Learning Management Systems (LMS): INSIDE
MATTERS
Shakeel Iqbal
PhD Scholar
Iqra University Islamabad Campus, Islamabad Pakistan –
44000
[email protected]
What is LMS?
• An LMS, as defined by Oakes (2002, p.74) as
“learner and organization focused: It’s
concerned with the logistics of managing
learners, learning activities and the
competency mapping of an organization.”
What is LMS?
• LMS covers a wide range of activities and “in an
information Age model of education an LMS will assess
learner’s current knowledge and skill level, work with
teachers and learners to identify appropriate learning
goals, identify and sequence instruction appropriate for
the individual learner, assess learner performance
products, store evidence of attainments, support
collaboration and generate reports to provide
information to maximize the effectiveness of the entire
learning organization” (Watson and Watson, 2007).
Difference between CMS and LMS
• Course Management Systems (CMS) were
introduced in the 1990s which later on
evolved into LMS. Both terms are often used
as synonyms to each other but actually this is
not the case. A CMS is more focused on the
contents and delivery of the course whereas
an LMS is more focused on the learning need
and achievement of a person (Simonson et. al,
2006).
Advantages of an LMS
S.NO Advantages for Students Advantages for Teachers
1 Single spot availability of all course Convenience in providing additional
related information. resources to students besides class
lectures.
2 Access to information – anywhere, Access to students other than class
anytime. timings.
3 Convenience in keeping track of Timely feedback can be provided to
progress in a course. students on their progress in a
particular course.
4 Access to practice questions and Better monitoring of students is
suggested solutions make learning possible as it is easy to keep track of
more engaging and hands on. all the assignments which are
submitted as well as not submitted.
5 Meeting instructor and class mates in It offers a good platform for using
a virtual environment. innovative ideas in teaching.
What’s Inside LMS
Organizati
on’s Need
Technical
Specifications
LMS
Pedagogy
of LMS
LMS
Design of
Organizational Needs
• What an LMS offers is more important than
how it is being offered. Most of the time in
case of e-learning people emphasize more on
e and learning is often ignored. Any
organization selecting an LMS should be clear
about the objective they want to achieve by
means of LMS.
Technical Specifications and Support
• System Compatibility
• System Security
• International Standards
Design of LMS
• Clear and User Friendly Graphical Interface
• Well Designed Course Repository
• Course Administration Capability
• Capability of Interaction among the Users of
LMS
• Evaluation and Feedback
• Student’s Profile
Pedagogy of LMS
• Learner centered
• Interactive
• Application based
Value of this Research
• For Users
• For Designers
References
• Burniske, R. W., & Monke, L. (2001). Breaking Down the Digital Walls. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
•
• Carmean, C. & Haefner, J. (2002). Mind over Matter – Transforming Course Management Systems into Effective Learning Environments, Educase Review, Nov/Dec, 27-34.
•
• Ceraulo, S. C. (2005). Benefits of Upgrading to an LMS. Distance Education Report, 9(9), 6-7.
•
• Colace, F., De Santo, M., Vento, M. (2003) Evaluating On-line Learning Platforms: a Case Study, Proceedings of the 36 th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
•
• Darbhamulla, R. & Lawhead, P. (2004). Paving the Way towards an Efficient Learning Management System, ACMSE’04, April 2-3, Huntsville, Alabama, USA.
•
• Gilhooly, K. (2001). Making e-learning Effective. Computerworld, 35(29), 52-53.
•
• Good, M. (2001) ‘On the way to online pedagogy’, in J. Stephenson (ed.) Teaching and Learning Online, London: Kogan Page, pp. 165 – 74.
•
• Govindasamy, T. (2002). Successful Implementation of e-learning Pedagogical Considerations, Internet and Higher Education, 4, 287-299.
•
• Haythornthwaite, C. (2000) ‘Online personal networks: size, composition, and media use among distance learners’, New Media and Society 2(2): 195 – 226.
•
• Jonassen, D.H., Peck, K.L. and Wilson, B.G. (1999), Learning with Technology: A Constructivist Perspective, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
•
• Kang S.G., Lee Y.H. & Kim S.S. (2000) Design of systematic concept learning model using computer education search engine. SchoolNet 2000. pp. 285–298.
•
• Oakes, K. (2002). E-learning: LCMS, LMS— They’re not Just Acronyms But Powerful Systems for Learning. Training & Development, 56(3), 73-75.
•
• Peters, O. (2001) Learning and Teaching in Distance Education, London: Kogan Page.
•
• Watson, W. R. & Watson, S. L. (2007) What are Learning Management Systems, What are They Not, and What should they Become? TechTrends, 51(2), 28-34.
•
• Yueh, H. & Hsu, Shihkuan (2008) Designing a Learning Management system to Support Instruction, Communications of the ACM, 51:4, 59-63.
•
• Sanchez-Alonso S. & Frosch-Wilke D. (2005) An ontological representation of learning objects and learning designs as codified knowledge. The Learning Organization 12, 471–479.
•
• Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2006). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of Distance Education (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
•
• Vrasidas, C. (2004). Issues of Pedagogy and Design in e-learning Systems, 2004 ACM Symposium on Applied Computing, 911-914.
