Learning Management Systems

Ashford U and University of the Rockies Complete LMS Migration

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 01/22/10

Bridgepoint Education, parent company of Ashford University and University of the Rockies, has finished its migration to a new learning management system from Pearson. The two institutions, which have physical campuses and online courses, were previously using Blackboard. The migration to LearningStudio, formerly known as eCollege, has been in process since Oct. 1, 2009.

LearningStudio is a learning management system that comes in three flavors: Campus Edition for face-to-face courses and blended learning environments; Blended Edition for institutions that mix in-person with online courses; and Online Edition. The Campus Edition includes modules for setting up the learning environment, creating tests and assignments, collaborating and communicating, and administering the system. The Online Edition also includes tools for assessment and analytics and support.

"Because Bridgepoint Education is committed to continuous improvement, we are extremely pleased to provide our students ... with an enhanced student experience," said Jane McAuliffe, chief academic officer of Bridgepoint Education. "From an academic perspective, we believe the Pearson eCollege platform and services will best serve our student population in 2010 and beyond."

"The great thing about this learning management transition is that it was a collaborative effort between Bridgepoint's technology and academic departments," said Tom Ashbrook, CIO Bridgepoint. "We made the transition with minimal disruption and had a quick ramp-up period. Now our students are realizing the benefits of a fully functional online learning platform that provides them with an enhanced educational experience."