Blackboard released an updated iPad, iPhone and Android app that offers St. Edward’s students an easier and more convenient way to access their coursework.

The updated version was released September 17 and made available to college campuses nation-wide. Major changes include the dashboard, the integration with Dropbox and the ability of this app to work on devices without the need of Wi-Fi.

Brenda Adrian pulled out her iPad to explain the interface. She is the associate director at the Instructional Technology department at St. Edward’s University.

“The integration of Dropbox is the most useful feature in my opinion,” Adrian said. Drop Box is one of the major ways of organizing files for students so the app leads to an even more convenient experience, she said. Adrian also commented on how easy it is to add discussions, blogs and check grades, without the need for Wi-Fi.

There are disadvantages to using this app though. “You can’t get to everything,” Adrian said.

The app is not integrated with YouTube so accessing video is not as easy. The app also lacks a feature that allows the user to submit documents from the app.

But the app is constantly improving. Users will expect to see these features incorporated into the app in the near future, Adrian said.