Windesheim University selects D2L to deliver a more flexible and personalised education

D2L, a global learning technology leader, is working with Windesheim University of Applied Sciences in making progress to implement Brightspace as its learning innovation platform to help offer students a flexible and challenging learning route, as part of a transition to more personal, student-led learning programmes. In September 2021, the University started the transition to Brightspace, rolling out a personalised and user-friendly learning experience to 3,000 learners using Brightspace and from 2022 is continuing implementation for over 13,000 students at the University, with plans to roll out for the remaining students before the end of the year.

Windesheim University of Applied Sciences is a medium-sized vocational university institute for higher education and research in Zwolle, located in the centre of the Netherlands. One of the top three universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands, Windesheim is known for its personal approach, small classes and for working closely with the business community and public institutes. There are approximately 27,000 students studying technology, education, healthcare and welfare, business, media, and law.

Windesheim had a legacy online learning platform in place, but the university sought a more modern platform that was efficient, effective, and user-friendly for students and lecturers. Knowing that students arrive at university from a variety of backgrounds with different knowledge and experience, it was important that the platform could be tailored to suit different learning styles and schedules. Ultimately, it needed to meet modern education demands and offer students a truly personalised experience.

“We are in the process of making a transition to a more flexible and personalised education at Windesheim, and D2L Brightspace is a crucial part of our journey,” said Erik Bolhuis at Windesheim University of Applied Sciences. “We needed a platform that could help deliver a personalised learning path, that can be tailored to an individual student’s learning preferences. D2L stood out, as its rich feature set includes formative tests, videos, podcasts and so forth, that can help students to remain engaged and can study flexibly.”

After a tendering round, Windesheim presented several possible learning platforms to its stakeholders and there was a clear preference for D2L, particularly among teachers and support staff. Windesheim has opted for an implementation strategy in several tranches so that the learning and adjustments can be made for larger groups of students actively study in Brightspace.

“We are delighted to partner with Windesheim and to be able to offer a reliable, effective and user-friendly platform to its students and teaching staff as part of the University’s continued digital transformation,” said Stewart Watts, VP EMEA, D2L. “Acknowledging different abilities and diverse learning preferences is critical for any modern education provider, and we are pleased that Windesheim is making full use of the learning tools within our platform to help deliver an engaging and personalised learning experience for its students.”