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Blackboard Building Blocks

Blackboard Building Blocks. Introduction to Building Blocks. Daniel Cane, Senior Vice President R&D. Thursday, June 5, 2014. Topics. What are Building Blocks Goals of Building Blocks Types of Building Blocks Building Blocks Program Components Developers Community Building Blocks Roadmap.

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Blackboard Building Blocks

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  1. Blackboard Building Blocks Introduction to Building Blocks Daniel Cane, Senior Vice President R&D Thursday, June 5, 2014

  2. Topics • What are Building Blocks • Goals of Building Blocks • Types of Building Blocks • Building Blocks Program Components • Developers Community • Building Blocks Roadmap

  3. What are Blackboard Building Blocks? Blackboard Building Blocks (B2) is the underlying architecture that enables the Blackboard platform to easily integrate educational web-based tools and content that meet institution-specific, discipline- specific or accessibility needs.

  4. Blackboard Building Blocks • It is NOT just a set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) • It is a complete framework for extending the Blackboard Platforms, integrating new components, and interoperating with other applications. • It is a robust program for facilitating the development of enhancements to the Blackboard platforms.

  5. Building Blocks Across Products

  6. Content Library Systems Security Communication Content Mgt Collaboration Content Authoring Assessment Back Office Systems Homegrown Applications “Operating Environment” Blackboard Building Blocks

  7. Goals of Building Blocks For Students and Instructors Access to a wide range of discipline specific, pedagogically specific, and more engaging content and applications.

  8. Goals of Building Blocks For System Administrators Creation of new breeds of applications to aid in the deployment management and operation of the Blackboard Platforms. Integration of other tools, applications, and services under a common platform.

  9. Goals of Building Blocks For Developers Create an extensible platform which can be used to create exciting new applications, integrate existing tools, and extend the core modules on top of a common, easy to learn, platform.

  10. Goals of Building Blocks For Partners Create a marketplace for 3rd party application developers and consultants for their products and services.

  11. Goals of Building Blocks For the CIO, CFO Enhance the ROI for Blackboard and other applications which can be integrated together to increase utilization.

  12. Goals of Building Blocks For Blackboard Extend the value proposition for our clients far beyond what we as a single company can provide.

  13. Types of Building Blocks • Extend Existing Blackboard Functionality • Add New Functionality into Blackboard • Integrate 3rd party applications with Blackboard • Integrate Blackboard with “Back-office” SIS and Authentication Systems • Create and Consume XML-Based Web Services • Provide and Render portal modules, portlets, and RSS Channels • Integrate with the Blackboard Transaction System • … and MORE!

  14. Content Engine Text Images Multimedia Types of Building Blocks • Building Blocks which extend the existing functionality within Blackboard • Example: Adding a new content type and handler to the content engine such as a WYSIWYG Editor Application Application Application Application Application Application Application Blackboard Platform Building Blocks Manager WYSIWYG SQL JAVA WYSIWYG

  15. Dictionary/Thesaurus Types of Building Blocks, contd. • Building Blocks which add new functionality to Blackboard and take advantage of the Blackboard platforms “machinery” to run. • Example: Adding a new tool such as the dictionary / thesaurus tool to Blackboard. Application Application Application Application Application Application Blackboard Platform Building Blocks Manager SQL JAVA Dict / Thes

  16. SQL C++ 3rd Party Assessment Engine Types of Building Blocks, contd. • Building Blocks which integrate a third party application with Blackboard • Example: Adding a new assessment engine to Blackboard Integration Agent Application Application Application Application Application Gradebook Bb Assessment Blackboard Platform Building Blocks Manager SQL JAVA Integration Agent

  17. Types of Building Blocks, contd. LDAP SIS System • Integration Agents which integrates Blackboard with Back-office ERP systems such SIS system as well as authentication systems such as LDAP and Kerberos. Authentication Agent ERP Integration Agent Application Application Application Application Application Application Application Blackboard Platform Building Blocks Manager SQL JAVA

  18. Application Types of Building Blocks, contd. Web Service • Integration agents or Building Blocks which interoperate with XML based Web Services. Application Application Application Application Application Application Application Blackboard Platform Building Blocks Manager SQL JAVA

  19. Types of Building Blocks, contd. • Building Blocks which add new modules to the portal. • Example: adding a portal module which allows students and faculty to preview the menu at the dining halls. Portal Module Portal Module Portal Module Portal Module Portal Module Portal Module New Portal Module Blackboard Platform Building Blocks Manager SQL JAVA New Module

  20. $$ Agent Types of Building Blocks, contd. • Transaction System Integration agents or Building Blocks which enable interoperability across campus system and hardware via their ID card. • Example: Adding an integration with the Bb Transaction System to integrate a 3rd party dining service system. Application Application Application Application Application Application Application Blackboard Platform Building Blocks Manager SQL JAVA

  21. Building Blocks Program Components • Building Blocks Web Sites • http://www.blackboard.com • Product Add-Ons “Tab” • Learn about Building Blocks • Building Blocks Catalog • Featured Building Blocks • Community Links • Developers “Tab” • Building Blocks Software Developers Kit (SDK) • Documentation • Sample Code

  22. Building Blocks Program Components • Blackboard Developer Network (BbDN) • Developer Tab • Bb Developer License • Communities, Knowledge Base, Code Snippets, White Papers, Beta Software • “Blackboard Enabled” Logo Program

  23. Product Add-ons

  24. Product Add-ons – B2 Catalog

  25. Product Add-ons - Community

  26. Developers

  27. Developers – Code Samples

  28. Developers – Code Samples

  29. Developer - Documentation Documentation Application Framework Extension Developer Guide Extension Interfaces Module Developer Guide Extension Migration Guide Blackboard API Reference (JAVADoc) Blackboard API FAQ

  30. Developer – Building Agents

  31. Developer – Submit Building Block

  32. Blackboard Developers Network

  33. Developer Network Highlights • Access to a large community of expert Blackboard developers and administrators • Latest Blackboard Software • Pre-release access to upcoming versions • Additional documentation and code not available on public site

  34. Active Community

  35. Growing Community Outside of Bb

  36. “Blackboard Enabled” Logo Program • Look for the Logo! • Independent Compatibility Testing • Conducted by Quality Partners • Assurance of safety, reliability, quality

  37. Building Blocks Roadmap • Where have we been? • Where are we today? • Where are we going tomorrow?

  38. Where have we been… Blackboard 5.5 Release 6 • 1st Generation of Building Blocks • 1st Release of APIs which included content, user, announcement, and others • 1st Release of the Building Block Manager which facilitated the deployment of building blocks • UI hooks were student centric or content related • Blackboard and the development community learned much. • 2nd Generation of Building Blocks • APIs are made consistent and simplified. New APIs are added. • 2nd Release of the Building Block Manager enhances management; adds security. • Additional UI hooks added throughout the platforms. New hooks for instructors and administrators available. • Portal APIs and “Back Office” APIs are added

  39. Where are we today? • Over 500 Institutions are using Building Blocks • Over 3,000 extensions have been downloaded from the catalog

  40. 3rd Party Partners 3rd Party Tools and Services Instant Messaging PDA Synchronization Enhanced Assessment Engines Enhanced Collaboration Engines Enhanced Handheld Support Enhanced Content Management Enhanced Content Handling Mathematical & Scientific Notation Content Management Portal Technologies Content … and Much, Much More!

  41. Where are we going? Next Release The Future • Addition of .NET based APIs which allow Building Blocks to be developed on any of the CLR supported languages. • Additional UI hooks extend the integration capabilities to almost every area within the control panels. • Enhanced Module support helps preserve customizations to those modules when they are updated. • Event Based API System • New classes of APIs such as reporting APIs • UI and Building Block hooks into other elements of Blackboard such as “List Pages”, “Textboxes”, and “Browse Buttons”

  42. Thank You Demos to Follow >

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