Instructional Technology Center

Should I use Blackboard or Web pages?

Using Web pages or Blackboard depends on what you want to do and how much time you are willing to spend learning a particular technology. Here are the key advantages and disadvantages to consider:

	Advantages	Disadvantages
Blackboard	Easy way to manage instructional content, documents, and other instructional materials. Powerful, pre-packaged course management tools, such as quizzes. Presents a consistent, cohesive instructional delivery system for your students.	Only students enrolled in a given course site can have access (typically during a semester). Presentation and management of instructional materials constrained to the system's design.
Web Pages	Your instructional materials can be available to anyone at anytime. More "build it yourself" solutions in the organization and presentation of your instructional materials.	Steep learning curve — instructor must have prior experience with difficult Web concepts like hyperlinks, location of remote files, Web server access, Web editors, etc. Only simple media (like text and images) can be used; advanced Web development techniques required for the presentation of complex instructional content. No built-in structure for organizing and presenting instructional materials. Instructors must create these structures themselves.

For more information on Blackboard, please go to http://www.chabotcollege.edu/ITC/blackboard/faq/#WhatIsIt

For more information on using Web sites and pages at Chabot College, please see: http://www.chabotcollege.edu/WebGroup/FAQ/

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions not answered above.