What's New in Blackboard at the UO

The UO upgraded our Blackboard system to "Blackboard Learn" version 9.1 during winter break 2010.  For details, see Using Blackboard 9.1.

We have made a number of minor upgrades since that time, including installation of Service Pack 7 and a major upgrade to the database server component of blackboard during winter break 2011.

We are currently planning further changes for the rest of the year, including a fairly major software upgrade scheduled for June 2012.  That new version, 9.1 SP 8, is described in Blackboard 9.1 SP 8 Upgrade Information.

The best source for current blackboard news is our news blog, which appears on the Blackboard login page and at the right on this page.  You can also subscribe to an RSS feed for that blog.  For more information and background about the recent history of the system, check out the status reports that we prepare on a quarterly basis for the Blackboard Advisory Committee.

The blackboard system is a complex one, and changes frequently -- though most of the changes are behind the scenes.  To provide some sense for the complexity of the system we include here a simplified architectural diagram of the hardware that blackboard runs on as of spring 2012.  The architecture could be different by the time you read this.

For more general help with the blackboard system please see our main help page or the SCIS Blackboard page.