The contract between UH and D2L for our new LMS (Brightspace) has been finalized and signed, which means some specific details have now become available. Here are some highlights…
Implementation Timeline
- Summer 2024: Sandbox environment of Brightspace open to all faculty, introductory training videos available for faculty & students; voluntary cohort of summer session II classes (up to 100 courses) offered in LMS as pilot
- Fall 2024: Content migrated from Laulima to Brightspace in preparation for Spring 2025 classes; training offered; Spring 2025 course shells open for development
- Spring 2025: All UHCC courses offered in Brightspace
Access to the new LMS
There are two options available for gaining access to the LMS as early as this summer*:
- Explore the New LMS ASAP: A sandbox environment will be available to everyone during Summer 2024, which means you can begin experimenting with features well in advance of Spring 2025, when our cohort fully implements the new LMS. Introductory training videos for faculty & students will be available at this point, though training programs will likely begin in Fall 2024.
- Teach in the New LMS ASAP: If you are teaching in Summer Session II 2024 and would like to utilize the new LMS for your classes, you can sign up for the pilot. Please note that you do NOT need to participate in the pilot to get access to Brightpsace during the summer – the pilot is only for individuals who actually want to teach their summer session II courses in the new LMS and provide feedback that will aid in system-wide rollout in future semesters. There will be a note in STAR that your course is being taught in Brightspace and faculty and students will be expected to provide feedback on their experience.Ā Up to 100 courses system-wide will be eligible for participation in the pilot. If you are interested, complete and submit the expression of interest form ASAP, as participation will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
*Faculty will not be required to complete training or develop content in the new LMS during the summer.
Training and Support
Instructional designers are collaborating system-wide, and training will be available during Fall 2024 (all LMS training is currently in the early stages of development as instructional designers and ITS staff do not yet have access to Brightspace – info. will be disseminated once plans are finalized).
Once faculty have CRNs for Spring 2025, an application will be made available for you to identify content to be migrated from Laulima into Brightspace. Batch migration will be done by UH ITS. Faculty will also have the option of not migrating content and building directly within Brightspace. (More information to come from the UH system on this as we near this point in the implementation timeline.)
Naming the LMS
Laulima is the unique name given to the Sakai LMS for the University of HawaiŹ»i.Ā As we transition to Brightspace by D2L, the UH system invites suggestions for our version of Brightspace. Anyone wishing to propose a name for the new LMS can submit suggestions here (deadline: March 31).
Additional Information
There are many details still being worked out at the system level. Kapiāolani CC instructional designers have created an LMS FAQ document that is being kept current as information is made available. This is housed on the Development page of the Aāo at Kapiāolani website.
Additional information can be found on the Discover Brightspace: Your Guide to D2L Brightspace at UH webpage.
āPlease address questions or comments to UHOnline (uhdl@hawaii.edu).