Gloria Niles, Director of Online Learning at UH ITS, presented an update about the LMS replacement during the UH IT All-Campus Workshop on July 28, 2023. Read on for a brief recap and access the full presentation recording and presentation slides.
Where We Were
We’ve been with Laulima (Sakai) for about 15 years. A main concern of continuing with Sakai is that it’s down about 1.5% of the market share. Developers have left and the most recent version we are on will likely be the last version of Sakai. Therefore, third-party systems neglect to integrate with Sakai and we won’t be getting updates which may also pose security vulnerabilities.
In Spring 2023, UH went through a LMS Review phase to help make a decision on if we should replace Laulima (Sakai). During the LMS review, three vendors/platforms (i.e. Anthology Blackboard Learn Ultra, D2L Brightspace, and Instructure Canvas) were reviewed by the UH community to see what is currently out there. Strengths and concerns of Laulima and the three platforms were summarized in the LMS Report. The report was submitted to the UH Officers in May 2023 with a recommendation to transition away from Laulima. The decision was made to replace Laulima.
Where We Are Now
UH is going out for a full RFP (request for proposals). Some of the features we are looking for include:
- Modern functionality – mobile app, responsive design, robust tools for teaching and learning
- Systemwide LMS – Sakai, RCUH, etc. Move everyone under one platform.
- Content migration from Sakai
- Vendor-university partnership evidence – responsive to customer feedback, professional development, training, and support
- ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi language pack
- Integration with our other systems like Banner, PeopleSoft, etc.
- Accessibility
- Standard features such as: assessment of learning outcomes, dynamic learner engagement features, feedback and grading efficiencies, third-party app integration, and more.
- Optional features that we could add-on/purchase: interactive multimedia content, digital badging capabilities, generative AI integration, OER, and more.
Where We Are Heading
Projected Timeline for 2023:
- August: RFP out for bid
- September: Proposals received and vetted
- October: Proposal evaluation and scoring
- November: Contract awarded
- December: Announce new LMS
Tentative Implementation Strategy
Goal: Full migration to new LMS for all courses by Fall 2025.
- Fall 2024: Cohort 1 migration
- Spring 2025: Cohort 1 implementation and Cohort 2 migration
- Summer 2025: Transition to Laulima archive. New LMS full implementation.
More Information
- LMS Replacement Update (Zoom Recording, 21:34 min)
- LMS Replacement (Presentation Slides)