between Moodles, but also with the login secure and fully controlled by site administrators Portfolio API Introduced to Moodle 2.0 allowing students to capture items/activity in Moodle and save as part of an e‐portfolio. Course Delivery Tools Test Types Multiple choice Multiple answer Matching Ordering Jumbled sentence Calculated Fill‐in the blank Short answer Survey questions Essay Questions can contain other media elements (images, videos, audio) Multiple choice Multiple answer Matching Ordering Jumbled sentence Calculated Fill‐in the blank Short answer Survey questions Essay Questions can contain other media elements (images, videos, audio) Custom question types can be defined. Assignments New 9.0 – Multiple attempts for submission (eg revisions) New 9.0 – Assignment submission for groups by an individual. Assignments can be completed online or offline (file upload). Moodle allows for multiple file uploads. Also assignments are treated as ‘draft’ until the “send for submission” button pressed. Assessment manager Improved search, reducing time searching for materials. Also a staging area to see materials already selected. Questionnaire (survey/quiz) with automatic marking available. Questions can be pulled from a question bank. Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 10 Blackboard Learn (Release 9.1) Moodle 2.0 Grading Improved with direct access to grading within the Grading integrated in assignment activities wiki, blogs and journals. Custom grading view and grading preferences Smart view can be used and in turn made a favourite making it available from the front page eg showing on instructor’s front page students who are falling under a certain grade. Enhanced Gradebook in Moodle 2.0, with functionality such as assignment of personal grade letters to percentages. Can also edit directly in spreadsheet view. Automated Testing Management The system can randomize the questions and answers. Instructors can create self‐assessments. Instructors can set a time limit on a test. Instructors can permit multiple attempts. The students are allowed to review past attempts of a quiz. The system supports a MathML editor for the inclusion of mathematical formulas in both questions and answers. Instructors can specify whether correct results are shown as feedback The system supports proctored tests. The system can randomize the questions and answers. Instructors can create self‐assessments. Instructors can set a time limit on a test. Instructors can permit multiple attempts. The students are allowed to review past attempts of a quiz. The system supports a MathML editor for the inclusion of mathematical formulas in both questions and answers. Instructors can specify whether correct results are shown as feedback The system supports proctored tests. The system supports Remote Quiz Protocol which allows questions to be rendered and scored externally to the system via standards‐based web services. Automated Testing Support Instructors can create personal test banks. Instructors can create system wide test banks. Questions can be imported from external test banks that support QTI. The system provides test analysis data. Instructors can create personal test banks. Instructors can create system wide test banks. Questions can be imported from external test banks that support QTI. The system provides test analysis data. Online Marking Tools Instructors can choose to mark each student on all questions or to mark each question on all students. Instructors can choose to evaluate student responses anonymously. Instructors can enable students to rate and comment on submissions of other students. Instructors can choose to mark each student on all questions or to mark each question on all students. Instructors can choose to evaluate student responses anonymously. Instructors can enable students to rate and comment on submissions of other students. Online Gradebook When an instructor adds an assignment to the course, the software automatically adds it to the gradebook. Instructors can add grades for offline assignments. Instructors can add details to the gradebook in custom columns. Instructors can export the scores in the gradebook to an external spreadsheet. Instructors can create a course grading scale that can employ either percents, letter grades, or pass/fail metrics. When an instructor adds an assignment to the course, the software automatically adds it to the gradebook. Instructors can add grades for offline assignments. Instructors can add details to the gradebook in custom columns. Instructors can export the scores in the gradebook to an external spreadsheet. Instructors can create a course grading scale that can employ either percents, letter grades, or pass/fail metrics. Module Page New ‐ Similar to dashboard notifications on the Blackboard home page. Modules contain information for instructors and students about new content and due dates for the current course. Control/Settings Panel NEW ‐ Change of location and access method of the control panel. Now on the main page as a collapsible menu. Enables editors to see changes as they are made. Single menu panel with icons on the module page, no change from version 1.9 Drag and Drop NEW ‐ Drag and drop allowing quick repositioning Drag and drop not available. Course navigation Interface of content boxes/frames on the page. Menu items menu is automatically updated with links to new can be repositioned and the frames on the home items in context to their location on the site. page. Edit View NEW ‐ Edit view now available throughout and allows the instructor menus to be visible. Edit view visible on each page Course Menu: Click ‘+’ icon to access the choice list Menu is automatically updated with links to new Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 11 Blackboard Learn (Release 9.1) Add link Moodle 2.0 items in context to their location on the site. Course Menu: Change Order Click and drag menu items to desired sequence. Course menu automatically updated according to order of items of page. Order of items on the actual page can be changed by clicking arrows icon to enable item to be moved to a new location on the page. Course Menu: Refresh Page Refresh – refresh current page contents without leaving it. Refresh – refresh current page contents without leaving it. Course Menu Contextual menu contains options to rename, Modify/Delete link hide/show and delete link. Not available. Dock Menus Course and settings menus can both be docked (hidden as tabs) by the user to the left of the screen creating more screen space. Course and settings menus can both be docked (hidden as tabs) by the user to the left of the screen creating more screen space. Course Management Instructors can selectively release assignments, assessments, and announcements based on specific start and stop dates. Instructors can release materials based on a single criteria (date, grade, etc.) or instructors can use Boolean expressions to identify multiple selective release criteria. Instructors can set up specific course content that is released on a specific date and must be completed by students before they continue with the course. Instructors can link discussions to specific dates or course events. Instructors can personalize access to specific course materials based on group membership. Instructors can personalize access to specific course materials based on previous course activity. Instructors can personalize access to specific course materials based on student performance. Instructors can selectively release assignments, assessments, and announcements based on specific start and stop dates. Instructors can personalize access to specific course materials based on group membership. Instructors can easily switch to a proper student view, allowing them to experience the course from the students’ perspective in all details, including interactive functions, which is not possible in Blackboard. Administrators have the additional permission to log themselves on as a particular user for troubleshooting, reducing the amount of time spent on replicating problems and support in general significantly. Progress tracking/Competency tracking Users can have learning plans, listing which outcomes or courses they should attempt next, based on which courses they have already completed. Blackboard’s equivalent, the Outcome System, is an additional component on a separate licence with a high level of complexity, requiring consultation before starting to use it. Users Depends on system settings: permissions likely to Instructors can override role/individual user be controlled via Snapshot permissions by activity within a course. Overall permission system more granular. List users List all feature removed Workaround is Email > contains > “@” > go Participants Page Central location to see everyone in the course, information about the participants and how recently they've been logged onto Moodle. Online Users block Able to see users who are active in the Module at the same time. Course Roles Blackboard is planning a more granular permission Moodle has a very granular role permission system for future versions, starting from version definition system, with multiple override points. 9.2. This means that instructors can change permissions for individual students or groups of students for a single activity or for the whole course. This allows for a flexible handling of activities, such as spontaneous formation of groups and the assignment of a student as the group leader with instructor‐like permissions for just a particular section of a course. Enroll Users Depends on system settings. Likely to be controlled via Snapshot. Course completion Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 Depends on system settings; enrolments can be taken over automatically from one or more other courses. Instructors can specify conditions that define 12 Blackboard Learn (Release 9.1) Moodle 2.0 when a student has completed a course. A record can be kept of which users have completed each course. Student Tracking Instructors can track the frequency and duration of student access to individual course components. Instructors can get reports showing the time and date and frequency students as an aggregated group accessed course content. Instructors can get reports showing the number of times, time, date, frequency and IP address of each student who accessed course content, discussion forums, course assessments, and assignments. Instructors can track the frequency and duration of student access to individual course components. Instructors can get reports showing the time and date and frequency students as an aggregated group accessed course content. Instructors can get reports showing the number of times, time, date, frequency and IP address of each student who accessed course content, discussion forums, course assessments, and assignments. Instructors can review the navigation record of each student. Usage statistics can be aggregated across courses or across the institution. Content Development Tools Accessibility Compliance “Improved and first eLearning environment to be Always built to meet DDA and W3 guidelines. awarded gold status by the USA National Federation for the Blind for non‐visual accessibility”. (Glover, 2010) Content Sharing/Reuse Instructors can share content with other instructors and students through an optional central repository (Content System). In 9.1 improvements include the Simplify the management of content updates. In‐course file storage structure similar to the folder and storage structure on a PC with a table of contents that allows students to see and navigate the content on the same page as the materials. Includes a new thumb nail view and drag and drop upload applet for easy uploading of files into Blackboard. File API allows Repository Support New – Mash Ups New – Repository API Resource file area is the default storage area for all content. Which is an internal encrypted database, with full meta data (author, date, license, etc), Duplicate data (for example, a large video file) is stored only once, saving disk space, Files are no longer seen as just "uploaded to the course". All files are connected to a "filearea" in Moodle where access is governed by the module in use. For example, an image in a forum post is controlled by the same access as the forum post itself. Full support for Unicode names on all operating systems Search for and integrate rich media resources Easy access (through an AJAX interface) and good from Web 2.0 resources, eg YouTube into content. integration with external repositories such as Alfresco, Amazon S3, Box.net, File system on Server, Flickr, Google Docs, Mahara, MERLOT, Picasa, Recent Files, Remote Moodle sites, SharePoint WebDAV servers, Wikimedia, Youtube, etc. Course Templates The software provides support for template‐based course creation. The system provides course design wizards that provide step‐by‐step guides that take faculty and course designers through the completion of common course tasks, such as setting up the course homepage, syllabus, organizer pages, content modules, discussion. Course content may be uploaded through WebDAV. The system allows administrators to use an existing course or a pre‐defined template as a basis for a new course. The software provides support for template‐based course creation. Course content may be uploaded through WebDAV. The system allows administrators to use an existing course or a pre‐defined template as a basis for a new course. Customized Look The system provides default course look and feel and Feel templates. Instructors can change the navigation icons and color schemes for a course. Instructors can change the order and name of Visual Design Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 Moodle offers the possibility to change the design of individual courses or groups of courses, either based on pre‐defined templates or by allowing instructors to implement their own designs. While 13 Blackboard Learn (Release 9.1) Moodle 2.0 menu items for a course. Institutions can create their own look and feel templates across the entire system, including their own institutional logos, headers, and footers. The system can support multiple institutions, departments, schools or other organizational units on a single installation where each unit can apply its own look and feel templates as well as institutional images, headers and footers. Blackboard is starting to implement similar flexibility in their newest versions, this requires access to the server and/or the system control panel (which instructors cannot access) if the design changes go beyond the selection of colour schemes, while Moodle allows more customisation. Instructional Design Tools Instructors can organize learning objects, course tools, and content into learning sequences that are reusable. Instructors can create linear learning sequences organized hierarchically by course, lesson, and topic. Instructors can reuse courses as templates for future lessons. Instructors can organize learning objects, course tools, and content into learning sequences that are reusable. Instructors can create linear learning sequences organized hierarchically by course, lesson, and topic. Instructors can reuse courses as templates for future lessons. Metadata and outcome statements (Functionality at additional cost) Moodle as of version 1.9 has Allows institution units to map their goals and 1. Admins can import a long list of outcome objectives to the broader institutional goals and statements (as tags) standards. Also helps generate reports on activity 2. Instructors can relate a subset of these to and alignment to these goals. their course 3. Instructors can connect each activity to an even smaller subset These functions have to be manually connected to learning standards, but allow for reports for admins and students to be generated on what has been achieved. Moodle 2.0 adds to this with Progress Tracking which allows the above functionalities to be guided by individual learning plans for each student. Instructional Standards Compliance SCORM 1.2 SCORM 1.3 Reviewer Comments The software has been issued a certificate of compliance with SCORM 1.2 level LMS‐RTE3. The software has been self tested to support SCORM 2004 (aka SCORM 1.3) and is undergoing independent SCORM 2004 certification. The system supports the following standards: IMS Metadata vocabulary v1.2.1, IMS Content Packaging 1.1.2, IMS Enterprise Specification 1.01. The system includes tools to facilitate the migration of course content between different versions of the software. New SCORM module settings ‐ display attempt status, display course structure, force completed, force new attempt, lock after final attempt ‐ allowing the behaviour dictated to the SCORM object by the authoring package to be changed. New reporting interface including sortable/collapsible table with group select box and ability to download in Excel, ODS and text format. AICC IMS Content Packaging 1.1.3 IMS Content Packaging 1.1.4 IMS QTI 1.2.1 IMS Enterprise 1.1 SCORM 1.2 SCORM 1.3 User feedback The following section is a compilation of comments from tutors based at the Institute of Education, London who have prior experience of Blackboard and of Moodle. Some instructors had the opportunity to review their current courses as they would look in Blackboard 9.0 on the BLE staging server. Blackboard Instructors who were asked to comment on their use of Blackboard (version 8.0) considered it to be geared towards a pedagogy that is very instructor‐directed. They were also asked to preview their courses on Blackboard 9.0 on the BLE staging server. This elicited comments that Blackboard 9.0 was “relatively easy to Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 14 use on a daily basis, but Blackboard 9.0 will take some getting used to”. Other comments specific to the current Blackboard version (version 8.0), are that it has a ‘clunky’ feel, has browser compatibility issues (e.g. Gradebook not working properly except in IE and then only on the right settings [allowing secure and non‐
secure content together]). The overall dependency of Java in addition to Firewall issues with several interactive core functions are causing frustration and a number of support requests, which is increasingly seen as problematic, as other websites (based on current JavaScript or Flash technology) including Moodle demonstrate that the same functionality can be provided without such problems. In general Blackboard was not inspiring: “Just about does what it says it will do on the tin.” Blackboard can be used for great things, but requires a dedicated team to show how to achieve this. Tutors of one course using Blackboard 8.0 also reported that most of the complaints they received from students in the 2009/10 cohort concerned the online discussion forums being difficult to use as these did not ‘thread’ like usual discussion boards. The multi‐level structure of Blackboard, also means that courses need to be carefully constructed and managed so that students (and other tutors) are aware of what materials are within each branch/folder. Moodle It is open source, which gives it a lively developer community and it can be more student‐centred such as pictures of students throughout. Moodle is also more customisable. Moodle 2.0 is reported as being smaller in size than Moodle 1.9.8, as Moodle has made the shift to make the VLE concentrate on its core abilities and provide good integration with external APIs to provide the additional functionality as many of the externally developed APIs provide better functionality than can be developed by Moodle (or Blackboard). All available content is on the same page. Therefore all possible content is visible (unless deliberately hidden from view or under conditional release rules). Institutional experience of changing from Blackboard to Moodle Kingston College are in the process of changing from Blackboard to Moodle this academic year. They have used Blackboard for the past 6‐7 years and it has been the only VLE at Kingston College. It’s too early for them to say how staff members have taken to Moodle, but they have found that the change‐over has encouraged staff to re‐evaluate their online content such as rebuilding or restructuring their courses. Blackboard they found had served a purpose, and had been taken to by a number of staff across the organisation, but not by all staff. The department of Art & Design soon realised the limitations of Bb and hatched their own plans of using WordPress and other social tools, creating their own home grown VLE that was focussed on what they wanted and better suited to purpose. 75% of staff used Blackboard simply for content distribution and links to other sources within Kingston College. Kingston College also commented that Blackboard’s learning concept is linear, which on the positive side they felt looked slick, but on the negative side hid any chaos in the materials and resources. Gradebook, like much of the back‐office functionality in Blackboard, was never really used as it was not dynamic and able to integrate with external systems, so staff always had to convert or print off the results. When it came to looking for a Learning Management System at Kingston College, Moodle they felt was a clear and obvious choice based on: 1)
Cost – it was considerably cheaper Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 15 2)
3)
4)
5)
Interoperability with external APIs Flexibility ‐ tutor can choose what is available and add this at speed Will help tutors to think how to put their courses together. Institute as a whole favouring use of open source software. Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 16 References TM
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Literate, http://mfeldstein.com/academic‐study‐of‐blackboard‐vs‐sakai‐at‐unc‐school‐of‐medicine/ [retrieved 15 June, 2010] Glover, Richard (13 April, 2010), “Blackboard Teaching & Learning Conference 2010 – Swansea”, The Kitchen, Teesside University, http://eat.scm.tees.ac.uk/blog/2010/04/16/blackboard‐teaching‐learning‐conference‐
2010‐swansea/ [retrieved 11 May, 2010] Katsifli, D (2010) “The impact of Blackboard software on education globally over the past 10 years”, Blackboard Inc. Amsterdam. Lane, L (2007) “Course Management Systems” [online]. http://lisahistory.net/pages/CMSandPedagogy.htm [retrieved 6 May, 2010] Lane, L (2008) “Toolbox or Trap? Course Management Systems and Pedagogy” EDUCAUSE Quarterly, vol. 31, no. 2 (April–June 2008). Loon S. & Teasley S. (2009) “Saving time or innovating practice: Investigating perceptions and uses of Learning Management Systems.” Computers & Education, 53(3), 686‐694. McLoughlin C., & Lee M. J. W. (2008) “The 3 P’s of Pedagogy for the Networked Society: Personalization, Participation and Productivity. “ International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 20(1), 10‐
27. Meier, Andrea (8 April, 2010), “Release 9.1: The Higher Ed Conversation”, Blackboard Higher Ed Blog, http://blog.blackboard.com/blackboard/2010/04/release‐91‐the‐higher‐ed‐conversation.html [retrieved 11 May, 2010] Mellar, Harvey (30 June, 2010), personal communication, Moodle (2010) “Moodle: Roadmap” [online], http://docs.moodle.org/en/Roadmap [retrieved 7 May, 2010] Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 17 Source Reference Format If referring to this paper, please use the following format: Logan, Kit and Neumann, Tim (2010). Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0. London: Learning Technologies Unit, Institute of Education, University of London. Available from URL: http://www.lkl.ac.uk/LTU/Publications Comparison of Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0 18