We performed a comparison between Blackboard Learning Management and CYPHER Learning based on our users' reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Features: Blackboard Learning Management is a highly efficient platform for consolidating grading information and monitoring student involvement. CYPHER Learning distinguishes itself with its training videos, gamification, personalized content, and user-friendly interface. Blackboard Learning Management could better manage large files, monitor student activity, incorporate video feedback, and improve the assignment viewing pane. CYPHER Learning should focus on enhancing its grading system, integration, reporting options, and mobile app integration.
Service and Support: Blackboard Learning Management has a well-staffed customer service team. CYPHER Learning is praised for its accessible support team, prompt responses, knowledgeable staff, and commitment to implementing customer suggestions.
Ease of Deployment: Blackboard Learning Management has a straightforward initial setup, but some faculty members have encountered issues. CYPHER Learning has received positive feedback for its easy initial setup and excellent onboarding training.
Pricing: Blackboard Learning Management is considered an expensive option, whereas many users describe CYPHER Learning's price as competitive and reasonable.
ROI: Users did not see any return on investment with Blackboard Learning Management. CYPHER Learning resulted in cost savings, reduced workforce, and increased efficiency and productivity.
Comparison Results: CYPHER Learning is generally preferred over Blackboard Learning Management. Users value CYPHER Learning's product training videos, personalized content, and gamification. CYPHER Learning has an intuitive interface, and the cloud-based platform requires minimal maintenance. Users also praise CYPHER Learning's customer service and support. The pricing is competitive, offering good value for the features provided. Users consider CYPHER Learning a more efficient and cost-effective solution for managing and tracking learners than Blackboard Learning Management.
"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."
"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 modules and courses are flexible."
"The most valuable feature is competency tracking. All apprentices follow particular programs where they have to demonstrate competencies, skills, knowledge, and behavior standards. The ability to track and measure their progress against the norm is functional."
"Gamification is another feature that I've recently really gotten into and I have found that my students really enjoy getting points and badges. That reinforcement is critical... my students get that instant gratification. They get specific scores when they do specific tasks within CYPHER Learning and it lets them know. It's a really big motivator for my students."
"I really like the fact that it's cloud-based. That means you don't have to look for updates. They happen automatically, which is great. It's also an easy, plug-and-play type of application. It is quite user-friendly and modern."
"It brings students together in one place with teaching materials. Also, it has a social capability to it by way of forums and groups. That is definitely important for our programs. There has been a lot of engagement in our programs."
"I can use a template to replicate class content so that I can use the same content in the three sections where I teach. That way, I don't have to continuously edit my classes. It's very useful."
"The entire system is incredibly valuable, but one of the reasons we chose CYPHER Learning was the social interaction features, such as forums, student groups, and messaging."
"Most LMSs have a fixed template for all the courses and the whole school uses it. When it comes to younger ages, they need fewer features so there won't be a lot of hassle for the teachers and parents. That's what we can do using CYPHER Learning: Just turn off anything that we don't need in a specific course."
"I also like the discussion board a lot because students can give their opinions there and interact with each other. For me, as an English teacher, it is also important because they practice writing in a real context."
"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 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."
"One thing that has been a problem is that CYPHER Learning doesn't save the students' work while they are doing it. For example, if you are on a Google Doc, and you close your Google Doc, then you come back, the work that you did has been saved. However, in CYPHER Learning, if for some reason the student clicks out of CYPHER Learning and goes back in, whatever they typed isn't saved. That is an area that they need to improve. A lot of my students may write an essay, but if they are two paragraphs in and their iPad crashes or something, when they go back, they are like, "All my work is gone." So, this would be an area that I would recommend for improvement in CYPHER Learning. It needs to auto save, and it doesn't auto save. That is definitely a weakness."
"There is further work to be done on the translation accuracy of international languages. It is really a challenge to have a system for perfect translation, especially as there are unique dialects embedded in different languages. In the future, the platform can have an integrated application that can "precisely" translate languages."
"I would like to see an improvement in peer bonding and the possibility for students to share knowledge among themselves regarding the work that they do. That would greatly help in that it wouldn’t be a one-to-many communication format."
"I would like to have the ability to search by certificate number in order to verify the validity of a certificate."
"When they bring on new partners, like Udemy, we do find that there are quite a few bugs in the system. They brought them on more than a year ago and there are still a few bugs, just pulling things through to CYPHER Learning. Integration bugs are a bit of an issue."
"Perhaps there could be advances in artificial intelligence with more precise and immediate automated reports so that teachers have reports at hand. That would make things easier and would speed up processes."
"The mobile app has quite a lot of bugs and it has many fewer integration options."
"One thing I find annoying is that the system is quite limited when it comes to roles. I was used to our old system where I could create custom roles to cater to specific users and that's not available in CYPHER Learning."
More Blackboard Learning Management Pricing and Cost Advice →
Blackboard Learning Management is ranked 8th in Learning Management Systems (LMS) with 6 reviews while CYPHER Learning is ranked 1st in Learning Management Systems (LMS) with 50 reviews. Blackboard Learning Management is rated 7.8, while CYPHER Learning is rated 9.0. The top reviewer of Blackboard Learning Management writes "Expandable with good real-time live interactions but is very expensive". On the other hand, the top reviewer of CYPHER Learning writes " Rules engine allows us to automate aspects of our training, and we get full visibility into individual students' progress". Blackboard Learning Management is most compared with Google Classroom and ELITE LMS, whereas CYPHER Learning is most compared with Moodle, TalentLMS, Canvas LMS, Google Classroom and Absorb LMS. See our Blackboard Learning Management vs. CYPHER Learning report.
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