Anyone use the Desire2Learn learning management system?

[Gidney N Cloyd]

What do you think of it?
We're selecting a new platform and I'm hoping to avoid adopting BlackBoard. The opens source stuff is appealing but might not be appropriate for us. That doesn't leave a lot of other realistic choices.

[cyberswede]

1. We do

I wasn't in on the decision-making, but I think the process is described here (project objectives, milestones, etc.)
http://www.uiowa.edu/~provost/elearning/cms_implementation/index.shtml

Hope that helps!

[Gidney N Cloyd]

4. That's interesting. Thanks.

[mike_c]

2. we don't, but I wanted to put in a plug for Moodle....

We use Moodle, which is also open source and very well supported, both by a large and diverse user base and by a firm grounding in social constuctivist pedagogy, although there in no necessity for using the group and social features if you don't want to.

I've used Moodle for four or five years now-- we transitioned from BlackBoard due to cost-- and I'm very impressed with its features. If you'd like to look at one of my Moodle courses-in-progress, I think this link will take your there: http://learn.humboldt.edu/course/view.php?id=202308 -- it's open for guest access.

xoxo
Mike C.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

3. Thanks. How do you handle publisher epacks?

[mike_c]

5. I don't use epacks, but I did some quick research...

...and it appears that epacks are usually assembled by publishers for specific CMS platforms, so the answer might depend upon your textbook publisher. MOODLE supports several course authoring tools and import formats, however, including the Sharable Content Object Model (SCORM), and I *think* most publishers who provide epacks for platforms like WebCT or Blackboard can easily convert them to SCORM format simply by loading them into WebCT (or whatever) and then exporting them as SCORM objects. I saw several references online to that process.

When we migrated from Blackboard to Moodle, our IT staff used a tool to convert all of our BB courses to Moodle courses, although as I recall the process was not entirely seamless. I usually view times like that as opportunities to start from scratch, more-or-less, and get a course do-over. :-)

[Dinger]

6. I Used It Once, Last Summer

for a grad class I was taking, during my summer "vacation," after I was done teaching summer school the week before. It was o.k., but that was my only experience with it.

[lutefisk]

7. Not fond of it

My opinion: The interface isn't intuitive, can't personalize course pages much, seems "sterile", and I find it generally unpleasant to use. It's a pain to use- so I use it as little as possible.

With that said, I'd recommend trying it out for a while- who knows, others might like it.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

8. Have you used many other platforms?

If so, which ones would you say have the most intuitive interfaces?

[lutefisk]

9. No, I haven't. Wish I could offer a positive suggestion to help out.

:shrug:

Good luck.