The case study assigned to our group was of particular interest to me as an International Development professional. Evaluating LMS platforms for the English-speaking learner in South Asia encouraged me to extend and reflect on my current knowledge of delivering offline learning solutions to the non-English speaking, marginalised populations in Asia and Africa that my professional work currently focuses on. This assignment allowed me to think about the South Asia region from a different perspective; as an educator, it reminded me to think about micro environments and the implications for designing optimal learning environments.
Most interesting to me was understanding the expectations of online learners in a developing country context (Ssekakubo, Suleman & Marsden, 2012). Reading about this topic allowed me to look beyond my pre-conceptions and to resist the urge to project onto different contexts the type of online learning I am accustomed to here in Canada. The ubiquity of internet connectivity I am exposed to as a professional in a Western context isn’t applicable to a region where bandwidth is a barrier, data usage is expensive, internet connectivity is unreliable and mobile phone devices largely vary from the basic phone to smart phones. These considerations are also underlined by having to reflect on the rich diversity of the South Asian context where each country in the region has varying levels of exposure to online and distance learning (Taylor & Sharma, 1990), schooling in the English language and usage of desktop and mobile devices.
As a result, the group proposed a rubric that would feel the most flexible and welcoming to a diverse range of learners. We highlighted the importance of offline learning mode and its reliable synchronisation upon connecting to the Internet; we emphasised the importance of mobile compatibility and its seamless integration with all types of devices; and we made provisions for language localisation that would provide learners the option to explore their learning between English and their local language through translated and contextualised content and interface. We also reflected on the intersections between these considerations with the other dimensions of LMS selection: support, technical, costs and functionality.
I was also pleased to have worked on the Accessibility considerations for learners with disabilities. This experience opened my eyes to the features I take for granted: being able to read in the default type face no matter the font type, colour or size; being able to navigate through an online platform despite the navigation features; and being able to use any device (i.e. mouse, track pad, mobile touch screen) available to command the platform. One salient example while reading the work of Rangin (2011) on Accessibility considerations was the challenge it poses when websites do not provide a confirmation page or notification once an activity or action is complete. For example, when a user fills a form, clicks submit and does not receive a confirmation that the form has been successfully completed. This prompts users to have to re-navigate through the site, re-populate the form and complete the process again. For a user without accessibility challenge, this is already a frustrating experience that disrupts learning, let alone for those who require additional accessibility support.
Overall I enjoyed this assignment – I was able to reflect on the LMS from a critical standpoint grounded in an applicable context. It also helped that I had excellent group members, all of whom provided expert insight from their own experiences.
References:
Rangin, H. (2011). A Comparison of Learning Management System Accessibility. Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES). Illinois Center for Information Technology and Web Accessibility. Retrieved from: http://presentations.cita.illinois.edu/2011-03-csun-lms/
Ssekakubo G, Suleman H & Marsden G. (2012). Learning management systems: Understanding the expectations of learners in developing countries. Retrieved from: http://pubs.cs.uct.ac.za/archive/00000790/01/el2012_F_202_Ssekakubo.pdf
Taylor, J. & Sharma, S. (1990). Distance Education in South Asia: Towards Regional Co-operation. Retrieved from: http://web.worldbank.org/archive/website00236B/WEB/COLL_02.HTM