Click here to receive your FREE subscription to Campus Technology
CMS/LMS
D2L Debuts Desire2Learn Essentials
2/27/2007
Software developer Desire2Learn is lowering the ante for campus-wide CMS/LMS adoption. The company today debuted a new version of its course and learning management system designed for universities, colleges, schools, and e-learning programs with fewer than 5,000 users.The new tool, called Desire2Learn Essentials, offers functionality similar to that of D2L's large-scale Desire2Learn Learning Environment, along with customization features designed to enhance experiences for students and faculty alike.
"Desire2Learn Essentials addresses the core issues smaller institutions face. By offering a competitive edge to access a powerful enterprise-scale application, with all the required tools and functionality enabling rapid development, delivery, all learners can benefit from a quality online experience. Desire2Learn Essentials empowers smaller institutions to maximize their resources and enables them to have the same e-learning opportunities as larger institutions," said Patricia Fellows, instructional technology and training coordinator at University of Wisconsin Colleges, in a prepared statement.
Essentials is a Web-based suite hosted by Desire2Learn that provides a widget-based interface for customization of elements, such as news, user guides, events, and various other types of optional content. Some of the specific features include:
- Customization throughout the interface, down to the course level;
- A variety of question types for quizzes and tests;
- Self-assessment features for students;
- Tracking of student involvement in the system, including materials read and tests taken;
- Gradebook features;
- Discussions and blogs;
- Support for RSS; and
- Dropoffs for assignments.
Please visit Campus Technology Thursday for an in depth "first look" at this new system.
More info:
Desire2Learn
About the author: Dave Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's educational technology online publications and electronic newsletters. He can be reached at dnagel@1105media.com.
Have any additional questions? Want to share your story? Want to pass along a news tip? Contact Dave Nagel, executive editor, at dnagel@1105media.com.
Cite this Site
copy text (above) for proper citation
Recommended Reading
- Microsoft Unveils 'Ultimate' Support Service
Microsoft Monday rolled out the highest level of its enterprise support programs to date, adding a new offering called "Microsoft Services Premier Ultimate." The offering builds upon the company's existing Premier services program.
- Digital Arrays for Evidence-Based Learning
Our culture is redefining itself and we are redefining how we see learning. It is time for educators to get out of the box of seat time, finally, and consider evidence-based learning.
- 'That Which Weaves Together': The NSF Cyberlearning Report
Trent Batson takes a look at the National Science Foundation's Report of the NSF Task Force on Cyberlearning, "Fostering Learning in the Networked World: The Cyberlearning Opportunity and Challenge."
- The Power of Wikis in Higher Ed
Over the last six years, Stewart Mader has staked his career on the power of wikis. Mader first worked on wiki adoption initiatives in the IT department at Brown University, becoming fascinated by their power and potential. In this first half of a two-part interview, Mader talks about powerful ways to use wikis in education, content ownership issues, and how wikis tend to be used--and why.
- Sakai 2.5.2 Gets Performance Boost; New Modules Released
The Sakai Foundation has released the Sakai Collaboration and Learning Environment 2.5.2, the first maintenance update to the open-source learning management system since the 2.5 release in March. The new version includes performance enhancements, as well as a number of bug fixes and other enhancements.
- Microsoft Changes Virtualization Licensing Rules
Microsoft has made substantial changes to its virtualization licensing program, changes that will lower the cost of using virtualization for many customers.
