 Christian |
Actually, I have the impression that the term LMS was questioned a lot - at least in the PLE and the Moodle communities. For me the question is how critical the entries in the thesaurus should be ... for example, do we need to include consice descriptions of critical issues associated with a term? Just to mention two: LMS have been much discussed in relation to their pedagogical value and also with regards to standards (as a means to eiher lock in end-users or to ensure interoperability) ...
Following a quote from a text I had to write in a different context: Pedagogical issues Regarding faculty (academic) use of LMS, a study by Morgan (2003) found little evidence that features of LMS were deliberately integrated into pedagogical course design, even though the most frequently mentioned driver for adopting a LMS was to 'solve a pedagogical problem or challenge' (ibid, p.30). Faculty's primary use of LMS was to reduce administrative costs or simplify repetitive tasks such as making announcements or providing syllabi, external links and other materials or the publication of grades. Morgan's findings extended more general research on educational technology, noting that success depends more on the creative uptake of a system's features than on its availability (Coates, James, & Baldwin, 2005). Coates et al (2005) raised the following questions concerning where further research on LMS is required:
Though LMS are available 24/7 and provide much appreciated flexibility to many students, they can also lead to feelings of isolation and disorientation (Rovai & Wighting, 2005). Whereas regular lectures and tutorials provide a rhythm to the advancement of a course, online learning has its own dynamics and requires learners to be much more self-directed and self-motivated (Edelstein & Edwards, 2002).
Standards An important issue is reusing the content developed for a particular LMS. To ensure content portability between different platforms, several standardisation bodies have defined a number of formats on how to structure or describe learning resources (Marshall, 2004; Simon, 2002). However, though standards are necessary tools to ensure reuse of learning materials in different environments, they have been criticised for their impact on the pedagogical aspects of e-learning since their inception (Downes, 2003). Critiques of these standards concern mostly scope, depth and purpose, asking how flexible standards need to be in order to preserve educators’ creativity (Marshall, 2004). Coates, H., James, R., & Baldwin, G. (2005). A Critical Examination Of The Effects Of Learning Management Systems On University Teaching And Learning. Tertiary Education and Management, 11(1), 19-36. Downes, S. (2003). Design, Standards and Reusability Retrieved 30.05., 2007, from http:/ Edelstein, S., & Edwards, J. (2002). If you build it, they will come: Building learning communities through threaded discussions. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 5(1). Marshall, S. (2004). E-learning standards: Open enablers of learning or compliance strait jackets? Paper presented at the 21st ASCILITE Conference Perth, Australia. Morgan, G. (2003). Faculty use of course management systems - Educause Centre for Applied Research Retrieved 30.05., 2007 from http:/ Rovai, A. P., & Wighting, M. J. (2005). Feelings of alienation and community among higher education students in a virtual classroom. The Internet and Higher Education, 8(2), 97-110. Simon, B. (2002). Do eLearning standards meet their challenges? Retrieved 10.11., 2002, from http:/
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