Blackboard Awards More Than 1000 Certifications Through Digital Teaching and Learning Series

Company's professional development offering helps institutions across the globe achieve teaching excellence

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Dec 10, 2019, 10:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc., a leading education technology company for teaching, learning and student engagement, today announced that it has issued more than 1000 certifications to educators across the globe through its professional development offering, Blackboard Digital Teaching and Learning Series (DTLS). Blackboard DTLS offers educators comprehensive curriculum on integrating digital technologies into every aspect of the teaching and learning experience, underscoring Blackboard's commitment to helping institutions achieve teaching excellence.

"As higher education institutions continue to experience a spike in online and blended course enrollment, the need for high quality, relevant, professional development for technology-based tools is more critical than ever," said Dr. Joel Armando, Blackboard Digital Teaching and Learning Series Program Manager. "Our Digital Teaching & Learning Series is designed to meet this need by helping institutions and educators develop their digital teaching capabilities to drive student academic success."

Blackboard DTLS is platform agnostic and designed to bridge the gap between theory and academic practice. It builds foundational knowledge of the role digital technologies play throughout course design and delivery. Since its launch in 2018, more than 30 institutions in 14 countries have experienced positive results from implementing one or more of the three Blackboard DTLS courses, including:

Catawba College, United States: Catawba College is one of the first North American institutions to adopt the professional development series as part of the Catawba College President's Cabinet requirement for teaching online courses. The certification will help standardize high quality design and delivery of online courses, allowing all online instructors to receive training over the course of 3 years.
Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), United Arab Emirates: HCT is the first higher education institution in the Middle East to implement DTLS as a vehicle for helping educators prepare students for the future, and a means to further establish itself as a center of excellence in digital education.
The Independent Institute of Education (IIE), South Africa: Since adopting DTLS across its 19 campuses, The IIE has certified 145 of its faculty and academic support staff in the first course. Experiencing a blended mode of delivery has improved instructors' and staff's ability to facilitate courses and improve the student experience.
Korea University, South Korea: Korea University was the first institution in South Korea to adopt DTLS to ensure the institution meets global standards in teaching and learning and all educators have access to best practices in online learning.
Universidad de San Sebastian, Chile: As one of the first licensed institutions to deliver DTLS in Latin America, the University is partnering with Blackboard to offer a Postgraduate DTLS Diploma to an inaugural cohort of more than 30 students.
Sheffield Hallam University (SHU), United Kingdom: SHU implemented DTLS to certify the institution's learning technology specialists and has partnered with Blackboard to offer opportunities for international participants to gain UK Master's-level credit.
University of South Carolina, United States: Comprised of seven campuses, the University became the first client in North America to adopt the full professional development series as part of a broader institutional effort to offer faculty professional development for optimizing online learning.

To learn more about Blackboard DTLS, please visit https://www.blackboard.com/services/consulting/blackboard-academy

About Blackboard
Our mission is to partner with the global education community to enable learner and institutional success, leveraging innovative technologies and services. With an unmatched understanding of the world of the learner, the most comprehensive student-success solutions, and the greatest capacity for innovation, Blackboard is education's partner in change.

Contact: Hillary Marder, [email protected]

SOURCE Blackboard Inc.