Or, “Harnessing common sense and the blatantly obvious to foster community involvement in boring software implementation”
The University of Calgary undertook a three-year process to fully engage the university community in order to identify the next learning management system to be implemented on campus, and to manage the migration to the selected platform. The continuous engagement model that was implemented ensured that diverse voices and perspectives on blended and online learning were integrated into the decision making process.
Fourteen different faculties, each with its own academic models and signature pedagogies, provided strategic direction for their implementation, and the manner in which centrally provided services would be shaped in order to meet their unique needs. Key milestones were aligned with the academic calendar, and iterative pilot projects ensured that the platform was deployed and integrated with university systems in a reliable and sustainable manner, while informing the development of instructor training programs and course migration support. The LMS was framed as just one component of a cohesive and evolving online learning environment.
While the migration to a new LMS could devolve into endless discussions about the tools and their configuration, this engagement model focused on the activities that compose diverse teaching and learning practices. This focus resulted in a deeper connection and acted as the seed to initiate the development of a robust community of teaching and learning practitioners.
Of Interest to: Online and distance education, Post-secondary education, Educational technologists, Administrators
