D2L Gives A Solid Performance
September 28, 2015
D2L Gives A Solid Performance
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
Hosted and managed by D2L
Modules Used
- content, discussions, gradebook, quizzes, dropbox
Overall Satisfaction with Desire2Learn
Desire2Learn is being used across the Colorado Community College System. I use it to teach my hybrid computer networking courses. It gives students and teachers a common repository to store information to be used in class as well as to upload all homework assignments, take quizzes, and interact through discussions. For example, I've been able to eliminate printing the syllabus and assignment sheets out for each class because they are posted in the Desire2Learn Course Shell and I can project it on the first day of class, and each student has their own copy at their fingertips whenever they need it during the course.
- I love the Dropbox feature, it's very easy to associate a grade from the Dropbox feature to the Gradebook which the student will receive immediately. In addition, the Feedback area is clear to the student and easy to use for me, as faculty - I have a larger window where I can see the assignment and type feedback while the assignment is in front of me.
- The Gradebook is easy to use and to set up. My students love that I can give them a total grade after each due date because I can set up a 'Grade to Date' Setting which includes only assignments that have been due.
- It's integrated into our student portal which allows students to have a single sign-in to their course shells from their student portal page.
- We use a hosted solution, and at times it feels 'slow' - I know that's not specific, but I do know that it isn't just on our network, but on my home network which has a fast internet connection. When I'm trying to go between student grades for instance, it will often time out as I click from one name, look at their grades, then click on the next arrow.
- Building quizzes to come up with random items from a specific block of questions can be difficult - that may be an integration issue with certain publishers.
- Once a rubric is built, it's extremely difficult to edit it - you have to start over again.
- I HATE the internal email system - it will forward emails to my .edu email, but I can't reply to them until I'm in Desire2Learn because it's all internal to Desire2Learn.
- I can't give specific numbers since I'm not involved in the money side of things here in the community college.
- Moodle and Blackboard
Desire2Learn was selected for me, but I find it to be simpler to navigate than Moodle, more intuitive. Blackboard was many years ago, but I find more flexibility in assigning due dates and end dates in the newer version of Desire2Learn.