Learning Management Systems (LMS)
Learning management systems are used for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of online-based educational courses. Some examples of learning management systems include, but are not limited to Google Classroom, Edmodo, BlackBoard, Moodle, and Schoology. They are used to manage learning (as the title explains), and help to create an organized online learning environment. With the increase in online learning courses, due to the flipped classroom model, online courses, and technology use in the everyday classroom, these systems have also had an increase in popularity.
Google Classroom
Google Classroom is designed to help teachers increase their productivity and manage their time more effectively. It helps teachers to create and collect assignments paperlessly, by making a copy of the assignment (in the form of a Google Document) for each student. It is highly organizational; it creates Drive folders for each of the assignments and all the student submissions are then saved to this folder. It also helps students to become and stay organized--they can keep track of which assignments are due, while the teacher can see who has and has not submitted their work. Teachers are able to provide feedback right away and grade assignments right on Google Classroom.
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Pros:
Cons:
- Easy to Set-Up: teachers can add students directly or students can join a class using a code; set-up takes minutes
- Time Efficient: teachers can create, review, and grade assignments all in one place
- Organized: assignments are clearly listed on the stream
- Enhanced Communication: teachers can start discussions and post in real-time; students can share resources with each other and help classmates
- Affordable: free to schools
- Secure: no ads; content and student data is not used for advertising purposes
Cons:
- Privacy Risks: signed permission slips and letters, documents may not be 100% private
Edmodo
Edmodo is an educational website and learning management system that takes the idea of social media and combines it with education. At first glance, it may look a lot like Facebook, which was done on purpose; the creators market Edmodo as "Facebook for the schools". In today's day and age, social media is huge with today's youth, which makes the whole concept of social media in the classroom especially attractive and appealing.
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Access Code: 92en56
Pros:
Cons:
- Secure: invitation-only and protected, as it only allows students on the class account; strictly monitored and does not allow for private messaging, only group discussion, which limits inappropriate conversation; the teacher is given access to moderate what is posted and said on the classroom's account
- Connectedness: easy for students to stay connected to their classmates, and for the teacher to stay connected to his/her students
- Teacher Feedback: teachers can give feedback on any student submission by commenting on it
- Safe: allows teachers to teach students about social media and how to use it (appropriately and correctly)
- Polls: can be used to quickly gather information from students
- Quizzes: students can take quizzes within Edmodo
- Online Storage: the virtual "backpack" allows students to save their work (similarly to Google Drive) and then access their work by logging onto Edmodo from any device
- Affordable: free for all teachers and students
- Small Groups: button that creates small groups; use as actual small groups or organize the feed into different topics
Cons:
- iPad Issues: difficulty in uploading student work from iPads; login issues when using an iPad
- Limited Parent Access: parents of students are not able to view Edmodo in the same way and students have parent access code
- No Attendance: Edmodo isn't able to take attendance
Schoology
Schoology is an online learning, classroom management, and social networking platform that can improve learning through better communication, collaboration, and increased access to curriculum and supplemental content. This learning management system is also very similar to the social media platform, Facebook. Teachers can take attendance, manage grades through the grade book, give tests and quizzes, and assign homework all from Schoology.
Access Code: DSFR4-7T4GB
Pros:
Cons:
- Discussion Feature: has nested replies and can share with other courses
- Ability to Customize Tests and Quizzes: teacher can set time limits and/or allow multiple attempts
- Attendance: daily attendance can be taken
- Access Codes: teachers provide parent codes, rather than students
- Whole School Set-up: Schoology is compatible on a whole-school basis, rather than just classrooms; students can see multiple classes/groups/messages in one place from multiple teachers
- Organization: ability to create multiple courses and folders; structured, detailed, and organized
Cons:
- Paid: District level (Enterprise) package is not free
- Small Groups: teacher can create Schoology groups but not small groups within courses
- Time to Learn: Schoology takes a longer amount of time to learn and get the hang of; navigation of site can be tricky and frustrating
- Calendars: must be imported
Moodle
Moodle (which is an acronym that stands for "Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is a learning management system that was designed to provide educators, administrators, and learners with one integrated system that created a personalized learning environment. While Moodle is considered a LMS, it tends to function more as a Course Management System, or CMS. On Moodle, students can submit assignments, participate in discussion forums, download files, access online calendars, take quizzes, and use various additional plugins and add-ons which allow for personalization of Moodle. Teachers or administrators can manage grades through Moodle.
Pros:
Cons:
- Open Source: free to download
- Unlimited Users: there is no limit to the number of users
- Customizable: huge selection of plugins and add-ons available to allow the teacher to customize Moodle to fit needs
- Resources: all resources and guides are free
Cons:
- Administration: for reporting, teacher must look at each courses grades separately or use the overview report to view grades one user at a time; user management must be managed on a course-by-course basis, rather than site wide
- Time to Learn: takes a while to get used to and to get it up and running, and some degree of tech savvy is required