WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM | FEBRUARY 2018 | 27
LMS: D2L
DISTRICT: THE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD OF NIAGARA IN ONTARIO, CANADA (109 SCHOOLS, 3,000
EDUCATORS, 36,000 STUDENTS)
What they love about their LMS: Robert Dunlop, blended learning resource teacher, says, “we love that we
have a platform that can grow along with the students and their needs,” documenting student learning with
D2L Portfolio from kindergarten through grade 12. Primary teachers can keep parents informed and extend
learning at home, while middle-school teachers love that D2L provides assessment tools and houses learning
materials that are accessible to students on any device. “In high school,” Dunlop says, “we use D2L for both
blended learning and e-learning. With a district-wide voluntary adoption rate over 80 percent and improved
workflow, Dunlop says, “D2L has changed the way that teachers teach ... and many could not imagine not
using D2L now.”
LMS: CANVAS
DISTRICT: SPRINGFIELD (MO) PUBLIC SCHOOLS (54 BUILDINGS, 2,500 EDUCATORS, 25,000 STUDENTS)
What they love about their LMS: In a pilot, Springfield students unanimously chose Canvas for its clean
design, mobile device capability, and user interface. “Canvas is so easy, even our teachers can use it!” one
student quipped. The district uses Canvas for everything from their online school, Launch, to credit recovery,
curriculum, digital libraries, professional development, and student courses. “Canvas is one simple package
with all the tools and resources that a teacher needs. It’s an all-in-one, out-of-the-box solution,” says director
for blended learning Dr. Nichole Lemmon.
A kindergarten
classroom at
DSBN incorporates
Brightspace from D2L
into their classroom
activities.An elementary student at Greater Essex County
District School Board engages in a number-
learning activity.LMS: EDSBY
DISTRICT: THE GREATER ESSEX COUNTY
DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD IN WINDSOR,
ONTARIO, CANADA (70 SCHOOLS, 36,000
STUDENTS, 4,700 EMPLOYEES)
What they love about their LMS: John
Howitt, superintendent of education, says
Edsby is a K–12 solution “with menus and
workflows simple enough for kindergarten
but robust enough for senior students.”
Integration with their existing SIS was a key
factor. One key to success, Howitt says, has
been to “limit the expectations of use.” While
everyone uses Edsby for attendance and group
communication, teachers in this district with a
robust infrastructure to support BYOD use the
many other available features at their discretion.
This “authentic implementation model” means
that the use of Edsby in each classroom and
school will look different. “As the user(s) become
more comfortable with Edsby,” Howitt says,
“they grow into other uses.”This Springfield
Public Schools
high-school student
dropped out earlier
this year, but he’s on
track to graduate in
May—thanks in part
to weekly meetings
with blended learning
specialist Jeremy
Sullivan.