Learning management system invites three potential replacements for Blackboard Learn to campus

Three potential replacements for Blackboard Learn have been invited to demonstrate their products as part of Purdue’s systemwide review of learning management systems; faculty, staff and students are asked to evaluate each during campus visits in March.

“The three providers – Blackboard Ultra, Canvas and Brightspace Desire to Learn – represent the major providers of learning management systems in higher education, and are used by many of our peers,” says Jenna Rickus, associate vice provost for teaching and learning and the chair of the review’s steering committee. “All three met the basic qualifications we outlined in the proposal and are ready to demonstrate how their product addresses what our faculty, staff and students have asked for.”

During the fall semester, taskforces of faculty, staff and students on the West Lafayette, Fort Wayne, Northwest and Global campuses gathered feedback about user’s wants and needs in the University’s future learning management system. That information was compiled into a proposal request that was released in January.

In March, teams representing each learning management system will visit all three physical campuses to meet with taskforces and committees overseeing the review. Open demonstrations for faculty, staff and students will also be held on each campus. To accommodate Purdue Global, Statewide Locations and anyone unable to attend in person, all open demonstrations will be streamed live.

Open demonstrations for faculty and staff are scheduled for:

Brightspace Desire to Learn

Fort Wayne: March 13, from 10-11:15 a.m. or 1:30-2:45 p.m., in Walb Union International Ballroom, Salon A; to attend sessions virtually, click here (password is: brightspace).
Northwest: March 6, from 10-11:15 a.m. or 1:30-2:45 p.m. (CST) in Lawshe 131; to attend sessions virtually, click here.
West Lafayette: March 4, from 10-11:15 a.m. or 1:30-2:45 p.m., in the Co-Rec Feature Gym; click here to register to attend. To attend virtually, click here.

Canvas

Fort Wayne: March 22, from 10-11:15 a.m. or 1:30-2:15 p.m., in Walb Union International Ballroom, Salon A; to attend sessions virtually, click here (password is: canvas).
Northwest: March 19 from 10-11:15 a.m. or 1:30-2:15 p.m. (CST) in SULB 321; to attend sessions virtually, click here.
West Lafayette: March 18, from 10-11:15 a.m. or 1:30-2:45 p.m., in the Co-Rec Feature Gym; click here to register to attend. To attend virtually, click here.

Blackboard Ultra

Fort Wayne: March 27, from 10-11:15 a.m. or 1:30-2:15 p.m., in Walb Union International Ballroom, Salon A; to attend sessions virtually, click here (password is: blackboard).
Northwest: March 28 from 10-11:15 a.m. or 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. (CST) in SULB 321; to attend sessions virtually, click here.
West Lafayette: March 26, from 10-11:15 a.m. or 1:30-2:45 p.m., in the Co-Rec Feature Gym; click here to register to attend. To attend virtually, click here.

In addition, temporary accounts are available for Blackboard Ultra, Canvas and Brightspace D2L, and allow guests to create and view courses as well as explore the various features of each system.

“I encourage everyone to attend these meetings, whether in person or online,” says Rickus, “and to come prepared with specific questions that they would like to have addressed.”

Meeting attendees, and those who evaluate the different systems, will be asked to provide evaluations of each system. Those evaluations will be used by the review’s executive steering committee to help make a final recommendation.

For more information about the learning management system review process, visit www.purdue.edu/lms-review.

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

Last updated: February 22, 2019