Blackboard Learning Management vs Google Classroom comparison

Blackboard and Google are both solutions in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category. Blackboard is ranked #6 with an average rating of 7.3, while Google is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.2. Blackboard holds a 2.6% mindshare in LMS, compared to Google’s 7.0% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of Blackboard users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Google users who would recommend it.

Blackboard Learning Management

Read 8 Blackboard Learning Management reviews

2,456 Views
219 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

Google Classroom

Read 24 Google Classroom reviews

2,488 Views
896 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Blackboard Learning Management

Google Classroom

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

Blackboard Learning Management and Google Classroom are two products competing in the educational technology sector. Blackboard appears to have an upper hand in advanced features, while Google Classroom's strength is in simplicity and integration.

Features: Blackboard offers comprehensive features such as strong reporting, robust assessment tools, and support for diverse educational needs. Google Classroom is noted for easy integration, adaptability, and collaborative capabilities with other Google services.

Room for Improvement: Blackboard could enhance flexibility, mobile compatibility, and simplify user experience. Google Classroom could benefit from better customization options, expanded functionality beyond basics, and more advanced features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Blackboard requires a more involved deployment process with strong customer support. Google Classroom allows for quicker, simpler deployment but has customer service that sometimes lacks depth for complex issues.

Pricing and ROI: Blackboard has higher setup costs, but users are satisfied with the ROI due to depth. Google Classroom is seen as a cost-effective choice, offering affordability and an easily justified investment in resource-limited environments.

To learn more, read our detailed Blackboard Learning Management vs. Google Classroom Report (Updated: December 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Learning Management vs. Google Classroom

December 2024

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Categories and Ranking

Blackboard Learning Management

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

6th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Google Classroom

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

3rd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category, the mindshare of Blackboard Learning Management is 2.6%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Google Classroom is 7.0%, down from 12.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Featured Reviews

James Phelps

Adjunct Professor at Nova Southeastern University

Expandable with good real-time live interactions but is very expensive

Initially, Blackboard had problems for faculty members who were forced to use it to try to get it set up and running. That said, over time, they improved that. Unfortunately, due to its licensing requirements on standalone systems, like at a university on our servers, we run into problems where we can only set it up in one way. The way you teach a biology class is not the way you teach a social science class, for example. It's not flexible. Often you are forced into compromising in such a manner that neither group would be happy. If you need help, the help desk in-house will provide 24-hour help to both students and faculty. That means you have eight people, eight hours a day, supervisors, and an overall manager. It takes at least 12 people to handle maintenance for a 10,000-person campus for 24-hour coverage.

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Neeraj Tiwari

Student at Queens University Belfast

An easy-to-install tool that is available for free but needs to improve the stability it offers

The product's initial setup phase was easy. The deployment process was not an issue since the product was easy to access. The students in our institution used to get a link from our faculty or module coordinator for Google Classroom, after which we used to access the platform. There is a Google Classroom code to deal with privacy issues, which allows the students to access different modules, which was an easy process. I never found the aforementioned steps hard since I could get access to Google Classroom via my Google ID and Gmail. It is really easy to use the tool by clicking on the link for Google Classroom. The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Blackboard enables instructors to collectively gather all the grading data into one place. If students upload content or post it to a Google Doc, I can do my grading and calculate the grades. It is an excellent holding place for all of that data"

"The solution is easy to use."

"One of the most important features is the possibility of creating unlimited subdomains."

"It encompasses various components, including course delivery modules, content management, community engagement features, digital classrooms, and mobile integration."

"It is scalable."

"One of Blackboard's strengths is its historical prominence as a leading LMS for universities in the US and Europe a decade or more ago."

"The modules and courses are flexible."

"I like that Google Classroom is free and integrates with the entire Google Suite, which includes Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, etc. I also like its flexibility, which makes it perfect for synchronous, asynchronous, and blended courses, and including live and archived webinars, as well as other kinds of content."

"A teacher can send assignments and upload results using the product."

"The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is the ability to meet people and it is online."

"I find Jamboard to be a great tool for supporting classroom activities."

"The product is easy to use."

"Google Classroom is simple to use."

"What I liked most about Google Classroom is it was very easy to communicate with the students and simple for me to learn even though it was the first time I was using it. I was able to learn the features very well by navigating through the different discussions forums and becoming proficient, not necessarily a master but knowledgeable in using the solution. The ease of use was the best feature."

"The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is its clouds based. It can be accessed anywhere. Additionally, the GUI is good, we have not had any complaints and the platform has built-in security. For example, email has protection."

More Google Classroom pros

Cons

"Blackboard could benefit from significant improvements in its data storage and software functionality to remain competitive with more innovative LMS solutions."

"The solution must provide better integration with third-party software."

"The system falls short in terms of managing assessments and exams effectively."

"The solution is not flexible."

"It would be ideal to create a more responsive or more intuitive template for access from telephones or tablets."

"Blackboard has limitations in terms of delivering content and assessing student assignments because it can't handle large file sizes. It's also limited in its ability to track student activity. Instructors can see the student's most recent login, but they can't follow the activity."

"The initial setup of Google Classroom is straightforward. The deployment took us two to three months because we had to train the faculty."

"The product must provide different plans for different customers so that we can pay for only what we use."

"I would like to see a master list of documents with folder names so that it is more convenient for students to know whether they have submitted a particular document. At present, you need to go to each classroom to check what you have submitted."

"I would like to see a better user experience, a more engaging interface, and more templates. Google should develop templates or at least encourage developers to share them. You'll only get a basic framework when you create a new course. You don't have different themes to choose from like you do in Moodle."

"I like Google Classroom the way it is, but an area for improvement could be its dashboard."

"The stability of the product is an area with certain flaws where improvements are required."

"There are some websites where you can create activities and guide students to do them in a sequence. You can guide them to do an activity first and then go to the next one. You can automatically link activities, and there is a flow, but in Google Classroom, you don't have that feature. All you can do is put the material and tell students what to do. For example, I have an assignment, but I want my students to read a particular text before that. They need to tick it, or they need to click next before they start doing the activity. After that, I want them to do comprehension questions or something else. In Moodle, there are activities such as assignments, quizzes, etc. There is a lesson module in which you can put all of the activities in a flow. So, you can decide what they need to do first. If students answer a question incorrectly, you can decide and design to which page do they need to go next, and which part do they need to review. This is currently missing in Google Classroom."

"The initial setup is not very easy. It has modern complexity."

More Google Classroom cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"At the beginning, you can choose a basic plan. As your users grow you can buy a more expensive license."

"The product pricing tends to be higher than alternatives."

"For Google Classroom, you don't need to pay for its license because they offer free access to the platform."

"If you do a certain size and build, it's like any Google solution. You have to pay for storage, but you don't need to pay extra to use the interface. There may be Google Classroom partners that provide more integrated solutions, but I don't know. I'm strictly DIY."

"I use the free version of Google Classroom."

"We did not need a license to use Google Classroom."

"The product offers a yearly based license."

"Google Classroom is a free solution."

"There are competitors that offer free solutions, making the price of Google Classroom high."

"The solution is affordable."

More Google Classroom pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Learning Management Systems (LMS) solutions are best for your needs.

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

University

24%

Educational Organization

19%

Government

Computer Software Company

Educational Organization

24%

University

12%

Computer Software Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Blackboard Learning Management?

The modules and courses are flexible.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Blackboard Learning Management?

The product pricing tends to be higher than alternatives like Canvas, making Blackboard more suitable for larger universities with substantial budgets.

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What needs improvement with Blackboard Learning Management?

Blackboard could benefit from significant improvements in its data storage and software functionality to remain competitive with more innovative LMS solutions.

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What do you like most about Google Classroom?

The product's UI is good and user-friendly.

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What needs improvement with Google Classroom?

There is room for improvement in the notification. Just managing the Guardian invitations and ensuring they get notifications. That's what I mean. We're currently using GAM to do that.

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What is your primary use case for Google Classroom?

It is for students, for learning, assignments, and all that. Just learning management. I don't use it as a teacher. I just support it, so I don't use it a lot as an end-user.

See all answers

Comparisons

No data available

Moodle vs Google Classroom

Compared 70% of the time

Canvas LMS vs Google Classroom

Compared 14% of the time

More Google Classroom Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Learning Management

December 2024

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Buyer's Guide

Google Classroom

December 2024

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Blackboard

Google

Overview

Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) is a comprehensive platform designed to enhance the teaching and learning experience in educational institutions. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, Blackboard LMS enables educators to create, deliver, and manage online courses effectively. Blackboard LMS is facilitates communication and collaboration among students and instructors. The platform's built-in discussion boards, chat rooms, and messaging systems enable real-time interaction and engagement, fostering a sense of community and allowing students to participate actively in the learning process.

Blackboard LMS also provides a full set of tools for content creation and management. Educators can easily upload and organize course materials, including documents, videos, and multimedia resources. The platform supports various file formats, making it convenient for instructors to deliver diverse content to their students.

Assessment and grading are simplified with Blackboard LMS. Educators can create online quizzes, assignments, and exams, and even set automated grading criteria. This saves time and effort, while also providing students with immediate feedback on their performance. The platform also offers grade book functionality, allowing instructors to track and manage student progress easily.

Blackboard LMS features robust analytics and reporting capabilities. Educators can access detailed data on student engagement, performance, and participation, enabling them to identify areas for improvement and tailor their teaching strategies accordingly. This data-driven approach enhances the effectiveness of instruction and supports personalized learning.

Blackboard LMS is also highly customizable, allowing institutions to tailor the platform to their specific needs. It integrates seamlessly with other educational tools and systems, ensuring a smooth workflow and enhancing the overall learning experience.

Blackboard Learning Management System is a powerful and versatile platform that empowers educators to deliver engaging and effective online courses. With its comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and customizable options, Blackboard LMS is a valuable tool for educational institutions seeking to enhance their teaching and learning environment.

Google Classroom is an online learning platform that allows teachers to create and manage virtual classrooms. With Google Classroom, teachers can easily distribute assignments, communicate with students, and provide feedback. Students can access their assignments, submit their work, and collaborate with their peers all in one place. The platform integrates seamlessly with other Google tools like Google Drive and Google Docs, making it easy for students to create and share their work. Google Classroom also provides a streamlined workflow for teachers, allowing them to save time and stay organized. Google Classroom is a user-friendly and efficient tool that enhances the learning experience of teachers and students alike.

Sample Customers

University of Derby, University of Warwick, John Moore's University

Google Classroom is used in major urban school districts throughout the United States, including: * Los Angeles Unified School District * Chicago Public Schools * New York City Department of Education * Houston Independent School District * Miami-Dade County Public Schools * Dallas Independent School District * Broward County Public Schools * Clark County School District (Las Vegas) * Philadelphia School District

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Learning Management vs. Google Classroom

December 2024

Free Report: Blackboard Learning Management vs. Google Classroom

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