Some Blackboard and Semester Book users feel the migration to Moodle is like “switching from a Lexus to a stock car.” Sheri Thompson, informational technology planning and communications officer, said early adopters will begin testing Moodle in the summer semester. Information Technology Services expects to have the University course system fully converted to Moodle by December 2008. Moodle – Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment – is a single course management system supported by the University. It will become the only system used by faculty members and students. Thompson said thousands of courses are being migrated to Moodle. About 60 percent of courses have been completely migrated with Blackboard classes being first. “The University’s contract with Blackboard ends on June 30,” Thompson said. “We are prioritizing Blackboard, but Semester Book classes are also being migrated simultaneously.” The University decided the switch to Moodle was necessary because of financial reasons. “We essentially paid for Blackboard based upon how much it was used,” Thompson said. “With the new Moodle environment, we have the capability to have 100 percent of courses enabled without increasing our investment.”  Semester Book will be in use through the fall 2008 semester. Thompson said the Center for Excellence and Learning Technology and ITS are working department by department to train instructors on how to use Moodle. Tracey Rizzuto, psychology assistant professor, said stress levels almost always increase when employers are required to use new technologies. “Although the newly-adopted technology is very similar to the ones previously used, disruptions to work routine, workflow patterns and needs for learning create lots of workplace stress,” Rizzuto said. Thompson said transforming a campus seems impossible in such a short time, but she is amazed by the dedication her colleagues have put into the process. Thompson said she admires University faculty’s flexibility because she understands the process is disruptive. “The faculty has to learn a new way of doing something – and everyone hates that,” Thompson said. “But I have confidence that two years from now, we will be comfortable with the new way of doing things.” Rizzuto said stress levels decline as people become more comfortable with the new technology. Converting Blackboard documents to Moodle has presented some difficulties for faculty members. If a professor has folders inside of folders, the converter will not keep the organization structure when transferred to Moodle. “One user said it is like having your files dumped on the floor, and then you a have to reorganize them,” Thompson said. “Moodle does not nest folders the same way Blackboard does; instead, the user organizes directories.” Thompson said an early adopter said the switch from Blackboard to Moodle is like switching from a Lexus to a stock car. While the Lexus comes with cup holders and standard features, the stock car has many capabilities but lacks some comforts, she said. “Personally, I think of Moodle as a James Bond car – we just haven’t put in the leather interior and jet seats yet,” Thompson said. “But they are coming.”   Semester Book’s grade-keeping feature has been rewritten for Moodle. Thompson said it will be in the production site and ready for this summer’s users.
—-Contact Emily Stuart at [email protected]