blackboard 9 at city college norwich

Summer Blackboard Projectsat City College NorwichSummer Blackboard Projectsat City College NorwichChris BoonChris Boon

Summer Blackboard Projectsat City College NorwichSummer Blackboard Projectsat City College Norwich

• What is Blackboard 9?• Moving the content• Preparing for the upgrade – users and design• Preparing for the upgrade – technical• Preparing for the upgrade – project management• Upgrade week• Load balancing• Blackboard Course Creator• User feedback and lessons learnt

Blackboard NGBlackboard NG

• Multi-release project• Improved interface• Extra functionality

– Mash-ups– Context menus– Improved Group functions– Ajax drag-and-drop of modules

• Multi-release project• Improved interface• Extra functionality

– Mash-ups– Context menus– Improved Group functions– Ajax drag-and-drop of modules

Blackboard 9.0Blackboard 9.0

• First release of Blackboard NG• Deployed by some ‘early adopters’• Bugs and reliability issues

Blackboard 9.1Blackboard 9.1

• Much improved QA• More features• Installed at CCN

Hardware configurationHardware configuration

Application Server

Database Server

ContentServer

Share on SAN

Content - maintenanceContent - maintenance

• Two days maintenance at Whitsun half term• Stopped services• Data copied from old content server to SAN• Set permissions on new share• Started services• Completed successfully although took 12

hours to copy• No difference from users’ perspective

• Two days maintenance at Whitsun half term• Stopped services• Data copied from old content server to SAN• Set permissions on new share• Started services• Completed successfully although took 12

hours to copy• No difference from users’ perspective

SandboxSandbox

• Installed copy of Blackboard 9.1– Learn about product– Plan the design– Staff training

ConsultationConsultation

• Student focus group from Level 1 to HE• Staff focus groups and informal

conversations• Regular meetings with Head of

Communications

• Student focus group from Level 1 to HE• Staff focus groups and informal

conversations• Regular meetings with Head of

Communications

Suggestions from Focus GroupsSuggestions from Focus Groups

• Link to library catalogue from Home tab• Add more images on the Home tab• Add more dynamic content such as updates

from Twitter accounts• Increase line spacing on the Useful Links panel• Changes to colour and design for accessibility• Improve resources for HE students• Make ILP more prominent

• Link to library catalogue from Home tab• Add more images on the Home tab• Add more dynamic content such as updates

from Twitter accounts• Increase line spacing on the Useful Links panel• Changes to colour and design for accessibility• Improve resources for HE students• Make ILP more prominent

Managing the suggestionsManaging the suggestions

• Balancing the needs and suggestions from everyone:– Students from all Schools– Students from all levels– Teachers– Support staff

• Required change of mind set – users’ perspective instead of technical

• Balancing the needs and suggestions from everyone:– Students from all Schools– Students from all levels– Teachers– Support staff

• Required change of mind set – users’ perspective instead of technical

End resultEnd result

Testing the upgradeTesting the upgrade

• Clone of live systemusing VMWare

Application Server

Database Server

Share on SAN

Application Server

Database Server

Share on SAN

Physical Virtual

Upgrade processUpgrade process

• Blackboard Release Notes – Upgrade Route:– Blackboard 8.0 SP4– Blackboard 8.0 SP5– Upgrade Java to 1.6– Blackboard 8.0 SP6– Blackboard Learn 9.1 SP1

Testing the upgradeTesting the upgrade

Blackboard 8 SP4 Take Snapshot

Blackboard 8 SP5

Upgrade Java to 1.6

Blackboard 8 SP6

Blackboard 9.1 SP1

Take Snapshot

Blackboard 9.1 SP1

Scripts from Bb support

Project MeetingsProject Meetings

• Fortnightly meetings• Management support• Guests invited where appropriate e.g.

hardware team• Clear actions from meetings

• Fortnightly meetings• Management support• Guests invited where appropriate e.g.

hardware team• Clear actions from meetings

Upgrade PlansUpgrade Plans

• Everything was planned for upgrade week– NO decisions should be needed during week

• List of tasks ready for technical upgrade• Design prototype for layout and user interface• Took pressure off during upgrade week

• Everything was planned for upgrade week– NO decisions should be needed during week

• List of tasks ready for technical upgrade• Design prototype for layout and user interface• Took pressure off during upgrade week

Upgrade PlansUpgrade Plans

• MondayMove to new virtual application server

• TuesdayPerform upgrade

• Wednesday-FridayMake live system look like Sandbox and fix bugs

• MondayMove to new virtual application server

• TuesdayPerform upgrade

• Wednesday-FridayMake live system look like Sandbox and fix bugs

Application Server

Database Server

Share on SAN

Virtual Application

Server

Actual Upgrade WeekActual Upgrade Week

• MondayMove to new virtual application serverandPerform upgrade

• Tuesday-FridayMake live system look like Sandbox and fix bugs

• Why?• Excellent help from Blackboard Support• Upgrade process very well planned

• MondayMove to new virtual application serverandPerform upgrade

• Tuesday-FridayMake live system look like Sandbox and fix bugs

• Why?• Excellent help from Blackboard Support• Upgrade process very well planned

Database Server

Share on SAN

Virtual Application

Server

Virtual Application

ServerNode 2

Virtual Application

ServerNode 1

Load Balancer

Load BalancingLoad Balancing

• Using Microsoft ISA Server• Not officially supported but does work• Successfully used by other institutions• Some scheduled tasks only run on one node• Node identification labels added

BCC – The ProblemBCC – The Problem

• There are too many courses on Blackboard• This causes confusion for staff and students• Only about 10% of courses are used• The course names are often confusing• Courses are not linked to Schools

BCC – Previous ConfigurationBCC – Previous Configuration

• Direct connection between EBS and Blackboard

• Every course (Q, U, M) in EBS creates a course in Blackboard

• Direct connection between EBS and Blackboard

• Every course (Q, U, M) in EBS creates a course in Blackboard

MISEBS

VLEBlackboard

BCC – Previous ConfigurationBCC – Previous Configuration

• Produces numerous courses in Blackboard for each course taughte.g.

• Q NVQ BasketWeaving• Q NVQ BasketWeaving Group A• Q NVQ BasketWeaving Group B• Q NVQ BasketWeaving P/T• Q NVQ BasketWeaving F/T

• Produces numerous courses in Blackboard for each course taughte.g.

• Q NVQ BasketWeaving• Q NVQ BasketWeaving Group A• Q NVQ BasketWeaving Group B• Q NVQ BasketWeaving P/T• Q NVQ BasketWeaving F/T

BCC – The VisionBCC – The Vision

• Middleware between MIS and VLE• Middleware between MIS and VLE

MISEBS

VLEBlackboard

Middleware

BCC – The RequirementsBCC – The Requirements

• Ability to design course structures from timetables or course codes

• Must be flexible for all scenarios• Must be very simple to use

• Ability to design course structures from timetables or course codes

• Must be flexible for all scenarios• Must be very simple to use

BCC – The SolutionBCC – The Solution

User Feedback – User InterfaceUser Feedback – User Interface

• Positive reaction to new colours and interface• Users liked ability to customise Home tab• No major problems finding resources• Slower than hoped, particularly in IE7

User Feedback – BCCUser Feedback – BCC

• Very simple to use• Most staff use it without the need for face-to-face

training• Increased the use of Blackboard• Much clearer to see where Blackboard is and

isn’t used

• Very simple to use• Most staff use it without the need for face-to-face

training• Increased the use of Blackboard• Much clearer to see where Blackboard is and

isn’t used

Lessons LearntLessons Learnt

• Planning, planning, planning• Test system is essential• Engaging with users vital• Some unexpected issues will always arise

– New application server wouldn’t start– External access problem with SSL

• Safety net needed for these issues• Business Continuity – users still need resources

during maintenance windows• Can never do too much testing!

• Planning, planning, planning• Test system is essential• Engaging with users vital• Some unexpected issues will always arise

– New application server wouldn’t start– External access problem with SSL

• Safety net needed for these issues• Business Continuity – users still need resources

during maintenance windows• Can never do too much testing!

Chris Boonc1boon@ccn.ac.uk

blackboard 9 at city college norwich

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