Eastern has started the process of finding a replacement for WebCT, the current learning management system, by sending a survey to the members of campus Monday.

The process is necessary because, in December 2012, WebCT will no longer be available for licensing after the contract expires. Once this happens, WebCT will no longer exist since Blackboard bought out WebCT in 2006.

John Henderson, the interim assistant vice president for academic affairs for technology, and Lucy Campanis, an associate professor of family and consumer sciences, are in charge of the search process.

“Basically what has happened is one company has ate up another and we are left with the task of trying to figure out what is best for the faculty,” Henderson said.

The Blackboard version Eastern has is the last true version of WebCT, but as of December 2012 it will no longer be available for licensing, said Julie Lockett the instructional technology specialist from the Center for Academic Technology Support, or CATS.

“Because of the survey, some people are concerned WebCT will go away, but if the university stays with Blackboard there are many similarities between the two systems,” Lockett said. “However, there are still some differences.”

A subcommittee was formed within the Academic Technology Advisory Committee with the goal of making a suggestion to CATS of what to go with next.

“Now we are in the beginning stage of trying to decide if we will continue to use Blackboard or get a new learning management system,” Lockett said.

Sixteen people make up the committee and each is a faculty member.

“So we have faculty taking care of faculty,” Henderson said.

As a committee, there has been no research into a specific system yet.

“Getting the information is the first thing we want to do to be able to represent campus while we do our research,” Lockett said.

One of the hardest jobs the committee has will be projecting what these systems will be like in two years when they try to implement the new system.

“It’s difficult to tell what the system will have as far as features in the coming years,” Lockett said.

And the focus of the search will remain on the different features the systems offer and not the cost.

“Our cost is pretty much based on the skill levels we have to maintain the system on campus,” Henderson said.

A system can be purchased for free at face value, but the cost kicks in when it comes to the services the company offers.

“It’s a la carte, each company offers different levels of service,” Henderson said. “Our overall cost will be determined on our ability to take care of what we have. The money won’t be the issue, it will be what is best for the faculty.”

Many of the questions within the current survey are based on a comparison to WebCT.

“This is because, well, WebCT is all we have known for the last 10 years or so,” Lockett said.

As of Wednesday, Locket said the committee had received 205 responses from 115 students, 75 faculty members and 15 staff members.

The deadline to turning the survey is Tuesday.

“We wanted to catch anyone who had anything to do with the learning management system; whether that was from the student side, the instructor side or the organization side,” Lockett said.

While the research has begun, the system change will not occur for a few semesters.

A specific timeline is not set, but the switch will not occur until closer to the December 2012 cutoff.

After deciding on a learning management system that best suits Eastern, the system will go through a serious of server test and pilot systems before it goes live.

The committee will also look at how compatible the new system will be with Banner, TurningPoint, Respondence, and Turn It In.

“Whatever we have with WebCT we’ll want with the new system we purchase,” Henderson said. “We don’t want instructors to totally have to rebuild their courses.”

Kayleigh Zyskowski can be reached at 581-2812 or kzyskowski@eiu.edu