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D2L

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Desire2Learn [D2L]
Company typePublic
TSX: DTOL
Industry
  • Educational Technology
  • Learning Management Systems
  • Content Authoring Systems
  • Educational Cloud Software
Founded1999
FounderJohn Baker
Headquarters
Kitchener, Ontario
,
Canada
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
ProductsBrightspace, Creator+, Performance+, D2L Lumi, Achievement+, Course Merchant, Services, Cloud, Support
BrandsBrightspace, Open Courses
Number of employees
1,200+ (2024)
Websitewww.d2l.com

D2L (or Desire2Learn) is a Canada-based global software company with offices in Australia, Brazil, Europe, India, Singapore, and the United States.

D2L is the developer of the Brightspace learning management system, a cloud-based software suite used by schools, higher educational institutions, and businesses for online and blended classroom learning.[1][2][3] The company is also the developer of Open Courses, a Massive Open Online Course platform.[4]

History

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John Baker, president and CEO of Desire2Learn speaking at the University of Guelph[5]

D2L was founded in 1999 by Canadian John Baker, who became president and CEO.[6][7][8] He founded D2L while studying systems design engineering during his third year at the University of Waterloo.[9] He was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross in 2017, for his work at the company to advance learning across the country and around the world.[10] D2L raised $80 million in Series A funding, one of the largest tech funding rounds in Canada at the time, to expand its product offerings and grow internationally.[11] The company went public with an initial public offering in November 2021, on the Toronto Stock Exchange.[12] D2L names Stephen Laster as D2L, President in 2022.[13]  D2L Acquires Connected Shopping Ltd., makers of Course Merchant in 2023.[14]

Developments

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In 2004, D2L first introduced support for Competency Based Education, and launched an integrated ePortfolio product to allow learners to document their own learning.[15][16] The company became the recipient of the 2012 Platinum Learning Impact Award in the event hosted by IMS Global.[17] In 2013, D2L was recognized by the National Federation of the Blind for its leadership in Accessibility with the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award.[18] Three years later, the company partnered with the National Federation of the Blind's Strategic Nonvisual Access Partner program to ensure learning systems are fully accessible.[19][20] That same year, D2L launched a beta of a redesigned interface using responsive web design to offer full functionality on mobile devices, which saw general release in 2017.[21] In July 2024, announced the acquisition of H5P Group, a developer of content creation tools to enable educators develop interactive content.[22]

Products and services

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D2L Fusion convention in Kissimmee, Florida, 2019

Brightspace

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Brightspace is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) developed by D2L (Desire2Learn) for use in K-12, higher education, and corporate training environments. Brightspace is a platform for creating, delivering, and managing online and blended learning experiences. Brightspace allows for customization, integrates with third-party tools, and provides mobile and accessibility support, making it adaptable to various learning environments.

D2L's first virtual learning environment clients included University of Guelph, Virtual High School (Ontario), the University of Waterloo and Fanshawe College. [citation needed]

Brightspace was built using microservices and operates as a software as a service.[23] It incorporates Web Components and Google Polymer, HTML5, and responsive web design to provide a user interface that can work on any mobile device.

Brightspace combines a Learning Environment, ePortfolio, Learning Repository, Video Recorder, Virtual Classroom, and Mobile apps, in one cloud-based platform.[24]

In May 2020, Brightspace signed an agreement with Stockholm-based edtech company RepresentEdTech to resell and distribute its cloud-based learning platform in the Nordic region.[25]

Creator+

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D2L Brightspace Creator+ is a bundle within the Brightspace learning management system (LMS) developed by D2L (Desire2Learn). It is designed for educators and content creators to develop interactive and accessible learning materials. Creator+ has features like multimedia content creation, customizable templates, interactive elements such as practice questions, and accessibility checks.[26]

Performance+

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Performance+ is a bundle learning analytics to help automate tasks and identify risks. An adaptive learning engine personalizes the content for each learner. Learning Analytics and Intelligent Agents provide early intervention to help learners and a set of data that can be used to make improvements based upon analysis.[27]

In 2016, Fast Company recognized D2L as a leader in Data Science.[28]

D2L Achievement+ for Brightspace

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An add-on package designed for schools, institutions, and organizations offering competency-based education programs. It includes an interface for aligning course activities and assessments with learning outcomes, as well as a data dashboard for reporting.[29]

D2L Lumi

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In 2024, D2L launched D2L Lumi, a set of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered features to support building content, assessments, and activities. [30]

Open Courses

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In 2008, D2L entered the massive open online course MOOC market to support MOOC pioneers Stephen Downes and George Siemens.[31]

The University of Tasmania used D2L's MOOC platform for tens of thousands of learners, with more than 70% of students completing the courses.[32]

Course Merchant

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A SaaS e-commerce and course catalog enables institutions and organizations to sell and manage access to online courses and other educational content.

Services

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D2L's services include: onboarding services, end-user help desk support, technical account management, technical data management, advisory consulting, program management, training, course development, customization, and accessibility design support.[33]

References

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  1. ^ Tony Wan (July 14, 2014). "The Sum of Desire2Learn's Acquisitions: Brightspace". Edsurge News.
  2. ^ Joseph Czikk (July 15, 2014). "Desire2Learn Launches New Integrated Platform Called Brightspace". BetaKit.
  3. ^ Dian Schaffhauser (2014-07-14). "D2L Unveils Revamped Platform 'Brightspace' with Adaptive Learning". THE Journal.
  4. ^ "D2L Open Courses". D2L. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  5. ^ "Leadership Team | About D2L". D2L. 7 October 2022.
  6. ^ "John Baker's Desire2Learn Is Leading Education Transformation". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2023-04-09.
  7. ^ "EPC Spotlight-Desire2Learn". Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  8. ^ "D2L - Complete profile - Canadian Company Capabilities - Industries and Business - Industry Canada". www.ic.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-04-19. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
  9. ^ "From the President: It began in Waterloo". The Greentree Gazette. March 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2008-03-11.
  10. ^ Gazette, Government of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Integrated Services Branch, Canada (July 2017). "Canada Gazette – Government House". www.gazette.gc.ca. Retrieved 2018-10-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Lardinois, Frederic (2012-09-04). "Online Education Platform Desire2Learn Raises Massive $80M Round From NEA & OMERS Ventures". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  12. ^ Silcoff, Sean (November 3, 2021). "D2L and E Automotive fail to ignite in TSX debuts, continuing humdrum streak for new Canadian tech issues". The Globe and Mail.
  13. ^ Rhea, Kelly. "D2L Names Stephen Laster President -". Campus Technology.
  14. ^ Armitage, Craig (May 10, 2023). "D2L Acquires Connected Shopping Ltd., makers of Course Merchant". www.newswire.ca.
  15. ^ "Desire2Learn Supports Educators Striving to Enhance Student Learning Outcomes | D2L". D2L. Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  16. ^ "Desire2Learn Competencies and Rubrics: Part I". e-Literate. 18 November 2007. Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  17. ^ "Learning Impact 2012 Award Winners | IMS Global Learning Consortium". www.imsglobal.org. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
  18. ^ "National Federation of the Blind Awards $50,000 | National Federation of the Blind". nfb.org. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  19. ^ "The Question of Blindfolds". nfb.org. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  20. ^ "D2L Partners With National Federation of the Blind to Help Make Learning Accessible to All | Press Release | D2L". D2L. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  21. ^ "D2L Closes the Desktop-Mobile Gap With Summer16 Release -- The Classroom of the Future Is Finally in Hand | Press Release | D2L". D2L. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  22. ^ "Brightspace owner D2L acquires H5P for latest creation tech". thetechfactor.ca. 2024-07-16. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  23. ^ "Brightspace Cloud | D2L". D2L. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  24. ^ "Brightspace Core Products & Support | D2L". D2L. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  25. ^ Hamdani, Zahra (20 May 2020). "RepresentEdTech to provide D2L Brightspace across Nordics". Global Education Times. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  26. ^ "D2L Launches Brightspace Creator+ to Help Simplify Course Creation". CISION. November 8, 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  27. ^ "Performance Plus | Learner Data & Success Package for Brightspace | D2L". D2L. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  28. ^ "D2L: Most Innovative Company | Fast Company". Fast Company. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  29. ^ D2L. "D2L Achievement+ Launches to Help Transform Competency-Based Education". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved 2024-11-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  30. ^ "D2L Lumi Helps Transform the Learning Platform Experience". Cision.
  31. ^ "Open Education, MOOCs, and Opportunities".
  32. ^ "Understanding Dementia MOOC Data - Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre".
  33. ^ "eLearning Services | D2L". D2L. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
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