September 2009 Archives

David Ernst, Academic and Information Technology Director for CEHD sent out this email last week to the academic community requesting feedback on course management systems at the U. I know many faculty have had experiences with both systems (WebVista and Moodle) and have opinions- positive and negative- that would be helpful to the university as they evaluate these systems and make recommendations for future systems. Please view the email below with links to more information and a survey to provide your own feedback!

Original Message Sent Via Email 8/26/09

CEHD Community,

The University's Office of Information Technology is in the process of collecting feedback on the use of course management systems (e.g., WebVista, Moodle) in order to help guide decisions about the future of course management systems at the University of Minnesota. Please see below for OIT's invitation to learn and give feedback about course management system usage:

                                                                             

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The Office of Information Technology has created a survey and

information site as part of a broader effort to engage University of

Minnesota students, faculty, and staff in an exploration of our future

use of Course Management Systems (CMS).

This site brings together information about current CMS use and

compares features between WebVista and Moodle. We hope this data will

help facilitate a system-wide dialogue about future CMS options.

After reviewing the CMS information site, found at:

http://www.oit.umn.edu/cms-search

we invite you to discuss this topic with your colleagues, and then

share your thoughts about future CMS use by completing a short survey

that can be accessed from the CMS Information site, or by going

directly to the survey at:

https://umsurvey.umn.edu/index.php?sid=95134&lang=um

I hope everyone has received the email from the Provost talking about planning around absentees around the H1N1 flu virus. I wanted to make sure everyone was aware of the section discussing planning for student absenteeism and how technology can assist students, TAs or faculty absent for an extended period of time from class.

Here is the original link sent by the Provost: http://www1.umn.edu/prepared/ahc_prepared/flu/faculty.html

I would like to emphasize the sections on Planning Early as well as Technology Integration (also, please plan early if you decide to utilize the technology options).

In addition to utilizing your online WebVista and Moodle course sites for uploading and linking to notes, articles and PPTs., you might also think about considering UMConnect, Google Apps and Skype for setting up online, real time communication for students (you can also do some of these things inside Webvista and Moodle). You can find more information about these applications here (http://sites.google.com/site/umnedpsyitf/tools-for-instruction) and I will try to upload any help documents and links that I come across to inform you. Please send me an email if there are options that are appealing to you. In addition, we can also create online forums for students to share information with each other in the form of taking notes for absent students and posting online.

If any of the above options interest you let me know and we can get working on it should the need arrive. I will need a minimum of 3 days notice (not including Sunday) to setup any of these options so please try to anticipate and plan early if possible. Your patience and flexibility is always appreciated.

Should you be absent from the university and need to meet with me during my office hours. I have a UMConnect Room that will be open when I am at my desk (view office hours): https://umconnect.umn.edu/edpsyitfofficehours/

I'm also available via the following online chat options

Jabber: edpsyitf@jabber.umn.edu (what is Jabber?)

Skype: available to faculty, staff and TAs by email request (what is Skype?- a Voice over Internet Protocol-VOIP software allowing you to chat through text, audio and video, share files and communicate with others from your computer and/or iPhone. You can also make cheap calls to landline and cell phones locally and abroad very easily)