McMaster launches new Learning Management System

The Learning Technologies Resource Centre (LTRC) is launching McMaster's new Learning Management System.

Dubbed ELM (E-Learn@Mac), McMaster's new environment is based on Blackboard's learning system, Vista Enterprise, and is integrated within Blackboard's Community and Content Systems.

The LTRC is calling for volunteers to pilot their spring and summer courses on ELM as well as volunteers to test and push the system to its limits. These pilot programs are essential and will allow the LTRC to fine tune the system for September 2009.

“We are excited about the roll-out of ELM,” says Ilene Busch-Vishniac, provost and vice-president (academic). “This launch opens a new door for McMaster not only with respect to offering substantially more online options for faculty and students, but also with respect to future innovations in teaching and learning”

While the first priority is moving courses and users from WebCT to ELM, future opportunities for innovations will occur with other feature roll-outs such as ePortfolios, communities of practice, collaborative tools, object repository, and integrations with the Registrar's office data, MacLive, iTunesU, TurnitIn, and Library tools.

“The staff in LTRC have done an exemplary job of bringing an enterprise-wide system to McMaster within internationally recognized benchmarked time lines, and they will continue to provide excellent service to faculty, staff, and students.” says Peter Smith, associate vice-president (academic).

Invitations to faculty and teaching support staff for the April 8 kickoff and information session are being sent today. More information on the ELM roll-out and call for pilot participants can be found at: http://www.ltrc.mcmaster.ca/elm/launch/index.php.