LMS
Introduction
Our online school (PAVE) is currently using Lotus Notes to deliver our courses; supplemented by Moodle, which allows us to include multimedia. Lotus Notes requires the entire program to be loaded onto one specific computer per student, therefore restricting the Lotus Notes LMS to students enrolled in PAVE. This restriction prevents the PAVE teachers from easily sharing course materials with classroom teachers. There has been an increase in the number of classroom teachers in our division who are interested in supplementing their face to face courses, with online material. If our division moved to one web-based LMS, then sharing and teacher collaboration would become much easier.
Currently PAVE is using Lotus Notes and Moodle, while classroom teachers are using Moodle, WISE and Google applications, as well as individually created webpages to supplement their courses. In order to receive IT support, it would be more feasible to have one standard LMS rather than multiple programs. This consistency would also allow teachers to collaborate on resources as well as allowing students from various schools to collaborate together.
It is important that we focus on our educational objectives and select a technology that will help us meet our objectives. With this in mind, I propose that we select Moodle as our official divisional LMS.
Platform of choice
I am recommending Moodle over other available LMS based on a customized rubric created from the ideas in Bates and Pool’s (2003) SECTION model, as well as the Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) framework. While Chickering and Gamson (1987) remind us to consider seven principles of pedagogical practice, the Bates and Pool model is a holistic overview from not only the teacher’s perspective, but also from an organizational and cost perspective. As noted in Perkins and Pfaffman (2006) the importance of access from multiple places (home, school etc) is also a requirement.
Moodle is an open source LMS with a focus on constructionist pedagogy (Moodle Philosophy, 2009). Moodle can be freely downloaded, and there is free online support in the form of discussion boards and documentation. Moodle allows teachers to create and edit their courses, as well as choose the features (communication, assessment and resource tools), select the course set-up (weekly or by topic), and set the course access (enrollment keys). The cost associated with Moodle includes a server or a hosting site as well as IT and teacher training.
Last summer our district funded me to complete the Moodle Course Creator Certificate. During that two month course, I was able to create a mini-course while testing out many of the Moodle features, such as the various resources (webpages, textpage, book, labels, directory, etc), activities (lessons, quizzes, glossaries, forums, choice, etc) and blocks (html, recent activity, upcoming events, calendar, etc). With the appropriate training, these features are easily editable and relatively user-friendly to set up.
Method of Evaluation
As Bates and Poole (2003) suggest, a framework is required to guide our LMS choice. Please see the attached Excel rubric that was developed with Bates and Poole’s (2003) model in mind. The attached rubric is filled out for the Moodle LMS, and as you will see, Moodle fulfills the required features.
Required Resources
| Description | Approximate Cost |
| Moodle Hosting Service
http://knowmoodle.ca/moodle/mod/book/view.php?id=3119&chapterid=841 |
$100/month, so $1200 per year |
| Training an IT person to maintain the Moodle Server
http://knowmoodle.ca/moodle/mod/book/view.php?id=3119&chapterid=841 |
$795 |
| Training 3 lead teachers through KnowPlace’s Moodle Course Creator Certification Preparation Course (These teachers will then in turn train other teachers (cascade model)
http://knowmoodle.ca/moodle/mod/book/view.php?id=3119&chapterid=667 |
$1195 x 3 = $3585 |
| Workshops can be provided by NRLC at divisional in-service days | no cost – professional development activities |
| To build capacity, train one additional lead teacher each year | $1195 per year, starting in year 2 |
| Provide additional IT training as the Moodle demand grows | $795 |
| Total Cost for year 1 | $5 580 |
| Total Cost for each additional year | $3 190 |
Conclusion
After applying the customized rubric to the Moodle LMS, we can see that Moodle does support the required features. I encourage you to apply the same rubric to any other LMS that you may be considering. I feel confident in recommending Moodle since I was given the opportunity to successfully experiment with the resources, activities and blocks of Moodle. I look forward to discussing this further with you.
References
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: a Framework for Selecting and Using Technology. In Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. (pp. 77-105). San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.
Chickering, A.W. & Gamson, Z.F. (1987). Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39 (7), 3-7. http://www.aahea.org/bulletins/articles/sevenprinciples1987.htm
Moodle. (2009). Philosophy. Retrieved June 5, 2009 from http://docs.moodle.org/en/Philosophy
Panettieri, J. (2007). Addition by subtraction. University Business, August, 58-62. Retrieved June 2, 2009, from http://www.universitybusiness.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=845
Perkins, M., Pfaffman, J. (2006). Using a Course Management System to Improve Classroom Communication. Science Teacher, 73(7), 33-37.