July 2010
Special report: Making the Switch
Are you itching to ditch your legacy SIS? Do you dream about a new LMS that actually might meet your school’s needs?
And even so, are you letting that old adage—“Don’t change horses in midstream”—rein in what every neuron is telling you to do? Or maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed by the number of new complicated products on the market.
Caution is understandable. Switching from one data-intensive system to another is just about the toughest job an IT team faces.
But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Campus Technology found examples of institutions that took a long, hard look at their current systems, decided that change was the best recourse, and then putin place a selection and transition process that helped them move seamlessly (well, mostly)from one system to the next.
In this special report, CT looks at the issues involved in switching enterprise systems. Wetalk to three schools that worked through the process of changing student information systems—what led them to take the plunge and how they managed the transition process.
We also look at three campuses that outgrew their learning management systems, to find out how they determined which LMS was the right one for their institution.
No one says it was easy—but they all show that it can be done.
Making the Switch
Divorcing one student information system and hooking up with another can be a living hell. But if the right plan is in place, the transition—even with the inevitable glitches—can go surprisingly smoothly.
By Matt Villano
Making the Switch
With so many products on the market—boasting an ever-increasing menu of features—there are myriad factors that go into choosing a new learning management system. How well the LMS supports your school’s overall mission should be one of them.
By Dian Schaffhauser
Online Education
The hybrid approach to learning has benefited both from the trials of early pioneers and the technological advances of recent years.
By Jennifer Demski
IT Leadership
How mentoring can serve as a cornerstone for your IT department’s succession plan.
By Bridget McCrea
Networking
There may be idle wireless spectrum on your campus that could be utilized for broadband.
By Wendy Chretien
Login
Education publishers are seeing the writing on the wall for digital content. Are you?
By Geoffrey H. Fletcher
Trendspotter
An increase in higher ed IT job postings may be good news for job seekers.
