Learning Management System
Final Recommendation
There are many factors to consider when choosing a Learning Management System for an institution. Aside from the obvious concern of cost, there are other elements that make choosing the right LMS quite a process. It is imperative to consider the following: ease of use, tools, navigation, availability of technical support, appearance, and SIS integration, just to name a few. The following information lists the top five strengths and weakness for each LMS, and my final recommendation.
LMS-D2L: TOP FIVE STRENGTHS
Desire 2 Learn is a great LMS that offers many tools for you to create a well-rounded course. Here are the top five strengths of D2L:
1. Ease of creating/adding specific elements like links, embedded videos, and files: Adding elements like videos, files, and links are essential for a well-rounded and interactive course. The ease of adding these elements makes D2L a great choice.
2. Options when creating rubrics: D2L offers many options for instructors when creating online rubrics. The ability to customize this tool helps the instructor communicate course expectations.
3. Modifying dropboxes and quizzes with differentiated conditions: An essential tool that any LMS should have is the ability to modify certain tools with differentiated release conditions for those students with documented disabilities, and D2L provides easy access to this accessibility tool.
4. Ability to create a customized course homepage: The ability to create a customized homepage is a major draw to D2L because of the organized appearance and easy to read chunked up information.
5. Activating and deactivating tools: D2L makes deactivating a course an easy task. It allows you to copy some or all of the course components so you won't have to recreate course components for another class.
Desire 2 Learn is a great LMS that offers many tools for you to create a well-rounded course. Here are the top five strengths of D2L:
1. Ease of creating/adding specific elements like links, embedded videos, and files: Adding elements like videos, files, and links are essential for a well-rounded and interactive course. The ease of adding these elements makes D2L a great choice.
2. Options when creating rubrics: D2L offers many options for instructors when creating online rubrics. The ability to customize this tool helps the instructor communicate course expectations.
3. Modifying dropboxes and quizzes with differentiated conditions: An essential tool that any LMS should have is the ability to modify certain tools with differentiated release conditions for those students with documented disabilities, and D2L provides easy access to this accessibility tool.
4. Ability to create a customized course homepage: The ability to create a customized homepage is a major draw to D2L because of the organized appearance and easy to read chunked up information.
5. Activating and deactivating tools: D2L makes deactivating a course an easy task. It allows you to copy some or all of the course components so you won't have to recreate course components for another class.
MS-D2L: TOP FIVE WEAKNESSES
Although Desire 2 Learn is a great LMS overall, it does have some weaknesses that can prove to be challenging for beginners. Here are the top five weaknesses of D2L:
1. Lack of screenshots/photos in the tutorial: Although the tutorials are helpful, they lack examples that could be helpful for those who are not familiar with D2L or learn best visually.
2. Multiple steps for creating or enabling certain tools: D2L is robust and creating certain tools require multiple steps and can be confusing and time consuming.
3. System navigation can be confusing for new users: There are many tools and options available to users and this can be overwhelming.
4. It can be a somewhat tedious process calculating and posting final grades: Setting up the grading system in D2L is a multi-step process and can be very confusing if using this LMS for the first time.
5. Setting up the course shell can be difficult if your institution doesn't use D2L: Some institutions will set up the course shell for you. However, if they do not then you must do so yourself and that can be confusing.
Although Desire 2 Learn is a great LMS overall, it does have some weaknesses that can prove to be challenging for beginners. Here are the top five weaknesses of D2L:
1. Lack of screenshots/photos in the tutorial: Although the tutorials are helpful, they lack examples that could be helpful for those who are not familiar with D2L or learn best visually.
2. Multiple steps for creating or enabling certain tools: D2L is robust and creating certain tools require multiple steps and can be confusing and time consuming.
3. System navigation can be confusing for new users: There are many tools and options available to users and this can be overwhelming.
4. It can be a somewhat tedious process calculating and posting final grades: Setting up the grading system in D2L is a multi-step process and can be very confusing if using this LMS for the first time.
5. Setting up the course shell can be difficult if your institution doesn't use D2L: Some institutions will set up the course shell for you. However, if they do not then you must do so yourself and that can be confusing.
LMS-CANVAS: TOP FIVE STRENGTHS
Canvas can be an awesome LMS for beginners who are creating a no-nonsense course. Here are the top five strengths of Canvas:
1. Help guide offers screenshots with step by step instructions: Having a help guide that offers visual examples is very helpful for people who are new to Canvas or learn best with screen shots.
2. User friendly navigation for those who are new to learning management systems: Canvas is very basic and has a user friendly interface, which is helpful for people are new to Learning Management Systems.
3. Easy to create a basic course shell: Creating the course shell is relatively easy and provides a menu of tools or elements who can include in the course.
4. Provides step-by-step checklist for creating course and an easy to follow menu on the homepage: Canvas offers a checklist that you can use while creating your course. It is much like a course creation wizard.
5. Basic grading scheme for those who want to keep it simple: If the teacher uses the Free-For-Teachers account then the grading options are very basic, which may be perfect for some.
Canvas can be an awesome LMS for beginners who are creating a no-nonsense course. Here are the top five strengths of Canvas:
1. Help guide offers screenshots with step by step instructions: Having a help guide that offers visual examples is very helpful for people who are new to Canvas or learn best with screen shots.
2. User friendly navigation for those who are new to learning management systems: Canvas is very basic and has a user friendly interface, which is helpful for people are new to Learning Management Systems.
3. Easy to create a basic course shell: Creating the course shell is relatively easy and provides a menu of tools or elements who can include in the course.
4. Provides step-by-step checklist for creating course and an easy to follow menu on the homepage: Canvas offers a checklist that you can use while creating your course. It is much like a course creation wizard.
5. Basic grading scheme for those who want to keep it simple: If the teacher uses the Free-For-Teachers account then the grading options are very basic, which may be perfect for some.
LMS-CANVAS: TOP FIVE WEAKNESSES
Although Canvas is relatively user-friendly, it does have it's fair share of issues. Here are the top five weaknesses of Canvas:
1. Can be difficult to find specific topics within the help guides: The help guide can be difficult to navigate for some if you do not use the terminology used by Canvas. Some of the help topics are limited.
2. The Free-For-Teachers account greatly limits access to tools: Instructors who choose to use the free account will find that some features are not available.
3. There is no contact phone number available for support; must create a ticket and wait for response: Contacting tech support is difficult because Canvas does not offer a phone number or direct email address to use when you need help. You must create a ticket and wait for a response.
4. Limited ability to modify tools for accessibility: Modifying tools for accessibility was very limited. Canvas does offer help in the guide that discusses using Canvas with a screen reader but other than that I did not find obvious places to modify tools.
5. No obvious option to set up auto-grade or export grades to gradebook: There was no obvious option to set up or customize auto-grading. Also, instructors must have access to the full version of Canvas in order to use the gradebook feature. The institution must also use the grading system offered by Canvas in order have a place to export the grades.
Although Canvas is relatively user-friendly, it does have it's fair share of issues. Here are the top five weaknesses of Canvas:
1. Can be difficult to find specific topics within the help guides: The help guide can be difficult to navigate for some if you do not use the terminology used by Canvas. Some of the help topics are limited.
2. The Free-For-Teachers account greatly limits access to tools: Instructors who choose to use the free account will find that some features are not available.
3. There is no contact phone number available for support; must create a ticket and wait for response: Contacting tech support is difficult because Canvas does not offer a phone number or direct email address to use when you need help. You must create a ticket and wait for a response.
4. Limited ability to modify tools for accessibility: Modifying tools for accessibility was very limited. Canvas does offer help in the guide that discusses using Canvas with a screen reader but other than that I did not find obvious places to modify tools.
5. No obvious option to set up auto-grade or export grades to gradebook: There was no obvious option to set up or customize auto-grading. Also, instructors must have access to the full version of Canvas in order to use the gradebook feature. The institution must also use the grading system offered by Canvas in order have a place to export the grades.
Final LMS Recommendation
Overall, I must recommend Desire 2 Learn as the Learning Management System to employ. I base this recommendation on my ability to access tools and customize certain tools. D2L is more robust and offers many more options to customize online courses to an instructor's specifications. The tools are complete and relatively easy to access from the Course Admin page. There are great tutorials for instructors to refer to as needed and D2L offers both a telephone number and email address to contact tech support, which is very important if you need immediate help. D2L integrates easily into student information systems which makes for convenient exporting of grades. With proper training and support, Desire 2 Learn will be overall the best choice for the money.