RPP #168: The Blackboard Ultra (Conversion) Experience

• Discussion with Rob McCunney, Blackboard Sysadmin and Instructional Designer, University of the Sciences. We discuss our conversion from Blackboard Learn managed hosting to SaaS and then to the Ultra Experience and Ultra Courses. 
• We discuss:
  

  

  Adoption of Blackboard Learn Ultra

• Moving from Managed Hosting to SaaS:
• What were some of the conversion issues?
• How much time/effort was expended?
• Were there any surprises?
• What advantages did you see?
• Turning on Ultra Experience:
• What were the conversion issues?
• What are the limitations?
• Turning on Ultra Course View:
• What are the limitations?
• How was Blackboard support?
• Links
• Blackboard Learn Ultra Experience
• RPP #157: Blackboard Roadmap - Interview with Jim Chalex
• Podsafe music selection from Music Alley
• Concerto No. 2 in G Minor (Summer) from the CD entitled "The Four Seasons by Vivaldi" by the American Baroque Orchestra. 

[Disclaimer: The University of the Sciences is a customer of Blackboard.]

Duration: 31:13

RPP #167: Alchemie - Interview with Julia Winter

• Interview with Julia Winter, CEO and Founder of Alchemie, which combines commercial game design with a deep understanding of how students learn. Alchemie’s digital learning tools provide an intuitive learning experience that encourages students to explore and experiment with concepts. We discuss:
  

  

  Julia Winter, CEO

• Julia's background
• History of Alchemie
• How Alchemie works
• The audience for Alchemie
• How students learn by manipulating bonds and electrons
• The Epiphany Platform
• Real-time Assessment
• Machine learning and data analytics
• AR/VR/XR
  
• Podsafe music selection
• "Summertime" by Brother Love

Duration: 27:07

RPP #166: FlatWorld - Interview with Alastair Adam

• Interview with Alastair Adam, Co-CEO of FlatWorld, a digital-first college textbook publisher building a niche between the high cost traditional publishers and open education resources (OER) publishers. We answer the questions:
  
• What is the background of FlatWorld?
• How many titles are available?
• How many faculty are using FlatWorld books?
• How are authors recruited?
• What formats are available? 
• How much does a typical textbook cost - electronic and print?
• Are electronic versions compatible with Kindle and iPad?
• How much do authors earn?
• Does FlatWorld support the LMS?
• What special features are available?
• What is "FlatWorld Unlimited"?
• Podsafe music selection
• Mine Again from Passion Leaves a Trace by Black Lab

Duration: 36:02

RPP #165: Coursetune - Interview with Maria Andersen

• Interview with Maria Andersen, CEO and Co-Founder, Coursetune. Coursetune has a completely new way to visualize the underpinnings and framework of curriculum design - a way to "harmonize" your curriculum. We discuss:
• Maria's background
  
• Need for a Coursetune
• Improving curriculum design beyond spreadsheets and whiteboards
• How Coursetune works
• Why it is like "Autocad" for learning design
• Target audience
• and more
• Podsafe music selection
• "See the Sun" by Black Lab from California with tunes featured in the movies "Spider Man" and "Blade: Trinity"

Duration: 39:12