Desire 2 Learn Online learning enviromment Eamonn Kelly Emerging Technology Project ITEC 7445 Dr. Moore November 11,2013

Desire 2 Learn What is Desire 2 Learn (D2L)? D2L is a online learning environment that allows teachers to offer blended learning to their students. The purpose of D2L is to provide an engaging, collaborative and personalized learning experience.

How does D2L support St. Clair County school systems mission and vision? While our system does not have a specific plan for the implementation of technology, we do aspire to use and implement 21st century technology in our schools. Within our mission and vision it states we pursue to achieve 21st century learning so that our students will be successful in the world after graduation.

I believe with D2L we will be better equipped to offer this type of learning to our students now and in the future. With this form of learning environment we will be able to prepare our students for college and the workplace, as well as being able to implement more relevant and rigorous curriculum in the classroom.

Target population This learning platform is geared more towards high school students but can be used in all of our schools. The platform itself is more for getting students ready for college and the workplace. Younger students can have success if assisted by teachers and parents. D2L promotes that it is for k-12, and for higher learning.

Equity among teachers and students? There should be no issue with equity among teachers, because all teachers are given a school supplied Laptop. Along with the laptop teachers have access to WIFI throughout the school. Equity among students is a little more tricky due to the fact that all students do not have access to laptops, cellphones, and tablets. This can be solved with our 2:1 initiative in our schools. Plenty of access is available for them.

Equipment needed? There is no equipment needed that is not already in our system. Internet access and devices capable for access are already in place in the schools for D2L to work properly. The license to run the software is the only equipment that will need to be purchased and installed on all school desktops and laptops.

When the license to use the software is purchased from the system, 24 hour, 7 days a week technical support is provided. The technology leader, administrators, teachers, and students will have access to this service from D2L. There is an online support ticket system as well as a 1- 800 number to call for technical support and trouble- shooting.

Limitations of D2L? The only limitations that exist with D2L are technical issues such as: If the power is out, so is the internet and D2L If our WIFI goes down, so does D2L If students do not have internet at home, they will not be able to work on D2L, so teachers will have to have other things available for them.

Cost of Desire 2 Learn After contacting Desire 2 Learn over the phone and through email, D2L cost is a case by case situation. This means that we can not get an quote at this time until we are serious about implementing this system. The training for D2L is all free online through courses set up by them.

Potential funding issues? Funding issues do exist, if our system has not allotted the money in our budget for the next school year. This will have to be implemented in 5 high schools, and would have to be earmarked for this technology

How can D2L be used by teachers? Teachers will really be able to flip the classroom with this learning platform. Students will be in charge of their own learning. Students will be at their own pace of learning. Teachers will be able to offer more differentiated instruction

Teachers will be able to provide a lot of resources for blended instruction outside of the classroom. From the instruction outside of the classroom this will provide more time for personal instruction during class for those who need it most.

How will it help meet content and technology standards? This technology will actually help reinforce the content and technology standards that teachers should already be implementing into their daily lessons. The rigor and relevance of lessons will go up as well as engagement for all students in the content areas.

How does it meet learning goals? This platform allows for a more authentic research based learning for students. With the amount of resources, (literature and video) students can obtain the rigor needed to be successful as well as engaged in the global marketplace.

How can it be used to differentiate for certain needs? Students will be able to watch content, complete problems, and conduct labs. This will keep the teacher from being bound to lecture, which allows them to focus more of their energies as a teacher helping struggling students.

The use of different methods of instruction in this flipped classroom model allows for teachers to “move from being instructors of content to facilitator of learning,” as quoted by Desire 2 Learn. Students will have the ability collaborate amongst themselves giving them the ability to discuss and express opinions in other ways. Students are also able to unlock content from around the world through internet resources.

Research for the effectiveness of Desire 2 Learn? Desire 2 Learn website gives plenty of success stories for the platform being successful, here are a couple: The Alabama Department of Education is quoted as saying; “Learning has greatly improved in the state because of Desire 2 Learn, because it has leveled the learning field for all students.”

The next coming from the Georgia department of Education saying it, “allows us to offer new more engaging ways to make the most of the learning experience. These are two state department of educations who are giving them their support for the platform offered.

Plan for Implementation? I feel that for the best result, we should implement into one of high schools first, so that we can work through any problems that may arise. This will also give us an opportunity to train a smaller groups teachers so that they eventually train the other teachers in the system the next school year.

After the initial year of implementation in one of our high schools, we will then move towards implementing in our other high schools. We will take from our experiences in our one high school and use that to make the experience better in the other schools. After all the high schools have implemented the platform successfully, we will move to put the platform into our middle schools. This process should take a total of 3 years to successfully implement into the schools.

Reflection? After researching Desire 2 Learn, I feel very comfortable recommending this emerging technology to our system. I have learned that there are many ways to enrich your school and school system, and it is very easy to fall prey to something that is a waste of time and money.

While I know that there are more cost efficient ways to provide a online platform for learning, D2L offers the best opportunity to give our students what they want and deserve to be successful in the global market place. This project has really opened my eyes to the numerous types of technology out there for teachers. It has really strengthened my opinion of technology in the classroom, not just sometimes but all the time.