D2L Forum Session at HLC

While attending the Higher Learning Commission annual meetings in Chicago I sat in on the Desire2Learn forum session. I would estimate that there were at least 50 people in the room, maybe more like 75. I usually avoid these sessions for various reasons, but I decided to go since a couple of MnSCU friends were going and I also just thought that it had been long enough since I last heard what they have to say.

D2L always has skilled presenters for sessions of this type. None of the others are quite as skilled as CEO John Baker himself, but the sales manager for this session was also pretty good. I'll post later about some of the new features that we can expect (someday), but for now just let me say how hard it is for me to sit through demonstrations like that. I am a bit of an instant gratification kind-o-guy. It pains me to see some really cool features that they have built. The pain comes from the fact that we don't access to those new features and it's not even clear when we will have.

Managing a monstrous IMS installation for 32 institutions (okay, only 31 right now) is a huge undertaking. We cannot switch to their new version or even install an upgrade to the current version without a great deal of risk, planning, testing, and more risk. However, I WANT THOSE NEW FEATURES NOW!!

This situation strikes me in much the same way that I get so frustrated with the cell phone companies. For the cell phones, I have been a loyal customer for several years now but they treat a brand new customer who has never given them a dime better than they treat me. You have to beg to get treated as well as someone with whom they have not established an ongoing relationship. Same goes for the cable providers. Well apparently, the same goes for D2L (although for admittedly different reasons). Even though we have been customers for over two years now, a new school/system could come along tomorrow and be able to jump into the latest, shiniest, newest version of D2L with all the new bells and whistles. Meanwhile, we just get to sit here with our noses pressed against the window wondering how much fun they're having in there.

Tags: D2L Desire2Learn IMS HLC

Comments

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July 03, 2006 10:10 PM
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July 20, 2006 10:22 PM
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