University tests VSpace system

Nearly 100 sections participating in pilot; Blackboard faces discontinuation

September 11, 2006 —

SVSU is currently testing the program VSpace, an open-source learning environment similar to Blackboard.

Dan Tyger, the online teaching and learning coordinator for Information Technology Services, noted three key differences between VSpace and Blackboard that make VSpace a superior tool. First is its flexibility, something he believes Blackboard does not possess.

"The license of Blackboard does not allow us to alter the code," he says. "When you want to add on tools or functionality, it won't let you."

Some users may have noticed the discussion board and Wiki utilities in VSpace. Those tools were added by ITS and did not come prepackaged with the program. These kinds of modifications were not possible with Blackboard.

A second strength is the security of the entire suite. All connections to the VSpace Web site are secure, as indicated by the https:// in the beginning of the URL.

The third strength is the price. Whereas the license to use the most basic version of Blackboard costs the University $12,500 a year, the VSpace program is free. SVSU pays for the server hardware and the labor to support the utility, but the suite itself does not cost anything.

Tyger mentions that Blackboard had attempted to get SVSU to upgrade its license in order to gain access to more features.

"Their tactics are somewhat devilish," he says.

According to Tyger, Blackboard encouraged its customers to upgrade to an "enterprise" edition of the program, which would have cost the University over $40,000 per year. As an incentive, some basic educational features were packaged exclusively in that edition of the program.

The success of VSpace may be due to the fact that people in higher education created it. As an "open-source" project, VSpace was developed asynchronously across the globe in institutions such as MIT and Stanford.

ITS plans to survey students on their experience with VSpace at the end of the semester. Before that time comes, Tyger and the rest of ITS welcome feedback at svsu.edu/its.