[BB] Blackboard Talk

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Please take a breath and do NOT post any more comments to the Bb mailing list. It is driving some people to leave the list and they really need to stay subscribers so they can be notified about important and urgent issues.

DETAILS:

Thank you all for your honest comments about Blackboard. I have read every message to the board and every message sent to me privately. Regarding the negative feedback, I know, having been a faculty member, how frustrating it is when you feel like things are being done "to" you rather than "with" you. I apologize for managing a support system (we support your teaching – that is ALL we do) that has you feeling that way. My understanding makes me realize that steps are needed to deal with this situation. 

I am working full-time on a Blackboard issue (logging in from Internet Explorer throws you into a never ending loop of errors) or I would have posted something sooner. For now, I would ask that everyone take a breath can do not post any more comments to the Bb mailing list. That includes replies to this message. I want to have this conversation, but I would like to have it without affecting the goal of this list. 

This list was set up to share information regarding Blackboard upgrades, new features, outages, issues, and such. Some people have started leaving the list because they are getting so many messages discussion the cost/value/management of Blackboard. They would like to get our announcements, because they use Blackboard. That is all they want.

I want to find a different venue to hold the discussion. I will either create another mailing list and invite people to sign up for that, or use Google Talk, or perhaps even use a Blackboard organization site. I want this discussion to continue. I want to take part in it. Give me time to work on my current problem and then I promise to set things up so that this excellent discussion can continue.

In the meantime, feel free to send me email if you are so frustrated you just can't stand it.

Bill Vilberg
Instructional Advancement Center
Information Technology
Richter Library, Room 325
bill.vilberg@miami.edu
8-3944 or 305-284-3944