Monday, October 6th, 2:30 pm

Distance Learning CMS Integration

Bill Pearce – Ventura County CCDBob Hughes – North Orange County

CCD

Blackboard Vista Interface

Bill Pearce – Ventura County CCD

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

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

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

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

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

“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.)

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”)

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”)

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”)

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

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

PIN Reset Methodology

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

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

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

Future Plans

• Bring Blackboard in-house early 2009• Look at improving interfaces• Exception reporting between Banner

and Blackboard databases

Banner to Blackboard Integration via the

Snapshot Tool

Bob Hughes – North Orange County CCD

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

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

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

Banner Database

FTP server at NOCCCD

Snapshot

Controller

IS Help Desk Email

Blackboard Database

Assign, Course, Enroll, User files

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

Initially used Argos

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

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

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

The Enrollment File

• Very simple; lists the pidms of students with the courses they are enrolled in

The Assignment File

• Also very simple; lists the pidms of instructors with the courses they are teaching

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

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

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

Questions?

Bill Pearcebpearce@vcccd.edu

Bob Hughesrhughes@nocccd.edu