The LMS Transition Initiative

The faculty and students of UC Davis require a learning management system (LMS) that will grow and adapt with the evolving needs of its users. In particular, faculty and IT administrators at UC Davis recognize the need for a learning management system that is:

• dependable,
• feature-rich,
• intuitive in its user interface,
• capable of being integrated with relevant campus databases,
• capable of being integrated with third-party mobile and online applications, and
• that is used and trusted by equivalent institutions elsewhere.

We also look forward to working with a Learning Management System provider and/or hosting solution that offers dependable uptime, and superlative customer service that is sufficiently communicative and responsive to the expressed needs of UC Davis staff, faculty, and students.

Because we believe that the current engine that drives SmartSite, the Sakai CLE, is approaching end of life, the faculty and staff serving on relevant groups and committees have begun investigations into LMS alternatives using some of the criteria listed above.

Throughout last spring and this summer, the LMS Working Group Steering Committee has been systematically investigating potential candidates and have identified what we believe are the four most viable options: Desire2Learn, Moodle, Canvas, and Blackboard.

We hope to narrow this list to two candidates, which we will invite faculty to pilot in the winter and spring of 2014.

We are always looking for more faculty input, so please share your questions or comments by posting here or emailing Andy Jones.