lms

Impressive Features

Overall tools
D2L has the standard suite of tools including threaded discussion, quizzes, drop box, and gradebook. It also has some pieces that are nice to have including...

>> Customizable Design for branding purposes. This is not a must but it is nice to be able to make the product a little
more Allegheny.
>> Blog included that allows a user to determine how public their posts or blog is. The incorporation of the blog and news aggregator is a good example of how the LMS industry is predicted to incorporate more of the Web2.0 features.
>> Email - full featured and not limited to within course correspondences
>> Ability to scale to include portal system that can also be purchased from D2L

Learner Tools
While it is hard to really know without using the interface, the descriptions of the student interface make it seem more customizable than our current myWebCT space as the following tools are present. It also seems that the user's main page is more than the door way to their courses.

>> My "tool" allows student to customize preferences across system and provides a common file repository called my locker/briefcase.
>> ePortfolio tool - the idea of learner portfolios continues to be an idea for changing assessment practices. D2L embraces the idea by including this option. It might be a tool that is useful to the folks in ACCEL?

Instructor Tools
I have similar feelings about the descriptions of the instructor interface as for the student interface. I would hope that the My Briefcase option would ease the upload of content for use in multiple courses. I would also hope that the one click editing would be as easy as it suggests.

>> The common storage space called My Briefcase is a great idea in my opinion. One upload per file with the ability to reuse it in multiple courses.
>> Import and Conversion based on SCORM/IMS standards allows granular import of content whether whole course, quiz, or quiz question. The question is does WebCT allow granular export.
>> The D2L Quizzing tool can be licensed as a standalone tool.

Administrator Tools
>> Middleware that allows integration of Library, Enterprise, eCommerce and portal systems
>> Authentication possible in a variety of ways including external LDAP or Kerberos protocol.
>> Wizard based tools that assist for course creation
>> Language Packs

Concerns
The commercial LMS landscape is very unsettled because of patten that Blackboard holds and because of its acquisition of WebCT. The uncertainty of the lawsuits and what the new Blackboard product will look like makes it hard to determine which commercial product is most viable over the long term. That being said my two chief concerns with D2L are:

>> The current Blackboard vs D2L Patent Lawsuit.
>> The majority of clients listed on the site are large research institutions and university systems. Will we be able to find the peer using it? What does this say about the price?

Points of Intrigue
>> The language of the site is very appealing and draws you in to believe that D2L is the answer
>> It seems as if it is the commercial - open-source as much as it tries to convey the importance of the D2L community in developing the products' future.
>> There are many ways to contract for additional support including hosting, training and implementation.