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Desire2Learn Migration News and Tips (updated Feb 8th)

This page contains news and tips about the Western Online migration of courses from WebCT to Desire2Learn. We will update this page as the migration progress continues.

• In Progress - Migrations for Summer 2012 fully online courses
• February 8th - All other courses can be migrated
• June 1st - Last day to submit a course migration request
• June 30th - Last day to access WebCT

The following tutorial is available for students. This tutorial covers the basics of the new Western Online System. Simply copy and paste this link into your course: https://westernonline.wiu.edu/content/cait/D2L%20Tutorial.mov

On June 1st, the University will be switching the WesternOnline site URL to point to the new learning management system. Both the new and old WesternOnline sites may be down for short periods on June 1st while the switchover occurs. Following the switchover, the URLs will act as follows.

https://westernonline.wiu.edu: Will be directed to the new WesternOnline site.

https://westernonline-old.wiu.edu: Will be directed to the old WesternOnline site for a short period while we complete course migrations.

https://westernonline-beta.wiu.edu: Will be disabled and people reaching this site will be instructed to visit the new WesternOnline at it's normal URL.

This change will not occur until sometime during the day on June 1st. More detailed information will be provided as the switchover date approaches. Questions can be directed to the uTech Support Center atsupport@wiu.edu or (309)298-2704.

• Migration requests must be submitted prior to June 1 to ensure ample time to migrate sections.
• When you are ready to migrate your course, follow the link below and enter your ECom username and password information when prompted. A list of all sections available for migration will be displayed. Next to a section title, click “Show Section Info” and verify that this is truly the course you would like to migrate. At the bottom of this page, you will have two options:
  
  
  • Copy this Section to WesternOnline-Beta - This option will put the section in the queue for migration to the new D2L system.
  • Backup and Remove this Section - This option will remove the section from your WesternOnline list.


• You can monitor your requested migrations using the migration link below. Once the section is fully migrated, you will receive a notification email. You can then check the content of the section in D2L.
• Link to request a migration: https://www.wiu.edu/westernonline/nettools/MigrationOrDeletion Note: The address is "https" and you will be prompted for you ECom username and password.
• It is important to remember that a large volume of courses need to be moved and therefore, it is pertinent to enter your requests early. Likewise, verify the important elements of your course to ensure the migration has happened as expected.

• Be sure to back up the grade book for all of your WebCT courses. Click here for a tutorial.

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• Student information, such as projects and grades will not be migrated. Faculty should backup this type of information as it will not be available in Western Online after June 30. To back up your grade book you can export it as a spreadsheet. From the grad book click the Export to Spreadsheet button located at the bottom.

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• The migration of a section captures the state of the course at the time the migration occurs. As such, you may want to delay requesting a migration until after you are done making major changes to your course content.

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• The migration process allows you the opportunity to prune unnecessary sections from your course list. You are encouraged to not migrate sections you no longer will need. Likewise, this will help speed up the migration process by requiring far fewer course conversions.

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• When in the "Manage Content" view, if you check a content item and then hit the trash can icon to remove it, the following warning appears:
  
  

  

  
  

  Be sure to check the first option "Delete selected items from content only".
  
  If you check the first option, the LINK to the content is removed but the item remains in the "Manage Content" area. If you check the second option, the FILE itself is deleted from the course files in the "Manage Content" area.
  
  This becomes especially important when a WebCT course is using Learning Modules, because a full set up duplicated file links typically appear. One set needs to be removed...but you don't want to delete ALL the files.

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• You may want to verify your content after the migration.
  
  The intent is to help you inventory the critical components, structure and the unique course components that you will need to pay attention to in the migration.
  
  The secondary benefit will be that it will provide the non-developer instructor with the outline and structure of the course pre-migration. Further it will also provide you with a checklist to verify the efficacy of the identified components post migration. You can also take this opportunity to delete and eliminate non-relevant course elements if you desire.