Free like puppies not like beer:

Our journey from a commercial LMS

to an open learning environment. Lou HarrisonDr. Martin Dulberg

Agenda•History of DELTA @ NC State

•History of LMS @ NC State

•Why Moodle?

•Perception Management

•Our Model

•Challenges

•Conclusion

History of DELTA @ NC State

DELTA was formed in July of 2000 by the reallocation of positions from:

• Continuing Studies (Distance Education)• Information Technology Division and the

Libraries (Learning Technology Service)• College of Engineering (Video

Communications Services)

Founding Principles of DELTA

• Distance Education is part of the university’s academic mission and belongs in the Office of the Provost

• DE & LT should be “married” within a single organizational structure to best leverage their synergies

• DE represents a strategic growth opportunity for the institution

• The distinctions between DE and traditional campus-based education should become increasingly blurred over time

DELTA Vision and MissionVisionWe seek to improve the quality of education by harnessing technology to provide ready access for all learners. In this way we hope to meet the challenges of a changing society.

Mission

DELTA promotes the quality of education by extending the reach of the faculty, collaboratively applying expertise in technology and pedagogy in an efficient, effective, and service-oriented environment.

Applications Development

Applications Support

Media Distribution

Video Communication Services

Educational Technology

Services

History of LMS @ NC State

• Early Days

1997 - WolfWare released

1999 - WebCT Campus Edition Pilot

2003 - WebCT Vista selected• Transition to Enterprise Model

2004 - WebCT Vista Pilot

2005 - General release of WebCT Vista, migration from WebCT Campus Edition

History of LMS @ NC State

• ChangesFall 2005 - WebCT bought by Blackboard

Spring 2006 - Support degradation

Then a plethora of hardware, software and support concerns plagued us, on and off, until present.

History of LMS @ NC State

• Good time for re-evaluationWolfware – 10+ years

Campus Edition and Vista - 8 years (4 each)

Concerns with Blackboard• Where to go? What to do?

Why Moodle?

• Technical perspective - Moodle– Based on a LAMP architecture

• Linux Apache MySQL PHP

– Robust and readily modifiable– WolfWare has similar architecture

Java Architecture LAMP Architecture

Open Sakai Moodle

Proprietary Vista et. al.

Why Moodle?

• Technical perspective - Moodle– Architecture suited to the campus needs

• Fits technically• Campus has LAMP expertise• Successful integrations already (R&R)• Custom Library block created• Connections to Elluminate, etc.

DELTA Advisory Council- Endorsement

We intend to move towards an integrated NC State branded LMS (to be named WolfWare) based on an Open Source code base.  We will follow an Open Source philosophy with provision for the integration of proprietary products.  The Open Source product which best fits our campus LAMP experience and expertise is Moodle.  An example proprietary product to be integrated is the synchronous meeting product Elluminate.

Perception Management•Our goal is not to save money; rather, our goal is to implement a stable, reliable and robust LMS that will be used by both Distance Education (DE), on-campus, traditional courses, and nontraditional courses alike, with the following in mind:

1.Support common tools

2.Flexibility to add tools

3.Participate with peers

4.Support off-model activities

Perception Management•Open ≠ Free

•Not selling this change as a cost savings*

•Strategic direction for LMSs @ NC State (10.05.07)

1. Stability & reliability

2. Future growth & flexibility

3. Control our destiny

4. Potential future collaboration with UNC System

•Branding issues* We will realize some cost

savings though

Perception Management•Collaboration is very important!

•Want to give back, not just give money

•Satisfy the broad needs on campus

•Build something that will fit

–For Credit Classes

–Non Credit Classes

–Extension

–Research

–…

Discussion BreakWho has seen similar perception issues?

Who has different ones?

What lessons have you learned about perception management?

Our Model

Our Model

Notify, Solicit Input

Our Model

LMS Chart of Influence

The DELTA Advisory Council, the LMS Steering Committee and its subcommittees formally provide advice to DELTA management related to Learning Management System (LMS) implementation.

Informal advice will also be sought through various communities of practice and partner organizations; examples listed below.

Our Model

LMS Chart of Influence

The DELTA Advisory Council, the LMS Steering Committee and its subcommittees formally provide advice to DELTA management related to Learning Management System (LMS) implementation.

Informal advice will also be sought through various communities of practice and partner organizations; examples listed below.

DELTA LMS Strategy Team

Discussion Break

Anything in our model that would concern you?

What does your model look like?

What’s similar?

What’s different?

Branding•Names are important

•WolfWare feels like NCSU, NCSU is accustomed to it.

•We’re going to brand our LMS

WolfWare

Branding

•WolfWare=–Moodle–Integrations–In-house tools

–Syllabus Tool, course mailing lists, etc.

–Elluminate–Etc.

•Pieces of the puzzle may change over time

Discussion Break

Who is just going to call it “Moodle?”

Do you have different branding?

Is it just rebranding Moodle, or a suite of tools?

Challenges•Buy-in on collaboration model

•Resources–Time

–Money

–People

•Policies

•Finding the sweet spot between ease of use and full featured

Challenges•Fighting the “Free” mindset

•From GNU.org

Free software is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of “free” as in “free speech,” not as in “free beer.”

•With apologies to GNU.org, our mantra is:

“Free Like Puppies, not like Beer”

Discussion Break

Anyone share our challenges?

Any other challenges?

Anything we missed earlier?

Anything we could drill down further into?

Words of advice? Caution?

The floor is now open...

Questions?

•For more information see our wiki:

http://wikis.lib.ncsu.edu/index.php/LMS_Strategy

Or, contact one of us…

Martin Dulberg Lou Harrison

DELTA Senior Coordinator DELTA Associate Vice Provost for Educational

Technology Services

919-513-3339 919-515-7279

marty_dulberg@ncsu.edu lou@ncsu.edu