Blackboard version nine pilot

Quick View

Summary:

Pilot the latest release of Blackboard application with a small group of instructors to determine best next steps for institution wide implementation of this Blackboard upgrade.

Start Date:

July 8, 2009

Go Live:

September 15, 2009

End Date:

November 16, 2009

Current Milestone:

11/16/2009 - Complete Project

Project Plan:

Blackboard 9 Pilot - August Workplan

Stage:

Recently Released - Completed in last 3 months.

People

Sponsor/Champion:

Adrian Sannier, Vice President and University Technology Officer

Project Manager:

Katherine Ranes

Contact for more information:

Katherine.Ranes@asu.edu

Associate VP University Technology:

John Rome

University Technology Director:

Leah Lommel

More Info

Source:

Internal

Department:

UTO

Priority:

High

Scope:

ASU currently uses Blackboard Version 8, which was upgraded in April 2008 from Version 7. We would like to do a pilot for Version 9 and move hosting from ASU to Blackboard.

The benefits of the version upgrade includes:

- Improved course management workflow such as easier on page editing no longer requiring the use of the control panel

- Inline confirmation of successful changes

- Enhanced grade book now called Grade Center

- Improved file collection and exchange

- Private Blog and Journal creation

- Increased group designations and creation tools.

Before we upgrade all faculty to the new version, we would like some Faculty volunteers to use the new version of Blackboard 9.0 this fall as a pilot group and provide feedback. In October, we can make decision for going ahead with Winter Intersession and Spring semester implementation .

Integration with ASU Single Sign-on (ASU Web Auth) and MyASU are components of the project.

All Milestones and Schedule:

1) Hosting agreement: by July 20th by Application Support Services.Define users, agree on Contract with Blackboard (complete)

2) UTO preparation on server: Nate Wilken's group from July 21st to August 3rd Monday.
Webauth integration analysis by 7/28/09 (complete)
3)August 4 th until 24th is the time for Faculty to create courses and students start using the system (complete).

4) Evaluate the version in September/October for full version implementation decision for Spring semester (in progress).

5) Project is a joint effort among Development, Operations and Care. 9/5/09 Define the roles of each unit to semester long support of the classes taught in Blackboard 9. (complete)

Deliverables:

Hosting Blackboard version 9 by Blackboard. (complete)
Integration between ASU (MyASU and Single Sign-on) and Bb hosted solutions (complete)
The decision for go/no go for Version 9 for ASU (complete for Fall 2009)
Service agreement between ASU and Blackboard for moving hosting from ASU to Blackboard (complete for Fall 2009)
Evaluation of a joint domain architecture that would enable W P Carey to join UTO in a Blackboard 9 hosted environment. (complete)
Evaluation of reporting capabilities and installing analytics.(complete)
Evaluation of various 3rd party building blocks for function with Bb9.(complete)

Risk & Threats:

Tight time line, 6 weeks left for Fall semester start.
Delays in having papperwork signed
Dependency on having managed hosting environment at the same time
Some differences between version 8 and 9 for authentication that is not analyzed yet for the impact

Links

Review more of what Blackboard version 9.0 has to offer

ASU Project Team Google Site for Project