Session 2

Focus Questions for Chapter 1 and 4 (Waterhouse, S. A. The power of eLearning) and CMS/LMS Investigation

 

1.      Central to our investigation of eLearning Technologies and Methods is gaining an understanding of Learning Management Systems (LMS) sometimes also called Course Management System (CMS) software. Chapter 1 of our text discusses the functionality of typical LMS/CMS, identifying four major categories. What are those categories?

 

1.  Distribution of course information

2. Student-instructor and student-student communications

3. Student interaction with course resources

4. Online testing and grading

 

2.      Do some web searching and find three different LMS/CMS products. List each one and describe or compare them based on your prior knowledge of them or the information that you can find about them.

 

1.      Blackboard (Blackboard Learning System) is a virtual learning environment and course management system developed by Blackboard Inc. It is a Web-based server software which features convenient course management, customizable open architecture, and scalable design that allows for integration with student information systems and authentication protocols. It may be installed on local servers or hosted by Blackboard ASP Solutions. Its main purposes are to add online elements to courses traditionally delivered face-to-face and to develop completely online courses with few or no face-to-face meetings.

 

2.      Moodle (abbreviation for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is a free source e-learning software platform, also known as a Learning Management System, or Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).  Moodle was originally developed to help educators create online courses with a focus on interaction and collaborative construction of content, and is in continual evolution. The Moodle Community is an open network of over one million registered users who interact through the Moodle community website to share ideas, code, information and free support. This community also includes a large number of non-core developers, with Moodle's free source license and modular design allowing any developer to create additional modules and features that has allowed Moodle to become a truly global, collaborative project in scope.

 

3.      Desire2Learn (also known as Desire2Learn or abbreviated as D2L) is a provider of enterprise eLearning solutions and develops online Learning Management Systems (LMS).  Desire2Learn develops an e-Learning enterprise suite that serves as the learning management system for schools, colleges, universities, virtual schools, governments, associations, and organizations.  The Desire2Learn Learning Suite includes: Desire2Learn Learning Environment, Desire2Learn ePortfolio, Desire2Learn Analytics, Desire2Learn Learning Repository, Desire2Learn Campus Life, Desire2Learn Assignment Grader, and Desire2Learn Capture.

 

3.      What LMS/CMS software do you currently use or plan to use? Explain what you know about your system's functionality in each of the four areas identified by the book. (If you don't have access to LMS/CMS software just use Blackboard for your discussion in this area.)

 

Blackboard functionality:

1.      Distribution of course information

a.       Course documents, topics, assignments, presentations, syllabus, notes, and announcements.

2.      Student-instructor and student-student communications

a.       Email, discussion board, whiteboard (collaboration), journals and blogs

3.      Student interaction with course resources

a.       Wiki’s, McGraw-Hill Higher Education

4.      Online testing and grading

a.       Online test, test grading and posting, surveys and evaluations.

 

4.      Chapter 1 of our text identifies six steps for getting started with eLearning. Discuss each step and use each step as a springboard for discussing what you want to do with eLearning either now or in the future.

 

Step 1—Ask yourself why: Determine your (as the instructor) level commitment to elearning and its’ implementation.  As well as how elearning can be applied to departmental challenges.

 

Step 2—Make a commitment: Be ready for change and willing/able to devote the time necessary to learn new skills and teaching methods.  Be realistic about implementation time because change does not happen overnight

 

Step 3—Develop a new vision for your course and how you teach: It is not enough to merely post material on the course site, without thinking through how students will utilize the materials.  Students must be able to understand the value of an elearning assignment, plus technology needs to add value to course content and delivery.

 

Step 4—Determine the resources available to you: Discuss with experienced elearning instructors about the readily available resources offered by your institution.  Take advantage of all the resources made available to you, as well as realize the limitations of those resources. 

 

Step 5—Acquire new technology skills and develop new instructional methods:  Learn new skills, develop new teaching methods, and create new ways of designing an elearning course.

Step 6—Plan: Planning is critical and should be based on instructional goals, instructional resources, designing the coursesite, creating “getting started” activities for student success, envisioning an assessment process, your skills, the time you have available to the project, technology tools at hand, and support your institution can give you.

 

5.      Chapter 4 of our text discusses the functionality of specific LMS/CMS tools in terms of being for one-way communication, two-way communication or for organization. Explain the key differences between one-way and two-way communication and identify the tools your LMS/CMS provides for each type of communication.

 

·         One-Way Communication refers to posting information on coursesite for students to view at their convenience—no reply intended or necessary

 

Tools LMS/CMS provides are: Announcements and documents created using the LMS, files created using other software (Microsoft Office or Adobe), Gradebooks, Calendars, Email, and Homepage.

 

·         Two-Way Communication refers to sending messages and receiving replies to them.

 

Tools LMS/CMS provides are: Discussion board, Whiteboard (chat room), online test, and private storage space.

 

6.      Consider how a CMS/LMS supports the three types of interaction (Student-Content, Student-Instructor, Student-Student) that were discussed in the first session 1 presentation. Specifically, list all of the tools or features that your CMS (as discussed in question 3 above) offers. Then identify each type of interaction that each tool would support. Finally, explain what you know about the strengths and weaknesses of each tool to support the type of interaction you identify for it.

 

Blackboard	Student-Content	Student-Instructor	Student-Student	Strength	Weakness
Course documents, assignments, Syllabus, notes, topics, presentation and announcements	x			Promotes communication with course content	Not always a reliable source for uploading and downloading files
Email		x	x	Facilitates any-time, any-where learning	No immediate feedback
Discussion board		x	x	Facilitates any-time, any-where learning and promotes communication and collaboration	May be difficult to navigate for non-techie students
Blog		x	x	Facilitates any-time, any-where learning and promotes communication and collaboration	May be difficult to navigate for non-techie students
Journals		x	x	Facilitates any-time, any-where learning	Not always a reliable source
Whiteboard		x	x	Facilitates any-time, any-where learning and promotes communication	Only works when multiple students are online simultaneously
Wiki’s	x			Facilitates any-time, any-where learning and reduce the cost of instruction	Not always a reliable source
McGraw-Hill Higher Education	X			Facilitates any-time, any-where learning and makes administration easier	Only works if set-up by professor
Online test	x			Facilitates any-time, any-where learning and makes administration easier	Does not factor in students with disabilities
Test grading and posting		X		Facilitates any-time, any-where learning and makes administration easier	May not reflect student s’ true ability to comprehend material
Surveys and evaluations		x		Necessary for feedback and improvements	Students may not give honest feedback

 

Resources:

 

Blackboard. Retrieved January 14, 2013, from http://www.blackboard.com/About-Bb/Who-We-Are/Services.aspx

 

Waterhouse, S. (2005). The Power of ELearning: The Essentail Guide for Teaching in the Digital Age. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

 

Wikipedia. Retrieved January 14, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackboard_Learning_System

 

Wikipedia. Retrieved January 14, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moodle

 

Wikipedia. Retrieved January 14, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desire2Learn