Why NDSU should switch learning platform

Everyone is so fed up with BlackBoard. It is not just the students here at NDSU, the professors are also frustrated with this learning platform. It is one of the most frustrating learning platforms that I have ever used.

It was so hard for me to re-learn how to use another school-based site, I was so used to D2L. I started to notice my professors using completely different teaching websites to reach their students. Not only is it confusing to keep up with what professor was using which website, it always feels like I am missing assignments because there is so much to keep up with. Of course, I have had to adapt to it and college life like everyone else. 

This is an issue I just recently noticed that I wasn’t the only one still struggling with. I first noticed it in one of my classes this semester, my professor complained about how the discussion board works on BlackBoard and how it isn’t very user friendly, that’s why we are using a different website.

I didn’t really think anything of it until I came home to my mom trying to learn how to use it for the first time. She had to do a discussion board for one of her classes. She couldn’t see anyone’s post until she posted something first. My problem with this is that you might post the same idea or concept as one of your classmates. Personally, I like to read my classmates’ posts first before I post my discussion because I don’t want to copy anyone’s ideas. 

Every professor has a certain way of setting up their Blackboard page, making it confusing for students to memorize where everything is for each professor. Whereas D2L has the same layout for each class, this makes it easier for students and less work for professors too. 

With how classes are in this pandemic, it’s been a struggle for me to keep up with all of these different websites. All because BlackBoard can’t get it together. Last fall semester was way easier to answer all of my technology-related questions with my professors, but now since face-to-face learning is basically obsolete it’s taken me longer than usual to learn all of these different websites. 

If I had three wishes from a genie in a little gold bottle, one of those wishes would be for NDSU to switch to D2L. This would save professors so much time instead of trying to find different websites to have their discussion boards on. 

After ranting about this for about 400 words I realized how much of a first-world problem this is, but it’s something that really affects my day-to-day life. It made me feel better knowing that other people were struggling with this problem just as much as I did, so if you feel the same way I hope this helped you clarify your feelings. Also, Dean Bresciani if you’re reading this, please consider switching to D2L.