D2L's History and Benefits
What is Desire2Learn?
Desire2Learn is one of a family of online Learning Management
Systems which include BlackBoard and WebCT, among others. Learning
Management Systems (LMS) can be used to deliver a course in or
completely online or to enhance aspects of a traditional face-2-face
class.
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In Spring 2003, Desire2Learn was chosen by UW System as the LMS for all UW
campuses. Prior to selecting Desire2Learn, UW System went through an extensive
evaluation process that resulted in four "finalist" Learning Management Systems.
Demonstrations of each of the four selected products were made available to
faculty and staff and students on each UW campus via videoconference. At the end
of each videoconference, attendees were asked to evaluate the product that had
been demonstrated. All evaluations were collected and sent to System who used
the evaluations as a primary decision-making tool in their selection process.
Due to the decisive feedback provided in the evaluations, Desire2Learn was
selected and is now available to all UW campuses.
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Why would I want to use Desire2Learn?
There are some excellent reasons to use Desire2Learn (D2L), and many of them
have nothing to do with offering a course online (though D2L can certainly be
used to offer a completely on-line course!).
One reason, is that Desire2Learn can save you time. How often
have you asked your students to email their papers and projects,
only to find that you spend precious time sorting through your email
list looking for each submitted assignment?
In Desire2Learn's Dropbox you can create individual folders, each
dedicated to a different course assignment. Your students can upload
files into the designated folder where you can easily download one
or all files at the same time. You can even see a list of who has
not submitted an assignment and "Email All" students on that list.
As an extra time savings, dropbox folders allow you to give
assignment feedback on an individual basis and can even send grades
automatically to D2L's Gradebook.
Desire2Learn can also save you time in other ways. Desire2Learn's
online quizzing tool can grade for you most common types of quiz
questions such as multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank as
well as others. How about essay questions? Essay questions can
certainly be included in an online exam - D2L will score the
majority of the question types as soon as your students click
"submit", then all you need to do is access the quiz after the exam
period and assign points to the remaining essays. An extra bonus -
D2L's Gradebook can allow each of your students to view only their
personal grades along with class distribution and class average
information. Your students now can have 24-hour access to all of
their class scores!
Desire2Learn can help you and your students work more
efficiently. Desire2Learn's Content area allows you to give your
students 24-hour online access to your course files. Anything from
your syllabus to PowerPoint files, web links and course assignment
information can be a click away for your students. The Content area
can also give students easy access to quizzes and surveys created in
D2L.
Wondering how to encourage discussion in your class? Do only the
same two or three students in a given class comment or ask questions
throughout the semester? Break down those inhibitions with
Desire2Learn's Discussion Forums! Students who are not comfortable
with spontaneous, in-class communication have an opportunity for
reflection in on-line asynchronous discussions allowing them to make
excellent, thoughtful, contributions as a result.
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Testimonials
"This is the first semester that I have used Desire2Learn, and I have been
very impressed by how user friendly it is. It has allowed me to more easily
communicate with students outside of the classroom. I have really liked the
option of having them submit assignments to the course site. It has saved on a
lot of paper, and it has allowed me the ability to type my responses to their
papers instead of having to handwrite lengthy responses. Using the grade book
option in D2L has also helped me to more efficiently manage student grades. It
has also allowed students to get quicker feedback about their performance. I now
receive fewer e-mails and phone calls from students who want to know their
standing in the course. It is all right on the course site, and they can access
it anytime. D2L has also been a really useful mechanism for posting course
materials. Instead of giving handouts, I have posted many materials right to the
site. Students can then access them and re-access them as needed. My students
quickly learned how to use D2L, and they seemed to like it. Overall, I am
pleased that I chose to use it, and I plan on expanding my use of it in future
semesters."
- Amy Boelk, Assistant Professor - UWSP
Sociology Department
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