For the last 4 years we have seen increases in Blackboard use 20-30% each year. We have also seen an increase in the complexity of how faculty use Blackboard. More are using advanced features like the Discussion Board or the Gradebook than have ever before. Given the budget reductions, new policies have been adopted by some departments asking that all course materials be posted on Blackboard. As such, more students are also being expected to use the Discussion Boards and take tests online. Each student is using more features of Blackboard, and there are simply more students using Blackboard. The net effect is causing the “traffic jam”: you can put so many cars on the road and everyone drives 70MPH; put more cars on the road, and the added traffic starts slowing everyone down to 20MPH.
Our hardware purchases over the years have enabled us to keep up with average uses, but have never been sufficient to get ahead far enough to sustain such increases in demand. Even though we do have plans that would allow us to grow the Blackboard infrastructure to maintain acceptable performance levels for the institution, the funding needs to be procured.
We understand and share the frustration of our users, but there is no quick remedy. As we are committed to make improvements as our resources allow, we will continue to look for ways to increase performance and reduce response times.
September 26th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Funding can easily be procured. Immediately.
In fact, enough to cover all of the recent budget cuts and more can be procured, simply by downsizing one employee.
This person is truly more of a figurehead, rather than a factotem who is actually employed to bring about tangible benefits to the University.
Thusly, it would behoove the University to terminate this faculty forthwith.
The person of whom I write is Judith L. Genshaft.
September 27th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Jacob, bravo.
You lend words to the unspoken sympathies of countless USF students and faculty members alike.
To put it bluntly, Judith L. Genshaft is to this university what nipples are to males: she makes us look normal, but is utterly ineffectual and completely useless.
This administration does not need a figurehead. Disperse her turgid salary to institutions that actually need it, like BlackBoard.
September 27th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
I’ll cut out the vocabulary and cut to the chase. I do not know what the position of President of University of South Florida entails, however, I am certain it is somewhat different than I imagine; therefore I am in no position to judge (whether I may agree or disagree with policy). Many experiences in life are like this- appearance is not substance, and being we have all been misjudged at one point or another; I do not long to be the person that fuels that fire. I honestly hope that those who judge so harshly do not feel the sting of the same level of judgment they are so eager to dole out. I will count any hardships of computer systems as my own fault for procrastinating, instead of being angry at persons that don’t even know I exist “You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” -Buddha The comments were well written Jacob and Jason, if you are upset about something, do something about it peacefully; do not settle yourself to merely echo the mutterings of the people around you. Good luck this semester, with writing like that I’m sure you will do well, and with passion like that- I am certain you will go far in this life, touching humanity for the better…
September 28th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Students’ performance is suffering due to this “jam problem”. The program freezes in the middle of exams while the clock is clicking and students are struggling to answer all the questions. Probably, it will be better now to assign less weight to long exams online and shift that weight to papers/board discussions/small quizes, etc. until the Tech. is working fine again….
October 9th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
I am so frustrated with taking tests online. Yesterday, I was at question# 37 and it froze on me, therefore, requiring a reset. I took it again, only to have it freeze up on question #10. I have to now inconveniently take it for the 3rd time and change plans. I’m very dissatisfied.
October 10th, 2007 at 10:20 am
As someone that works in IT, I can’t imagine that it would cost that much money to speed things up…. how much are we talking to get things working right here? With a 1.6 billion dollar budget, I’m sure USF could easily afford whatever they need to fix the problem–its just a matter of priorities.