December 31st, 2008 by Learning Systems
Some learning management systems include discussion forums with mandatory student participation. But how do instructors keep track of student discussion contributions? How are contributions graded–organically or with certain criteria?
It all depends on the instructor. Often grading student participation in discussion forums can be a hassle. However, some learning management systems contain grading tools that allow instructors to evaluate student discussion participation based on their own criteria.
Discussion board scoring rubrics allow for efficient management of large discussions and hundreds of posts on a learning management system. Rubric monitors can be used to determine scores based on criteria such as frequency of posts and replies, the number of replies a student’s post generates from other students, and peer ranking averages.
December 31st, 2008 by Learning Systems
In contrast to many traditional classrooms, the multimedia approach employed by learning management system courses often addresses many different learning styles. In addition, courses hosted on a learning management system offer more freedom and flexibility in your own instruction. The flip side is that you have to be a person willing to carry the responsibility that comes with freedom and flexibility.
If you believe you’re able to motivate yourself without the pressure of an instructor (who will act more as a guide than a dictator) or your peers, then you may be ready for online learning. But support is usually available in some form. Many leaning management system courses offer opportunities to interact with your instructor or peers through email, telephone, discussions, chats, etc.
December 31st, 2008 by Learning Systems
Is taking a class on a learning management system easier and less time-consuming than a traditional class? Not necessarily. You can generally expect to spend an equal amount of time–and sometimes more–studying for a course hosted on a learning management system. After all, you’re managing your own learning, using the online information and materials. Self-guided learning requires strong study skills, self-motivation, and abandoning any tendency to procrastinate.
Developing a schedule that includes a couple of hours each day to devote to a learning management system course is essential, and making it into a routine will help out in ways you never imagined. Remember that at its essence, a schedule is meant to save you time.
December 30th, 2008 by Learning Systems
How do you communicate with your instructor via a learning management system? Though it depends on the online course, generally you communicate with your instructor and peers through email and electronic file submissions.
A learning management system allows you to have a flexible class schedule, completing course assignments at any point in the day convenient for you. You’ll receive course assignments and complete and return them to your instructor, who will evaluate them and provide feedback.
Depending on the course design, exams may be online or take place in a testing room on campus or at a local community college. A learning management system course may also involve writing papers, participating in simulations and collaborate on projects as other forms of assessment.
December 30th, 2008 by Learning Systems
According to a study by the University of West Florida, 20 percent of learning management system users are new students. So, what can students and employees who have never experienced an LMS expect?
As an online student, you can expect certain characteristics from a learning management system–though these may vary slightly depending on the course. Standard classroom textbooks and materials are typically combined with online lectures, assignments, and supplementary course materials.
Some online courses also include formal lectures, which may be text-based or consist of a combination of text, graphics, sound and video. Still other learning management systems divide the course content into smaller parts, or utilize discussion forums and other types of activities instead of lectures.
December 30th, 2008 by Learning Systems
In recent years, learning from LMS courses has expanded beyond its previous demographic of working people who are trying to better their opportunities. However, some sources claim that it still hasn’t blown up in the way we might expect. Some figures taken by a study conducted by the University of West Florida might surprise you.
According to the study, three-quarters of LMS learners are working full or part-time. Three quarters of online learners are working towards a degree. Two-thirds are female. More than half are married with dependents, and half are 35 years or older. Twenty percent of learning management system users are new students.
However, these numbers are undoubtedly changing as more and more schools begin to find out about LMSs and implement online learning into their school systems.
December 29th, 2008 by Learning Systems
In 2002 John Chambers, then CEO of Cisco, stated his enormous hopes for online learning systems. “Education over the internet is going to be so big,” he said, “it’s going to make email look like a rounding error.” According to a Radicati Group study from August 2008, there are about 1.3 billion email users world wide. That makes a little more than one in every five people on earth.
But despite the overly optimistic predictions of online learning system pioneers, it’s still exciting to muse about the educational possibilities of games like Spore and Second Life. It reminds me of IGN Australia’s comment about Spore, an early proof of fun online learning system potential: “It [Spore] will make you acknowledge just how far we’ve come, and just how far we have to go…”
December 29th, 2008 by Learning Systems
How can video game developers whose goal is to create learning system games hope to make profits in a world of pirating? One strategy is to require that learners have an active subscription, rather than a legitimate copy of the learning system game, to play.
According to the TorrentFreak weblog, Spore was the most pirated game of 2008–even though it was only released in September. TorrentFreak compiled a list of the ten most downloaded PC games in 2008, using data provided by BitTorrent.
Spore came at the top of the list, with 1.7 million illegal downloads since its release (compared to its two million sales, according to Electronic Arts). On the other hand, MMORPGs that require active subscriptions like World of Warcraft, a game whose subscribers number 11 million worldwide, are exempt from pirating.
