Report Reveals Growing Momentum in Online Learning
41 Percent of Students Say Online Classes Have Greatest Impact on LearningWASHINGTON, DC, Jul 01, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBB) and Project Tomorrow today released
the results of a survey that demonstrates growing momentum in online
learning, providing new and timely data on its continued growth in
the nation's schools to support both student learning and
professional development for teachers.
The report, Learning in the 21st Century: A Trends Update, examines
the views of more than 250,000 K-12 students, teachers and parents in
over 3,000 schools nationwide. The online survey was conducted by
Project Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit organization formerly
known as NetDay, in the fall of 2007, and serves as an update to the
2007 report Learning in the 21st Century: A National Report of Online
Learning.
According to the survey, more than four in 10 students (41 percent)
say that online classes will have the greatest positive impact on
their learning, nearly double the percentage that said so in 2006. In
addition, the survey finds that:
- A large majority of principals and district administrators -- 88
percent -- say that the effective implementation of instructional
technology is core to their mission, and 84 percent believe that technology
use enhances student achievement.
- Over 26 percent of teachers say that online learning is their
preferred method for professional development, nearly four times the
percentage that did in 2006 (7 percent).
Technology has a unique role to play in expanding learning
opportunities and enabling educators to reach students both inside and
outside of the traditional classroom setting, said Jessie
Woolley-Wilson, President of Blackboard K-12. As students,
educators, and parents across the country recognize the importance of
online learning, Blackboard continues to power the 21st century
learning experience with innovative solutions that create new ways to
strengthen school communities of practice and enhance student
achievement. We partner with schools and districts to close the gap
between the way students live and the way they learn by delivering a
connected, personalized teaching and learning experience.
The Trends Update report also details important information about how
online learning is utilized. For example, middle school students in
grades 6-8 are primarily interested in taking an online class to get
extra help to support a traditional class where they are struggling.
Meanwhile, high school students are most interested in online classes
to gain college credit and to access courses not currently available
at their high school.
When teachers and students were asked to envision what the ultimate
school for 21st century learners would include, they demonstrated a
strong interest in online learning and the use of online tools:
- Nearly half of students in grades 6-12 (46 percent) would like to have
access to online tools to help them organize class work and assignments,
while 41 percent would like tools to better communicate with their
teachers.
- One-third of students (33 percent) would like to see greater use of
Web 2.0 technologies in the classroom, including blogs, social networking
sites, and wikis.
- Twenty percent of teachers say that online classes are a key element
for increasing student achievement in the 21st century school, an increase
of nearly 28 percent since 2006.
The complete Trends Update report and the original Learning in the
21st Century: A National Report of Online Learning are available
online at www.blackboard.com/k12/onlinelearningreport. For more
information about Blackboard's K-12 solutions, please visit:
http://blackboard.com/inpractice/k12.
About Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBB) is a global leader in enterprise
technology and innovative solutions that improve the experience of
millions of students and learners around the world every day.
Blackboard's solutions allow thousands of higher education, K-12,
professional, corporate, and government organizations to extend
teaching and learning online, facilitate campus commerce and
security, and communicate more effectively with their communities.
Founded in 1997, Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C.,
with offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
About Project Tomorrow
Speak Up is a national initiative of Project Tomorrow (formerly known
as NetDay), the nation's leading education nonprofit organization
dedicated to ensuring that today's students are well prepared to be
tomorrow's innovators, leaders and engaged citizens of the world.
Since fall 2003, the annual Speak Up project has collected and
reported on the views of over 1.2 million K-12 students, teachers,
administrators and parents representing over 14,000 schools in all 50
states. The Speak Up data represents the largest collection of
authentic, unfiltered stakeholder input on education, technology,
21st century skills, schools of the future and science instruction.
Education, business and policy leaders report using the data
regularly to inform federal, state and local education programs. For
additional information, visit www.tomorrow.org.
Blackboard
Educate. Innovate. Everywhere.(TM)
Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans
and prospects for Blackboard and other statements containing the words
believes, anticipates, plans, expects, will, and similar
expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning
of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual
results may differ materially from those indicated by such
forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors,
including the factors discussed in the Risk Factors section of our
Form 10-Q filed on May 9, 2008 with the SEC. In addition, the
forward-looking statements included in this press release represent
the Company's views as of July 1, 2008. The Company anticipates that
subsequent events and developments will cause the Company's views to
change. However, while the Company may elect to update these
forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company
specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking
statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's
views as of any date subsequent to July 1, 2008.
CONTACTS
Matthew Maurer
Blackboard Inc.
(202) 463-4860 ext. 2637
matthew.maurer@blackboard.com
Anna Hughes
e-Luminate Group
(202) 585-0230
ahughes@eluminategroup.com
SOURCE: Blackboard Inc.