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D2L Migration Set
Open house planned on transition to Desire2Learn
BY ANDREW VOWLES
Birds aren't the only things getting ready to migrate these days. Beginning in the new year, the University will move to a single learning management system for all its online course components.
Following a winter-semester pilot project involving nearly 35 courses, organizers expect to implement Desire2Learn (D2L) as the University's supported learning management system by fall 2009, says project leader Richard Gorrie, manager of learning technology and courseware innovation in Teaching Support Services (TSS).
The new system will replace the existing BlackBoard system for all on-campus courses with in-class and online components, such as discussion groups, grading, online quizzes and course materials. About half of the roughly 3,500 credit courses offered each year at Guelph use BlackBoard.
“This will affect everybody in a small way and some in a major way,” says chief information officer Mike Ridley.
He says D2L is a flexible system that allows instructors and students to try new approaches and work in new ways. A single system will also simplify and streamline administration and make it easier for users to learn online, he says.
“What we're trying to do is make the environment pedagogically challenging but not technologically challenging. Faculty and students will spend less time navigating and more time engaging in coursework.”
Ridley says a single system will also save the University money by avoiding the costs of major upgrades currently needed with BlackBoard.
Instructors will use the new system this winter in two first-year biology courses, a first-year seminar course, 10 assorted classes and 20 courses in the Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies. The pilot will involve about 2,500 students and up to 40 faculty and staff.
The first-year seminar course is Ridley's “Beyond Literacy” offering for about 20 students each semester. He will switch from BlackBoard to D2L in January for sharing course outlines and readings, posting student grades, holding group discussions and administering quizzes.
Many courses, notably those offered by the Office of Open Learning (OOL), already use D2L. That system was initially developed nearly 10 years ago by a Kitchener-based company in collaboration with OOL.
“They're excited about working with us,” says Gorrie. “They're a really innovative Canadian company that's been involved with the University for a long time.”
The migration decision followed a review by a group with representatives from TSS, OOL and Computing and Communications Services. Ridley and Prof. Serge Desmarais, associate vice-president (academic), co-chaired the implementation committee, which conducted preliminary and feasibility studies.
“We're very committed to providing solid and deep support to faculty as they make the transition,” says Ridley. TSS will provide D2L training and support for instructors.
D2L will also be used by the library and by Human Resources for staff training.
The migration team will hold an open house about the transition to D2L Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 106 of Rozanski Hall. For more information, visit the website www.uoguelph.ca/tss/d2lmigration.