1. The Learning
Management System
Migration RACE
EDUCAUSE 2011 Preconference Seminar 09P
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
1:00pm to 4:30 pm
Room 108B
Dr. Dionne N. Curbeam, Facilitator

2. Did you know…
You are a change
agent!!

3. Rogers, 2006

4. Change is Typically Slow in Education
• Layers of
bureaucracy
• Limited funding
• Limited support
• Lack of
progressive
faculty and staff

5. Stages of Concern About an Innovation
Hord, S. M., Rutherford, W., Huling, L., & Hall, G. E. (2004). Taking Charge of Change. Austin, TX: SEDL.

6. Innovation Decision Process
As a change agent, the more you
understand about change, the easier it will
become to manage change
(e.g., implementing a new LMS).

7. General Considerations for LMS
• Technology Infrastructure
• Think TEACH Act and Higher Education Opportunity
Act, 2008
• Cloud-Based or Not
• Scalability
• Student-centered or instructor-centered
• Vendor reputation and stability
• Mission/vision of the education institution

8. What is R.A.C.E.?
• Research: Up front analysis of the project;
studying of best practices.
• Analyze: Development of
goals, objectives, tactics and strategies rooted
in the research.
• Communicate: Carry out the plan; monitor
the process.
• Evaluate: Determination of whether desired
changes occurred

9. Extant
Data/Secondary Qualitative Quantitative
Research Methods Analysis
Help Desk
Focus Groups Survey
Calls
Training
Interviews Questionnaire
Records
Review
Blackboard Observations
Courses
Usage Data
Historical
Evidence
Other
Ideas?
Case Study
(Look at Other
Schools)

10. What You Really Want to Learn…
• Stakeholders
• Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threat
s
• Availability of Resources (human
capital, time, etc.)

11. Know Your Faculty
• Interests
• Past Experiences
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Time Constraints
• Skills
• Demographics
• Psychographics

12. Your LMS Vendor
“They want to be your partner!”
• Get clear definition about support the vendor
can provide
– Financial
– Resources
– Training
• Meet in person with your vendor at least
three times during the project (before the
start, mid-way, and towards the end).
– Have the vendor come to campus

13. Your LMS Vendor
“They want to be your partner!”
• Keep the vendor in the loop of all major
phases of the project.
• Get feedback from key stakeholders for the vendor.
• Send a “report card” to the vendor
• Give feedback for improvement for the LMS.
• Meet as many people as possible in the
company.
• Foster an alliance with other institutions that
use the vendor.

14. S.W.O.T. Analysis
Strengths
Positive tangible and intangible attributes, internal to
an organization. They are within the organization’s
control.
Weakness
Factors that are within an organization’s control that
detract from its ability to attain the desired goal.
Opportunities
External attractive factors that represent the reason
for an organization to exist and develop.
What opportunities exist in the environment, which
will propel the organization?
Threats
External factors, beyond an organization’s
control, which could place the organization mission or
operation at risk.
Source:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/SWOT_en.svg

15. Once you have a rich body of information, use the
information to develop LMS migration
goals, objectives, tactics, and strategies.
That’s the
Phase!

16. Goals, Objective, and Evaluation
Techniques
• Goals
– describe future expected outcomes or states.
– provide programmatic direction.
– focus on ends rather than means.
• Objectives
– clear, realistic, and specific statements
– measurable, and time-limited, statements of action
– when completed, will move towards goal achievement.
– state how a goal will be met.
• Evaluation Technique
– Assessment model to determine if goal was met

17. Sample
• GOAL: Acquire a new learning management
system.
– Objective: No later than December 2011, the
project committee will have evaluated at least 10
potential LMS systems.
– Tactics: send notifications to potential vendors
– Evaluation Techniques: scoring rubric; attendance
sheet

18. Sample
• GOAL: Implement a new learning
management system.
– Objective: By end of FY2012, 50% of all faculty will
have completed training in the new LMS.
– Tactics: e-mail faculty; have a variety of sessions;
send reminder notices; request registration
– Evaluation Techniques: attendance sheets; keep a
training database; training evaluation survey

19. Timeline
• Establish a timeline, with realistic and
attainable deadlines.
• Gauge appropriate amounts of time on each
step of the process.
• Choose to either “backwards map” or
“forward map” your timeline.

20. Budget
• Think short-term and long-term costs
• Factor in professional time commitments
• Budgetary information for:
– Project preparation costs
– Project implementation costs
– Ongoing/ maintenance costs

21. Have Tactics For:
Awareness Training

22. Awareness: Spreading the Word!!
• Keep the LMS in front of the groups at all
times.
• Inform the campus about what is going on.
• Alert groups of all changes with the project
and new information.
– Major changes require major communication
– Minor changes can use minor communication

23. Onlin
Mentoring
Face-to-
e Face
Self-Support Learning
Aids Communities
Training
Peer
Coaching
Coaching
Blended At a
Distance
Workshops

24. Fun Technology Doohickies to
Make Your Campaign Pop!
• Punchbowl (www.punchbowl.com)
• Voki (www.voki.com/)
• Mass Communication System
• Paper Li (http://paper.li/)
• Vokle (http://www.vokle.com/)
• Animoto (www.animoto.com)
• Dipity - http://www.dipity.com/ Other Fun
Technologies?

25. Low-Tech Doohickies to
Make Your Campaign Pop!
• Door hangers, book marks, magnets, stickers (get them
from Office Depot!!)
• Fliers
• Gift Bags
What are
• Phone Calls
other “low
• Sidewalk Chalk tech” ideas?
• Personalized Candy Bars
• Suggestion Box
• Visiting Faculty Offices (“Building Walks”)
• Working with Administrative Assistants
• Deputizing Internal Evangelists
• Letters and postcards

26. And Even Some “Off the Wall” Ideas
• Computer Game Day (Coffee…Tea…and Wii)
• Mid-Term Stress Break (Massage, Spa Day)
• Tech Spa Day
• Tech New Year’s Resolution
• LMS Moving Party
• Fond Memories – So Long, Farewell
Can You Get More Off-the-Wall
Than This? Please Share!

27. Don’t Spin Wheels!!!
Many times, some spend too much time in the research and
analysis phase, they delay getting to the communication phase.

28. Keep in Mind…
Blanket strategies
seldom work. Different
groups require different
strategies.

29. The stage has been set. The plan is ready. Now, it’s time to
rock-and-roll by putting the plan into action.
That’s the
Phase!

30. Responsibilities in This Phase
• Share stories of success and pride from different
demographics and groups
– Testimonials (video, audio, written)
• Document low lights. Give as much information as
possible.
• Be visible. Be responsive.
– Faculty meetings
– Dining hall
– Walk the halls
– Send emails
– Student body meetings

31. Responsibilities in This Phase
• Address problems, glitches, and bugs. Do this
sooner than later.
• If things go wrong, analyze why. (Think back to
that risk assessment).
• Change plan as necessary.
• Document the amount of time spending on
different areas.
• Build healthy relationships with stakeholders.

32. Hey Now!!
Don’t become so engaged in
training that you forget
outreach.

33. Encourage Yourself! Take
Care of Yourself!

34. What are the glows? What are the grows? Was
this a success or failure?
That’s the
Phase!

35. Evaluation
• Evaluate continually. Don’t wait until the very end to
evaluate!!
• Use the evaluation techniques identified in the objectives
area. Make modifications, if necessary.
• Don’t be an onion-skin!!!
• Consider a 360-model.
• Report and share the outcomes of your evaluation.
• Would you believe this is the part most people skip or do not
complete???

36. Questions??