From Sakai to BlackboardStrategies for Change

Frustration

Fear

Technology adoption

Experience

Blackboard Learn

Context• Two schools within a Faculty• Educational design and support team • F2F and distance education awards• Academic staff scattered across a number of

locations• Not innovative users on online Env – move from

print, technologically ignored• Management sees online learning as just one

more IT problem

Important categories

• Technical • Training &professional

development• Pedagogy• User support (staff & students)• Communication

Technology Acceptance

Important models

Innovation Diffusion

BLACKBOARDExciting teaching/ learning tools

Mimics a website – a familiar face for most studentsNew, easy tools – groups, quizzes, mashup -easy embedding, easy podcastingAll kinds of content can go anywhere and is easily reusedLinking – a familiar mechanism for moving between layers of contentCourse menu – signaling learning pathways

Putting it all together• Technology adoption, diffusion and change

management:– Manage and minimize negative experiences of new LMS– Communicate positive features and opportunities of

new LMS, keep informed of rollout.– Answer the fundamental user question – What’s in it for

me? How easy is it to use?– Offer “How to” Guides, guided activities, point out

instructional opportunities and purpose– Offer success stories, examples of application where

improvements experienced, what other users think of tools and features.

• Lesson learned in arenas of action–Offer group and individual PL options–Pay attention to context and pedagogy in PL– Technical issues have to be addressed and

users have to know how to deal with them –Conflicts between systems have to be

anticipated and resolution built in to PL

Putting it all together• Technology adoption, diffusion and change

management:– Manage and minimize negative experiences of new LMS– Communicate positive features and opportunities of

new LMS, keep informed.– Answer the fundamental user question – What’s in it for

me? How easy is it to use?– Offer “How to” Guides, guided activities, point out

instructional opportunities and purpose– Offer success stories, examples of application where

improvements experienced, what other users think of tools and features.

Strategy

• Communicate to support users to manage the anxiety of the new and create excitement!

• Offer professional learning that creates positive experiences of the new and confidence, anticipation and capacity for use

• Profession learning covers classroom risk management strategies for basic problems that can derail a lesson online or in the classroom

Tactics• Forth nightly email/bulletin: where the roll out is up to:

What's new, What experiences have been reported – what works best? Who is using the new system in readiness for release?

• What staff should be doing this month to prepare for the switchover

• What PL session are running? Where are the pop-up workshops? Book-in times for one on one

• Case Studies of success, course design ideas and examples, snapshots

• Branding – Visibility – Build trust!• Reinforce key message – Everything is awesome!

Tactics• Professional sessions

– Cover basic use and some new exciting features – rotate!– Incorporates use of other educational technology systems such

as Equella that are integrated in the new LMS– Incorporate advice and guidance/make recommendations on

dealing with background IT issues – browsers, media players, file types, how to update software

– Incorporate tactics for managing risk of technology failure e.g when video fails to load over the LMS access it direct from Equella

– Printed guides, work through activity sets so users can build a print “library” - which is also online

– Incorporate - where to go for help and how easy it is to access.

What factors must be addressed to gain the co-operation of teaching staff What strategies and tactics can be

deployed to address these issues