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Blackboard Learn Integrates Historical Multimedia Materials

[Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct a factual error. The NBC service is not free through Blackboard Learn, as originally reported. Only the Building Block itself is free. And some limited uses of NBC News Archives on Demand are free, including searching and browsing, creating playlists and mashups, viewing short previews of footage, and embedding multimedia in Blackboard courses. --D. Nagel]

Blackboard is providing access to historical multimedia resources for its academic users. The company today announced that it's inked a deal with NBC News to provide historical and current events materials within the Blackboard Learn platform.

Through NBC News Archives on Demand, K-12 students and teachers will have access to thousands of video and audio files, as well as textual materials, covering a wide range of topics, from politics to health. All of the materials can be embedded directly into Blackboard courses using the new Blackboard Building Block, which is being made available today at no charge. The NBC service itself is not free. 

As Blackboard described it, "As a result, educators can complement courses and lectures with historical and up to the minute video clips and other content on topics ranging from politics, the economy and climate change to health issues related to pandemic preparedness including the H1N1 influenza. Students get to participate in a much richer and more engaging course experience and can use the content and resources to support their own research, project work and presentations."

According to Blackboard, the archival materials contain not only historical materials--including photos, transcripts, videos, etc.--but also continuously updated NBC News materials.

The multimedia resources are available now through a Blackboard Building Block. The service does require a license fee for full access. The Building Block itself can be downloaded free from Blackboard's extensions site 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/ .


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