Monday, October 6 th , 2:30 pm Distance Learning CMS Integration Bill Pearce – Ventura County CCD

1. Monday, October 6th, 2:30 pm Distance Learning CMS Integration Bill Pearce – Ventura County CCD Bob Hughes – North Orange County CCD

2. Blackboard Vista Interface Bill Pearce – Ventura County CCD

3. Batch Interface • SQL*Plus script run by a shell script every morning at 3:00 am (Banner web is down) • Runs for two terms, new courses, sections only (includes enrollments and crosslists) • Creates .csv files, SCP’ed to Blackboard ASP server • Process at Blackboard checks for files every 5 minutes • Email sent from process and from Blackboard

6. Batch Interface LCS File (courses, sections, crosslists) Sections identified by Integration partner (WebCT type) in SSASECT Create SCRATTR (first time for course) and SSRATTR attribute VSTA to indicate upload Crosslist group: Uploaded if all sections are WebCT Tagged in local table GZRJOBH if uploaded

7. Batch Interface Crosslist “enrollments” Uploaded if all sections are WebCT Checks GZRJOBH for prior load Users Instructors and Students Loads all users when CRN is first loaded Creates Webtailor role WEBCTBB for Webstar SSO Subsequent users sent via database trigger and XML

8. Batch Interface Student/Instructor Enrollments Loads all enrollments when CRN is first loaded Subsequent enrollments sent via database trigger and XML Includes Waitlisted students Student drops Not included in batch interface Sent via database trigger and XML

9. Batch Interface End of process: Inserts SCRATTR (entire set) and SSRATTR VSTA attribute Inserts marker in GZRJOBH for crosslist group Script is run manually in TEST database, and uploads to test Blackboard server

10. “Manual” Crosslists SQL*Plus scripts (thru job submission) Enter manual crosslist group code Select multiple CRNs Error checking: All CRNs must be WebCT Code cannot be used before (stored in GZRJOBH) No CRN can be in a Banner crosslist Also have script to add/delete CRNs from existing manual crosslist group Separate shell script SCP’s file for next scheduled process (BB checks every 5 minutes.)

11. Data Formats Colleges (Divisions): Unique ID = M, V, or R Title = College Name (example, “Moorpark College”) Subject Codes (Groups): Unique ID = SUBJ.M, SUBJ.V, SUBJ.R (example, MATH.M) Title = SUBJ – Subject Name – College Name (example, “MATH – Mathematics – Moorpark College”)

12. Data Formats Courses: Unique ID = SUBJ.CRSE (example, MATH.M01) Title = SUBJ CRSE – Course Title (example, “MATH M01 – Elementary Algebra”) Sections: Unique ID = TERM.CRN (example, 200707.71823) NOTE: This is backwards for My Courses SSO to Luminis – changing in Spring 2009 Title = Term Desc - SUBJ CRSE – CRN – Section Title (example, “Fall 2007 – MATH M01 – 71823 – Elementary Algebra”)

13. Data Formats Crosslists: Unique ID = TERM.XLCODE (example, 200707.1A) Title = TERM Crosslisted CRN1-SUBJ.CRSE, CRN2–SUBJ.CRSE, … (example “200707 Crosslisted 70123–POLS.V12, 72615–ESRM.V03”)

14. MyVCCCD (Luminis) SSO Only Faculty have access currently Logon link from “Work Life” Tab My Courses won’t go directly to course until Spring 2009 (CRN/Term backwards) Direct logon from My Courses if problems

18. Pseudo SSO via Banner SSB Needed for students, faculty transition to MyVCCCD Uses secret code – PIN synch not an issue Link is on main menu, Student Services, and Faculty Services Auto logon from WebStar (Banner SSB) Had to switch from SPRIDEN ID to third-party ID when Luminis implemented – no longer allow direct logon to Blackboard Based on Webtailor role WEBCTBB

20. PIN Reset Methodology

22. Immediate User Update Database trigger on GOBTPAC Calls package to send User information in XML to BB Vista server Uses secret code, Oracle Wallet Sends Information if: Instructor assigned to WebCT section Student registered in WebCT section PIN is not expired PIN is not DOB Creates Webtailor role WEBCTBB

23. Immediate Enrollment Update Database triggers on SFRSTCR, SIRASGN Calls package to send Add/Drop information in XML to BB Vista server for Students and Instructors Creates Webtailor role WEBCTBB

24. Immediate Update Errors If errors encountered in User/Enrollments, sends email Types of errors: Section not loaded (new subject code – resolved) Special characters in name False errors Transaction stored in local table – can be “replayed” with a script

26. Future Plans • Bring Blackboard in-house early 2009 • Look at improving interfaces • Exception reporting between Banner and Blackboard databases

27. Banner to Blackboard Integration via the Snapshot Tool Bob Hughes – North Orange County CCD

28. 3 Campuses, 4 Systems • Cypress College – Blackboard Academic Suite Release 8, hosted (ASP model) • Fullerton College – Blackboard CE 6 (formerly Vista), supported in-house by academic computing • School of Continuing Education – Moodle, hosted in-house by academic computing • District-Wide – Luminis Course Studio

29. Cypress – Snapshot update • Additional purchase from Blackboard • Provides a way to have frequent updates to the Blackboard database from Banner (although not real-time) • Expensive – required a significant up-front purchase, consulting engagement, and ongoing maintenance contract

30. The Process in a nutshell • Option to create either flat text files or XML files from Banner to populate Blackboard • 4 files needed: User, Course, Enrollment, Assignment • Pushed to a dedicated FTP server • Files picked up by the Snapshot service on their schedule • After update, e-mail sent to report on errors, results

31. Blackboard Database Assign, Course, Enroll, User files Banner Database Snapshot Controller FTP server at NOCCCD IS Help Desk Email

32. Timeline for Implementation • April 27, 2007 – Documentation received • May 3, 2007 – Technical kick-off, • May, 2007 - Conference calls, filling out workbook, coding • June 5 – 7, 2007 – Consultants on-site • June 15, 2007 – Go Live

33. Initially used Argos

34. Argos (cont.) • Used the ‘Schedule and Delivery’ functionality in Argos to send files to the FTP server as needed • Allowed for easy modification and troubleshooting of SQL’s • Oracle 10G Upgrade, Oracle OLEDB driver update in August 2008 resulted in a significant performance hit and stability issues; • Migrated to chrontab; now launching directly from Oracle

35. The Course File • Looks for ssbsect_schd_code = ’72’ or ‘HY’ or course attribute code = ‘CB’ • Cross-list courses were a big challenge – concatenate all cross-listings into a single course

36. The User File • Includes pidm, ID, encrypted PIN, name and e-mail of students enrolled in a Blackboard course • Have to maintain prior term, current term and (in some cases) future term • First iteration contained only Blackboard instructors; now includes all faculty for Staff Development • Takes 10 minutes to run; need to improve this

37. The Enrollment File • Very simple; lists the pidms of students with the courses they are enrolled in

38. The Assignment File • Also very simple; lists the pidms of instructors with the courses they are teaching

39. Production Schedule • 3 am, 5 am, 10 am, 12 noon, 3 pm, 5 pm for data from current term, users • 3 am, 3 pm for data from future term and past term • Snapshot controller runs at 4 am, 1 pm and 6 pm; can be run out of schedule to pick up more current files • Email from Snapshot process sent to a folder at the helpdesk; shows status, errors from each file processed

40. Recommendations • Do all your work before the BB consultants arrive on-site • Watch out for password expirations on the FTP server; must be coordinated with Blackboard ASP • Make sure the logs and snapshot e-mails are monitored • Manual additions in Blackboard can cause problems • Clarify the policy on cross-listed courses

41. Future Goals • Standardize all colleges on a single Course Management System • Real time (or near real time) updates; leverage LDAP • SSO through myGateway Course Studio • Tuesday 11 am Emerald Bay 3 – Luminis and LMS Integration – SSO to Moodle at NOCCCD – Adam Howard

42. Questions? Bill Pearce bpearce@vcccd.edu Bob Hughes rhughes@nocccd.edu