Online Learning Tool Review

NIU is conducting a systematic review of key enterprise online learning tools integrated with Blackboard to understand their impact on teaching and learning, patterns of use across campus and overall institutional value. This site summarizes what we are learning from faculty, highlights tool-specific findings and shares the evidence informing renewal and licensing decisions.

Review at a Glance

The following highlights summarize what we are learning across Respondus, VoiceThread and Yellowdig based on usage data, faculty surveys and qualitative feedback.

Early themes from faculty feedback and usage data:

• Strong use of assessment integrity tools. Respondus products show broad adoption in courses with high-stakes assessments, though faculty report mixed experiences with student friction and setup time.
• Engagement tools show uneven uptake. VoiceThread and Yellowdig are valued by some faculty for interaction and community-building, but adoption varies widely by discipline and teaching modality.
• Course design matters more than the tool. Faculty consistently report that student learning outcomes depend more on how tools are used within course design than on the tools themselves.
• Training and support influence satisfaction. Faculty who used CITL resources and peer support generally reported more positive experiences.
• Cost and scalability are central considerations. Institutional licensing decisions must balance pedagogical value with sustainability and equity of access.

About the Review

The Online Learning Tool Review is an evidence-informed process led by the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) and the Office of Online Learning. It examines multi-year usage data, faculty feedback, accessibility considerations and total cost of ownership to inform renewal and licensing decisions.

Learn more about the review process

Results and Recommendations NEW

After an extensive review, we shared initial recommendations with university leadership and at Faculty Senate. Based on additional feedback, we have revised those recommendations and have determined the following:

• Respondus will be renewed; we will continue to track usage of Monitor to balance availability with cost.
• VoiceThread will be renewed for 1 year with a reduction in users from 3,000 to 1,000, resulting in significant cost savings. Access will be restricted and must be requested by faculty to ensure use aligns with VoiceThread's interactive capabilities. Faculty who do not use the interactive discussion features are encouraged to migrate content to Kaltura.
• Yellowdig will be renewed for 3 years for up to 2,500 students, which is a slight reduction from peak historical usage. Access will not be restricted, but faculty are encouraged to only adopt Yellowdig if they will be using it as intended, for student-directed, ongoing learning communities.

These reductions are expected to reduce total annual spending on these tools by over $54,000 annually.

What Happens Next UPDATED

CITL will work with the vendors to manage the renewal process. There will be no disruptions for the Spring 2026 semester. CITL will provide direct communication to faculty who have used VoiceThread or Yellowdig in the last 2 years with specific recommendations and resources.

For Summer 2026 onward, faculty will need to request access to VoiceThread and justify its use. Faculty who wish to migrate content from VoiceThread to Kaltura or another video platform can do so by exporting their content from VoiceThread. Faculty who do not continue teaching with VoiceThread will retain access to their content for a minimum of 1 year.

To remain within our licensed limit of 2,500 student users, faculty who have been utilizing Yellowdig are encouraged to consider whether their instructional approach fully utilizes Yellowdig's capabilities to support a student-directed, sustained learning community. Other uses, such as instructor-driven weekly or periodic discussions, may be better suited to a traditional discussion board.