Blackboard Collaborate™ Mobile App Reviews

It works well enough but it NEEDS web-chat. You also NEED to be able to write on the blackboard and change your profile. AND you need to be able to send private messages. I think it is horrible and a DISGRACE to blackboard. you should fix it immediately

Note: This review is specifically written for iPhone; other devices may vary. This app, alone, works fairly well. I rarely ever get dropped from sessions, and it holds a lot of basic functionality. Currently, the app holds the functions to be present, to view the whiteboard, raise hand, step out (automatically done when app is in the background), use a green check/red x/other, and emoticons. On top of this, you have the ability to swipe the screen left, opening the participant window, or swiping right, opening the room view, which also presents the ability to view different settings, or leave the session. If given permission by a moderator, you make talk over the microphone, with fairly good quality. Likewise, if chat is open to everyone, you may use the chat, which can be very effective when paired with dictation. This, however, is the first of the problems presented. The chat function is extremely limited in what it can do, only giving the option to chat to everyone. In this version, you are unable to send private messages to anyone, including the moderator. What I would do, from a design point of view, is to bring this functionality in, by incorporating the ability to select whoever you want to send a private message to, though the participant window. In addition to this, ether add a "Open Room" button, or a "Multi Select" button, where open room would set you back to chatting publicly, or a multi select functionality would allow you to choose between selecting multiple people, or clicking on an already selected participant in order to go back to public chat. Due to the ability said above to select multiple people, changing chat from personal conversations wouldnt be as simple as clicking names. Therefore, one could either simply see all messages at once, or have the ability to surf through conversations while the chat screen is open. Next on this list is the ability to use the whiteboard. On many occasions, I will have to log out mid-class and switch to a computer because I get sent to a breakout room, required to use the whiteboard. I feel that a whiteboard editing functionality could be easily implemented into the iPhones landscape mode, which already makes the whiteboard the only on-screen object. This, paired with the ability to zoom using two or more fingers, could be a very effective means of editing. The editing tools could show up upon tap, like the other buttons, such as the microphone. Once an editing tool is selected, all the icons could disappear, zooming functionality would be essential to remain, and a simple X could appear in the corner to exit edit mode, or perhaps, just simple make it exit on release of landscape mode. In addition to this, the ability to switch whiteboard screens would be necessary, either by swiping to the side (which would present an annoyance in some cases), or potentially by having a selection, much like the computer version. While I am unsure as to what the original intention of this app was, the intention I receive is once of an emergency app. Thus, Im full filling the apps true function, only being useful when stuck in traffic, and at least being able to listen to the teacher, or being stuck elsewhere, keeping basic interaction. While this, in itself, can be useful, I feel that it is an unnecessary limitation to an idea which could open up new doors to the company. By integrating the ideas said above, this app can achieve independence from the computer version, and thus, whole new opportunities arise, surely increasing popularity, especially in todays world, where advanced smartphones are owned by too many people to count. This is a method of learning which has opened more doors to schooling than ever before, so why not take it further, and appeal to a whole new crowd, while keeping your current ones? Nothing but good could come from it.

The two main things that NEED to be added are being able to send private messages to teachers when chat is off and drawing tools for on the board

Cant join a session that I know is valid. I can connect from my computer but not from this app.

Need to add web tour function, but otherwise works decently well...

I like it for my school because when Im on the go so I like it but I hate how you cant do a private chat! That bugs me!! I wish there was a private chat option. Thats the only thing that is not good about this app.

Videos and websites really need to be visible from the app, my teachers have to keep giving me the links, then the app thinks Im late.

Really needed this app to work cause my computer is out of order right now but all I can do is listen and have people hear me I need this app to be able for people to see me vise Versa. This app has not been updated in 2 to 3 years this app needs to optimized for iOS 9 and have access to the the camera on both iPhone and iPad.

dont forget your computer. i go to PAVCS and all you can really do is listen and answer with the microphone. the app freezes, crashes, the last time it was updated was 2013 so im not surprised. you cant view the teacher using the webcam. it looks like it runs with iOS 6. I currently have iOS 9 and the app overall looks like garbage.

Im not sure about this app. I will download it. I cant get it to work. I cant connect to any classes. Is this supposed to be for iPhones? How do I get it to work? I tried on my ipad even and it didnt work. It wants a url for the class and then it wants you to set up blackboard like you would on your computer. So Im not sure how you guys got this to work.

I wanted to review a lecture recording, found the app, got a guest url, put all my info into the app, and nothing happened. Even if this is a not enabled by your school problem the app should tell me that

This app works for the bare essentials. In the future updates, Id love to see the ability to do the things the desktop application can - load slides, moderator and private chat, write on the whiteboard, etc.

Absolutely broken. Doesnt open links for past collaborate sessions. Why do institutions use this trash? Ridiculous.