Delivering data-driven learning to boost student flexibility

@AvansHogeschool – AVANS UNIVERSITY CHOOSES @D2L’S BRIGHTSPACE TO BOOST STUDENT FLEXIBILTY AND DELIVER DATA-DRIVEN LEARNING 

D2L, a global learning technology leader, has announced that Avans University of Applied Sciences has chosen the  Brightspace  platform to help deliver its flexible education model to meet the needs of the modern world of work.

Avans University was founded in 2004, as part of a merger between Hogeschool Brabant and Hogeschool ‘s-Hertogenbosch, both of which were already working closely together under one Executive Board. Today, Avans is one of the largest colleges in the Netherlands, with campuses in Breda’s-Hertogenbosch, Roosendaal and Tilburg. It offers 61 higher professional education courses and has 33,000 students and 2,900 employees.

Avans aspires to train agile and resilient professionals, who can be placed quickly and readily in the workplace, adding value to the organisation where they start their career. Modules are co-developed with the professional field and industry-partners and regularly updated in line with the demands of the international labour market to ensure students are adaptable and ready for their future.

The University offers flexible study programmes where students can switch to any associated programme, with the freedom to make their own study choices based on their own goals, interests, capacities and ideals. This results in a personal learning pathway that promotes multidisciplinary skills. Avans advocates a blended learning model where learning is a social process. Students can reflect on what they have learned, and are empowered to take responsibility for their own personal development. To achieve this, Avans required a learning platform that was easy-to-use and data-driven, so that it could deliver tailored learning routes and continue to provide modern, flexible education.

After a thorough investigation, the tendering procedure started in February 2019 with a total of four suppliers. Following initial user testing, which counted for 50 per cent of the final assessment, D2L was chosen as a result of its proposed implementation approach and its ambition help deliver the University’s specific vision.

“We chose D2L because its company ethos, and the capabilities of its platform were in synergy with our own educational goals. The team at D2L offered something personal, a collaborative implementation where our own lecturers could be involved early in the design process,” said Felix Kuijpers, Programme Manager Education Innovation with ICT at Avans University of Applied Sciences.

“D2L is working with us to help us achieve our specific learning goals. Through Brightspace, we will have real insight into the personalised learning needs of our students and be able to improve our teaching and learning environment in a targeted way. Using this learning data, we can continue to design flexible, blended learning programmes with overall student experience and development in mind. What’s more, through this partnership with D2L, we will be able to deliver learning that better prepares our students for the world of work.”

The Brightspace platform will enable lecturers to use learning analytics to provide live feedback on student progression and assess behaviours and other learning criteria. Similarly, students will be given the opportunity to collaborate with one another, as well as lecturers and those in the professional field. 

“As a company we are have seen great traction and success in the Benelux region of late, which is encouraging. Avans is a highly ambitious institution, with specific learning goals over the next few years. We’re thrilled that the University has chosen Brightspace as part of that plan to deliver modern, personalised learning pathways and equip students with the skills for tomorrow. Given our shared values and commitment to next generation learning, I hope we can build on this partnership and continue transforming the learning experience for its students for many years to come,” said Stewart Watts, Vice-President EMEA, D2L.

QUICK FACTS:

• Avans University selected D2L for its collaborative implementation approach and ability to deliver on its 2025 learning goals
• Avans University will transition all courses to the Brightspace platform. From September 2020, this will be achieved in phases as a joint effort between D2L and the academies
• Brightspace will enable active learning, allowing lecturers to deliver practical teaching models providing a modern learning experience for the University

Brightspace is a  cloud-based  learning platform built by educators, for educators that works on any device. It’s secure, worry-free technology that puts customers first — allowing you to create engaging courses within your existing technology to fit your unique needs. With Brightspace, you can easily set up individualised learning paths for your students, keep them on track with automated nudges, provide them with personalised feedback and increase their engagement through gamification, social tools, video and other powerful features.

Brightspace is the only learning platform chosen as a partner of the National Federation of the Blind’s Strategic Nonvisual Access Partnership programme, which has been redesigned as their Centre of Excellence in Nonvisual Access. Brightspace was named the  #1 VLE in Higher Ed  by Ovum Research and #1 in Adaptive Learning by eLearning Magazine. Aragon Research also included D2L in its highly coveted Hot  Vendors In Learning list .

D2L believes learning is the foundation upon which all progress and achievement rests. Working closely with organisations globally, D2L has transformed the way millions of people learn online and in the classroom.