Blackboard IoT Button

Hardware for Blackboard Learn. Trigger events in the LMS with a button.

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Purpose: The Blackboard IoT Button provides a hardware trigger for any Blackboard API. This means functions such as student work status, grades, or instructor actions (such as activating a course or an exam) can be accomplished with a hardware button. The vision for this integration is to utilize the SINGLE click, DOUBLE click, or LONG click for various functions, which are user configurable.

Functionality: The current functionality of the Blackboard IoT button is to gather system announcements and instructor assignment comments. Next, the statements are processes through Amazon Comprehend service to determine author sentiment. Finally, based on the positive or negative sentiment, the user receives suggestions on the best way to handle the feedback. In case of negative instructor comment the user is encouraged to see the instructor in person.

As the last step of the functionality, the IFTTT service is used to deliver the prepared message to the student. The video demo shows the IFTTT telephone service, but any other IFTTT functionality can be used such as email, SMS, Google Drive, etc.

Why unique? The hardware button makes it possible for an instructor to make an exam available to students after introducing it in the class, without having to use the mobile or web interface. A student with disabilities can trigger a phone call with academic updates by pressing the button. The button is unique, because it provides a new interface in form of a hardware device. The enterprise versions of the Amazon IoT button include 4G LTE radio instead of just WIFI, so the coverage for the button would be extensive.

Built With

  • amazon-comprehend
  • blackboard
  • lambda
  • php
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