Perceptions of university teachers and students on the use of Blackboard Collaborate as a teaching tool during virtual learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic, challenged university authorities and teachers to consider how to continue teaching their courses in distance learning. On one hand, most higher education teachers found it necessary to develop skills to teach and evaluate in virtual learning environments in a short time. On the other hand, students had to continue developing both their technological and social skills, as well as their autonomy, since distance education requires greater commitment and discipline [1] y [2]. Blackboard Collaborate, with its video conferencing, text, voice, chat, and interactive whiteboard is a synchronous tool that allows teachers and students to interact in real time. This qualitative study used a phenomenological design to analyze the perceptions of 10 teachers and 25 students in their final year at university, on the impact and challenges of the use of Blackboard Collaborate as a teaching-learning tool in the framework of education in line in the pandemic context. Qualitative data was collected and analyzed. Two instruments were implemented, semi-structured interviews were used with teachers and an online survey with students. It was found that the use of the Blackboard Collaborate is perceived by both study groups as a tool that facilitates the teaching - learning process. It allows interaction, the development of general competences and to monitor the progress of students' activities during the synchronous sessions. However, this is not considered by the participants as a tool that facilitates bonding during class because it might be affected by technical and connectivity difficulties. A platform that is used in 90 countries reaching 100 million users in educational settings including higher education and schools use Blackboard Collaborate as a tool for teaching [3]. The relevance of this study lies in the fact that there are no previous studies carried out in Peru and Latin America that explore, contrast, and show both, the perceptions of teachers and students on the use of the Blackboard Collaborate tool.