Background and Rationale
In 2008, Western Oregon University adopted Moodle as its primary learning management system (LMS), discontinuing the LMS we’d been using for the previous ten years, WebCT, not long after. While Moodle has served us fairly well, ten years is a long time to go without a systematic review, especially considering all the changes in the online education landscape during this time and the school’s increasing reliance on this technology to deliver high-quality instruction.
To determine whether any changes should be made, not just to our LMS but to how we support it, WOU has commenced a regular systematic LMS review process, starting now and to happen once every five years, with these clearly defined outcomes:
- Stay with our current LMS
- Make a change to a new LMS
- Make recommendations on better ways to support our LMS
Finally, the LMS is so central to our mission that the process should be as open, thorough and as inclusive as possible. Updates regarding the LMS Review will be communicated via a public website dedicated to the process.
The Process
Beginning in the spring of 2019, WOU will review the University’s learning management system (LMS). LMS reviews are slated to occur once every five years. The 2019 review will consist of the following components:
- Moodle 3.5/LMS support satisfaction survey;
- Comprehensive literature review and market analysis that will inform selection of LMSs for piloting;
- Vendor campus demo visits;
- Implementation of comprehensive pilot of at least two potential new LMSs
- Pilot participant surveys and focus group feedback;
- Scoring of technical criteria (accessibility, security, integrations, etc);
- LMS Review Team deliberation on any recommended changes. The LMS Review Team will consist of a mix of students, faculty, and staff, as suggested by the University Technology Advisory Committee (UTAC);
- Recommendations presented to UTAC, which will then vote on whether to pass these recommendations on to the University Council.