Blackboard Collaborate is an online, collaborative learning platform well-suited for the education industry and corporate learning needs. It includes features such as screen and application sharing, web conferencing, and integration with Blackboard Learn.
$300
per year
Webex App
Score 8.1 out of 10
N/A
The Webex App brings together Webex Calling, Meetings, and Messaging into a single application, fostering collaboration and unlocking more productive ways to work.
Blackboard Collaborate is ideal for teaching & learning whereas Webex and Zoom are business-focused. While Collaborate may lack some user-desired features, it more than makes up those features with its focus on participant/learner engagement. For example, polling is easier, …
I would say it is very useful for group collaborations online, as well as virtual classrooms where you wish your students/guests to collaborate in an adaptable environment; however I would advise against using the shared screen to display audio or video, nor would I encourage the use of the shared board with a group of people with disciplinary issues (as there is no accountability for who wrote/drew what).
The biggest use case I have for Webex is the public and private Spaces feature. It is so handy to have a single place where I can collaborate with team members on a single project. We can chat about new ideas and share files just on that specific project. That way I am not having to search email, or a Sharepoint site or a network drives for files. And I don't have to search through a separate chat log for ideas for this project. Add to that that I can use the Webex app on my PC, Mac, iphone and Android tablet and that makes it the killer app.
The Whiteboard feature is perfect for tutoring. We use it to write out formulas, draw diagrams, etc while in video chat to enhance explanations.
The file attachment feature is also very handy. This means we don't have to do a follow-up with a student using their email to send files of handouts, etc.
It's great that we only have to share a classroom access link for a student to enter a session. With other products, they had to set up a username and log-in with an account. Link access means 1 less hassle.
We are currently beginning to use the "record session" feature video sessions to use as training for new employees.
Some of the newest computer high resolution screens are not as compatible with the interface. The font and windows are much smaller and the user is not able to increase the size of the windows to make it easier to read/navigate.
The audio can sometimes be inconsistent and tune in and out when someone is speaking. This is not every time though and many times the audio is clear.
The login process takes a bit longer to get into the program. You have to go through a few step process and loading time to get into the application.
It is a tool that faculty likes to use. It has so much flexibility to allow students to see a class even if they happen to not be available in the classroom.
I don’t have access to video features.) In an age when our smartphones do everything but call our friends, family, or clients, it’s refreshing to have a desktop app that can make calls in the smartphone’s place. It seems appropriate in a time when we’re all worried about the robots rising and taking over the world. Why not transfer the functionality of a telephone to the same computer where we program those world-dominating robots? It’s practical. Cisco Jabber takes the classic idea of making calls with a phone and puts it in the same place where we spend most of our worktime. This frees up desk space, as well as keeps the smartphone available for what it was invented to do: take Instagram photos. Not to mention, because it has its own number, it makes it easier to contact clients without having to give them your personal phone number. Need to make a call, but you don’t want to share your home phone? Cisco Jabber makes that easy. And best of all, because you call through your computer, all you need is a microphone to speak and speakers to listen, and you never have to pick up the phone at all. If you hate having sweaty ears, then Cisco Jabber is your app of choice. Note: Because I have access to phone features only, and Cisco Jabber has more available that I can’t use, I can see where it may also be a pro for business owners that Cisco apparently allows custom features availability for users, depending on roles.
Blackboard Collaborate is reliable and feature-rich. It's a great web conferencing tool for teaching & learning, offering polls, chat, video and audio, whiteboard, content sharing, and breakout rooms. Blackboard Collaborate can be used for virtual office hours, lectures, guest speakers, training, professional development, conferences, technical support, academic advising, and so much more. Blackboard Collaborate can be used separately from the learning management system or it can be integrated for a single sign-on experience. It supports recordings, playbacks, private sharing, and MP4 downloads. Overall, it's a solid tool and very reliable.
Webex is quite usable, and it is, in fact very easy to use as well. You don't need a lot of documentation to learn how to use the app as it's mostly self-explanatory. The user interface is easy on the eyes, and people can see buttons without issues. Overall, WebEx's front-end design is great and I don't have much issue with it.
The availability of the software is quite impressive. You can access it at any time that you want and from anywhere that you want, but that depends on how the software is set up by the University. There might be sudden outages due to not having enough space on your database, which we had that very issue happen recently here at our University. During that time, you could not access their blackboard at all until it was brought up online again.
I would say every time I open it, it is there, there are times that our users have to sign out and back in to get it to work or even do a full exit as the app will disconnect from the controlling the desk phone, but some easy steps to sign-out or fully exit the app gets the user back up and running quickly.
The performance of the software is remarkable. The loading speed of the pages is more than satisfying, it all depends on the users internet package. So far, there wasn't any issue of Blackboard slowing down other software or systems when integrated with them
Software loads and runs well. I like the ability to run the full app version, or, just run through a browser using a lightweight webex experience. In a pinch, this ability has saved my bacon when I had to connect in an emergency on a borrowed phone or computer
Sometimes they do planned maintenance. Depending on the time zone you’re in, this may be in the middle of the night. That’s great. Sometimes this maintenance isn’t completed overnight however, and you need to use the platform and it is down. I’ve never been able to successfully contact them to report an outage or get assistance when it is down. I just have to wait until it comes back up to go to class, review sessions, etc.
The support team is quick in reverting to the issues faced, and it has multiple language support, which would be very helpful for some instances. Their expertise in resolving queries is instantaneous. Most of the common lags/issues in the application are identified and fixed with regular updates.
I am very satisfied with my experience with Webex App in online training. The creation of the event is very easy with the possibility of scheduling it in advance. The management of participants, organizers, and animators is complete. The invitations are automated and by simply using emails we can create all the schedules of the training session
Very easy to create. All operations are done without any problems with our business growth. All people like the experience including me as an instructor. The tools that WebEx App offers us are very complete for working in a virtual classroom, whether it is sharing the screen, the different display modes, the whiteboard, or even the scoring tools on the screen, it allows me to do my job as an instructor as if I was face to face with the participants.
There was quite a bit of back and forth with TAC and Cisco Reps to get it fully up and running but we did get there. Some of which had to do with documentation was not fully understandable. But with Cisco TAC we were able to get fully up and running.
Nearpod does not allow for the same type of synchronous environment that Blackboard collaborate does. Further, Nearpod, as the name suggests is best suited for a face-to-face classroom that is, preferably, one-to-one. While it has some of the same functions as Nearpod, Blackboard collaborate is best suited for remote transmission rather than face-to-face
A lot of drops from calls/meetings frustrated me and my customers in some cases, but with Webex App, I see very less (or even null) drops, even when I am streaming HD content through my camera, even when I connected with the support team for other products for an explanation, they blame it on ISP even though my ISP gives around 200 Mbps speed, Webex App is miraculously never "affected" by ISP speed.
The reason for this rating is that the software is a pretty good tool that can be utilized for use in all of the Universities around the world. It has the capability to fulfill the needs of various different education systems. Although, there are slight improvements that are needed, therefore the rating is at 8.
Once everything is in place on the back end getting Webex on a user's PC is now very easy and with single sign-on, users are able to sign in without having to remember another password. Just make sure you have all the user settings in CUCM, CUC set right, and that they have the needed licenses in Webex Control Hub.
Because faculty can schedule sessions on-the-fly without IT involvement, they are able to accomplish goals that they plan for weeks in advance as well as impromptu goals that come up at a moments notice.
Integration with the campus Learning Management Systems provides quick and easy scheduling of sessions that can be joined easily by students in those courses.
Scheduling of meetings can also be done through the web interface directly which enables administrative departments not associated with courses in the learning management system to also schedule meetings not affiliated with courses.
On-campus users can schedule meetings without outside participants by sending an open "guest link" URL that allows users to participate despite not having an account within the system iteself.
Cisco Jabber helped us develop a Business Continuity Plan in case of emergencies.
It allowed our employees to answer their office-phones remotely.
It saved us a 10.000$ investment every 4 years on the desk phones for only the Turkey office, possibly much higher figures on the global scale of Hilti.
