The Internet and related technologies bring a wealth of opportunities to K-12 education, but at the same time, the resources are so vast and platforms so varied that they can overwhelm teachers and students. Because of the complexity of the tools available and the demands on educators, technology as a means of promoting both traditional and new literacies may be pushed aside. Course management systems (CMS), a type of virtual learning environment, can help teachers lasso the resources without being run over by the herd.
Benefits of Course Management Systems
This article focuses on three aspects of course management systems that have the potential to facilitate student learning: Feedback, connections, and resource management.
Feedback
Feedback is widely acknowledged as a powerful tool for learning, but factors such as time spent providing feedback, time from creation of product to receipt of feedback, quantity and quality of feedback, and comprehensibility of feedback may interfere with the overall effectiveness of the communication. The tools available in many course management systems facilitate learning outcomes by reducing the effect of the factors listed above.
Connections
Course management systems make it possible for educators and students to connect with each other beyond the bounds of the schoolhouse walls and the restrictions of the bell schedule. In addition, students may connect with other students, teachers, and experts that are not on the roster of any given class. The richness of such connections creates learning environments that promote engagement and active construction of knowledge. Some systems include features for including parents and the community as part of the virtual community.
Resources
Finally, the resources available on the Internet can be overwhelming, at times. Course management systems typically facilitate learning because teachers are able to create links to selected content, cutting down on time spent by students in identifying whether a site’s information is useful and increasing the time spent engaged with high quality texts. Teachers and students can share texts they’ve created and links they have found that promote learning, as well. This is knowledge management at the classroom level.
Selecting a Course Management System
Choosing a course management system for hybrid or blended learning and distance learning can be daunting. Considerations for choosing a course management system include:
- How well does the CMS I am considering integrate with other tools my school uses? For example, many districts use student information systems (SIS) for tracking attendance and posting grades. You will want to know if scores posted in your course management system can be easily transferred to your student information system.
- Are the tools in the course management system intuitive? In other words, teachers and students will want a system that does not require intensive training to use basic features.
- Is it possible for parents to access the system as observers or guests to review their student’s work and read communication from the instructor?
- For what purpose is your school thinking about adopting a new course management system? Do the features of the system meet those needs?
- Does the school or the CMS offer technical support for teachers and students?
Several good management systems include BlackBoard, eCollege, AngelLearning, and Moodle, though there are many others. Edu-Tools has an online comparison tool which may help you choose the system that meets your needs.
 |
