Help choose Carleton’s New Learning Management System

To All Members of the Carleton Community,

Carleton University’s Learning Management System (LMS), cuLearn, is changing in 2021.

After a review of the LMS, it was determined that it was not meeting the university’s current and future needs. We considered other options to best meet the future requirements of our faculty, students and staff.

Following broad consultation with the campus community throughout 2019, requirements were developed for a Request for Proposal (RFP), which was issued in November. The university did not receive a proposal from any service provider that offered a Moodle solution, on which our current LMS is based. As a result of the RFP process, three vendors – Blackboard (Learn Ultra), Instructure (Canvas), and D2L (Brightspace) – were shortlisted.

This means Carleton will adopt a new LMS in 2021, with a limited pilot in the winter 2021 term and full adoption in the summer 2021 term.

We need your help to make the final decision on Carleton’s new LMS. All students, faculty and staff will have a variety of opportunities to engage with each of the products. You can participate in these ways:

1. Participate in in-person “Sandbox” sessions: Teaching and Learning Services is hosting a number of two-hour sessions starting on Jan. 21 until Feb. 7 where you will be able to experience each of the three shortlisted vendors. For these sessions, you will need to bring your own laptop or tablet to participate. Register online for one or more of these sessions.
2. Participate in an online “Sandbox”: If you cannot attend an in-person session, each of the three vendors has provided a special link to their Learning Management System for online sandbox experiences. If you wish to participate, complete the “Online Sandbox” form.
3. Volunteer  to be an Evaluator: Becoming an LMS vendor evaluator requires you to commit to the following:

• Attend at least one sandbox session and
•  Attend all three vendor presentations. These vendor presentations are during Winter Break: Feb. 18, 20 and 21 (1 to 4 p.m.; all three days). You need to attend all three days to ensure a fair evaluation. If you wish to participate, complete the Evaluator Volunteer form.

Your feedback will help inform the final decision about which new LMS Carleton will choose. We encourage you to participate in whatever way you can. Your input is important and will be included as we evaluate the new LMS.

We will continue to keep the campus community updated as the project unfolds.

For more details about the LMS project, please visit: carleton.ca/culearnsupport/lms-review/

Sincerely,

Jerry Tomberlin, Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
David Hornsby, Associate Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)