On this episode of All Aboard with Rob Belliveau, Rob talks with this month’s guest, John Baker, President, CEO, and Board Chair of D2L, about what it really means to transform the way the world learns, and how that vision led to the creation of both Brightspace and NeonTrain. They dig into John’s journey from 22‑year‑old Systems Design Engineering student at the University of Waterloo to leading one of the most influential edtech companies in the world, why taking the “hard path” can be the smartest move in your career, and how to stay focused on solving the biggest problems in education.
John shares how D2L has approached major waves of change. From the early days of the internet to mobile, cloud, and now AI, while staying grounded in responsible use, data privacy, and real learner outcomes. He and Rob explore practical ways AI can cut course development time without replacing educators, why accessibility has to be a non‑negotiable in any serious learning strategy, and how the D2L–NeonTrain partnership is bringing Brightspace to smaller and mid‑sized organizations that traditionally couldn’t access this level of learning technology.
You can find John and D2L here:
https://www.d2l.com/Have feedback, questions, or ideas for future episodes?
Email the show: allaboard@neontrain.com
If this episode helped you think differently about online learning, edtech, or accessibility, share it with a colleague or friend in education, L&D, or training.