Monday, October 6th, 2:30 pm
Distance Learning CMS
Integration
Bill Pearce – Ventura County CCD
Bob Hughes – North Orange County CCD
Blackboard Vista Interface
Bill Pearce – Ventura County CCD
Batch Interface
• SQL*Plus script run by a shell script every
morning at 3:00 am (Banner web is down)
• Runs for two terms, new courses, sections
only (includes enrollments and crosslists)
• Creates .csv files, SCP’ed to Blackboard ASP
server
• Process at Blackboard checks for files every 5
minutes
• Email sent from process and from Blackboard
Batch Interface
• LCS File (courses, sections, crosslists)
– Sections identified by Integration partner (WebCT
type) in SSASECT
– Create SCRATTR (first time for course) and
SSRATTR attribute VSTA to indicate upload
– Crosslist group:
• Uploaded if all sections are WebCT
• Tagged in local table GZRJOBH if uploaded
Batch Interface
• Crosslist “enrollments”
– Uploaded if all sections are WebCT
– Checks GZRJOBH for prior load
• Users
– Instructors and Students
– Loads all users when CRN is first loaded
– Creates Webtailor role WEBCTBB for Webstar
SSO
– Subsequent users sent via database trigger and
XML
Batch Interface
• Student/Instructor Enrollments
– Loads all enrollments when CRN is first loaded
– Subsequent enrollments sent via database
trigger and XML
– Includes Waitlisted students
• Student drops
– Not included in batch interface
– Sent via database trigger and XML
Batch Interface
• End of process:
– Inserts SCRATTR (entire set) and SSRATTR VSTA
attribute
– Inserts marker in GZRJOBH for crosslist group
• Script is run manually in TEST database, and
uploads to test Blackboard server
“Manual” Crosslists
• SQL*Plus scripts (thru job submission)
– Enter manual crosslist group code
– Select multiple CRNs
– Error checking:
• All CRNs must be WebCT
• Code cannot be used before (stored in GZRJOBH)
• No CRN can be in a Banner crosslist
– Also have script to add/delete CRNs from existing
manual crosslist group
– Separate shell script SCP’s file for next scheduled
process (BB checks every 5 minutes.)
Data Formats
• Colleges (Divisions):
– Unique ID = M, V, or R
– Title = College Name (example, “Moorpark
College”)
• Subject Codes (Groups):
– Unique ID = SUBJ.M, SUBJ.V, SUBJ.R (example,
MATH.M)
– Title = SUBJ – Subject Name – College Name
(example, “MATH – Mathematics – Moorpark
College”)
Data Formats
• Courses:
– Unique ID = SUBJ.CRSE (example, MATH.M01)
– Title = SUBJ CRSE – Course Title (example,
“MATH M01 – Elementary Algebra”)
• Sections:
– Unique ID = TERM.CRN (example,
200707.71823)
– NOTE: This is backwards for My Courses SSO to
Luminis – changing in Spring 2009
– Title = Term Desc - SUBJ CRSE – CRN – Section
Title (example, “Fall 2007 – MATH M01 – 71823 –
Elementary Algebra”)
Data Formats
• Crosslists:
– Unique ID = TERM.XLCODE (example,
200707.1A)
– Title = TERM Crosslisted CRN1-SUBJ.CRSE,
CRN2–SUBJ.CRSE, … (example “200707
Crosslisted 70123–POLS.V12, 72615–ESRM.V03”)
MyVCCCD (Luminis) SSO
• Only Faculty have access currently
• Logon link from “Work Life” Tab
• My Courses won’t go directly to course until
Spring 2009 (CRN/Term backwards)
• Direct logon from My Courses if problems
Pseudo SSO via Banner SSB
• Needed for students, faculty transition to
MyVCCCD
• Uses secret code – PIN synch not an issue
• Link is on main menu, Student Services, and
Faculty Services
• Auto logon from WebStar (Banner SSB)
• Had to switch from SPRIDEN ID to thirdparty ID when Luminis implemented – no
longer allow direct logon to Blackboard
• Based on Webtailor role WEBCTBB
PIN Reset Methodology
Immediate User Update
• Database trigger on GOBTPAC
• Calls package to send User information in
XML to BB Vista server
• Uses secret code, Oracle Wallet
• Sends Information if:
–
–
–
–
Instructor assigned to WebCT section
Student registered in WebCT section
PIN is not expired
PIN is not DOB
• Creates Webtailor role WEBCTBB
Immediate Enrollment Update
• Database triggers on SFRSTCR, SIRASGN
• Calls package to send Add/Drop information
in XML to BB Vista server for Students and
Instructors
• Creates Webtailor role WEBCTBB
Immediate Update Errors
• If errors encountered in User/Enrollments,
sends email
• Types of errors:
– Section not loaded (new subject code – resolved)
– Special characters in name
– False errors
• Transaction stored in local table – can be
“replayed” with a script
Future Plans
• Bring Blackboard in-house early 2009
• Look at improving interfaces
• Exception reporting between Banner and
Blackboard databases
Banner to Blackboard
Integration via the Snapshot
Tool
Bob Hughes – North Orange County
CCD
3 Campuses, 4 Systems
• Cypress College – Blackboard Academic Suite
Release 8, hosted (ASP model)
• Fullerton College – Blackboard CE 6 (formerly
Vista), supported in-house by academic
computing
• School of Continuing Education – Moodle,
hosted in-house by academic computing
• District-Wide – Luminis Course Studio
Cypress – Snapshot update
• Additional purchase from Blackboard
• Provides a way to have frequent updates to
the Blackboard database from Banner
(although not real-time)
• Expensive – required a significant up-front
purchase, consulting engagement, and
ongoing maintenance contract
The Process in a nutshell
• Option to create either flat text files or XML
files from Banner to populate Blackboard
• 4 files needed: User, Course, Enrollment,
Assignment
• Pushed to a dedicated FTP server
• Files picked up by the Snapshot service on
their schedule
• After update, e-mail sent to report on errors,
results
Blackboard Database
Snapshot
Controller
FTP
server at
NOCCCD
IS
Help
Desk
Email
Assign,
Course,
Enroll,
User
files
Banner
Database
Timeline for Implementation
• April 27, 2007 – Documentation received
• May 3, 2007 – Technical kick-off,
• May, 2007 - Conference calls, filling out
workbook, coding
• June 5 – 7, 2007 – Consultants on-site
• June 15, 2007 – Go Live
Initially used Argos
Argos (cont.)
• Used the ‘Schedule and Delivery’ functionality
in Argos to send files to the FTP server as
needed
• Allowed for easy modification and
troubleshooting of SQL’s
• Oracle 10G Upgrade, Oracle OLEDB driver
update in August 2008 resulted in a
significant performance hit and stability
issues;
• Migrated to chrontab; now launching directly
from Oracle
The Course File
• Looks for ssbsect_schd_code = ’72’ or ‘HY’ or
course attribute code = ‘CB’
• Cross-list courses were a big challenge –
concatenate all cross-listings into a single
course
The User File
• Includes pidm, ID, encrypted PIN, name and
e-mail of students enrolled in a Blackboard
course
• Have to maintain prior term, current term
and (in some cases) future term
• First iteration contained only Blackboard
instructors; now includes all faculty for Staff
Development
• Takes 10 minutes to run; need to improve
this
The Enrollment File
• Very simple; lists the pidms of students with
the courses they are enrolled in
The Assignment File
• Also very simple; lists the pidms of
instructors with the courses they are teaching
Production Schedule
• 3 am, 5 am, 10 am, 12 noon, 3 pm, 5 pm for
data from current term, users
• 3 am, 3 pm for data from future term and
past term
• Snapshot controller runs at 4 am, 1 pm and 6
pm; can be run out of schedule to pick up
more current files
• Email from Snapshot process sent to a folder
at the helpdesk; shows status, errors from
each file processed
Recommendations
• Do all your work before the BB consultants
arrive on-site
• Watch out for password expirations on the
FTP server; must be coordinated with
Blackboard ASP
• Make sure the logs and snapshot e-mails are
monitored
• Manual additions in Blackboard can cause
problems
• Clarify the policy on cross-listed courses
Future Goals
• Standardize all colleges on a single Course
Management System
• Real time (or near real time) updates;
leverage LDAP
• SSO through myGateway Course Studio
• Tuesday 11 am Emerald Bay 3 – Luminis and
LMS Integration – SSO to Moodle at NOCCCD
– Adam Howard
Questions?
Bill Pearce
bpearce@vcccd.edu
Bob Hughes
rhughes@nocccd.edu