CU-Boulder will be launching an upgraded version of its current online learning system, CULearn, called Desire2Learn.
According to an administrative memo, the new system will be up and running as early as summer 2011.
According to the memo, Desire2Learn intends to provide a better, more interactive experience between faculty and students than the current CULearn system. Some of the features D2L will bring to the table are live audio, video conferencing, audio recording capability, social networking, blogging and bookmark features.
In the news release, Diane Sieber, professor and director of the Herbst Humanities program in the College of Engineering, said faculty who have been experimenting with social networks for improved student engagement in CU courses will be pleased with Desire2Learn.
Adnan Al Sannaa, a 20-year-old sophomore and computer science major, said he is looking forward to this change.
“I think it would be better to upgrade into something better other than the existing CULearn system that we have right now,” Al Sannaa said. “It is not very user-friendly and the delay it provides makes it difficult sometimes to work through it.”
However, not everyone on campus shares the same excitement and expectation both Warren and Al-Sannaa do. Chelsea Walter, a 21-year-old senior biochemistry major, said she is more skeptical of than hopeful about this new transition.
“As much as I dislike the usage of CULearn right now, I am not too sure how well this new system is going to work,” Walter said. “Based on the past experiences I have had with the moving of CUConnect to MyCUInfo, it cannot be helped that I am a little weary of the new D2L system.”
According to the ASSETT website, starting as early as this summer faculty members can choose to be a part of the summer pilot if they are interested. The ITS staff is able to transfer information from CULearn onto D2L if desired, and can also provide advice and information about the new program.
Emma Stewart, an 18-year-old freshman and double major in history and anthropology, said that as exciting and promising Desire2Learn sounds, she can only wait to see how it really unfolds.
“I cannot really comment on the system right now,” Stewart said. “So far, I have had no serious problems with the existing CULearn website, but if Desire2Learn claims to be a better and more dynamic website for us, I guess we can only wait and see when the time comes.”
To learn and understand more about the differences between CULearn and Desire2Learn, visit the ASSETT website.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Adelina Shee at Adelina.shee@colorado.edu.
