Moodle-Blackboard Integration Software in Development

##AUTHORSPLIT##<--->

Blackboard has partnered with Iowa State University to develop technologies that will allow Blackboard's learning environment to integrate with the open-source Moodle learning management system. Iowa State will lead the development effort, with Blackboard providing support.

This is not the first time Blackboard has partnered with an academic institution to integrate its software with open-source solutions. Back in July, the company partnered with Syracuse University to create software (called a "Connector," which is a Blackboard Building Block) that would link Blackboard's LMS with the Sakai open-source learning platform. The partnership, according to Blackboard, is part of its Project NG, a multi-stage effort deliver the new learning tools that couple traditional LMS technologies with new capabilities, including social networking and social learning. This project also included the development of the Learning Environment Connector, on which Iowa State's Blackboard-Moodle Connector is based.

For the new Connector, Blackboard will offer "design guidance and support" to Iowa State, which will head up overall development. The final software will allows students and faculty in multi-platform environments to access courses in both Moodle and Blackboard from a single location using a single login.

"We are pleased to partner with Blackboard in this effort that will bring new flexibility and ease of use not just to our own campus but to our peers in the Blackboard community," said Randal Dalhoff, assistant director of Academic Technologies for Iowa State's Information Technology Services, in a statement released this week.

The underlying technology for the forthcoming Connector is available now. The final product, whose anticipated release date has not been announced, will ship as open-source software. Further information can be found here.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • Indianapolis Public Schools Adopt DreamBox Math

    Thanks to a new partnership with Discovery Education, all Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) K–8 students and teachers will gain access to DreamBox Math, which blends curriculum and continuous formative assessments that adapt to student needs to boost achievement.

  • The First Steps of Establishing Your Cloud Security Strategy

    In this guide, we'll identify some first steps you can take to establish your cloud security strategy. We'll do so by discussing the cloud security impact of individual, concrete actions featured within the CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) and the CIS Benchmarks™.

  • Google Brings Gemini AI to Teens in the Classroom

    Google is making its Gemini large language model available for free for students ages 13 and up in the United States (age minimums vary by country), via Google Workspace for Education accounts.

  • A top-down view of a person walking through a maze with walls made of glowing blue Wi-Fi symbols on dark pathways

    Navigating New E-Rate Rules for WiFi Hotspots

    Beginning in funding year 2025, WiFi hotspots will be eligible for E-rate Category One discounts. Here's what you need to know about your school's eligibility, funding caps, tracking requirements, and more.