The IT Crowd

Proposal Guidelines: Learning
Management System

The following is a recommended -- albeit, not complete -- list of considerations for a learning management system. While a request for proposal should be carefully developed by your district's purchasing department, it is hoped that these guidelines will aid your development of an RFP.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

• The system specified has an architecture that supports scaling to the number of staff members in your district.
• The system(s) specified supports the student information system used by your District.
• The system is web-based.
• The system includes secure, encrypted web-based access for staff.
• The system(s) specified is able to connect Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) data sources.
• The system allows for the local hosting of the data and the LMS application.
• The system provides data import and export capabilities in non-proprietary formats (e.g. CSV)
• Application provides for the import of pre-existing staff development schedules and staff data.
• Application offers an interface with other external professional development components and existing third-party proposer software applications.
• Application provides sharable content object reference model (SCORM) or web standards compliance, as well as allowing the easy addition of non-SCORM compliant resources (e.g. multimedia presentations, web pages, video clips in Flash,AVI,WMV, MOV,MP4 formats).
• Comprehensive documentation, both hardcopy or PDF, and online help, containing program features and software support is provided.
• Technical support hotline is available from 8:00am-5:00PM, Monday through Friday.
• Technical support hotline is available through a toll-free telephone number.
• An after-hours technical support point of contact is available for urgent situations.
• The system supports web-based access for retrieval and input with web component running on Microsoft Internet Information Server or Apache web server.
• Application is password protected using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) security.
• The system is designed and coded to be 100 percent a 32-bit client/server.
• The system supports and allows the use of convention Cut/Copy & Paste functions, with or without the use of a mouse.
• The system does not require specialized in-house maintenance, operating personnel, or network engineers.
• The system implements a "plug-n-play" method of installing only the desired module(s).
• The system is fully integrated, with all modules sharing a common database.
• The software is able to execute on and take advantage of, i.e. make use of all available processors, on a multiprocessor server.
• The system is Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) compliant.
• The system provides an audit trail of all data changes.
• A printable or exportable audit trail report is available of all data changes.

APPLICATION FEATURES

• The system(s) specified allows the establishment of learning paths that school district staff can follow.
• The system(s) specified provides a multi-level approval path for approving course request (e.g. Faculty member requests a course, principal is the fist level of approval, area superintendent is the second level, etc. until final approval).
• Application provides the ability to determine, in summary fashion, daily attendance for a multi-day class, e.g. 3-day class, some individuals only attend two of the three days. That information is needed in a report and data file format.
• Application does not allow entry into a course when the maximum number of students in a call is reached, except by manual override.
• Application provides automatic and manual scheduling of staff development requests in accordance with course offerings.
• The system provides for automatic notification of staff development session status.
• The system provides assessment and reporting tools for staff development offered.
• The application's printing module provides for pagination of all printed materials.
• The system provides for automatic notification of staff development session status.
• Application provides for centralized administration and management, as well as scheduling.
• Application provides -- or allows for -- interfacing with an online forum (e.g. Moodle) for synchronous/asynchronous courseware.
• Application provides for displaying web-based catalogs and printer version.
• Application provides class data by participant's name or number in a viewable or printable format.
• Application allows participants to see where they are, what they are registered for, and how much they have completed in relation to their learning path goals.
• Application allows for facilitation and tracking of face to face and virtual sessions.
• Application provides for email notification of cancellations, scheduled reminders of upcoming staff development, and other user-defined events.
• The application supports alpha, numeric, and special character grades, within the same system.
• The program screens are customizable with the district logo.
• The system must include access to setup options for all modules in one common setup screen, no matter which modules are installed.
• The system allows the user to access the participant maintenance module without leaving the grade reporting area, or exiting the main system.
• The system allows the ability to search for participant by name, ID, or employee #. The system provides participant demographic information.

PRINTING CAPABILITIES

• The system has the ability to print all reports in black and white.
• The system has the ability to print all reports to a printer or to an ASCII file.
• The system allows reports to be customized, selecting only the data elements needed, and excluding others.
• Reports are customizable with the District logo.
• The system allows the user to sort printouts by name range, data range or course range.
• The system allows the user to enter/modify the headings on reports.
• The system has the ability to pull all certifications for a student.
• The system is capable of creating PDF files.

PROPOSER SERVICES

• The proposer provides best practice approach(es) for varied implementations and applications.
• The proposer provides an evaluation design for measuring implementation integration and use.
• The proposer outlines an implementation plan.
• The proposer outlines a district advertising plan for LMS.

WRITTEN RESPONSES REQUIRED

• What kind of infrastructure is required in the district for your product to operate successfully?
• What is the minimum available network bandwidth for your product to operate?
• What operating system requirements are mandated by your application for Intel-based computers?
• What are your system's browser requirements?
• How many simultaneous connections can the LMS support?
• Is the product server-based?
• How is management of user accounts handled?
• Can the district use a third-party reporting tool to query the product databases?
• Can participants search for specific learning resources?
• Can participants register themselves?
• How do participants know if a class is available and if their registration request is accepted?
• Can participants monitor their own progress from a self-service interface or central page to see where they stand in regards to training?
• Is there an easy way to add external documents to the participant portfolio?
• Can system access be based on organizational hierarchies?
• Does your product provide a facility for pre-training and post-training assessment?
• Can your product be used to maintain the mapping of skills to jobs and competencies to training?
• When using those mappings, can your product identify skill gaps?
• Will your product record and track various professional certifications?
• Can the catalog mix online with instructor led training?
• How are instructors added to the system?
• How are facilities (training locations) added to the system?
• Does your application automatically identify conflicts and issue warning notifications to participants? Administrators?
• How many standard (pre-defined) reports are available within the application?
• Will the district have the right to reprint all manuals/training materials associated with this system without additional cost to the district?

Miguel Guhlin
Education World®
Copyright © 2008 Education World

05/02/2008