I looked at Moodle 1.8 and Desire2Learn Learning Environments 8.4.2. My school district currently uses Moodle 1.8 and I was interested in the differences between the two.
Moodle is an Open Source LMS. It requries installation on a web server. The end user needs to find the hosting. The Open Source nature of Moodle allows for a high level of customiziability via modules. It also can create frustration because the end user does not have a direct connect for help or support, but rather must access help via help forums.
Desire2Learn Learning Enviroments calls itself a learning suite. It is an LMS, but the description on the website is in “sales speak” and to download a brochure you must enter in contact information and I do not want to provide them with my information.
o Both offer asynchronous & synchronous communication via chat and forum and email.
+ Desire2Learn offers a AJAX-based HTML chat which doesn't require any plug-ins and has settings to optimize for screenreaders too (for accessibility). In addition, Desire2Learn offers a full synchronous chat whiteboard/canvas, presentation technology called LiveRoom(TM
+ Moodle has the ability to set a Student as a moderator of a discussion forum
o Instant messaging
+ Desire2learn has built in tool
+ Moodle has 3rd party Modules that can be incorporated.
o Sound capabilities
+ Both allow for embedded video and audio
+ Both have Elluminate integration, but neither discusses if this includes audio conferencing.
o Video capabilities
+ Both allow for embedded video
+ Both have Elluminate integration, but neither discusses if this includes video conferencing.
Content Organization and Platform Interface
o Desire2Learn has a cleaner interface than Moodle. Desire2LEarn’s environment is similar to an iGoogle page with sections organized in widgets of boxes that the user can customize. The adoption of this interface makes Desire2Learn familiar to the user and easy to navigate. Moodle orgainzes its information in blocks. The instructor can determine up to 3 columns and the placement of information in the side columns, but the main content is always in the center.
Content Development and Course Delivery Tools
Both Desire2Learn and Moodle follow dynamic VDILS models. Both allow instructors to customize the enviroment to meet the needs of the learners. Desire2Learn offers some features on the student end that Moodle does not, such as online annotated bookmarking from within the LMS and online journal/notes that can be combined and attached to course content. These can also be used to create a printable study guide.
Both allow for analyitcs to allow the instuctor to track student usage as well as online gradebooks and reports.
Overall I prefer the Desire2Learn LMS as it appears to be a more polished package.
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