CASE STUDY
Leveraging 24/7 Training at VCU to Support
Campuswide LMS Upgrade
Prior to April 2012, the Technology Services department at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
in Richmond, VA used their helpIT center (help desk) and 24/7 askIT knowledge base as well as
face-to-face faculty training by their Center for Teaching Excellence to provide campuswide training.
These resources included an online collection of training available to faculty, staff and students,
with an area dedicated to Blackboard 9.0 training, the campuswide learning management system
(LMS) software.
In preparation to upgrade this LMS software, the Technology Services team reviewed the usage
of these training tutorials and realized a need for an additional online training solution to help
transition the campus of over 16,000 faculty and staff and 33,000 students from Blackboard 9 to
Blackboard 9.1. VCU IT directors, faculty and staff were involved in the review of possible
training options.
The demand for this training was definitely evident at VCU, with over 4,000 classes using Blackboard
to enhance and/or deliver courses. The Blackboard platform is also used by many staff to store
committee/department/division minutes and content. “There are 1,554 Blackboard organizations on
campus,” Colleen Bishop, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Director of Learning Systems said, “It
is essential for VCU to have access to 24/7 support.”
“The team originally looked at Atomic Learning for the needed LMS upgrade training, but discovered
that there was much more than just Blackboard 9.1 training available.” Bishop stated.
The Atomic Learning solution stood out from other options by providing VCU campuswide “how to”
training on common applications in addition to Blackboard, workshops on conceptual technology
topics, customized platform capabilities, assistive technology training and accessibility training all in
a platform that is 508 compliant.
Bishop says, “By partnering with Atomic Learning, we are able to provide access to Blackboard
tutorials and support, while extending the reach of our helpIT Center and askIT Knowledge Base and
be an additional training resource for Technology Services Training.”
Problem:
Limited resources to
support campuswide
transition to upgraded
LMS
Solution:
Online training solution
for professional
development, technology
integration and software
training and support that
simplifies educational
technology
Outcome:
Extension of existing IT
services, providing cost
and resource savings
campuswide
Both instructors and students are empowered with 24/7 access to training on over 215 applications
and over 50 assistive technology programs relevant to campus and individual technology needs
and goals.
“By implementing Atomic Learning as a help desk supplement, you ease the workload for current IT
staff–allowing them to focus on larger initiatives,” Bishop said. “The educational use of technology
is the focus of all of Atomic Learning’s training.”
Through the partnership with Atomic Learning, VCU can smoothly integrate video tutorials with
the direct linking feature to provide campuswide training in one convenient online location in their
Blackboard LMS. “Direct linking in Blackboard, as well as newsletters and our askIT site is saving us
time and money by reducing help desk inquiries,” Bishop stated.
For more information about
Atomic Learning, please
contact us at (866) 259-6890
or visit us on the web at
www.AtomicLearning.com/highed
CASE STUDY
“Prior to Atomic Learning, training tutorials were created by graduate students in our Center for
Teaching Excellence. Members of this team have moved on and we no longer have a resource for
making videos on-campus,” Bishop said. “Atomic Learning fills this void.”
“Atomic Learning helps VCU empower educators and students to use and apply technology,
enhance current teaching and learning possibilities and deliver custom VCU-created training
tutorials,” Bishop stated.
From her knowledge of being in the Technology Services department on campus, Bishop said,
“The training solution needs to be easy for users to access or it won’t be used.” The single sign-on
option VCU uses is CAS. “After clicking on an HTML link to Atomic Learning, if not already logged
in via CAS, users will be prompted to log in with their VCU eID and password after clicking,”
Bishop said of the campus access to Atomic Learning.
And, it’s just-in-time training. “Faculty and students learn from short 1-3 minute videos vs. a 2
hour long training session,” Bishop said. “Users can view what they need, when they need it
–whether that be on campus, at the coffee shop or at the library, 24/7.” Examples of popular
student-focused training include workshops on MLA, APA and Avoiding Plagiarism.
Atomic Learning also increases the learning that happens in and out of the classroom. “Faculty
can create links from courses in Blackboard, blogs and wiki’s to Atomic Learning training videos
allowing for more instructional time,” Bishop said. “In addition, Atomic Learning offers an Assistive
Technology Package of short, show-and-tell video tutorials that empower educators and students
to use and apply assistive technology. These tutorials focus on special education software, assistive
technology devices, and software accessibility training, all of which VCU was lacking prior to
working with Atomic Learning,”
In addition to the assistive tech training, faculty can also reference workshops focused on
instructor PD, like how to use social media – Facebook®, Twitter® and YouTube® – in the
classroom, and the topic of effective presentation design is a great workshop for instructors and
students alike.
This is just the start. “With the custom training feature, Atomic Learning will become a host for
several VCU custom training tutorials,” Bishop said.
“We look forward to using the robust reporting features with Atomic Learning
to prove the need for this training solution and continue our partnership,”
Bishop said. “Atomic Learning simplifies campus technology training and support.”
Atomic Learning, Inc. is focused on promoting the practical application of technology in education. Thousands of
schools, colleges, and universities have made Atomic Learning a valuable curriculum supplement and an anytime/
anywhere software training resource. Visit today at www.AtomicLearning.com/highed
The
educational use
of technology
is the focus of
all of Atomic
Learning’s
training.
Colleen Bishop,
Director of Learning Systems
Virginia Commonwealth
University