Blackboard was created in 1997 to provide online learning applications. It allows professors to post course materials like syllabi and study guides for easy student access. Students can access materials anytime from anywhere and submit assignments as soon as they are completed. Teachers can track student performance and provide immediate feedback. Blackboard provides two types of feedback - faculty feedback and automated feedback for objective questions. Students can take tests, receive immediate scoring, and see their grades. It also allows for chat, email communication, and tracking of student usage and assignment completion.