ClearTxt Offers Clear Advantage to Students
by Mike Lieberman
A new product, ClearTxt, will enable users of the Blackboard LMS (Learning Management System) to recieve notice, within minutes, of information posted within the Blackboard system. The technology sends a text message to a student's cell phone as soon as new information is posted. Since virtually all UC students have and actively use cell phones, implementation of this product will enable faculty, student government leaders, and leaders of Blackboard organizations to be assured that important notices will be rapidly received by the members of their Blackboard groups.
Implementation of the ClearTxt system comes at an opportune time, as later this year, UCit will be unveiling a connectivity cloud (over the uptown area and the University of Cincinnati), which will provide all UC students and employees with UC Bearcat smartphones unlimited "cloud" messaging minutes. The rool-out of this system alleviates the problem of cost to students for receiving text messages.
One of the features which makes the ClearTxt system unique is that students and Blackboard organization members will have total control over the text messages they receive. ClearTxt works on an opt-in system; students and other participants sign up for the service (through a link in the Blackboard system). Once signed up, the student has the opportunity to choose from which courses and organizations to receive text messages. Students can limit the number of messages they will accept from each option per day, and restrict the times at which messages will appear on tehir phones. They can even specify which types of messages they want to accept from a given course or organization.
The implementation of ClearTxt clearly meets a major goal of UC/21, placing students at the center, by allowing almost instantaneous communication between professor and student in terms of class materials, assignments, and grades.
For more information on ClearTxt, send e-mail to Blackboard@UC.Edu.
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