The document outlines the three step process of planning, acting, and maintaining momentum for a smooth transition from one learning management system to Sakai. It discusses the importance of planning through communication, training, and addressing concerns. Data transfer and course migrations are key actions to take. Maintaining interest requires ongoing training that highlights new features and exemplary sites. The lessons learned emphasize timing communication and understanding that people change over time.

1. Conducting a Smooth Sakai Transition: Planning, Acting, & Maintaining Momentum Reba-Anna Lee, Academic Technology & eLearning Assistant Director, Marist College Amber D. Evans-Marcu, Ph.D. Candidate, Virgina Tech

2. Three Steps Three step process to success Plan Act Maintain 2 Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

3. Plan Information is key What do people need to know When do they need to know it Buy-in is crucial You must be the loudest voice Enlist the help of “cheerleaders” before anything actually changes Strategic Integration High profile projects: reaccreditation, research, committees, courses, & ePortfolio Training & Resources 3 Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

4. Communicating a PlanSilence is not golden Silence is not golden Have a clear communication strategy/plan Be aware of negatives and be prepared for “bad times” Change is best in small doses Marist has a multi phased roll-out plan VT had a multi-phased 18-month roll-out plan. 4 Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

5. PlanShare the good news College leadership briefings by the Marist Director started in Fall 2006 Deans Council, President’s Cabinet Grassroots word-of-mouth effort with official campus announcements (VT). Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 5

6. PlanShare the good news (cont’d) Faculty communication Scholar Advisory Board (VT) Faculty “Sakai Luncheons” (Marist) & “Brown Bag” sessions (VT) Attended faculty school meetings (Marist) and dept. meetings (VT). Conducted systematic college/dept.-wide training sessions (VT). Regular faculty updates via e-mail & web pages (Marist & VT). Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 6

7. PlanShare the good news (cont’d) Official Channels VP of Academic Affairs announced transition in Spring 2008 (Marist) Provost and VP for IT announced support in Spring 2009 to adopt Scholar as the New Learning Collaborative Environment (VT). Learning Technologies dept. announced in Spring 2009 Scholar would replace Blackboard by December 2010 (VT). Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 7

8. Reasons why Marist was ready for change Increase in institutional requirements and strength A strategic assessment of the Educator eLearning System found… User Interface Deficiencies Functionality Deficiencies Technical Deficiencies Potential instability of Ucompass Company We want to change on our timeline, not someone else's… Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 8

9. Reasons why VT was ready for change Significant outage of Blackboard in January 2005 showed need for alternative. High impact clearly showed the need to have much more control over software platforms and services. VT established internal goal to provide an integrated LMS/Portfolio/Collaboration system. Filled strategic tool gap without initially competing with Blackboard. Sakai as platform for consolidated workspace starts to gain mindshare. Supported high profile projects SACS & NCAA reaccrediation, research, committees. Blackboard license to expire in December 2010. From Sakai 2009 Boston “Virginia Tech’s Transition to Sakai” Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 9

11. Piloted for over a year before “big transition” (Marist, VT)

12. Gap Analysis showed all critical capabilities of Educator are available (Marist)

13. Overall,

14. Richer functionality, supports more uses

15. Supports ad hoc collaboration

16. Scalability and sustainabilitySakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 10

17. Act Summer 2008 (Marist) / Spring 2009 (VT) Data transfer Course Migrations Training 11 Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

18. ActData transfer Tools Export from Educator (Marist) Bitkinex is an SFTP and WebDAV client for Windows (Marist) UNC’s bFree & Respondus (VT) Benefits Reduced data transfer time (hours > minutes) Pitfalls Graduate Student Staff log in as an administrator (Marist) Manual transfer of Tests & Quizzes required hire of staff (VT) SakaiConference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 12

20. Announcement

21. Syllabus

22. Assignments

23. Starting a Forum

24. Starting a Topic

25. Packets

26. Examinations/Quizzes VT’s “Moving from Blackboard to Scholar” Guide: http://www.olcs.lt.vt.edu/scholar/handouts/quickstarts/quickStartMovingFromBBToScholar.pdf Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 13

27. Marist Training—The First Wave Offered 13 Summer Institutes over the summer. Best attended were two-part half-day sessions. Offered a Graduate Student worker for assistance. Offered incentives (gift bags and an “iTeach” T-shirt, mouse pads, etc) Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 14

28. VT Training—Overview Spring, Summer, & Spring after the announcement = most attended: Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 15 Announcement (Spring 2009) 485 participants (Spring 09) 1263 participants (Summer 09) 411 participants (Spring 2010)

29. Maintain (Ongoing …) How to keep interest and excitement for Sakai Highlight “new” features Email, Portal Messages, Announcements, Fliers Communicate updates and changes via Monthly Code Updates (VT). Highlight great faculty ideas Wikis (Marist) Exemplary Scholar Sites, Faculty Panels (VT) Voluntary  Mandatory (Marist) Mandatory  Deadline (VT) SakaiConference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 16

30. Maintaining Interest via Models @ VT Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations (macro) Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM)’s Stages of Concerns (micro) 17 Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory

32. 2009 (20%)

34. 2009 (48%)

36. 2009 (32%)

37. 2010 (16%)18 Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations vs. Stages of Concerns in 2009 Juxtaposition of Roger's adoption (early adopters, early majority, major majority, late majority, laggards) vs. Stages of Concern/Levels of Use. NOTE: With time and experience, the percentage of Pegagogy-focused training should increase.

38. VT’s Continuing Plans Look at workshop feedback to determine where training needs exist. Look at our help desk questions to determine where training needs exist. Continue to go to departments that request directed training. Hope that our Advisory Board will continue to give input as to focus areas for our development work. These help shape how we train our faculty to use and improveSakai. Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 19

39. Lessons learned Timing is everything. Research is important. Communication is paramount. Understand that people will change in their own time & with effective and timely interventions. Always remember our REAL clients– the Students Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 20

40. Contact Information Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 21

41. Program & Concentra Information Centra Link: https://www.concentra-cms.com/program/Sakai/2011-sakai-conference/607.html Session Wiki Page: https://confluence.sakaiproject.org/x/B4yCB Title: Conducting a Smooth Sakai Transition: Planning, Acting & Maintaining the Momentum Session: Conference Track Session (60 minutes) Date: 06/14/2011 Time: 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM Room: Palos Verdes Presenter(s): Reba-Anna Lee (Marist College)reba-annalee@marist.edu Amber D. Evans-Marcu (Virginia Tech)adevans@vt.edu, 530-426-2372 Overview: In this co-joint presentation session, Marist College and Virginia Tech highlight their experiences of successes and lessons learned during their transition to Sakai, including: Why the change was needed, How change is good, Which Actions support the transition, How Training sustains the transition, How to Maintain transition momentum, and Lessons learned. Keywords: transition, migration, training, innovation adoption Sakai Conference 2011 - Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. 22