Throughout this journey through OLTD 504 we have been asked to journal our thoughts and reply/respond to others along the way. I would like to use this section to blog about my blog as well as my peers’ blogs. I would also like to use this text-based vehicle to make some official references to the readings that were offered us in OLTD 504.
Just in case one is confused after navigating through my myriad of programs, I would like to restate our Critical Question here.
“How can Learning Management Systems (LMS and/or Non-LMS) help me develop courses where students learn in the best way for them (teacher-structured/personalized), while providing me with the tools I require for efficient and efficacious presentation, moderation, support, and assessment (for, as, and of learning)?”
To begin with, I really liked Justin Mark’s post of March 28,2013 where he pulled some quotes from Niall Sclater’s 2008 article entitled WEB 2.0, PERSONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, AND THE FUTURE OF LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ,
To nicely sum up the argument for PLEs over LMSs, Sclater writes:
In contrast to the client software approach, the web browser presents the most significant
learning tool ever devised in terms of its ability to provide access to a vast range of tools
and content and to connect learners to each other using a single interface. (Sclater, 2008)
Clearly a very convincing argument and who can argue with the obvious limitations of LMSs, but
Just in case one is confused after navigating through my myriad of programs, I would like to restate our Critical Question here.
“How can Learning Management Systems (LMS and/or Non-LMS) help me develop courses where students learn in the best way for them (teacher-structured/personalized), while providing me with the tools I require for efficient and efficacious presentation, moderation, support, and assessment (for, as, and of learning)?”
To begin with, I really liked Justin Mark’s post of March 28,2013 where he pulled some quotes from Niall Sclater’s 2008 article entitled WEB 2.0, PERSONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, AND THE FUTURE OF LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ,
To nicely sum up the argument for PLEs over LMSs, Sclater writes:
In contrast to the client software approach, the web browser presents the most significant
learning tool ever devised in terms of its ability to provide access to a vast range of tools
and content and to connect learners to each other using a single interface. (Sclater, 2008)
Clearly a very convincing argument and who can argue with the obvious limitations of LMSs, but
Sclater's not finished. He then switches gears and comes to the defense of the LMS stating:
While independent learning is an admirable aspiration, many learners will continue to
require considerable hand-holding in the online learning world. Leaving the management
of their formal learning activities entirely up to them will result in increased drop-out rates.
(Sclater, 2008)
I too had looked at Sclater’s article in my March 28th blog posting and was intrigued, if not a bit confused, by the statement that, “even the term learning management system suggests disempowerment—an attempt to manage and control the activities of the student by the university.” (Sclater, 2008) This prompted me to discuss my need for a ‘home base’ and for ‘order’ which was unanimously agreed upon by my peers.
In digging back through our entries I found that most agreed that the LMS was a more complete package but that they wanted more ‘punch’ in their sites. Jocelyn states in her post of March 25th entitled More Sparkes Please that she, “would not choose to present my course as list-like as it appears in Moodle,” an issue that has always plagued me but I have simply put up with.
Many were fascinated by the functionality of having all one’s needs, from teaching to assessing to grading being all in one place. I personally have been struggling for years over the issue of where to house my content. Then, just as I had talked myself into maintaining the status quo with Moodle, enter Canvas (to quote Breanne). The option of having the rubric hover right over the assignment is just too much to pass up (among other things). It just goes to show you that you can never consider yourself settled when you are dealing with technology.
Overall, I found it very interesting comparing the literature regarding LMS’s to what we as a group were experiencing on the spot. It was especially interesting to watch others who had not used LMS’s before get their feet wet. I strongly feel that the experience of us researching and creating LMS’s was strongly enhanced by our discussions along the way. We shared not only information, but also our opinions and successes.
While independent learning is an admirable aspiration, many learners will continue to
require considerable hand-holding in the online learning world. Leaving the management
of their formal learning activities entirely up to them will result in increased drop-out rates.
(Sclater, 2008)
I too had looked at Sclater’s article in my March 28th blog posting and was intrigued, if not a bit confused, by the statement that, “even the term learning management system suggests disempowerment—an attempt to manage and control the activities of the student by the university.” (Sclater, 2008) This prompted me to discuss my need for a ‘home base’ and for ‘order’ which was unanimously agreed upon by my peers.
In digging back through our entries I found that most agreed that the LMS was a more complete package but that they wanted more ‘punch’ in their sites. Jocelyn states in her post of March 25th entitled More Sparkes Please that she, “would not choose to present my course as list-like as it appears in Moodle,” an issue that has always plagued me but I have simply put up with.
Many were fascinated by the functionality of having all one’s needs, from teaching to assessing to grading being all in one place. I personally have been struggling for years over the issue of where to house my content. Then, just as I had talked myself into maintaining the status quo with Moodle, enter Canvas (to quote Breanne). The option of having the rubric hover right over the assignment is just too much to pass up (among other things). It just goes to show you that you can never consider yourself settled when you are dealing with technology.
Overall, I found it very interesting comparing the literature regarding LMS’s to what we as a group were experiencing on the spot. It was especially interesting to watch others who had not used LMS’s before get their feet wet. I strongly feel that the experience of us researching and creating LMS’s was strongly enhanced by our discussions along the way. We shared not only information, but also our opinions and successes.