Case Study

Leading an LMS Transition
During the Shift to Remote Learning

Supporting faculty and instructional continuity during a full LMS migration and the transition to synchronous remote learning in 2020.

Introduction

In late 2019, our institution began a planned migration to a new learning management system scheduled to launch in May 2020.

As campuses closed
and instruction rapidly shifted,
a routine migration quickly
evolved into something
completely different.

Faculty were suddenly being asked to adapt to live remote teaching while simultaneously transitioning into an entirely new learning platform.

VIEW THE TIMELINE

The Design Challenge

Simultaneous Instructional Change

Faculty were adapting to new technology, new teaching methods, and an entirely new learning environment during a period of significant uncertainty.

The challenge was not simply system training. Faculty needed clear, manageable support that reduced overwhelm while helping them continue teaching effectively.

This required removing the friction between the teacher and the technology, ensuring the new platforms felt secondary to the learning experience.

The goal was to protect the faculty's energy so they could focus entirely on supporting their students through the disruption.

Accelerated Transition Timeline

Once the institution moved to synchronous remote instruction, implementation timelines accelerated rapidly.

Faculty needed immediate support for:

• Adapting teaching strategies
• Navigating two LMS platforms
• Keeping instruction continuous
• Managing multiple tech-tools

The transition required balancing urgent instructional needs while preparing for a full LMS launch already underway.

Coordinated Communication

Because faculty were distributed across multiple departments and programs, communication consistency became essential.

This shift required clear alignment across every channel — aligning messages to the right tool while minimizing platforms to keep departments connected through reliable updates.

All training materials, instructional guidance, and technical processes needed to remain focused and accessible so faculty could move confidently between systems, tools, and teaching expectations.

Supporting the Transition

  • 1. Faculty-First Transition Strategy

    The transition process was designed around the real experience of teaching rather than the technology itself.

    Training focused on practical application, simplified guidance, and just-in-time support faculty could immediately use.

  • 2. Faculty Ambassador Network

    An LMS Ambassador network was developed with representatives across academic programs to strengthen communication, identify concerns early, and support colleagues through the transition.

    This structure helped create stronger alignment between faculty, instructional design, and technology support team.

  • 3. Full Course Migration Support

    To protect instructional continuity, I personally managed and supported the migration of individual courses into the new LMS environment.

    Working closely with IT leadership, we ensured classes remained stable, instructional content remained intact, and the institutional launch deadline was successfully met without disruption to learning.

  • 4. Community-Based Support

    Alongside formal training, I facilitated recurring Community of Practice sessions where faculty could troubleshoot challenges, share strategies, and connect with one another.

    We also created space for informal connection, including virtual social hours.

    These sessions blended technical support with practical teaching guidance while helping strengthen relationships and peer support across programs during an otherwise isolating time.

Change happens quickly,
but the work of learning never truly stops.

Outcomes

  • Managed a successful institutional LMS transition amid remote shifts.

  • Maintained 100% uninterrupted live instruction during rollout.

  • Built scalable faculty communication and support frameworks.

  • Coordinated faculty training for online teaching and LMS adoption.

  • Preserved program-wide instructional continuity during rapid change.

Through intentional design and steady,
human-centered support, this transition
protected daily instruction while helping faculty
collaborate, adapt, and grow together.

View Synchronous Learning Framework
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Building a Center for Teaching