Preparing for Change

If you’re concerned about the possibility of a change in your LMS (from one version to the next or from one vendor to another), here's what I would suggest. As you create or modify your course materials, use SoftChalk (content pages, inline quizzes, pop-up glossary/definitions, sidebars, crossword puzzles and more), Respondus (assessments), or StudyMate (educational games). Each of these applications enable you to easily import content into any of the more common LMS products.

As an example, SoftChalk is an easy to use web page authoring system (operates very much like Microsoft Word). It enables you to "package" content (e.g. multiple web/html pages) which can then be imported into Blackboard CE or Angel or Desire2Learn. Once imported, you can unzip the packages file and organize the pages to offer course content. SoftChalk enables you to add features to a web page that you normally could not include without programming skills. SoftChalk requires no programming skills.

There's online training available for SoftChalk (http://www.softchalk.com/lb_demo.html) and JCCC has a site license which enables our faculty to install the software on any home or office computer as long as you're employed by the college (available at https://acsdb.jccc.net/softwaretracker/ with your JCCC log-in, the same site that gives JCCC faculty access to Respondus and StudyMate). Further, your ETC Designer (JCCC faculty members only) can assist you as needed.

So, if you’re concerned about LMS changes in the future, move your content to SoftChalk, Respondus and StudyMate. You’ll be able to easily improve the design of your course materials and prepare for any eventuality.