California State University LMS Updates

Campus Technology has announced San Jose State's Recommendation to Faculty is Desire2Learn for their new Learning Management System. The article can be found at: http://campustechnology.com/articles/2009/08/19/san-jose-state-recommends-desire2learn-to-faculty.aspx

Meanwhile CSU Northridge will be heavily piloting Moodle in the Fall semester as they have received great help from the CSU Moodle Consortium. This consortium now includes SFSU, Humboldt, Monterey Bay and Cal Maritime working together on several fronts to support one another in their Moodle implementations. Cal Maritime moved to Moodle over the summer. One of consortium's projects includes using QuickGuides as their common online "knowledge-base/tutorials/FAQ" to serve their campus constituencies. Details and project plans are being developed. More information to be shared in the next few months.

There are still other LMS evaluations being done on CSU campuses and hence more results to be revealed within the next 9 months or so.

Rise of Discussion on Changing Learning or Course Management Systems

This article came into being while searching and reflecting on materials that would provide campuses some assistance in conducting their learning management system or course management system evaluations.

Since the California State University (CSU) system finished the RFP process in early 2009, some of the CSU campuses have engaged or are engaging in determing their next generation LMS. But it appears no matter where I go, BbWorld 09 in Washington, DC or the "2-3-98" Conference in New York, the discussion of colleges and universities evaluating their next LMS is a very hot topic. There is a new Google group: cms-options@googlegroups.com to discuss the options and approaches to doing an LMS evaluation. Also the WICHE/WCET organization has a group that is building a wiki on all issues to consider and things you want to know while managing your LMS/CMS selection or evaluation process. It's not yet ready to be released to the general public but we are working on it.

I found the following article by Michael Feldstein very good:
http://mfeldstein.com/advice-for-small-schools-on-the-lms-selection-process/

Of course, the recent acquistion of Angel by Blackboard, continues to feed this discussion. Certainly the EDUCAUSE CIO list had a large discussion thread on this same topic when the acquisiton was first announced.

Because each campus has its own governing committees and processes, every evaluation is run differently. Many of the evaluation processes are not documented or there are documents that do not provide the full context of the decision-making processes and so campuses may not be willing to share them publically.

But if your campus does have a public web site with information about their LMS/CMS evaluation process and/or decision-making process. We are interested in hearing from you. Create a comment and list your URL.

Thanks.
-Kathy
Director of CSU LMS System-wide Initiatives

IMS Global Learning Consortium 08-09 Survey Results

The following information is taken from an e-mail sent by the IMS Global Learning Consortium. While the IMS Global organization has a web site, the site changes frequently and the message on the web page is not as clear as the following information.


Initial 2008/2009 LearnSAT Survey Results Showing Competitive Satisfaction Rates for LMS, Collaboration and Content Authoring Products

Although a little more than half-way through the survey period, very interesting trends and satisfaction ratings are developing for many of the learning technology categories and products included in the IMS GLC Learning Technology Satisfaction and Trends Survey (LearnSAT).

For example, see the current satisfaction ratings for LMS, Collaboration and Content Authoring products provided below. To see current results for all of the LearnSAT categories and associated products, or to take the LearnSAT Survey, please visit: http://www.imsglobal.org/LearnSat/index.html. Learning technology product and service providers are encouraged to disseminate this link to their clients as well.

At this time, Angel and Desire2Learn are leading and tied for highest level of end-user satisfaction in the LMS Category with a rating of 6.0 (“Moderately to Very Satisfied”). Desire2Learn has twice as many respondents than Angel to-date, placing them in a stronger position for the lead upon survey closure. Moodle is a close second to the leaders and has the second highest number of responses for this category. Blackboard and WebCT LMS are showing solid response rates, comparatively speaking, with an average end-user satisfaction of “Slightly Satisfied”.

Click to see detailed survey results for LMS products and category or to take the LearnSAT Survey.

In the Live Online Presentation and Collaboration Products category, Macromedia, WebEx and Elluminate are leading the pack based on number of respondents and satisfaction ratings. While Dim Dim and Wimba Pronto are showing very strong end user satisfaction based on a limited response rate from their end-users. The leaders could shift dramatically should response rates increase significantly through the close of the LearnSAT Survey in December 2009.

Click to see detailed survey results for collaboration products and category or to take the LearnSAT Survey.

Camtasia, Adobe Captivate and Microsoft PowerPoint lead the Learning Content Authoring category with the top three response rates. While SoftChalk, Articulate and StudyMate with much lower response rates, comparatively speaking, are showing similar or greater satisfaction rates than the response rate leaders. As noted with Live Online Presentation and Collaboration category above, the leaders could shift dramatically during the second half of the survey period should response rates increase for any of the products surveyed in the Learning Content Authoring category.

Click to see detailed survey results for Learning Content Authoring products and Category or to take the LearnSAT Survey

About the LearnSAT
The LearnSAT Survey and underlying research are conducted to help inform a new and rapidly evolving marketplace in the use of technology to support teaching and learning. Those responsible for implementing and supporting solutions in this new marketplace have very little information other than that supplied by vendors as to the level of satisfaction obtained. This research series attempts to fill that gap. A very unique aspect of this research is that it also looks at trends in how these technologies are being used and supported, as well as the technologies themselves. It is based on over two years of research uncovering best practices for success in Internet-Supported learning. The IMS Global Learning Consortium LearnSAT is the learning community's number one source for satisfaction and trends in the use of technology to support learning. For more information visit: http://www.imsglobal.org/LearnSat/index.html

Are you a part of the IMS/GLC Community? By joining the IMS/GLC Community, you will get access to items such as articles, the usecase repository, best practice information, and ability to download IMS/GLC specifications(pdf), examples and schemas and other great materials. It's free and easy. Sign up now at: http://www.imsglobal.org/register/register.cfm

University of North Carolina - Bb Vista to Moodle

UNC-Charlotte's evaluation of Bb Vista and Moodle is publically available at:
http://bit.ly/18cBCB

They released their final report June 3 available at the URL above with the following notes:

I. Executive Summary

* Describes the results of an evaluative comparison of the Moodle Learning Management System with the University’s current Blackboard system (Vista);
* Recommends, on the basis of that evaluation, that the University adopt Moodle as its sole Learning Management System; and
* Outlines the consequences of doing so in conjunction with a plan for making the transition from Blackboard to Moodle.

Here are some of the quotes.

"[UNC] demands [an LMS] that is quick to learn, easy to use, reliable,
and able to accommodate our evolving needs"

"no cases in which a Moodle function or tool... was rated by either
faculty/students as being 'worse than Blackboard'"

"alternatives are clear: transition to Moodle or... negotiate a new
contract with Bb & migrate to product they offer."

"Moodle=better/comparable functionality w/ benefit of increased
relevance and control...in the long run... lower cost."

Thinking Strategically : Upgrading to Release 9

Deployment options for Bb Learn 9

• In place upgrade (for Legacy Bb systems)

From release 7.x to 9

• Fresh install

Export and import of enrolment and content
CE 4, CE 8, Vista 8, Bb5+ (Archive and restore)

• Co-production with LEC (Learning Environment Connector)
  

CE 4 and CE 8

• Co-Production with LEC leveraging Content and Community system

CE4, CE8 and Vista - Moving

• Co-production without LEC (side by side systems)
  

Running side by side WebCT version and Bb Learn 9
Authentication layer (from portal as example) at the top
Two completely different systems

NO USER DATA WILL BE IMPORTED INTO Bb Learn 9

• Appraise and align to NG

Determine when is the right time to line up with NG
9.2 multi-institutions implementation

Project Definition and success
FACTORS OF CONSIDERATION
Goals and constraints
End-user impact
Policy
Technical
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
Project planning
Communication
Change management and governance

Decision through Governance:
Institutional Goals
Constraints
Risks and Risk Tolerance
Available Resources

eLearning Operations
Teachning and learning
Content development
Technology
Enrollment Management
Support an Training
Assessment and Improvement processes

End-User Impact:
Training, Support, Teaching and learning practices, content management

Policy
Enrollment management
Security
Teaching and learning policy

Technical Considerations:
Integrations and customizations
Architecture design and capacity planning (projected growth and demand?)
Requirements fo transition
Data lifecyle
New skill requirements
System Monitoring
Determine suitable method and approach

Vista 8 Considerations before moving
Learning Modules coming in 9.1
Course File Management in 9.1
How much do you use the learning context hierarchy? Wait. (doesn't sound like that's in 9.1)
Cross-listing also not in version 9.1
9.2 for multi-institution

Service Level Definition
Expectations, Downtime widnows, escalation paths, response times, data life cycle (keep how long?)

Change Management
Policy, Operation and Technological

Change Management and Governance
Organizational structure/Committee structure
Communication plan

Project Planning
Phases
Definitions of responsibilities/team development
Timelines
Track success measures

Upgrade Testing
Test environment

Strategize which upgrade path
Plan
Inform

Upgrade Plans?
Tell your Bb TSM - submit a ticket so they it is happening at some point in time.

Tons of documentation at the Bb site
Training and Consulting and Managed Hosting
Upgrade team of colleagues - sign up online

Early adopters have discounted and free offerings:
:Life in bb Learn 9 for WebCT CE/Vista" Workshop
Getting Started with Bb Learn 9 Technical Services (Training) - intro to the "new " system and maintain LEC
Managed hosting

Bb Connect

This meeting was specifically setup by Bb on July 14 to discuss CSU campuses using Bb Connect.

I was surprised to find that so many of the CSU campuses (15 of them) using this product:

Cal State Northridge

„ Cal State Fullerton

„ Cal State San Francisco

„ Cal State Long Beach

„ Cal State Stanislaus

„ Cal State Dominguez Hills

„ Cal State Pomona

„ Cal State East Bay

„ Cal State Bakersfield

„ Cal State Channel Islands

„ Cal State San Bernardino

„ California Maritime Academy

„ San Francisco State University

„ San Jose State University

„ Sonoma State University

For all campuses but one, the client is the campus safety office. The question is, can we get more value from this system that the campus is already paying for. Knowing that Bb Connect now has many, many uses. For examples:

Call students to remind them to pay their fees.
Call students to remind them of other important deadlines like financial aid.
Call students on issues such as Swine Flu, Fire Updates, Earthquake preparedness, etc...
Call at risk students about their attendance.
As well as notifying students about LMS actvities.

I suggested that campus safety officers are not going to be happy if the University starts sending lots of other "spam" down this channel to students.

What I learned is that you can use the same system, but have an entirely different caller id, e-mail sender signature, and subject lines. So the same system is used but it looks like to the students that it's a different system. So you can have "LMS Updates" and "Campus Emergency" messages appear very differently.

Then we discussed how to approach the CSU about this. My suggestions were:
Since there are 15 campuses purchasing the system, a calif. state univ systems license would be wise so each campus wasn't procuring and contracting each time. This would require licenses to get on the same timelines (at end fiscal year). However, who is the "owner" of this at the CO or at the campus levels? This is obviously not an LMS purchase and hence out of my domain.

This is really about campus communications. Each campus has their own University Communications Director or leader. The vision of that individual may or may not be open to using a communications system in this way; and yet any Vice President might also see it's potential (Business Affairs, Academic Affairs, etc.). So the use of this application spans such a large cross-organization of a University, it's a political challenge to determine who is best to lead a discussion on this.

Other thoughts?

Blackboard Keynote - Chasen and Henderson

Michael Chasen
Ray Henderson
Jessica Finnefrock

Entertaining "PC vs Mac" videos
Phil Chatterton as Bb NG and John as Old Bb
Ray Henderson descends as an Angel for "meeting the challenges for the future."

Ray to Michael - We need better communications. You can't overcommunicate.
So will publish today on Twitter, Facebook, Bb Blog, E-mail, Ray's blog, etc.

Next Phase of Project NG
The Tribes: BIE, CSC, Bb Clients, WebCT Clients, Angel Clients, Standards Organizations, Partners/Developers

Long-term Strategy for NG

• Universal access to Education

Obama - putting money up for free online education courses
Common Architecture
Sharing of courses and programs as more course materials move online

• Ability to measure educations results

Plan to open up data set

• Utilizing mobile social technologies as a key part of education process
  

Next Steps of NG

• Need to highly personalize and customize the learning experience
• Ability to handle more interactive content
• Support true K-20 teach and learning
• Improve teacher efficiency and flexibility

With cascading style sheets, you can customize your look more than before
The MyCourses page can also be connected to Angel courses as well as Moodle, Sakai, WebCT & Bb
Better interactive content
API pulls in YouTube without copy and pasting all the time
NBC partnership - access to professional newsfeeds
iTunes U - pull in content
Echo360 - capture lecture
Wimba Pronto - instant messaging
Added Wiki technology - add rubric - attach to gradebook
K-12 Lesson Plan
Alignment to state standards
Map standards to assignments
Best of Bb and WebCT - Learning Modules
Management of Course Content - no other license fees needed; Drag and Drop content into the course, organize and view the content.

Higher Education Act

• Textbooks & Materials - textbook assigned to this course
• Acxiom Identify-X Form - security questions asked to verify they are who they say they are. Can pop up before a test or at other times.

Ray will discuss first 50 Days at Bb
Operationalize Michael's broader description of where we are going
Ray's background

• From Kansas
• Has been in education most of his life
  
• Teacher, Learner, Textbook publisher, instructional technologists
• Was in a "telenet" classes
• Science textbooks industry - better personalize instruction for students
• Pearson - infrastructure CourseCompass and MathLabs
  
• eCollege 10 years ago
• 4 years at Angel

Ray's Priorities

• Client Support
• Transparency
• Openness
• Innovation

Client Support
Graph of Bb Client Support
- 58% of the problems took 90 days to resolve most issues;
-now 16%;

Features in balance with system/product support

Transparency
Hunger from the customer-base about rationale on decisions being made
Willingness to engage; blogging and linking to others who disagree or see it differently
What's in his blogs including the Mea Culpa to WebCT clients about lack of support in early merge of Bb and WebCT

Openness
His blog mentions leadership in IMS import/export (Common Cartridge)
Direction: First steps on Open Database in NG

Product Innovation
Point of balance with other work to be done
More significant progress in accessibility

Bb Learn Report Card
User experience
Support resolution
Open standards
Other metrics

Request: Plan your path to NG

Back to Michael Chasen

MobilEdu
Bought a company responsible for writing iPhone apps and mobile web applications for Higher Educatio . Stanford, Duke, Texas A&M, UCSD, etc.

Introduction to 2 people who are now Bb employees and programmed these applications.

Maps, directory, bills, courses, athletics, events brought together in one place - your pocket on your cell phone!
Interactive Campus map
Find a friend in the campus directory
Demonstration about how each of these work on the cell phone to get campus information.
Search the University's catalog
Check out news items on each athletic team
Stanford iTunes - watch the videos
News feeds for campus

Video: "Is that your campus in your pocket?"

Final Thoughts

Overview of sessions "not to miss."
Thank you to sponsors.

Final video with the original leaders of CourseInfo, WebCT and Angel with Old Bb and Bb NG.