UNC still paying for two systems, Sakai and Blackboard

As UNC’s transition to a new course management system enters its final year, the University continues to pay for two programs — Sakai and Blackboard.

Officials are aiming to finish the transition from Blackboard to Sakai, which they said is on target, by December.

But this summer, UNC will pay an $80,000 licensing fee to Blackboard, which lasts a year, said Ruth Marinshaw, associate vice chancellor for research computing.

“We will need the additional six months of licensing to… be sure that unanticipated requests or needs can be adequately addressed,” she wrote in an email.

Other institutions who have made the same transition recommended this approach, Marinshaw added.

Sakai costs $332,000 annually to maintain as opposed to Blackboard’s $620,000, according to a study the University conducted before choosing Sakai. The University currently pays to operate both services.

Sakai, because it is open source, has no licensing fee.

“Once we complete the transition there will be substantial savings,” Marinshaw said.

About 1,200 professors have switched to Sakai, leaving about 800 left on Blackboard, said Kimberly Eke, teaching and learning interactive manager for Information Technology Services.

“We are glad to report that things are moving ahead without any surprises,” Eke said.

Sakai offers project sites, she said, which allow people to communicate more effectively and collaborate on research, even with other universities.

“The big difference is that Blackboard was really destined to help instructors manage courses,” Eke said. “Sakai was built from the ground up to be a research tool.”

Eke noted that most of the feedback on the transition has been positive.

She said the program bFree, which lets a professor extract files in bulk from Blackboard and place them into Sakai, has aided the transition.

Jennifer Larson, an English and comparative literature professor, switched to Sakai this semester.

“I especially appreciate all the customization options, especially for online discussions and for posting resources,” she said.

“I was a little nervous about the transition, but it was very easy. I was pleasantly surprised.”

In order to assist with the transition, ITS has provided educational resources for faculty such as group workshops, individual consultations and an interactive blog.

Eke said she has done 65 individual consultations.

“The more people that use it, the more benefits we’re seeing.”

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