As more and more schools are using the Internet to convey course materials to students, Penn's own Web resource for non-Wharton students has garnered mixed reviews from students and faculty alike.
History professor Alan Kors has stopped using Blackboard -- Penn's online course supplemental software -- completely.
"I found it too difficult to set up . ... It's hard to transfer materials, and the version kept changing. Things didn't seem to be transferable," Kors said.
"I can do most of what I would have done with a listserv," he added.
Kors said that "if students had pursued external links more frequently or intensely, I might have stayed with it more."
The Blackboard site allows professors to include Internet hyperlinks to other Web sites in order to provide more in-depth information to students. However, many say that students and professors do not take advantage of the available options.
Religious Studies professor Ann Matter said that the site functions easily enough for her to use and serves as a good link to other primary sources, but she worries about whether students appreciate her time and effort.
"I use it all the time. Since I teach religion, I can post different groups' Web pages ... my students can learn to analyze things from different traditions."
However, "students don't really explore it," she said. "If [they] don't have an assignment, they won't look at it at all."
For College junior Evan Nolan, the software is more of an annoyance than a teaching tool.
"Half of the features on Blackboard weren't even being used by teachers -- especially with posting grades," Nolan said. He added that he does not use Blackboard unless instructed to for an assignment.
"I have a problem with it because it keeps a list of all the courses I ever took at Penn, which is a bit inconvenient," College junior Michael Cook said.
Ann Moyer, a History professor, said that Blackboard is "simple to use, but it doesn't do a lot."
"The interface isn't terribly attractive or intuitive," she added.
However, some professors have utilized the medium for giving students materials other than course readings.
Mark Butler, a Music Theory professor, has found Blackboard to be well suited to his classroom needs.
"I mainly use it to distribute listening examples. ... I haven't had any problems with it," he said.
Butler added that he taught himself how to use the software. "It's easy to use," he said.
Nursing sophomore Candace Morris said that "it's easy to get notes and grades off of Blackboard so that all students can be informed."
"I like it," she added.
Renata Holod, a professor of Art History, said that Blackboard is "wonderful as a review tool," but that she does not use all aspects of it.
"I don't use the full capacity of Blackboard. I prefer individual discussions to the online discussion board."
Moyer agreed that she does not "need all the features" the software offers.
"It doesn't replace the Web site for my teaching, but it's a useful tool."
