Welcome to the Learn stop. You have arrived at this station because your digital implementation strategy is complete, content has been adopted, and you completed the SIS and LMS integration setup. Now your digital content implementation is ready for launch.
At this station, we will cover how to:
Complete your go-live checklist
Execute opt-out/in user communication
Ensure LMS integration is live and students are enrolled in appropriate courses
Encourage students to access course materials on day one
Help students understand the opt-in/opt-out process
Take advantage of 24/7 student and instructor support
Benefit from VitalSource insights to get the most out of your tools
At this station, you may interact with these products:
- Bookshelf
- Launch (Student and Instructor)
Complete Your Go-Live Checklist
The Go-Live Checklist will help to manage all of the required tasks across departments and ensure they are completed by the assigned stakeholder(s) prior to launch. Use this tool to keep members of the implementation team on track toward project completion.
Execute Opt-Out/In User Communication
It is imperative that students have a clear understanding of the opt-out/opt-in process and the actions they need to take. We recommend that you establish a communication plan at least 90 days prior to launch and send student communication as close to the term start as is feasible so that students are aware of their role in the process. This will help to ensure that student decisions are captured and access to content is adjusted appropriately.
Encourage Students to Access Course Materials on Day One
One of the primary benefits of enabling a VitalSource integration is that students will have the ability to access content on the very first day of class. It’s important to remind students to click on the links in their LMS as soon as possible so that they can start taking advantage of learning materials early and often.
Help Students Understand the Opt-in/Opt-out Process
If a student wishes to purchase course materials elsewhere or perhaps already has a particular course’s content from an earlier semester, she can select out of acquiring the content within the add/drop window.
Ensure LMS Integration Is Live and Students Are Enrolled
Work with the VitalSource Success Manager to test the LMS integration in the days leading up to the digital implementation launch. The testing should be completed before students receive access to courses and content in case adjustments need to be made. Some questions to answer during the testing process include:
- Do the digital content files open from the links created?
- Is the content displaying appropriately in Bookshelf or the courseware platform used?
- Is the assignment of content to courses still accurate, or have changes been requested?
Be sure to transition courses from a testing environment to a live environment once testing is complete so that students can enroll. On the day of launch, we suggest that you monitor activity on your campus and schedule periodic check-ins with faculty to help gauge whether there are any outlier integration or content issues that need to be resolved.
Take Advantage of VitalSource’s 24/7 Student and Instructor Support
Although you will have ongoing support from a Customer Success Manager, communicate with your faculty and students about the 24/7 availability of VitalSource’s Customer Support team. This team of technical specialists will be able to help with integration and product-related questions and can be a point of escalation for your own technical support team. Submit requests and receive help via phone or message chat at https://support.vitalsource.com.
Benefit From VitalSource Insights
The training your team receives during the onboarding process and the conversations you have with the Customer Success Manager will arm you with tools and use cases in order to take full advantage of what the products and solutions have to offer. Use resources such as Best Practices for Teaching With Digital to guide your instructors through the initial use of Bookshelf and prepare them to answer some fundamental student questions. Also, encourage instructors to use the Instructor Dashboard to keep track of how students are engaging with the digital content. It could prepare them to have performance-related conversations with students sooner rather than later, potentially increasing overall performance throughout the course.