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We know that change can be intimidating, but in the field of education this is a constant part of the process we should embrace as exciting.
Adapting and learning an upgrade to a system involves more than training seminars or reading tutorials. Every time you get a new phone, you have gone through the learning process of adapting to changes in technology. This is the same process! So, what should your first most important focus be?
Dr. Rik Bair, Associate Dean of Distance Learning Institute and few of our UOnline faculty offer advise on managing the change.
Dr.
Rik Bair has been
online since 2001 and involved in four LMS system changes and suggests:
Engage With the New Version Often, Repeatedly
Try out the new features and changes often until you are comfortable performing them in your course. Your learning curve will be shorter and the transition smoother, as well. Remember, changes in an upgrade are meant to make the learning process better for you and the students.
In this case a major upgrade in Blackboard is the mobile friendly upgrade that the students are going to be very excited about. Students will be excited to be able to access your course on any device, anywhere they are at the moment. You need to embrace this as well!
Leave Until Later
On the other side of the coin, something you can put off learning right away are the technical aspects like weighting grades in the grade book.
Let the Distance Learning team help you handle those types of processes since they can make changes quickly for you. This will allow you to focus more on the teaching changes, while the designers will focus on the behind-the-scenes details for you.
Ronaldo Montmann Lecturer with the UOnline Healthcare Science Program recommends:
Learn the Navigation - Progressively
Migrating to a new Learning Management System can be challenging. LMS provides various tools and functions, and most of them are readily available in the vertical navigation bar. Time spent learning about each of the menu options available is time well invested.
Being Present and Accessible
Understanding how the new communication features work will benefit you as well as students. Learn how to create and maximize announcements first so you can be accessible to your students.
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