Blackboard Analytics

Today I participated in a webinar session on Blackboard Analytics with Jim Hermens, a Senior VP and General Manager of Blackboard Analytics (jim.hermens@blackboard.com) with Blackboard.  Analytics is marketed by Blackboard as a separate platform - this means it is independent of the Blackboard Learn tool and customers pay extra for it.  The product was integrated into the Blackboard portfolio after the iStrategy purchase (end of 2010).  The product is the base of the platform for education Analytics and Reporting and is Blackboard's newest platform.  The product is in use by over 100 education clients today.

Blackboard considers 3 components for Analytics

1. Performance Measurement
2. Reporting and Self-Service
3. Decision Support

The tool can take information out of the SIS.  Existing ETL packages (Extract, Transfer, and Load)  include Banner, Peoplesoft and Colleague.   Integration with other SIS systems, like Campus Management, would require custom consulting work.

Blackboard Analytics is not what they would consider a reporting tool, but rather provides the platform for the data warehouse that could integrate with existing reporting tools (hyperion, cognos, sas).  The tool really provides the OLAP Cubes to analyze the Data warehouse.  Other database tables can also be integrated to the tool for additional reporting and analysis.

The product currently has the following Modules (priced individually):  

• Student Management (Enrollment, Academic Affairs)
• Financial Aid (Still in process)
• Finance
• Human Resources
• Advancement (Still in process)

SUMMARY:  This tool would be an alternative to the eThority package that ATSU is considering testing.  Since eThority already has an ETL with Campus Management's database, ATSU would be able to get the eThority product up and running more quickly than with the Blackboard Analytics tool.