Each workstream is designed to focus on a key part of the implementation to allow the project to utilize the expertise from each of our institutions to achieve the project goals within the fixed/flexible framework.
Through structured collaboration, institutions will efficiently and effectively work with UW System to support the transition process. Implementing Canvas as the “hub” of our new DLE, along with integrating media management and web conferencing technologies will ultimately support student success by providing us with many benefits including:
- Technology that is easy-to-use, stable, secure, and standardized — yet flexible. Such an environment supports improved collaboration and sharing, thereby moving forward innovation in teaching and learning, as well as fostering student engagement. The DLE allows for the transformation of teaching and learning to a more data-informed process, and support of instruction through a platform that enables engaging, accessible, intuitive, interactive, and pedagogically-sound learning experiences for students.
- Administrative benefits. Access to data also provides an ability to support reporting required in higher education for accreditation, compliance, and other administrative purposes.
- The ability for systems to be adaptive replaces the need to predict and plan within a structure of closed, tightly-knitted systems selected based on what we “think” will happen. The DLE enables us to provide our stakeholders – students, instructors, and administration – the environment needed to thrive in any future that may evolve.
Some of the workstreams are listed below with the description and institutions who are leading the effort. Through this collaboration, the lead institutions will be working with the other institutions and the vendor to share information and gather feedback to improve the overall project deliverables.
| UWSA Workstream Overview | ||
| SIS Integration | Testing and implementing integration using IMS LIS 2.0 standards for near real-time data updates. | UW-Eau Claire and UW-Green Bay |
| Migration Tool Testing and Complexity Analysis | Review components used in D2L courses to assess the transition and test the various vendor provided migration tools to make a recommendation for the best options for effective change from D2L to Canvas. Click here to see Migration FAQs | UW-Superior and UW-Whitewater |
| Course Template Design | Create consistently used learner-centered designs based on modality emphasizing pedagogy first so students taking courses at different institutions can see all courses in a single view with a standard course template. Common tools in the course template will be used in a consistent manner (gradebook, calendar, etc). Click here to see more about the Course Template | UW-La Crosse and UW-River Falls |
| LTI/API integration | Identify, test and document the integration capabilities to create standard processes for integration that include governance enabling the institutions to have access to their data with minimal overhead. Click here to see External Application Requests | UW-Milwaukee and UW-Whitewater |
| Training Analysis | Use best practices from institutions today to create a shared student and instructor orientation/training for the DLE utilizing the vendor provided materials and consolidating the ongoing effort in creating and maintaining the materials. | UW-La Crosse and UW-River Falls |
Other workstreams include: Authentication, Overall Fixed/Flex Model, Support, Testing, Retirement of D2L, and DataWarehouse.