Two years after implementing a new online learning management system, both students and faculty said they are pleased with it.
Prior to moving to Desire2Learn, created in 1992 by an Ontario, Canada-based company, MWSU used the WebCT version of Blackboard, created in 1997 by a Washington, D.C-based company.
“Support for that version was expiring as per Blackboard, so a new LMS had to be selected,” said Crystal Boyle, assistant director of extended education. “The choices were to upgrade to Blackboard Enterprise from WebCT/Blackboard or switch to another LMS all together. Both choices would be like starting over.”
Boyle said the choice of online systems, which cost MWSU approximately $100,000 per year for the license, was put up for bidding and two companies bid, a process administered by Gary Morrison, associate professor of radiologic sciences.
Morrison said, “The faculty reviewed Blackboard Learn (significantly different than the version MWSU was on), Desire2Learn, Angel (brought out by Blackboard six months later), Sakai, Moodle and others that no longer exist.
“Blackboard Learn and D2L were the best matches to MWSU’s needs, and representatives from both companies were invited on campus to present their packages to the faculty. By a 2-to-1 margin the faculty selected D2L.”
“We don’t like change,” Morrison said. “There was some faculty who was not in favor of D2L but most of them adapted to it now and are working with it.”
Morrison said he has been teaching distance education for more than 26 years, and he said he can’t imagine teaching online without D2L or a similar program. He further said, years ago distance education was like posting assignment to students’ address which was not feasible and wasted a lot of time because the school had to be mailing students using the United States Postal Services and it would take two weeks before a student can be provided with feedback about their grade and their assessment.
D2L is used by 1,100 organizations in 25 countries with 15 million students using their platform, according to D2L’s official website.
In Texas, more than three universities and colleges uses D2L including Stephen F. Austin, Lamar State College, Lone Star College and Southwestern Adventist University.
Cortney Morren, radiology senior, said, “I like D2L a lot, all of my classes were online for Radiology last semester and the program has helped me to interact with my classmates and professors alike. The idea of me being able to email my professors to assist me with studying materials is awesome. I like the fact that professors can post materials and notes to a particular class even though some courses are done in the classrooms.”
Another student, Roylyka Roache, English junior, said “I took an online class in spring 2014 in descriptive astronomy and I enjoyed it. I like D2L because it helps me to track my grades and show me where I am in a class. Also D2L sends me notifications with changes such as updates with grades, class schedules and cancellations.
“Most of all, D2L help me to know the names of persons that I am in class with, but I think more students need to get acquainted with the software because the majority of students I know are not aware of the features on D2L. So I would recommend a workshop to train students how to use D2L.”
The Center for Distance Education sponsors Tech Tuesdays to give training for faculty using D2L, in the areas of tracking attendance for on-campus courses, ProctorU, and using D2L to enhance on-campus courses.
