Procuring using the new Scottish VLE A new VLE at Procuring using the new Scottish VLE Framework Agreement

About GSA Small specialist arts institution 2500 students, 300 teaching staff TEL support: 4 members of staff (learning tech office) + additional .5 post for the new VLE project Rolling out new VLE September 2017 Institutional Profile TEL staff support all TEL and the library system, not solely supporting the VLE/LMS Only an additional .5 position has been funded – this is quite a challenge

WE WEREN’T LOOKING FOR A NEW VLE….

Drivers for a new VLE Lack of student satisfaction 30% satisfaction with the Blackboard system reported by students. Affecting NSS results Lack of staff uptake Largely repository use only Lack of Value pricing model prohibitive; extra charges for app, support, etc NSS Student Survey Resulse

APUC (Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges) Simultaneous National (Scottish) and GSA VLE procurement exercises – the two were rolled into one GSA as Vanguard (first to call off, first to implement) GSA-specific Testing factored into framework weighting framework contract for the provision of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) solutions and services to Scottish institutions by APUC (Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges) Limited, Establishing APUC in early 2007 was timely as it coincided with various changes to the EU procurement regulations, which have become significantly more bureaucratic and therefore resource-intensive. 

Typical Tender Procurement Process Form Procurement Team Develop Tender & Evaluation Criteria Pre Qualifications (PQQ) long list of suppliers Initial Evaluations of supplier responses Tender Briefing Meeting Issue Tender Supplier Shortlist Presentation visits Selection Negotiations of terms Contract Award or Framework Ranking Determined What a nightmare! AVOID AVOID AVOID!!!! No guarantee of getting what you want at the end of it all Word of advice offered to me at the start which I will pass on: Don’t do it if you don’t’ have to!

APUC: A national approach ADVANTAGE TO THE SECTOR: Streamlined approach to procurement (NO OJEU -  Official Journal of the European Union) Direct call off or mini-competition (e.g. Stirling) More competitive/better prices Leveraged position

SurveyMonkey SHORT – 4 questions, including open ended 94 respondents Summer of 2016 With 300 teaching staff this represents roughly a third of our VLE academic users so we were quite pleased with this turnout

Selecting The Testing Group

Criteria Commercial/ Technical ratio 30:70.   Technical Envelope – 70% Service Delivery 70% Sub-weightings Applied Compliance with Specification 8% Core VLE Functionality 9% Course Testing (Vanguard Institution) 10% Course Testing (Sector) 5% Integration and Extension Capabilities Access to Institution Data 2% Support and Maintenance Hosted Infrastructure Project Management of System Implementation 7% Innovation and Customer Leverage Key Personnel Service Performance Management & Escalation Phase Out and Exit Strategy 1% Sustainable Procurement Criteria Commercial/ Technical ratio 30:70. The 70% Technical weighting was evaluated using the following award criteria A

The Contenders Brightspace/D2L Blackboard Canvas ItsLearning Moodle This is the graphic I put together to entice students to join in the VLE testing. We also gave them £10 printer credit. We used the Student Association representatives. We have been in dialogue with the student association president from the outset so that news of this project and student involvement is in the forefront.

Evaluation Simple scoring by staff and student testing groups 3 – Good The software design was found to be highly intuitive and engaging. Most of the GSA TEP were able to perform the set tasks without using any help, or when help was used it was contextual, located rapidly and of very good or excellent quality. Most members of the testing group were highly engaged with the participation and collaboration tools built within the System and found it easy to link with external Systems. The System meets all requirements. 2 – Acceptable The software design is acceptable, with the core functions evident. Some were able to perform the set tasks in the testing environment without using help, and the contextual help was of a good standard. Most members of the testing group found the participation and collaboration tools built within the System to be acceptable, and were able to use integrated tools linking with external Systems. The System meets most requirements. 1 - Minor Concerns Most found the design to be basic and adequate. Most members of the testing group required help to perform the set tasks and found it to be of an acceptable standard. Integrated tools were available but most found them to provide limited access or engagement. The System meets some requirements. 0 - Major Concerns The Tenderer has failed to address the question, submitted a nil response or any element of the response gives cause for major concern. Simple scoring by staff and student testing groups Any of this documentation can be shared if anyone is interested

Implementation Plan

Training Schedule TEL Staff (US!) Academic Early Adopters Support Staff Ongoing summer workshops BLITZ August and September Targeted sessions by departments throughout year

Tips Remember that most training will be ‘just in time’ (e.g. September). Tier 1 support is crucial for this reason. Leave the dead wood - Start all courses from scratch if you can Use a Template Arrange workshops throughout the year on targeted, meaningful enhancements delivered to teams/subjects If Canvas: don’t get too hung up on terminology. Modules, Courses, Programmes… If you can avoid procurement, do so!

The Template

Starter Module 4 ‘Project’ stub modules Custom menu

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Contact us! Correy Murphy Digger Nutter Blended Learning Coordinator, GSA c.murphy@gsa.ac.uk Digger Nutter Tutor in Interior Design, Design School VLE Champion, GSA d.nutter@gsa.ac.uk We have a short amount of time to give you the overview of our project to date.