Migration Plan
Project Phases
- Phase 1: Planning and Communication (Spring - Summer 2022) - Completed
- Phase 2: Community Feedback and Requirements Assessment (Summer - Fall 2022) - Completed
- Phase 3: LMS Selection (Request for Proposal) (Fall 2022 - Spring 2023) - Completed
- Phase 4: LMS Implementation and Training (Begins Spring 2023) - In Progress
- Phase 5: Course Migration, Training, and Support (Fall 2023 - End of 2024 (targeted)) - In Progress
Project Timeline
The timelines listed below are targets. The progress of complex implementation and migration work may impact these dates.
- May 2023
Brightspace is selected as Western's new Learning Management System. Phase 4: LMS Implementation and Training (for select groups) begins. - June - Fall 2023
Technical implementation, configuration, and migration testing is underway. LMS admins are receiving training. - October 2023
Initial configuration of OWL Brightspace completed and system ready for Early Adopter Program (EAP) instructor access. - October 2023 - December 2023
EAP training, course migration, and set up occurs. - January 2024
EAP begins. First student access into OWL Brightspace through EAP. - Mid-January 2024
Instructors and staff supporting a Spring/Summer 2024 academic course can opt-in to personal sandbox in OWL Brightspace - February/March 2024
Spring/Summer 2024 academic courses migrate to OWL Brightspace and are available for instructors to review, develop, and finalize. - March 2024
Fall 2024 instructors receive access to OWL Brightspace personal sandbox and request migration options. - May 2024
Spring/Summer 2024 academic courses run in OWL Brightspace. First Fall 2024 academic courses migrate and are available to instructors to review, develop, and finalize. Migration of Fall/Winter courses will continue into the Fall. - September 2024
Fall 2024 academic courses run in OWL Brightspace. Winter 2025 courses courses migrate and are available to instructors to review, develop, and finalize. - January 2025
Winter academic courses run in OWL Brightspace. - Spring 2025 (targeted)
HR and other required training sites migrate.
Sakai project sites (training and other) plan and roadmap available. Information will be shared as it is available.
Project Milestones
How did we get here? We’ve been working on the OWL Migration Plan for over a year! It took a lot of planning and community consultation, a detailed Request for Proposal process, and a whole lot of work! Some key milestones in the process are listed below:
- August – October 2022: Community feedback and requirements gathering (surveys, listening sessions)
- November 17, 2022: RFP posted
- Mid-late January 2023: Evaluations and vendor shortlist
- February 2023: Vendor demos, sandboxes, and final evaluations
- February – April 2023: Final selection, negotiations, TRAC review
- May 2023: Decision on LMS and Announcement
- January 2024: Early Adopter Program Begins, Spring/Summer instructors choose course migration options and receive sandboxes
- February/March 2024: Spring/Summer 2024 courses migrate.
- April 2024: Fall/Winter migration options are selected.
- May 2024: Spring/Summer courses taught in OWL Brightspace.
