Queen’s will adopt Brightspace by D2L (formerly Desire2Learn) as its campus-wide learning management system (LMS), an online solution that enhances course delivery and promotes student collaboration. The move will see the use of Moodle phased out over the coming 18 to 24 months.

“Learning management systems are valuable tools for course delivery at Queen’s and the adoption of a campus-wide licence for Brightspace will consolidate the multiple licences already held by individual faculties and schools,” says Jill Scott, Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning). “Once implemented, all students and faculty at Queen’s will have access to this robust LMS to enhance the learning experience.”

Brightspace is widely used in higher education and has been adopted by the Ontario Ministry of Education for all school boards across the province. At Queen’s, Brightspace is currently used in the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Queen’s School of Business and the School of Nursing. The move to a campus-wide LMS will support recommendations in the Teaching and Learning Action Plan, and involved consultation with students, staff and faculty.

Current Queen’s users of Brightspace are very pleased with the service and expanding it across campus will allow the university to pursue strategic initiatives to enhance teaching and learning, such as a learning analytics program, ePortfolios, and tracking of learning outcomes.

- Jill Scott, Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning)

“Current Queen’s users of Brightspace are very pleased with the service and expanding it across campus will allow the university to pursue strategic initiatives to enhance teaching and learning, such as a learning analytics program, ePortfolios, and tracking of learning outcomes,” says Dr. Scott. “It will also allow the university to focus its support services on one LMS, while ensuring consistency for students who may now be using Brightspace for some courses and Moodle for others.”

A project committee is being established to ensure the successful implementation of Brightspace and a smooth migration of courses from Moodle. Information Technology Services (ITS) and the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) will work with academic units and individual faculty members throughout the process.

Peter Wolf, Associate Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning), says that he has been through the transition process to Brightspace at his previous institution and saw it go smoothly, with appropriate planning and support.

“The CTL and ITS will support faculty members throughout the migration process and beyond,” says Mr. Wolf. “We want to help faculty get the most out of Brightspace, including opportunities for increased student engagement, improved assessments of student learning, and better facilitation of quality assurance processes.”

Faculty members interested in learning more about Brightspace and the benefits of a learning management system are invited to contact Peter Wolf by email or at ext. 77480, and to read a Q&A available on the Provost’s website.