Conversations about Interact2 interact2.csu.edu.au

1. Conversations about Interact2interact2.csu.edu.au Assoc Prof Philip Uys (i2 Project Lead & Director Strategic Learning and Teaching Innovation) puys@csu.edu.au Greg Hardham – Interact2 Professional Development Division of Student Learning ghardham@csu.edu.au March 2014

2. Overview • Background and recommendations • Why are we moving? What are the gains? • Considerations in transitioning from Interact • Professional development and support P

3. A. Background and recommendations • High level analysis - Sep 2012 • Moodle, Blackboard, Desire2Learn, Canvas • Detailed analysis Oct 2012 – Feb 2013 against 12 components; close between Blackboard and D2L • Bb judged better on most important criteria: Pedagogy, General Capabilities, Technical Aspects and Usability P

4. Implementation decisions • Retain Pebblepad, Online Meeting (Adobe Connect), EASTS, Subject Outline (MSI), DOMS, CSU Replay • Use inbuilt Bb functionality for Forums, Gradebook • Most content from Interact will be able to be reused in i2, including Modules, Resources, some Test Centre content • Hosted in Sydney by Bb instead of in-house P

5. Timeline • Phase 1: Project Sites and User Provisioning (all staff have access) - Feb 2014 • Phase 2: Course sites & an eStudent support site – July 2014 • Phase 3: Studylink subjects, Term 2, 201515 – Sept 2014 • Phase 4: Subjects for International Term 2, 201515 – Nov 2014 • Phase 5: Subjects for Session 1, 2015 – Jan 2015 • http://www.csu.edu.au/division/landt/resources/interact P

6. Q & A P

7. B. Why are we moving? What are the gains? • Strategic • Technical • Functional P

8. 1. Strategic 1.1 The University Strategy has put the focus firmly on the need to increase student engagement and to implement actions from the Curriculum Learning and Teaching Plan. In this regard, the Interact2 project will be working closely with the Smart Learning project. 1.2 Aims to enhance the quality of learning and teaching in a major way and to put CSU at the forefront of digital education. 1.3 i2has superior functionality to Interact in order to support this transformation. 1.4 i2 needs to support and foster transformation of practice, not simply represent a change of product. P

9. 1. Strategic (cont’d) 1.5 We are purchasing a cutting edge system from a vendor that is competitive now and is likely to remain at the cutting edge, as there will be market pressure on the vendor to remain current and offer up to date functionality. 1.6 We will be a part of an Australasian user community - we haven't had this in recent years with Sakai. It means there is support, exchange of ideas, and establishment of common needs to take to the vendor. 1.7 CSU needs an LMS with a more robust, configurable and scalable systems architecture. P

10. 2. Technical • 2.1 Ability to remain current from regular version updating. High level of local customisations in Interact made updating an overwhelming task. • 2.2 Access to extensions of Blackboard from the community-based building block library. • 2.3 Ability to integrate Pebblepad, Subject Outline, DOMS, EASTS, Smart Tools, other CSU technologies & systems. • 2.4 It will be possible to install modules/building blocks without an outage. • 2.5 A superior Admin User Interface.

11. 3. Functional • 3.1 Mobile interface • Seamless integration between attachments and Dropbox • Receive notifications

12. 3.2 Learning Analytics • Significantly more analytical functionality than available in Interact. Data is generally available to the instructor, who in turn can use it to make judgements about appropriate interventions. There is the ability to allow students to see their own data for tracking and self-evaluation purposes. • Student focus and School/Faculty focus • Data also within core product, eg for tracking interactions with content.

13. http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Analytics/Products/Blackboard-Analytics-for-Learn.aspxhttp://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Analytics/Products/Blackboard-Analytics-for-Learn.aspx

14. http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Analytics/Products/Blackboard-Analytics-for-Learn.aspxhttp://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Analytics/Products/Blackboard-Analytics-for-Learn.aspx

15. 3.3 Powerful and uniform editor • Significantly different to that in Interact • Enables the creation of learning material with rich media • Uniform throughout the environment and supports mathematical notation including LaTeX. • Expands to full-screen if required

16. 3.4 Group creation and management • Organise Members into Groups of any size. • Random or manual creation. • Provide communication and collaboration tools that only Group members can access. • Groups can be created one at a time or in sets. • Self-Enrol allows Members to add themselves to a Group • Manual Enrol lets the Leader assign Members to a Group.

17. 3.5 Adaptive Release • Operates on both content and activities. • Availability to students can be time-based or made to be dependent on the completion of specific prior activities. • Rules include Groups

18. 3.6 Integration of assessment items and Grade Centre • Assessment tools expand the range of online assessment that can be used. • Assessments are integrated with the Grade Centre, thus saving the re-entering of marks. • Grade Centre can also be used to track and record non-assessment items. • Most tools can be used for grading.

20. 3.7 Contextual experience • Process of learning can be more closely connected with content of learning. • Tools and functionality can be inserted in content where and when required. • (live demonstration)

21. 3.8 Other features • More contemporary and friendlier user experience for both students and staff. Students wish to have more personalised experience in a learning-centred educational model. • Blackboard has ensured that there is a consistency of look and function across the system. • We will have access to a wide range of help and support material. • Blackboard’s accessibility is superior to Interact. • Blackboard has a user interface that is straightforward and easy to navigate.

22. Q & A

23. C. Considerations in transitioning from Interact • Modules • Test Centre • Resources • Preparing for Subject sites • Journals • Availability of Interact • See http://www.csu.edu.au/division/student-learning/interact2_help/transition

24. 1. Interact Modules • Content in Interact Modules can be exported to i2 Learning Modules (export – import) • Retains structure • Can be edited and rearranged • Some issues with lack of portability of content (pdf, print). Awaiting Bb action.

25. Student view

27. 2. Test Centre • Some data in existing question pools can be imported into i2: • Export from Test Centre to Excel • Import from Excel to i2 • Only text is imported • Only MC questions • Can be edited in i2

28. 3. Resources • Two step process: • Save Resources files locally • Upload to i2 site’s Content Collection

29. 4. Preparing for subject sites • Academic staff who wish to prepare for their subject site in Interact2 ahead of schedule are welcome to do so, and will be able to seek assistance from their Educational Designer. • Process: • Create an Interact2 organisation (project site) to simulate the subject site. Anyone who has a staff login to Interact2 is able to do this. • Populate and structure the organisation with content, activities, and so on, required for teaching the subject. • When the subject site has been created, move all content from the organisation to the subject site. This is done by exporting and importing a zip file.

30. 5. Reflective journals • Journal tool: • Identical to blogs except that the default is Private • Private reflection between instructor & student • Use of comments for feedback • Can be shared with whole site if necessary • Can be assigned to a group • Can be marked & appear in Grade Centre • Fits many CSU use-cases including work placement reflections, reflective writing.

32. 6. Availability of Interact • Interact will remain available until the end of 2015 for transfer of materials to i2. • When and why would I continue to use Interact from now on?

33. When Interact and when i2?

38. Q & A

39. D. Professional development and support – key features • There are many similar workflows in Interact and Interact2, but i2 is a different system. Users will need time and support to be able to fully exploit its functionality. • DSL staff – f2f training from Bb – Feb 2014 • Course Directors and administrative support staff – via CD network, from local EDs in time for possible July 2014 student activity in course sites • Academic staff teaching into 201515: July – Nov 2014 • All other academic staff: from Aug 2014

40. Resources • Interact2 Help & support at http://www.csu.edu.au/division/student-learning/interact2_help • Getting started • Transition, Interact/Interact2 comparison, activities and tools • CSU context plus links to a wide range of self-help video and text • Glossary – CSU & Blackboard terms • Site creation and management • Face-to-face training materials (EDs take into Schools) • To come – supporting documentation and activities relating to: • Analytics • Assessment, learning and teaching • Designing exemplary sites

41. More information... • Interact2 website http://www.csu.edu.au/division/landt/resources/interact • Yammer – i2 project group - https://www.yammer.com/csu.edu.au • Greg Hardham (i2 Professional Development) ghardham@csu.edu.au • Dawn Calvert (i2 Project Manager) dcalvert@csu.edu.au • Philip Uys (i2 Project Lead & Director Strategic Learning and Teaching Innovation) puys@csu.edu.au P

42. Q & A P

43. Thank You interact2.csu.edu.au Assoc Prof Philip Uys (i2 Project Lead & Director Strategic Learning and Teaching Innovation) puys@csu.edu.au Greg Hardham – Interact2 Professional Development Division of Student Learning ghardham@csu.edu.au

44. User Dashboard