Blackboard vs. Google Classroom

As an administrator within a Higher Education setting, I have very limited knowledge about Course Management Systems (CMS). According to Simonson et.al (2012) course management systems have been available for many years and serve as a valuable resource for educational institutions desiring an easy to use resource for designing instruction. Resources such as: calendars, drives, social interaction (IM), and grade information may be housed in a course management system.

During my graduate studies at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas, I believe familiar with OneTech.

OneTech is a portal designed by Sungard Higher Education to give students, faculty, and staff quick and seamless

access to help students be more successful. Blackboard, course management system, is built in to the platform for instruction. From one common login I was able to easily access all related course information from the Homepage. Through Blackboard collaboration I was able to video chat and instant message colleagues and instructors. My life saver was the instructor having the capability to pre-populate the built in calendars with assignment due dates and when the system would be down for maintenance. A concern for me was having to use a flash drive to store my completed assignments. For those students who like customization, Blackboard would not be a go for you. Blackboard is simple to navigate however from the video below you will notice that it is a little more time consuming to setup a class. From a faculty member's perspective I would much rather have a more user friendly system to maintain my courses.

Google classroom (explained in more detail in my previous blog) was created with the idea to make the classroom paperless through the use of apps. In the past, secondary institutions have been the predominate user of Google classroom but Higher Education institutions are making attempts to increase the use of technology on campus. Again, other than exploring in this course, I have zero knowledge of Google classroom. Like Blackboard, Google classroom can be setup to have one common login but a student will have to be taught how to navigate through the numerous apps. Faculty members will enjoy working in Google classroom due to easy setup ability, costs, and monitoring a student's progress.

Due to the influx in the number of students now using smartphones and tablets to complete tasks and check course information, I believe that Google classroom would be the better choice for a course management system. This is because:

1. Android devices cost less, making them student affordable

2. Tied to an email (Google) account, helps ensure that a line of communication remains open.

People tend to not use Apple products because the device itself cost more and you have to purchase apps.

Provided below is an example of how everything might tie together for the good of the student...

Technology: Internet; Google classroom; knowledge of how to use the following apps: Google Drawing, Google Earth, and Google Hangouts; ability to post a video using YouTube; and an electronic device (computer, tablet, or smartphone).

Pedagogy: collaboration with a fellow classmate and instruction/project based learning.

Content: can be used in any class, but for this particular assignment we are implementing the resources in an Entrepreneur class.

Learning Theory

The 21st Century Skills learning theory, primarily based in the United States, would be best fit for justifying this activity. This theory suggests that skills necessary for students to master in order to fully experience school and life success should be digitally connected and include: digital literacy, traditional literacy, content knowledge, media literacy and learning/innovation skills (Retrieved from http://www.learning-theories.com/21st-century-skills-p21-and-others.html).

Learning Outcome

Students will demonstrate the ability to create a business proposal for a business of similarity in a foreign country of choice.

Affordances will include using YouTube/Google instructional videos to learn how to use the apps within Google classroom to create a virtual business plan. The plan will include a pinned location of the business with an in-person view of the area. The students will communicate through Google hangouts to discuss their findings. The students will compile their research findings in a Google doc to create a report of their findings and complete an audible/visual presentation using YouTube.

Overall, after research of the different course management systems, because of capability reasons, I would have to say that overseeing a course using Google classroom is the better choice.

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