- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America have partnered with Blackboard, Inc. to enhance the paper-to-digital workflows in higher education and K – 12 in order to enhance ease of use for educators and students.
Sharp's integration with Blackboard's flagship learning management system, Blackboard Learn, will enable students to print and scan assignments from any Sharp multifunctional printer directly to the students' Blackboard Learn courses with hopes of increasing the timeliness of student assignment submissions.
"Technology needs to keep pace with the ever-enhancing demand in education for smarter and better ways of working," said Mike Marusic, senior vice president, Marketing, Service and Supply Chain, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "By entering into this partnership with an industry leader such as Blackboard, we are continuing our journey to improve the learning experience, both inside and outside of the classroom."
Sharp plans to support online course development, giving educators the ability to add original electronic and scanned materials directly into Blackboard Learn courses via Sharp Cloud Portal Office.
In support of the partnership, Blackboard has joined Sharp's Strategic Technology Alliance Resource program, a directory of third-party products and services that complement Sharp's professional display products. Blackboard Learn and Blackboard Collaborat, Blackboard's Web conferencing solution built for education, display beautifully on the Sharp AQUOS BOARD interactive display system.
"We welcome Sharp into Blackboard's vibrant community of partners, which enables institutions to customize their learning environments and gives them great flexibility in how they improve and shape the education experience," said Kathleen Vieira, Vice President of Business Development at Blackboard. "Sharp's integration with Blackboard Learn will create a seamless workflow between our two systems, allowing students to focus on learning rather than the process of submitting assignments."
Sharp's integration with Blackboard Learn is targeted to launch in the Spring of 2016.
