SCAD remakes MySCAD and Blackboard
Written by Liz Knueven
Photo courtesy of elearning.scad.edu
Summer brought a makeover for MySCAD and Blackboard. Students and staff at SCAD logged into the sites this Fall and were welcomed by a whole new look. The makeover includes lots of color, updates to visuals, functionality and new interactive features.
The redesign of MySCAD aimed to improve accessibility across devices and to provide an aesthetic overhaul. The reconfigured sites bring a fresh look and new start to the old features.
“We’ve known for a while that MySCAD needed a more modern look,” said Michael Barsic, director of technical architecture.
These revisions were a long time coming. Since the launch of MySCAD and Blackboard in 2003, the last major design was in 2008.
With the release of new technology in 2014 Barsic’s department found “a great opportunity to upgrade the design as well as the underlying technology.”
Designed with the help of SCAD’s interactive services department, the sites are built on top of a recently reconfigured platform called Lumis. More interactive maps, photos and better search tools are integrated into the site and according to Barsic, students and staff should “find MySCAD much easier to use on a phone or tablet.”
“Its most successful change is the way its stylized,” said Shawn Kline, fourth-year graphic design major from Ozone Park, New York.
According to Kline, this version of the site is more user-friendly and better organized.
Blackboard recently released new technology which allowed universities to create and apply their own themes. Thanks to this update, SCAD was able to model the look and feel after the redesign of the MySCAD, and several more features are set to be released over the year.
Coordinator of Educational Technologies, Kristen Wheelock, said that the new Blackboard aims to create “online environments outside of classrooms.”
In winter quarter, students and staff should expect new online spaces for interaction both within and outside class courses. In Spring, Wheelock added, a new feature that collates submission and other media into one place to serve as a portfolio or process book will be released.
