The learning management system provider Blackboard is merging with the administrative tools provider Anthology by the end of the year, according to a Monday press release. Blackboard, founded in 1997, was an early educational technology provider that today serves more than 150 million users worldwide, both in K-12 and higher education. By merging with Anthology, the new company seeks to provide an “edtech ecosystem,” for higher education institutions modernizing their technology, according to the release. Anthology, formed through a merger of three edtech companies in 2020, provides a wide range of administrative software, including for payroll, finance, communications and student information. Emily Bamforth has the story.

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College of Charleston will soon launch a new digital services hub

The next step for the College of Charleston to modernize its communications platforms is launching a replacement for its outdated digital services portal, Chief Innovation Officer Mark Staples told EdScoop. The South Carolina college announced in August that the information housed on MyCharleston, a digital service hub that’s more than a decade old, would move to separate, updated systems this fall. Administrators said students and staff will log in to apps to check grades or access payroll through a system called MyPortal. Emily has it.

U. Maryland tries QR codes to boost contact tracing efforts

The University of Maryland recently began using QR codes to collect data on where students sit to support its COVID-19 contact-tracing efforts. When a student scans a classroom QR code at the College Park university, information — including time, date and student ID number — is sent to the university’s health services department. If there is a confirmed case of coronavirus exposure, health services can use the information collected to support its contact tracing efforts. Each room is outfitted with QR codes based on their capacity: In large lecture halls, QR codes are placed for each seat, but in smaller rooms the codes are attached to seating zones. Check out the full story on EdScoop.