Systemwide review team seeks input as it looks to replace Blackboard Learn

Faculty, staff and students can share their thoughts and concerns about the Purdue’s next learning management system as part of the review that is examining replacements for Blackboard Learn.

The review, which launched in August, is a systemwide initiative designed to identify the next learning management system or systems for Purdue. Listening sessions will be held on all Purdue campuses, with the next session at West Lafayette scheduled from 2:30 to 4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 19, in WALC 1121. Register here.

“There have been several questions on campus about just continuing with Blackboard Learn, but that isn’t an option,” says Jenna Rickus, associate vice provost for teaching and learning and the chair of the review’s steering committee. “Blackboard is transitioning from Learn to Blackboard Ultra, which is such a significantly different program that the disruption will be similar to going to a new system. So, before we make any change, we’d like to know what functionalities are most important to people.”

Already, more than 250 people have provided feedback about the learning management system review. Although the wants and needs of a new system are diverse, some consistent themes have already emerged:

• The ability for the new LMS to ingest content from previously created Blackboard Learn courses, with an emphasis on an easy transition from the old system to the new.
• Collaboration workspaces for students built into the LMS, with functionality similar to Google Docs. 
• Mobile friendly, for students, faculty, staff and administration.
• Easy to use and intuitive interface.
• Easier acceptance and implementation of third-party tools into the LMS that can be applied to a specific course or academic department.

 The LMS review task forces will continue to receive feedback during the fall semester, with a third listening session for the West Lafayette campus scheduled on November 12.

In November and December, the review team will develop a rubrics and requests for proposals with the goal of inviting vendors of possible replacements to campus in February or March. There will be no disruption of Blackboard Learn during the 2018-2019 academic year.

 For more information about the LMS review, including information about listening sessions on other Purdue campuses, visit www.purdue.edu/lms-review.

Writer: Dave Stephens, technology writer, Information Technology at Purdue, 765-496-7998, steph103@purdue.edu.

Last updated: October 4, 2018