Blackboard Learn vs Study Island

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Our analysts compared Blackboard Learn vs Study Island based on data from our 400+ point analysis of LMS Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Blackboard is an educational management tool used commonly in K-12, higher education, online education and corporate training. It’s cloud-based and has several add ons including Learn, Open LMS, Classroom, Predict, Intelligence, Ally, Collaborate and more. All have different specialties that add to the primary online education functions.

The core product, Blackboard Learn, includes course management, mobile accessibility and insights into data and analytics. Upgraded versions have more robust facilities, including advanced web conferencing, virtual classrooms and more in-depth reporting.
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Study Island is an online learning platform that lets teachers individualize student learning through virtual, classroom or hybrid lessons. It combines technology with quality content and customizable teaching concepts to ensure higher success.

Teachers can increase student engagement and retention through game-based assignments, formative assessment tools and flexible, state-standardized learning modules. Analytics features allow teachers to track class progress and gain insight into student performance.
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$9,500 Annually
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Tailored to your specific needs
$5.50/Student, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Chromebook
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Product Assistance

Documentation
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Live Online
Videos
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Documentation
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Videos
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Email
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FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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Product Insights

  • Mass Communications: A message can be written and then sent via social media, email, voice message, SMS or push notification to everyone who needs to see it.nbsp;
  • Student Retention: It provides data on incoming and outgoing students, which helps with the development of student retention strategies. Some functions within the dashboard are also specifically geared toward targeting at-risk learners. 
  • Accessibility: Not only does it allow for accessible file formats such as semantic HTML, audio files, ePub and electronic braille, but it can audit content sent out by instructors and return with annotations to improve accessibility. It is also fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 
  • Parental Involvement: Parents get access to see how students are doing and address potential problems early in the process. 
  • Multiple Translations: Over 15 different languages are available, including Arabic, English, Chinese (both simplified and traditional), Dutch, Russian, Korean and more. 
  • Implementation: Through a partner program, users can get help with implementation through technical support and strategy analysis. 
  • Accreditation Tracking/Documentation: The assessment and accreditation solution makes institutional reporting automatic, helps provide documentation where needed and streamlines evidence collection. 
  • Partnerships: More services are available for buyers who use partner programs. This support may be technical, marketing or strategic and varies depending on the different levels of partnership.  
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  • Monitor Progress: Ensure impactful, effective and continuous virtual learning though flexible classroom instruction. Gain insight into performance factors such as pace, grade and progress with intuitive data, like real-time progress dashboards and customizable reports. 
  • Fill Gaps in Learning: Allow students to work only on what they need to. Provide opportunities for students to recover missing or incomplete skills and credits, and offer aid to those with poor academic performance through equivalent options, including accredited college courses. 
  • Improve Knowledge Retention: Engage students through customizable lessons and tailor educational pathways to individual aptitude. Success coaches are available to communicate with students, families and teachers. 
  • Provide a Complete Education: Teach students at every stage of their education, across all grades and skill levels. 
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  • Integration: It can be integrated with other essential educational programs such as Student Information Systems, lunch systems, online grade books and others to make collecting data easy. 
  • Collaboration: Through web conferencing and virtual classrooms, students, peers and coworkers can collaborate on projects and content creation. 
  • Mobile App: The app, which is available across several devices, offers mobile-friendly content that’s been adjusted to flip less on a phone screen. Learners can access tests, quizzes, notes and more. 
  • SaaS: It’s a software-as-a-service or cloud-based product. This means the hosting is online and not local. 
  • Templates: When instructors create courses, they can choose from several pre-made templates and customize as needed. 
  • Strategic Planning: Extra services include strategic planning, which comes with market research, help to develop a comprehensive strategy, deployment support and more. 
  • E-Commerce: It allows users to buy or sell courses, training materials and other content. This can be used as a revenue source or to find more information for a program. 
  • Sales Training and Development: In addition to its uses in K-12 and higher education, it helps with the training of employees to keep them in compliance or certified in a corporate setting. Individual workers can be tracked, and areas of improvement can be easily identified. 
  • Registration: It manages learners throughout the enrollment process and can help them sign up along pre-defined learning paths or prerequisites. 
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  • Digital Curriculum: Implement traditional and specialized core subject courses for elementary, middle and high school. Additional offerings include college entry courses, high school equivalency and advanced placement exams. 
  • Language Options: Offer multiple language options for high school students to fulfill college criteria. ELL (English language learning) courses are also available for adults to improve proficiency in English listening, speaking, reading and writing. 
  • Cognia Accreditation: Allow students to transfer credits to new institutions and receive universally recognized diplomas. 
  • Growth Assistance Tools: Combine existing school data with NWEA, MAP and Renaissance integrations. Sort students by performance level to identify trends and stage interventions. Analyze student progress and responsiveness. Automatically detect potentially dangerous language in student work. 
  • Custom Study Plan: Create custom assignments and lessons tailored to specific students, classes, subjects or events. 
  • Shared Credentials: Use a single account to sign in into Clever, ClassLink, Google and Microsoft. 
  • Grade Record: View individual reports and maintain course records. Auto-generate and fill templates. 
  • Reading Eggspress For Pre K–6: Improve phonetics, spelling and syllable manipulation through engaging animations. Adjust lessons in spelling, sentences, words, letters and sounds based on knowledge level. Track and ensure completion of milestones with Lexile measure and growth charts. 
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Product Ranking

#6

among all
LMS Software

#42

among all
LMS Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Blackboard Learn
Study Island
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AI-based Capabilities Assessments Collaboration Compliance Content And Course Management ECommerce Learning Delivery Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Reporting And Dashboard User Management And Gamification 14 82 100 100 91 0 68 78 87 100 91 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

Good User Sentiment 1521 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 9 reviews
79%
of users recommend this product

Blackboard Learn has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 79% when considering 1521 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

92%
of users recommend this product

Study Island has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 92% when considering 9 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

4.9 (18)
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3.9 (789)
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4.1 (456)
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4.2 (54)
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3.8 (204)
4.6 (9)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Blackboard Learn and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Compliance.

Compliance Award

Study Island stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Grading: A total of 80% of users who mentioned the grading capabilities felt it worked well and saved them time.
Effective Communication: Over 70% of users who mentioned communications features were thrilled with the discussion boards, messaging, live classrooms and other features.
Great Customer Support: More than two-thirds of reviewers who mentioned the customer support had good experiences with the staff.
Easy to Use: Users felt that the UI worked well in over 50% of reviews.
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Standards-aligned Content: Study Island's content is aligned with state and Common Core standards, ensuring students learn what they need to know for their grade level.
Personalized Learning: The platform creates a personalized learning path for each student based on their individual strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to focus on areas where they need the most help.
Engaging Activities: Study Island offers a variety of engaging activities, such as games, quizzes, and simulations, to help students learn and retain information.
Data and Reporting: Teachers and administrators can track student progress and performance through detailed data and reports, allowing them to identify areas where students need additional support.
Test Preparation: Study Island provides practice tests and other resources to help students prepare for standardized tests.
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Poor Mobile Function: Around 75% who mentioned the app said they had issues with the design, especially on mobile.
Issues with Features: Over 41% of users said there were holes in the functionality of the integrations, grading features and said there was too much text on the website.
Steep Learning Curve: While many said the UI was easy-to-use, over 40% of those mentioned it said it took a long time to learn.
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Content Accuracy Issues: Some users have reported encountering outdated or inaccurate information within the platform's learning materials, particularly in subjects like science and history. This can lead to confusion and frustration for students who rely on the platform for accurate and up-to-date information.
Technical Issues and Glitches: Users have expressed concerns about technical problems and glitches within the platform, such as slow loading times, freezing, and occasional crashes. These technical issues can disrupt the learning process and cause frustration for both students and educators.
Limited Customization Options: Study Island offers limited options for educators to customize the learning experience for their students. This lack of flexibility can make it challenging for teachers to tailor the platform to meet the specific needs and learning styles of their students.
Repetitive Question Format: The platform's question format can become repetitive over time, which may lead to student boredom and disengagement. The lack of variety in question types can also limit the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
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Blackboard is an online learning solution used most commonly in educational institutions. As one of the biggest players in the market, its users appreciate its features, useability, grading functions and the different channels of communication. The most common complaint was that it’s hard to learn. However, many said it was easy to navigate after getting over the initial learning curve. Though many people liked its features, there were gaps and additional functionalities wished for in almost every category. Its lack of accessibility was also an issue for some users. This solution is good for institutions looking to implement a standardized learning solution. However, it’s important to compare it to its big competitors as some complained it was generic or too similar to other systems. Still, this can be an extremely efficient platform for online and blended learning.

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Ready to embark on a learning adventure and navigate the vast sea of educational software? Let's set sail and chart a course through the user reviews of Study Island! Study Island receives praise for its user-friendly interface and engaging content, making it a popular choice among educators. The platform's gamified approach, with features like earning points and badges, motivates students and fosters a sense of accomplishment. Its comprehensive coverage of various subjects and grade levels, aligned with state standards, ensures that students have access to the necessary materials for academic success. The flexibility to assign specific topics or skills allows teachers to personalize learning and address individual student needs. However, some users note that the question format can become repetitive, potentially limiting its effectiveness for long-term engagement. Additionally, while Study Island offers a wide range of content, it may not always align perfectly with specific curriculum requirements, requiring teachers to supplement with additional resources. Despite these limitations, Study Island's strengths in user-friendliness, engaging content, and standards alignment make it a valuable tool for educators seeking to enhance student learning and track progress. Its adaptability to different learning styles and its ability to provide personalized instruction make it particularly well-suited for students who benefit from a structured and gamified learning environment. Please note that user experiences and software functionalities can evolve over time. It's always a good idea to check the latest online reviews and resources for the most current information on Study Island and similar educational software options.

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