Allan Christie is the General Manager for Blackboard ANZ. He has over 20 years of experience in educational technology and teaching and learning. As General Manager, he oversees Blackboard's operations, consulting, development, support, helpdesk, and managed hosting across Australia and New Zealand with a team of around 80 staff. Blackboard has made significant investments in the region to provide a modern learning management system, multiple products and services, and resources to help with adoption. One focus is partnering with Moodle through Blackboard Open Education to provide an open platform for online courses and MOOCs to support international growth.

1. Allan Christie
General Manager, ANZ

2. Outline
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3. Australia & New Zealand
Topics
▶ About me
▶ Sector Support
▶ The „new‟ Blackboard
▶ Supporting International Growth
▶ Blackboard Open Education
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4. I have been using educational technology in T&L for a long time!
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5. Allan Christie, GM ANZ
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6. Allan Christie, GM ANZ
• 20 years on the ascilite Executive
• Post-graduate research “evaluation of educational
technologies in teaching & learning”
• Excellence in Teaching Award – UniSA
• 1998 – Founder and MD of NetSpot Pty Ltd
• 2012 – acquired by Blackboard Inc.
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7. Support of the Sector
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9. The ‘new’ Blackboard – ANZ investment
• Not just sales and marketing but also operational
including:
– consulting,
– development,
– support,
– helpdesk, and
– managed hosting.
• About 80 staff employed in region
• Local leadership
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10. The ‘new’ Blackboard – multiple LMS, multiple products/services
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11. The ‘new’ Blackboard – focus on adoption
Investment in Client Adoption
Cost: Free
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Mark Bailye, Client Success Manager
Education
BEd (MidSecSch), BA, Dip IT (Software Application)
Areas
K-12, VET, Higher Education, Medical Education & Corporate
Expertise
Academic change management
Analysis of learning & development
Curriculum & instructional design innovation
Educational pedagogy
Functional support
Process improvement
Project management
Strategic VLE implementation

12. International Growth
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13. • By partnering with Blackboard, a global company that acts
locally, we can work together to expand your offerings
both within and beyond New Zealand.
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15. SHOWCASE
OPEN
ACCESS
EXPERIMENTATION

16. SHOWCASE
OPEN
ACCESS
EXPERIMENTATION
The above slide represents our current intentions, but such offering/functionality may be modified,
delayed or abandoned without prior notice.

17. FAMILIAR
PLATFORM
INNOVATIVE
TOOLS
FULLY
SUPPORTED
BRIDGED
EXPERIENCES

18. Conclusion
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Three major takeaways:
• My approach to eLearning
o Who I am and what I stand for
• The „new‟ Blackboard
o Investment in International
• Blackboard Open Education
o Official Moodle partner – largest contributor to the Moodle project
o MOOC platform – free for existing clients and fully supported

19. Allan Christie
General Manager, ANZ
allan.christie@blackboard.com
@ns_allanc
Blog: christie.com.au