Digital Tool 7: LMS

I made an attempt to have a play and create my own learning management systems (LMS), however due to a large backlog of requests via the website, I was unable to do so. My experiences of using LMS was with blackboard and moodle with both tools having different layouts though they are both great navigational tools which allows you to explore through a specific subject with folders organised in weeks for either homework activities, tasks, readings, etc. Implementing LMS within the classroom context would allow the students to download and upload files, participate in a chat forum, discussion boards, and work through set activities and homework tasks. “LMS is a step above a classroom website which is a more static approach to giving classroom information” (Wikibooks, 2009).

LMS allows parents to have a clear insight to the classroom routines while monitoring their child’s progress. Through LMS it creates a school to home connection that can benefit the student. If a learning manager post samples of students work this allows students and parent’s insight of the academic expectations. Through the use of LMS it “gives the teacher the opportunity to promote classroom activities and course expectations” (Wikibooks, 2009). A challenge of LMS once implemented in the classroom is to ensure to keep the content up to date and located in such a way that it can be easily located by the students and parents. Another great benefit with using LMS it allows students to work at their own pace at optional locations such as home, school or university. As a future learning manager I would embed this software within the classroom as there are optional benefits for not only you as the teacher but the students and their parents.

Reference:

Wikibooks. (2009, July 10). Instructional Technology/Learning Management Systems/Benefits.Retrieved August 14, 2010, from Wikibooks: the open-content textbooks collection:

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Instructional_Technology/Learning_Management_Systems/Benefits