Summary

Blackboard is the central learning management system of the Freie Universität Berlin. The LMS has been implemented since 2004 and serves as a support for teaching courses and research projects.  

Lecturers can, amongst others:

  • Set up and administer courses
  • Notifying students
  • Providing teaching material 
  • Implementing wikis and blogs for the active participation of the students

The students can find the central access to all of the courses they are taking as well as to the learning materials and the learning groups within Blackboard.

On mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) Blackboard can be used in the browser or with Blackboard's own app Blackboard Learn.


Table of contents

Implementation forms

With the help of Blackboard you can:

  • Set up and administer courses
  • Use organization and communication tools
  • Provide multimedia teaching materials
  • Posting a cross-course "material repository" in the content collection
  • Publishing announcements
  • Setting up work groups for students
  • Creating tests and surveys
  • Using the forum for discussions
  • Promoting the collaboration of students and lecturers through the implementation of wikis and blogs


We have developed a collection of ten implementation scenarios for Blackboard in teaching as a postcard set. The postcards and the detailed manuals for these can be downloaded as a reader in a .pdf format. 

URL: Blackboard - One LMS, many possibilities



    Practical examples at the Freie Universität

    Usage

    The most important functional areas are: 

    • Online learning materials: Presentations, texts, images, audio and video materials

    • User and group administration
    • Communication: e-mail, forums, chat, data exchange, blog, diary
    • Online exams: self-tests, tests, exams with grading as well as (anonymous) surveys e.g. for the evaluation of the course
    • Organizational issues: dates and meetings, news and notifications

    Lecturers do not need to install additional software on their computer.

    Quick reference guides

    The CeDiS support team can also assist regarding all practical questions concerning usage and operation of the LMS Blackboard.

    Data protection and terms of use

    Further information

    • Landing page: Blackboard - Learning Management System 
    • An overview of services for teachers and researchers can be found here.

    Information on the individual Blackboard areas:

    Support offered by CeDiS

    • Consulting services for the implementation of digital solutions in teaching: The Center for Digital Systems (CeDiS) has extensive experience of many years when it comes to the implementation of digital media and systems within the fields of teaching, learning and research. We offer a wide variety of consulting services on the implementation of these tools and systems within the entire academic scope and especially at Freie Universität Berlin. 
    • Training courses and workshops: For lecturers at Freie Universität Berlin (professors, employees, tutors) as well as lecturers of other universities CeDiS offers training courses and workshops on the topic of teaching and learning with digital media. These course enable participants to implement online elements within their own sphere of teaching.
    • Blackboard self-learning course
    • The Executive Board of the Freie Universität supports e-learning initiatives: With the e-learning funding program financial resources are provided to lecturers that enrich and improve their courses quality-wise by implementing technological and media-related support. All of the academic staff teaching, the lecturers or even the institutions of the Freie Universität - without the Charité-Universitätsmedizin - can be supported within this program.