when blackboard goes bigtime: centralizing support, unifying the message
DESCRIPTION
Presented at Bb World Conference 2006. Co-Presenter: Lori Mathis (UNC) One small private university and one large state school will discuss how they have moved faculty Blackboard support to the central university help desk. We will discuss how partnering, advanced planning, good training and solid second-tier support are crucial to making this transition smooth for faculty and support folks alike.TRANSCRIPT
When BB Goes BigtimeCentralizing Support, Unifying the
Message
UNC-Chapel Hill: The Basic Stats
2500+ courses each semester9,000 – 12,000 unique users each day
Used in all schools
History
Courses Available in Bb
24 62369 474
740 8201015 1078
15901775
2028 2064
2535
0
500
1000
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2500
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Fal
l 199
9
Spr
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2000
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2001
Fal
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1
Spr
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2002
Fal
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Spr
ing
2003
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Spr
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2004
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Spr
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2005
Fal
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Most popular uses
Post course materials &readings
Send email
Post grades
Past support model
IT ResponseCenter
CIT
Students Faculty/Staff
Schools/departments
Faculty/StaffBb
company
Current support model
Faculty/Staff Bb company
IT ResponseCenter
CIT
Students Faculty/Staff
Schools/departments
CIT involvement with help requests
Opening Semester Weeks 1-3
Spring 2006
12%
CIT & ITRC
ITRC
458 requests
Fall Fall
How did we do it?Key #1—Planning
Dec 2004
Announced transition toIT staff in
schools/depts
Feb 2005
Mention transitionto faculty who
contact us directly
Mar 2005
Post announcement to Blackboard.unc.eduNews site/log in page
Include announcement in personal voicemail
Auto-responder for email
requests
Mention transitionto faculty who
contact us directly
October 2004
Discussed transition with
ITRC and established their buy-in
Apr 2005
Posted transition reminder on login page
Transition: 4/11
Calls forwarded to ITRC
Updated auto-responder for email requests
Updated personalvoicemail
Referred faculty who contactus directly to ITRC
Post-transition
Disconnectedphone, with msg
referring toITRC's number
Auto-responder
Personal voicemail
Refer faculty who contactus directly to ITRC
Key #2—Keep it Personalwithout identifying a Bb go-to person
– Central help request system– Shared email boxes– Shared phone number
Resources
Key #3—Building Trust among Support Staff
– Long-term relationships– Training– Agreement for admin access– Visit each other’s locations– Instant messaging– Backing each other up in client cases
Resources
Key # 4—Multiple Help Options
http://help.unc.edu/?id=5264
Key #5—Communicate Once, Receive Many Ways
http://www.unc.edu/cit/bb/bbnews
Feedback
• Process went smoothly• No large red flags in faculty feedback
However• Some individual cases drop through the cracks• Concerns over self-help options
Wake Forest University• BB Campus since 1998• Undergrad, Graduate, MBA and Law
all on our installation• Roughly 7000 users• Currently 300+ active classes per
semester (and lots of non-course classes)
• LS Only (Enterprise) running on Linux • BB 6.3 (as of December 2005)
Current BB Support at WFU
• Primary training and support rests with the Library
• Central Help Desk manages course copy, course delete and password issues
• Departmental Instructional Technology folks (ITGs) do some (irregular) support
• Support primarily via email and phone (listserv gets some use)
Upcoming Integration
• Spring 06 we will be integrating Banner with Blackboard
• Summer I will be first semester for automatically generated courses and enrollment management
• Use will increase (100% or more??)• Necessitates revision in support
structure
New Support Model
• Shared support responsibility between main Help Desk and ITGs (Law and MBA have their own support people).
• Backup support offered to these groups by library staff
• Library continues to provide training• To be in place by August 2006
How Are We Getting There?• Got approval for moving support to Help
Desk and ITGs from Help Desk manager and Dean.
• Created bbsupport listserv for ALL support people (including sys admin)
• Schedule of monthly classes for support people January – August
• Training on Course Administrator role planned for the summer
• Posting support docs on the Faculty Support web page (open to all).
Our Timeline• August 2005 got approval from the Dean (for
ITG support)• September 2005 got approval from Help Desk • September-October worked with Project team
to put a plan in place• December had first BB Support meeting• January 2006 – August 2006 Monthly Meetings• August 2006 support will switch completely• Then a miracle happens
How are we doing so far? • B-• Great enthusiasm from the Help Desk• Resistance (not open) from the ITGs • Moderate support from the Dean • No good knowledge base in place
currently for us to use• Will spend summer improving
documentation
Our Advice to Others
• As much as possible do this from the top down
• Get the approval from the necessary folks in writing EARLY on
• Encourage open discussions of issues • Manage expectations• Make use of a knowledge base if you
can
