From Start to Finish - The Road To Open Source

From Start to Finish -The Road To Open Source

Ryan AllenSenior E-Learning Specialist

University of DaytonJune, 15, 2010

Session OutlineRolling Out Sakai

– Where We Came From– Analyzing Our Options– Implementation– Development Process– Training

Sustaining and Future Growth– Data Collection– Overcoming Issues – Tips

Session OutlineRolling Out Sakai

– Where We Came From– Analyzing Our Options– Implementation– Development Process– Training

Sustaining and Future Growth– Data Collection– Overcoming Issues – Tips

B

A

Point A to

Point B in 30 months

E-Learning Lab Staff

Training and Support Ryan Allen – Senior E-Learning Specialist ([email protected])

Leah Bergman – E-Learning Specialist ([email protected])

Jerry Timbrook – E-Learning GA ([email protected] )

Development Paul Dagnall – Web Developer ([email protected])

Matt Mize – Systems Administrator ([email protected])

11th Sakai Conference - June 15-17, 2010 5

University of Dayton

o Private University founded in 1850o Founded by the Society of Mary (Marianist)o ≈7,500 Undergrad / 3,500 Grad Studentso Top 10 Catholic University in the nationo Faculty are not ordered to use technology

but are also not shy about asking for helpo No real Instructional Designerso 2010 NIT Men’s Basketball Champions!

Where We Came From• UD adopted WebCT Campus Edition 4.1 as its LMS in 2003• About 1800-2000 courses on WebCT each year• Primarily used for:

• Submitting Assignments · Online Assessments• Accessing Readings · Discussion Forums• Posting/Reviewing Grades

• E-Learning’s primary customers are campus faculty• Provide training, support, and instructional design assistance

“WebCT has been a reliable product but as our needs expand and instructional technology develops, a new LMS that better fits the needs and identity of the UD Community must be sought out.”

THE CROSSROADS

“WebCT has been a reliable product but as our needs expand and instructional technology develops, a new LMS that better fits the needs and identity of the UD Community must be sought out.”

THE CROSSROADS

We Want More!(and we don’t want to pay through the nose

for it)

The Migration Timeline


What we knew going in: We wanted to end our contract with WebCT by the end of 2009 It was going to be a phased migration A great deal of (new) work was ahead of us

The Migration Timeline


What we learned along the way: We needed help – IT Staff, Sakai Community, Faculty, Student Some will embrace the change, others will not 30 months was just about the right amount of time needed

Phase 1 – Making the Decision1. E-Learning lab reviews available LMS’s

2. Cross section of faculty and administrators brought together to evaluate options


120 Days

• $$$ • Toolset

• Migration options • Company history, etc…

Evaluating Our Options• LMS Advisory Panel Assembled• Finding the cost of Open Source• The panel reviewed resources

compiled by the E-Learning Lab:• WebCT Usage Reports• WebCT Satisfaction Survey Results• ePortfolio Experience with Sakai

• 3 migration paths offered

1. Move to Sakai

2. Migrate to WebCT 6/Vista

3. Stick with WebCT 4.1 until Blackboard’s NG version is ready.

Evaluating Our Options• LMS Advisory Panel Assembled• Finding the cost of Open Source• The panel reviewed resources

compiled by the E-Learning Lab:• WebCT Usage Reports• WebCT Satisfaction Survey Results• ePortfolio Experience with Sakai

• 3 migration paths offered• Sakai unanimously chosen

http://learn.udayton.edu/isidore


Phase 2 – System & Tool Review

50 Days

BrandingTool Review JIRA Ticket System

From Sakai to Isidore

St. Isidore of Seville

Patron saint of students and schoolchildren and recently recommended for patronage of computers and the Internet


50 Days



• Slow roll-out with limited number of tools – manage expectations and

maintain better support• All core tools reviewed

– 11 of 15 core tools chosen for the initial Fall 2008 release

– 3 more tools added for the Winter 2009 release

– 2 more tools added for the Winter 2010 release

Tool Review Process


50 Days



How We Keep Track of Progress and Needs?>400 Bug Fixes and Improvements Already Made


Phase 3 – Development

rSmart, Unicon, Ourselves? What do we spend our time developing?What does our hardware environment look like?

120 Days




120 Days

What does it mean to develop in Sakai?

Data Access10%*

Business Logic60%*

User Interface30%*

HTML, JSP/JSF, JavaScript

Java

Reads/Writes via Java (Hibernate)

* - % of time spent by developers

How do we decide what to ‘develop’?

Before we went live:• We used our experience

What did people like/not like about WebCT?

After we went live:• Faculty Feedback/Requests

Phone Calls Emails

• E-Learning Lab Guided Trainer Feedback Developer Suggestions

Make plans but not necessarily promises

Disagreements are Good




120 Days

SSL

•4 Servers Purchased – 2 App, 2 Database• Production and Testing Environments

•Connected to campus SAN

•Rely on Oracle expertise on campus


Phase 4 – Pilot Instructor Training 18 instructors chosen for pilot semester

Based on WebCT experience and classes to be taught No Test/Quiz tool available during pilot semester

Mandatory 2 day training – 2 hours each day

14 Days


Phase 5 – Pilot Semester & Training

22 course sections taught from multiple disciplines Training sessions offered to all faculty throughout semester Development courses created for all interested

140 Days

Training Approaches

2 Hour ‘Mastering Isidore’ Sessions 2 Trainers Per Session

Specific Tool Training Departmental Planning Customized Training Material

& Isidore Help File Isidore ‘Tip’ Emails

Students/Instructors


Phase 6 – System UpgradeSystem upgraded weekend after grades dueTests & Quizzes, Wiki, and Chat Room tools added (w/ help)Self Course Creation functionality added for all in W09 semester

14 Days


Phase 6 – System UpgradeSystem upgraded weekend after grades dueTests & Quizzes, Wiki, and Chat Room tools added (w/ help)Self Course Creation functionality added for all in W09 semester

14 Days

• We started with version 2.0 in Fall 2008• We’re now up to 2.5

We install bug fixes and minor feature releases at 6 AM every other Sunday (2.5.3)


Phase 7 – Sakai Open to Campus

WebCT and Sakai run in parallel during 2009 (3 semesters)Faculty converted when appropriate for them

45% Winter | 65% Summer | 95% FallMigration options laid out & assistance provided

350 Days

We’ll be parting ways with WebCT

onDecember 18th, 2009

Faculty told over and over and over throughout 2009

Migrating from WebCT

• Create Automated Migration Utility• Start Fresh or E-Learning Lab Migration

– Began late Spring 2009– Utilized Georgia Tech Migration Tools– Online Migration Request Form Created– Faculty were emailed the courses for

which they were instructors in as a reminder

Communicating with Campus

Blanket (Non-Threatening) Marketing

Student Review

4711th Sakai Conference - June 15-17, 2010

WebCT Isidore

Which system is easiest to learn? 49.00% 51.00%

Which system is easiest to use? 44.80% 55.20%

Which system is better at supporting learning? 36.20% 63.80%

Which system do you prefer to use? 42.70% 57.30%

Faculty Review


WebCT Isidore

Which system is easiest to learn? 10.7% 89.3%

Which system is easiest to use? 0.0% 100.0%

Which system is better at supporting learning? 3.6% 96.4%

Which system do you prefer to use? 3.6% 96.4%


Phase 8 – Bye Bye WebCT. Hello Sakai!Lost LDAP authentication for WebCT on December 18thWebCT still available to admin accountsHardly anybody looking back…

December, 18, 2009

User and Site Statistics


2003-2004 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-100

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

5

161 175

432

536

635

1166

5

213263

417

506

682

1025

1

94120 131

179225 240

Fall Winter Summer

User and Site Statistics


2003-2004 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-100

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

5

161 175

432

536

635

1166

5

213263

417

506

682

1025

1

94120 131

179225 240

Fall Winter Summer

New uses popping up all the timeNew users popping up all the time

Open Source benefits become more apparent to faculty all the time

Lessons Learned


• Use x86 chip for Application Server• Deal with Comparisons Head On• ‘Hold Hands’ & Remind users ‘Why’• Dealing with the ‘Squeaking Wheels’

• Believe the symptom, not the explanation• Be ‘Unapologetically Helpful’

• Get everyone ‘in on the act’

5% of users will NEVER be happy …no matter what!

Making Users Happy• Be Responsive & Understanding

• Install bug fixes and minor updates frequently• Follow up with users that experienced problems

• Upgrade• Course Evaluations (Eval Sys)• Site Statistics (Site Stats)• Rubric Grading

• Survey faculty & students yearly• Share results and future plans when appropriate


Thank You

Other Presentations You May Be Interested In:

“Is Sakai Always This Slow?”Matt Mize, Paul Dagnall, and Steve SmithWednesday, 10:00-11:00 AM – Grand Mesa A

“Training & Marketing: Setting End-Users Up for Success” Leah BergmanThursday, 1:50-2:35 PM – Grand Mesa B


Isidore Help and ResourcesIsidore Server – http://isidore.udayton.edu E-Learning Website – http://learn.udayton.edu/isidore

– Training Movies– Downloadable documentation and tool FAQs– Quick Start Guides and Introduction Video for Users– Training Calendar

http://isidore.udayton.edu/

http://learn.udayton.edu/isidore

From Start to Finish - The Road To Open Source

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