Angel to replace Blackboard as Web access tool

April 21, 2006

Matson announced in a press conference on April 3 that "Angel" will replace Blackboard as the online access tool. Photo by Public Relations

In a press conference held April 3, Academic Dean Mark Matson announced that “Angel,” a new classroom management software suite, will take the place of Blackboard, Milligan’s current online student Web access tool.

“I think we will be ready for launch on June 15,” Dean Matson said.

Angel was originally designed as a freeware program. First instituted at Indiana University, it is currently being used on many college campuses across America.

A committee of Milligan faculty members, including Associate Professor of Communications Bruce Montgomery and Professor of Computer Information Systems Carolyn Carter, formed to research a more useful and beneficial program for the campus to use than Blackboard.

“The panel of people was initially needed as a group to help us try and find a program that would work together in unison with our sister colleges throughout the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools,” Matson said. “That initiative eventually fell apart as a result of IT teams from all of the colleges arguing over which software was the best, but none the less we kept our search going.”

Milligan’s committee found that most of the frustration with Blackboard comes with the functionality of the program.

“Angel is just more functional and will be easier to use,” Matson said. “It will incorporate more tools like community threads so that class discussions can be continued out of the classroom and in online forums.”

As of now all Milligan systems are prepared for the merger of the Blackboard system with Angel on June 15.

“The software program will eventually save Milligan $3,000 a year,” Matson said, noting that the current expense for Blackboard is about $12,500 a year and could possibly rise soon. “Angel will only cost the college $9,500 per fiscal year and we are going to begin with a three year contract.”

A complete diagnosis of the new system will be part of Montgomery’s sabbatical next semester.

“Dr. Montgomery will be using his sabbatical to figure out ways that more professors will be able to use Angel to teach in new and different methods,” Matson said. “Some of the professors just don’t know where to begin when it comes to incorporating their teaching to these new technology mediums. Eventually we hope that Dr. Montgomery will be able to give seminars to the professors.”