We are moving to Moodle! Moodle will replace Blackboard, which will be retired at the end of the 2012-2013 academic year. A phased transition to Moodle will begin immediately. This decision is the result of a year-long evaluation of both products, the results of which position Moodle as a better tool for Butler. Evaluation participants included more than 40 faculty and staff members in each college and more than 1,000 students working under the guidance of the Information Management Council (IMC), which served as the executive steering committee. The President’s Cabinet approved the collective recommendation to adopt Moodle.
The Center for Academic Technology in Information Technology will lead the implementation of Moodle and the associated campus conversion process. They will ensure that all faculty members have appropriate support to begin moving courses from Blackboard to Moodle and will provide in-class training if your instructor requests it. During this period of transition, both Blackboard and Moodle will be available, and you might use both systems. Beginning the first summer session in 2013, we will return to a single system. If you are unfamiliar with Moodle, you can get help and individual support through the Information Commons program located in the lower level of Jordan Hall or in the University Library and at the Information Technology Help Desk located in the Holcomb building.
We extend our thanks to the many students who participated in the evaluation and the other individuals who invested a significant amount of time in this evaluation. These include the members of the Information Management Council — Chair Lewis Miller, Beth Alexander, Priscilla Arling, Scott Bridge, Lisa Farley, Michelle Jarvis, Scott Kincaid, Stuart Glennan, Amy Peak, Chris Potts and Josh Rattray — and the faculty and staff Moodle pilot participants — Craig Auchter, Adam Azman, Julie Barrett, Tim Brimmer, Chris Bungard, Terri Carney, Robert Dale, Penny Dimmick, Lacey Echols, Kathie Freed, Stuart Glennan, Jason Goldsmith, Jennifer Griggs, Cathy Hargrove, Allison Harthcock, Karen Holmes, Brooke Kandel, Joe Kirsch, Shannon Lieb, James McGrath, LuAnne McNulty, Elizabeth Mix, Susan Morton, Catherine Pangan, Scott Pfitzinger, Chris Potts, John Ramsbottom, Josh Rattray, Carriann Richey-Smith, Steve Schubert, Jennifer Snyder, Michelle Stigter, Robin Turner and Jennifer Zorn. We also wish to thank the Information Technology technical team — Deryl Botta, Eric Esterline, Rob Hartman, Nate Partenheimer, Kenton Smith, Craig Stanley, Tamra Thomas and Julianne Miranda, who served as project lead.
