WEEK #6 Summary and suggestions
LMs evaluation introduction
Welcome to week 6 of our LMS evaluations. This week’s focus was on the behind the scenes working of the systems. In addition to my own research, I had the opportunity to interview expert users of Canvas and D2L from other colleges. There were several learns as I dove into this portion of the evaluation and I will be weighing my decision heavily on this information. As always, I will wrap up this page with my recommendation for our new LMS.
LMS 1 - D2l lms evaluation
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION LEVEL
D2L has very high customer satisfaction. The users I spoke with explained that D2L is very receptive to user feedback and often looks to its customers for idea for improvement. Additionally, there are several options for finding information to assist faculty and students with technical support within the D2L’s online community. I have also had a very easy time finding information for the items I have created for the evaluation Learning Management Systems. |
TRAINING
D2L has a few options for training new administrators and faculty. They even offer an option called a TAM (Technical Account Manager) for an additional fee. The TAM acts as a liaison between D2L and us. This would be helpful as we transition from our current system. There is a 2-day administrative training session, which can be part of our negotiated contract if we decide to go with D2L as the preferred option. In addition to the initial training there is an online community called BrightSpace where faculty can go to learn about the system and learn new ways to use the LMS. |
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
D2L has a large online support community called BrightSpace, which would be a great way for us to get technical support in an “On Demand” format. Additionally, I advise that we look into adding a TAM to also provide us with additional Technical Support. The user that I spoke with did share with me that they are able to gain access with new versions of the D2L to test with their systems and D2L will provide additional support with upgrades and such. |
COSTS
The costs are variable and are able to be negotiated. The user I spoke with said that the initial cutover cost would probably be about $25,000 and there are annual costs that vary based on size. The annual cost for a state university ran about 250,000. We will need to reach out to D2L to pin down a Specific number. Another cost we will need to consider is the cost to staff an LMS Technologist and any other administration position depending on how complex our system becomes. |
ANALYTIC DATA PROVIDED FROM LMS
D2L offers a variety of options when it comes to analytics, however the user I interviewed and the Evaluation version I used were not able to provide the needed information to see how the analytics work. I believe that this could be easily fixed if we begin the process with D2L with the understanding that we will want to have access to the analytics. |
lms2 - Canvas by instructure lms evaluation
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION LEVEL
Canvas has very high customer satisfaction. The users I spoke with explained that Canvas is continually pushing out updates to fix issues and enhance the overall experience of both faculty and students. Additionally, there are several options for finding information to assist faculty and students with technical support online. These resources range from homegrown YouTube videos to the Canvas online support community. When I initial signed up for the trial version of Canvas I received calls and emails from company representatives offering assistance and inquiring about my needs and how they could help solve them. |
TRAINING
Canvas offers several options for Training. The user I interviewed said that initially her college opted for the highest level of service to allow for an easy transition. This service is offered at a premium, however it was a great resource in helping the faculty and students get accustomed to the system. She said that they have since discontinued the additional service and are using online resource to supplement training needs. There is a wealth of information available online by simply googling Canvas How Tos. Additionally, Atomic Learning has several instructional videos for Canvas. |
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Technical Support comes in a variety of ways with Canvas. As I mentioned in the Training discussion above, there is a premium service available, at an additional cost. This service offers support for all levels of users from administrators to students, which is great, so long as the benefit outweighs the cost. I do not believe we would need to make the additional investment for the premium support after the first year. Canvas does offer support at the base level and provide continual update to ensure system stability. |
COSTS
The costs for Canvas are very similar to other systems and are able to be negotiated. The user I interviewed shared that the cost for the college was about $250,000 per year with the premium support. She did mention something that we should be aware of and that is the hidden costs. If something is not negotiated up-front, there is usually a 5 – 10 thousand dollar added cost. This could become problematic if we miss things in the initial negotiation. |
ANALYTIC DATA PROVIDED FROM LMS
Canvas has a great system for compiling data and will send the information over to users on a daily basis. The only downfall is that we will have to decide how to use the “raw” data dump. This will need to be something we consider as we consider the costs to implement, since someone will need to evaluate the data. |
lms weekly recommendations
Based on this week's activities there was no clear winner. Since both of the systems provide the same level of service in regard to training and tech support and the costs are similar, I will need to rely on a final review to determine a winner and my final selection. Stay tuned for that information next week.