Conversations about Interact2
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
March 2014
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Overview
A. Background and recommendations
B. Why are we moving? What are the gains?
C. Considerations in transitioning from Interact
D. Professional development and support
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Q&A
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
B. Why are we moving? What are the gains?
1. Strategic
2. Technical
3. Functional
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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 i2 has 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.
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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.
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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.
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
3. Functional
3.1 Mobile interface
•
Seamless integration
between attachments
and Dropbox
• Receive notifications
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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.
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Analytics/Products/Blackboard-Analytics-for-Learn.aspx
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Analytics/Products/Blackboard-Analytics-for-Learn.aspx
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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.
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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.
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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)
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
3.8 Other features
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•
•
•
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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.
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Q&A
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
C. Considerations in transitioning from
Interact
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Modules
Test Centre
Resources
Preparing for Subject sites
Journals
Availability of Interact
See http://www.csu.edu.au/division/student-learning/interact2_help/transition
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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.
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Student view
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
3. Resources
Two step process:
• Save Resources files locally
• Upload to i2 site’s Content Collection
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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.
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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.
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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?
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
When Interact and when i2?
Description
Phase 1: Project
Sites and User
Provisioning
Target
Timeframe
Feb,
2014
Interact
Subject sites for all learning
and teaching.
New project sites only if they
are to be used in relation to
subject site activity, such as
group work for example.
Staff begin to move active
project sites to Interact2.
Interact2
Staff are able to create
organisations for professional
development, familiarisation, staff
collaboration, planning for later
course and subject sites.
Some academic staff may wish
to involve students in i2
organisations. If this is the case,
the academic will have the
responsibility for supporting their
students regarding Interact2 until
the Academic Skills site becomes
available in Phase 2.
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Description
Phase 2: Course
sites and e-Student
Support site
Target
Timeframe
July,
2014
Interact
As Phase 1
Interact2
As Phase 1, plus:
 Course sites upon request of
Course Director
 Academic Skills support site
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Description
Phase 3: Studylink
subjects, Term 2,
201515
Target
Timeframe
Sept,
2014
Interact
As Phase 2, except Studylink
subjects for Term 2, 201515
Interact2
As Phase 2, plus Studylink
subjects for Term2, 201515
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Description
Target
Timeframe
Phase 4: Subjects for Nov,
International Term 2, 2014
201515
Interact
Interact2
As Phase 3, except subjects
As Phase 3, plus subjects for
for International Term 2, 201515 International Term 2, 201515
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Description
Target
Timeframe
Phase 5: Subjects for Jan,
Session 1, 201530
2015
Interact
Interact2
No subject sites created. No
All online activity related to
new project sites available.
learning, teaching and
Subject sites from previous
collaboration.
sessions available to Subject
Coordinators for 18 months after
the end of session.
Complete migration of active
project sites to Interact2.
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Q&A
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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.
1. DSL staff – f2f training from Bb – Feb 2014
2. Course Directors and administrative support staff – via
CD network, from local EDs in time for possible July
2014 student activity in course sites
3. Academic staff teaching into 201515: July – Nov 2014
4. All other academic staff: from Aug 2014
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Resources
Interact2 Help & support at http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studentlearning/interact2_help
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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:
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Analytics
Assessment, learning and teaching
Designing exemplary sites
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
Q&A
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DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
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
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING
User Dashboard
DIVISION OF STUDENT LEARNING