Approximately 40% of faculty are currently using E-Learning in their instruction. I have been very active in using E-Learning for many years in both blended (hybrid) courses and distance education courses at UNI. Having just finished the workshop to transition to BBLearn9, I realize that
1) Beginning in the fall 2011 semster, BBLearn 9 is our only choice,
2) There is a fairly steep learning curve in using this new platform,
3) there is a potential for a very substantial investment in time to transfer over course materials if they are organized in a modular or outline format as well as assessments or quizzes, and
4) there are no instructional resources devoted to this transition other than migration workshops ITS staff "how to" assistance.
I left this workshop very dishearted and concerned, and I belive the ITS staff have similar concerns. The burdon on instructional faculty is very high for the transiton, and will continue as more of the traditonal ITS functions of setting up, archiving, and otherwise administering E-Learning will be sshifting to faculty. Since many of us have used E-Learning to reduce the use of paper and print resources, as well as to assist students in accessing information, this seems to be a very important issue that I would like the faculty senate to check into. According to ITS staff, most other Universities have allocated additonal student workers to help with this large-scale migration, whereas, to my knoweldge, we have no assistance available to us with the actual course content migration. Several other faculty at this first migration workshop expressed concern as well.
It would be very helpful if additonal instructional resources were allocated through whatever mechanism for this transition. Perhaps if we all reverted back to traditonal model of utilizing secretaries and mass printing of course materials the point would be made regarding resources and cost-effectivenss. I know that there were 15 faculty that spend 4+ hours at this migration session, and we left with the realization that there were many more hours ahead of us before we were competent in this new platform, and an additon of significantly more hours if we have a mature course which requires a lot of tedius tranferring before it is organized in the new format.
I am not sure what can or should be done, but I wanted to alert the faculty senate before the summer is upon us.
In regards to the mandatory transiton from the current E-Learning platform to BBLearn 9 Platform by August of 2011 there is a high potential for a very substantial investment in faculty time to transfer over course materials and that there are no instructional resources devoted to this transition other than migration workshops ITS staff "how to" assistance, therefore, be it resolved that a request be made by the Faculty Senate to the Provost's Office to hiring and train 10-12 student workers to assist ITS and serve faculty in completing this transtion.