Education IT Reporter

Blackboard Inc., a leading education technology company for teaching, learning and student engagement, announces the winners of the 2019 Blackboard Catalyst Awards.

Founded in 2005, the annual Catalyst Awards recognize and honor innovation and excellence in the Blackboard global community of practice, where millions of educators and learners work every day to redefine what is possible when leveraging technology. Winners are selected by a cross-functional team of Blackboard experts. The honorees from across the globe will be recognized during Blackboard’s annual user conference BbWorld, to be held July 23-25, 2019 in Austin, TX.

“We’re thrilled to honor this year’s Blackboard Catalyst Award winners for their commitment to improving the educational experience for all learners through EdTech and sharing these insights with the broader community,” said Lee Blakemore, chief client officer and president, global markets at Blackboard. “Clients like these inspire us to accelerate innovation that drives student success and we’re proud to be a part of their story.”

Below are the winners, listed by category:

Leading Change: This award recognizes institutions that have developed practices and/or technologies that have had a measurable effect on learning outcomes, student performance, or academic progression. The winners are:

• Command & General Staff College, US Army, Kansas, U.S., Dr. Michelle Miller
• Higher Colleges of Technology, United Arab Emirates, Dr. Abdullatif Alshamsi
• North Dakota University System, North Dakota, U.S., Core Technology Services Team
• Sam Houston State University Online, Texas, U.S., Dr. Ruth Chisum, Jacob Spradlin, Thomas Sosebee, Ray Scheel, Daniel Walker, Kendall Tew, Ricki Hodges, Madelyn Kilgore
• Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Peru, Digital Learning Team
• Wake Technical Community College, North Carolina, U.S., Project COMPASS Team

Community Engagement: This award recognizes clients who are improving student achievement by fostering a connection between school districts, institutions, educators, students, and their communities. The winners are:

• Florida Virtual School, Orlando, U.S., Marketing & Communications Team
• Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Peru, Digital Learning Team

Teaching & Learning: This award recognizes those who have adopted flexible, distance and online delivery, including using mobile technologies to positively impact the educational experience. The winners are:

• Boise State University, Idaho, U.S., Dr. Krishna Pakala
• Davidson Academy Online, Nevada, U.S., Course Design Team
• Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky, U.S., Dr. Margaret Zoellers, Dr. Alison Connell, Dr. Angela Wood, Dr. Brenda Caudill, and Mr. Chris Daniel
• Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky, U.S., Dr. April Blakely, Ms. Esther Tattershall
• Indian River State College, Florida, U.S., Criminal Justice Department and Virtual Campus Learning Teams
• Universidad CNCI, Mexico, Arely Martinez, Ericka Oaxaca, Anai Cano. Sophia Villanueva
• University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas, U.S., Dr. Catherine Barber, Dr. Janet McCollum
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas, U.S., Dr. Ramiro de la Rosa

Inclusive Education: This award honors those institutions whose methods have ensured their pedagogy, content, technology, and educational services are fully inclusive and supportive of all learners with disabilities. The winners are:

• Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina, U.S., Instructional Technology Team
• The University of Texas at El Paso, Texas, U.S., Center for Instructional Design Team

Optimizing Student Experience: This award honors those institutions whose educational and administrative innovations have markedly improved the total learner experience. The winners are:

• Grand Valley State University, Michigan, U.S., Dr. Szymon Machajewski
• Norfolk State University, Virginia, U.S., Shelley Scott-Johnson
• Northwest Florida State College, Florida, U.S., NWF Online
• Zayed University, United Arab Emirates, Dr. Adam Marks

Training & Professional Development: This award recognizes those who use Blackboard programs to support and enhance professional development within or outside of their organization. The winners are:

• Angelo State University, Texas, U.S., Learning Technology Support Team
• Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires, Argentina, Juan Manuel Pachon Jimenez
• National University, California, U.S., Heather Leslie, Alejandra Lizardo, Ashley Kovacs
• Sam Houston State University Texas, U.S., Online Operations Team
• The University of Texas at El Paso, Texas, U.S., Academic Technologies Team
• Washtenaw Community College, Michigan, U.S., Nancy Collison, Patricia Campbell, Sean Thomas 

Student Success: This award recognizes individuals and/or institutions whose creative program application has led to increased retention, increased completion, and/or improved outcomes. The winners are:

• Grupo Ser Educacional S.A., Brazil, Distance Learning Education Team
• IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Spain, Miquel Hernández, Angel Pallares
• Keiser University, Florida, U.S., Online Division Team

For more information on the Blackboard Catalyst Awards and this year’s winners, visit https://community.blackboard.com/groups/catalystawards.