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The Learning Management System (LMS) is not only a crucial tool for the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) but also a cornerstone of educational institutions. It serves as the backbone of academic operations, enabling seamless coordination and delivery of courses across disciplines and programs.
Through content management, assessment creation, and student engagement, the LMS empowers faculty to design dynamic learning experiences tailored to individual learners. Additionally, it fosters collaboration and community-building among students, facilitating discussion forums, group projects, and peer-to-peer interactions essential for holistic learning outcomes.
Celebrating UFV's 50th anniversary, we honor our rich history while paving the way for future generations. As we work together to redefine and optimize UFV's educational experience, this initiative aligns with our ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence.
LMS initiative
Background and goal
The goal of the Learning Management System (LMS) initiative is to optimize the educational experience within our university. The LMS serves as a centralized platform that facilitates the delivery of courses, the management of educational resources, and communication between faculty members and students.
Transition to the cloud
In 2020, UFV’s Learning Management System transitioned to the cloud.
In 2022, UFV adopted Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation, introducing a new navigation experience within the Blackboard environment. However, the courses remained in their original environment.
Planned upgrade to Ultra courses
As a final step, all courses were slated for an upgrade to Ultra courses in the summer of 2023. This transition would have meant migrating all courses to a new course environment.
After careful consideration, it was determined that the effort required for course migration and faculty training would be equivalent to moving to an entirely new LMS.
Review of the LMS
Given the rapid pace of technological change, we recognized this as an opportune moment to conduct an LMS review, the first since 2009.
The LMS review was approved by the Educational Technology Governance Committee (ETGC) in February 2023 with the project timeline.
Focus group feedback
The first phase of the project consisted of requirements gathering. This phase involved collecting criteria through feedback from focus groups, which included both faculty and students, and was completed in 2023.
24
faculty members
from 7 schools
20
students
from 5 schools
What's next?
Roadmap and timeline
Phase 1: requirements gathering
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Collecting criteria through feedback from the focus groups (faculty and students) Completed: 2023
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Request for Proposals sent out to LMS vendor Completed: Mar 4, 2023
Phase 2: vendor demos
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Evaluate Negotiated Request for Proposals (NRFP) responses and select top 3 LMS vendors Completed: April 2024
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Preparing demo scripts for vendors and communicate demo attendance with the focus groups Completed: March/April 2024
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Vendor script/briefing — Host vendor briefing sessions to provide an overview of the project, demos with their technical team for admin, faculty and students Completed: March/April 2024
Phase 3: vendor selection (current)
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Evaluate vendor proposals based on predefined criteria, including functionality, technical specifications, implementation plan, and cost through feedback from the focus groups June 2024
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Provide a recommendation for vendor selection based on a thorough evaluation of proposals and feedback from the focus groups to ETGC and Provost & Senate July/August 2024
Phase 4: contract finalization
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Finalize terms and conditions with the selected vendor to ensure a smooth implementation September/October 2024
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Collaborate with the selected vendor to create a detailed project plan, including timelines, milestones, and resource requirements October/November 2024
Phase 5: implementation planning
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Develop a comprehensive training plan for faculty, staff, and administrators. Start UFV training and TLC support sessions November/December 2024
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Complete integrations and course migrations with the new LMS January/March 2025
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Communicate and promote the new LMS to UFV March/April 2025
Phase 6: launch
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Full launch of the new LMS Summer 2025
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Facilitate feedback sessions with end-users to gather input on the LMS implementation Summer 2025
How will this project affect you?
Navigating the transition together
ITS
TLC
Faculty & students
Maximized support for excellence and innovation in Teaching & Learning
Who is involved?
Information Technology Services (ITS): focuses on the technical aspects of the LMS, such as maintaining the infrastructure, ensuring system security, and providing technical support.
Teaching and Learning (TLC): focuses on the pedagogical aspects of the LMS, including course design, educational resources, and support for teaching methods.
Faculty & Students: are the end-users of the LMS, including professors, instructors, and students. Their needs include user-friendly interfaces, accessible content, and reliable communication tools.
Outcome: the collaboration between the two departments aims to provide comprehensive and optimized support for the LMS initiative, addressing both technical and educational needs and ensuring a smooth user experience for faculty and students.
Our commitment to success
Information Technology Services (ITS) and Teaching and Learning (TLC) are fully committed to the successful migration of all courses and the effective adoption and utilization of the new LMS.
All the courses will be migrated over to the new LMS by the project team in collaboration with the instructors and TLC. After the migration, we kindly ask instructors to do a quick review and minor cleanup of their courses to ensure everything is in order before making them available to students. Our team will provide guidance and support to help with this process.
Recognizing that each faculty member may have unique needs and concerns, one-on-one support is always available — now, during the migration, and after the migration.
Connect with asktlc@ufv.ca for personalized help with the LMS.
Questions?
Get in touch
Stay up to date
Bookmark this page and check in regularly to learn about the latest developments. Here, you can track the progress of the project and stay informed about any updates or changes.
Contact us
Do you have questions or wish to provide feedback on the project? Email us at LMSreviewteam@ufv.ca. We value your input and are here to assist you throughout the process.