Professor Peter Mcgeorge, Chair of the VLE Review and Implementation Project and Vice-Principal Learning & Teaching
The VLE Review and Implementation Project Board has decided that the University of Aberdeen will continue its contract with Blackboard International as provider of our institutional VLE for a further three years.
The Board made this decision following survey feedback from staff and students, demonstrations from market leaders in VLE solutions and a sector-wide procurement process which resulted in Blackboard as the first ranked contractor in the Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC) Framework for the Supply of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Solutions and Associated Services in Scotland. The latter has delivered significant cost savings to the University which it will invest in the move to Learn Ultra.
Blackboard’s new flagship VLE, Learn Ultra, has been designed to provide a more intuitive and mobile-friendly user interface, and a personalised user experience. The move to Learn Ultra will help to support transformational change in the way in which we deliver eLearning, both for on campus and fully online students, in line with the University’s Digital Strategy. The first stage will be to move our existing VLE, Learn 9.1 (MyAberdeen) to Blackboard’s Software as a Service model, which will happen in late December 2017. The plan is to then move courses to Ultra over summer 2018 after consultation with Schools, and with support provided to staff.
Two information sessions have been arranged to enable staff to find out more and to inform the University’s vision for transformational change in eLearning, one on Thursday 28 September in MR613 and the other on Friday 29 September in IMS Level 7.
To book go to course booking. A separate communication will be sent to staff who use the bespoke VLEs in the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition. Information to students will be circulated through internal mechanisms and AUSA.
Professor Peter Mcgeorge
Chair of the VLE Review and Implementation Project
Vice-Principal Learning & Teaching