This slide show was used in a presentation at the 2014 SLATE Conference in Naperville, IL. It describes how Western Kentucky University provides technical support to Blackboard users, both faculty and students.
3. Western Kentucky University
• Founded in 1906
• Located in Bowling Green, KY
• 3rd largest public institution in KY
– 20,456 actual enrollment Fall 2013
– 16,362 FTE Fall 2013
• Using Blackboard since 1998
4. IT Structure
• Academic Technology
• Communication Technologies
• Enterprise Applications and Programming
• Enterprise Systems
• Technical Support Services
5. Blackboard Support
• Academic Technology
• Senior Instructional Technology Consultant
• Instructional Technology Consultant
• Enterprise Systems
• System Administrator
• Database Administrator
• Technical Support Services
• Helpdesk
6. Previous Avenues of Support
• Dedicated Blackboard Helpdesk
– Telephone
– Email
• Knowledgebase
– Interspire
7. Current Avenues of Support
• Helpdesk
– Telephone
– Live Chat
– Service Catalog
8.
9. Current Avenues of Support
• Helpdesk
– Telephone
– Live Chat
– Service Catalog
• Video Tutorial Library
10.
11. Current Avenues of Support
• Helpdesk
– Telephone
– Live Chat
– Service Catalog
• Video Tutorial Library
• Blackboard online help
12.
13.
14.
15. Blackboard Support
• Academic Technology
• Senior Instructional Technology Consultant
• Instructional Technology Consultant
• Enterprise Systems
• System Administrator
• Database Administrator
• Technical Support Services
• Helpdesk
Regional campuses in Elizabethtown/Ft. Knox, Glasgow, Owensboro
Blackboard support has always fallen inside IT, not in a Faculty Development unit.
Talk more about structure of IT support for Bb later.
Also additional staff for peripheral support (Respondus, Tegrity, etc.)
Dedicated Blackboard Helpdesk was pretty much me.
A reorganization in IT led to the creation of a centralized IT Helpdesk.
Academic Technology was quick to turn over support of Blackboard to the Helpdesk (pretty much the first group to do this).
Provided training and other support to allow them to close more tickets (more about this later).
There is still residual contact with me directly, especially among those who attend f2f training or who have been around since these days.
Helpdesk hours:
7:00 AM – 10:00 PM Monday – Friday
8:00 AM – 8:00 PM Saturday
12:00 PM (noon) – 8:00 PM Sunday
SysAdmin, DBA, and Instructional Technology Consultants on call in emergency
Also additional staff for peripheral support (Respondus, Tegrity, etc.)
Part time will become full time January 1, no more part time
Helpdesk staff are kept in the upgrade loop and provided with training on new features in advance of the upgrade
Blackboard Debriefing Meetings:
Weekly in Spring & Summer (leading up to and following upgrade)
Bi-weekly in Fall
Includes all Blackboard support staff, some peripheral support staff, and 2 Helpdesk staff
These tools are for Academic Technology and Helpdesk staff only.
Incoming request is fielded (could be anyone, but primarily students)
If resolved, ticket closed – This is becoming more common with the implementation of the knowledgebase for internal use
If not, ticket routed to Routing Group – Helpdesk
If believed a Second Level can resolve, routed to Work Group – Helpdesk
If not resolved at Second Level, routed to the appropriate 3rd Level Routing Group
Someone in the 3rd Level Routing Group sends the ticket to the appropriate person for resolution
In Atech, 2 primary 3rd level routers who alternate days. We resolve Blackboard tickets and route other Atech issues appropriately
After hours, Helpdesk can call Instructional Technology Consultants in emergency, and we can then notify the on-call SysAdmin if necessary
Unlike other schools, we WANT the Helpdesk to handle as many tickets as possible
10,829 total tickets
Unlike other schools, we WANT the Helpdesk to handle as many tickets as possible
Unlike other schools, we WANT the Helpdesk to handle as many tickets as possible
10,909 total tickets
Unlike other schools, we WANT the Helpdesk to handle as many tickets as possible