Group Members: Jo-Anne Chrona, Meghan Gallant, Sean Turner, Tanya Walsh
Precis of Scenario
We, of the Yukon Education Student Network (YESNet) Learning Technology Advisory Committee (LTAC), have been recruited to develop a rubric which will be used to evaluate the suitability of learning management systems (LMSs) to meet YESNet’s current and future needs.
At present, YESNet, in partnership with Yukon First Nations Programs & Partnerships Unit of the Yukon’s Ministry of Education, needs to develop secondary courses in a blended-learning format that will serve the needs and interests of Aboriginal communities.
Na Cho Nyak Dun First Nation has graciously agreed to host the pilot program. However, there are significant concerns regarding the reliability and bandwidth of its internet services. In fact, most of the nation’s citizens rely on 3G networks.
|
Category |
Criteria |
3 – Exemplary |
2 – Adequate |
1 – Limited |
0 – Inadequate |
|
Students |
Does the LMS allow for a blend of individual, collaborative and cooperative learning? |
LMS supports multiple forms of individual, collaborative and cooperative learning activities. |
LMS supports individual and some collaborative and cooperative learning activities. |
LMS supports individual learning and some collaborative learning activities. |
LMS supports only individual learning activities. |
|
Students |
Does the LMS support use of a variety of media so that students with diverse strengths and varied needs have multiple access points (i.e. visual, print-based, auditory) for learning activities and assessment? |
LMS supports the use of a variety of auditory, print-based and other visual media for learning activities and assessment. |
LMS supports the use of auditory, print-based and other visual media for learning activities and assessment. |
LMS supports the use of print-based and other visual media for learning activities and assessment. |
LMS supports the use of print-based media only. |
|
Students |
Does the LMS support mobile delivery and compatibility with a wide variety of devices for wide-reaching accessibility? |
LMS offers full mobile delivery and is compatible with a large selection of devices. |
LMS offers mobile delivery to a large variety of devices, but some devices may not support all LMS functions. |
LMS offers mobile delivery to a limited amount of compatible devices. |
LMS is not optimized for multiple devices and/or mobile delivery. |
|
Students |
Does the LMS web or cloud have 24/7 access with (mostly) low bandwidth requirements? |
LMS is web or cloud based and does not require heavy bandwidth. |
LMS is web or cloud based, but certain functions require higher bandwidth. |
LMS is web or cloud based, but has significant bandwidth requirements. |
LMS is not web or cloud based and/ or bandwidth requirements are prohibitive. |
|
Ease of Use |
Is the LMS intuitive, requiring little to no additional training for students? |
LMS is purposefully designed with a 20 minute or less learning curve. |
LMS is purposefully designed, but the learning curve is 20+ minutes. |
LMS is not entirely intuitive and may require additional online tutorials. |
LMS cannot be navigated or used without extensive training. |
|
Ease of Use |
Is the LMS intuitive, requiring little to no additional training for instructors? |
LMS is purposefully designed to be updated and operated with minimal training. |
LMS can be updated and operated with some online tutorials. |
LMS requires formal F2F training or assistance from outside sources, after which it can be operated independently. |
LMS requires extensive training or can only be created and updated by outside staff. |
|
Cost |
Can the LMS be implemented within our budget using existing hardware and/or with minimal increased capital in the community schools? |
LMS can be implemented within existing budget, hardware, and infrastructure in communities. |
LMS is within budget and will require only minimal investment in hardware or infrastructure. |
LMS will require significant, (but achievable) funds and/or investment in hardware and infrastructure. |
LMS requires funds and/or infrastructure beyond the current capabilities. |
|
Cost |
Does the LMS cost include the addition of future users? |
LMS allows additional user registrations at anytime at no additional cost. |
LMS allows additional users at a cost-per-user basis. |
LMS allows for additional registrations at license renewal only. |
LMS user number is permanently capped at time of license agreement. |
|
Cost |
Is the LMS well-tested and reliable, therefore keeping ongoing maintenance costs minimal? |
LMS is well-tested and reliable with a history minimal disruption in service. |
LMS is an established product and is known to require occasional maintenance. |
LMS is relatively new and/or is known to require regular maintenance. |
LMS has no track record or is known to have significant technical issues. |
|
Teaching and Media Selection |
Does the LMS design provide a variety of multimedia and communication tools? |
LMS fully supports the use of a variety of multimedia, varied (asynchronous and synchronous) communication tools, including social media. |
LMS supports the use of a variety of multimedia and both asynchronous and synchronous communication tools. |
LMS supports minimal use of multimedia and/or only asynchronous communication tools. |
LMS does not support the use of multimedia and/or communication tools. |
|
Teaching and Media Selection |
Does the LMS provide sufficient opportunity for integration of locally developed instruction? |
LMS can support integration of locally developed instruction. |
LMS can integrate some locally developed instruction. |
LMS can integrate limited locally developed instruction. |
LMS cannot integrate locally developed instruction. |
|
Interaction |
Does the LMS allow for multiple types of interactivity, making it suitable for the creation of blended learning environments? |
LMS supports student-material, student-teacher, student-student, user-generated and student-community interactions. |
LMS supports student-material, student-teacher, and student-student interactions. |
LMS supports student-material and student-teacher interactions. |
LMS only supports student-material interaction. |
|
Organisational Issues |
Can LMS be integrated within existing school/district systems (i.e. work with ASPEN)? |
LMS can be easily integrated within current school/district systems, and is adaptable for future changes. |
LMS can be easily integrated within current school/district systems. |
LMS can be partially integrated within current school/district systems. |
LMS is not compatible with current school/district systems. |
|
Organisational Issues |
Will the LMS learning components integrate well with existing teaching structures, such as the Rural Equity Action Plan? |
LMS learning components can be integrated within existing teaching structures and that can be adapted as required. |
LMS learning components can be integrated within existing teaching structures. |
LMS learning components can be integrated within some existing teaching structures. |
LMS learning components do not integrate with existing teaching structures. |
|
Networking |
Does the LMS enable learners to network beyond the course? |
LMS provides multiple ways to link with social media and other platforms where students can network with members of their community and other communities. |
LMS provides at least one platform for students to network with members of their own community |
LMS provides links to social media sites where students can network with others. |
LMS provides no means of networking beyond the confines of the course. |
|
Networking |
Does the LMS enable students to develop and export learning resources for fellow students and members of the community? |
LMS parovides multiple ways that students can share their self-created resources with others. |
LMS provides at least one open platform (such as a blog or wiki) where students can share their self-created resources with others. |
LMS provides limited means of exporting student-created resources to other platforms. |
LMS provides no means of accessing student-created resources beyond immediate cohort of instructors and registered students. |
|
Networking |
Does the LMS enable instructors to provide open educational resources to other communities? |
LMS provides multiple ways for instructors to share learning resources. |
LMS provides at least one platform where instructors can provide open educational resources. |
LMS provides limited means of exporting educational resources to other platforms. |
LMS provides no means of accessing educational resources outside of platform. |
|
Security & Privacy |
Do the LMS’ security measures provide protected access for instructors and learners? |
LMS provides superior access protection for both instructors and learners. |
LMS provides standard access protection. |
LMS provides limited access protection but system could easily be breached. |
LMS provides no protected access |
|
Security & Privacy |
Do security and privacy measures comply with the Yukon Ministry of Education’s ATIPP, the Na Cho Nyak Dun First Nation’s requirements, and are consistent with OCAP? |
LMS security and privacy measures exceed those required by both governments. |
LMS security and privacy measures comply with most requirements of both governments. |
LMS security and privacy measures comply with few requirements of both governments. |
LMS security and privacy measures do not comply with requirements of either government. |
Rationale
For our evaluation rubric to help determine which LMS would be best suited for the Yukon Education Student Network (YESNet) and Yukon First Nations Programs & Partnerships Unit of the Yukon’s Ministry of Education, we used Bates’ (2014) SECTIONS model, which outlines sets of questions to help people make decisions about which technologies to use. We used his criteria (Students, Ease of Use, Costs, Teaching Functions, Interaction, Organizational Issues, Networking and Security and Privacy) to develop our own rubric to help YESNet’s Learning Technologies Advisory Committee (LTAC) make the best choice for a LMS that focuses on developing blended learning secondary courses that support diverse student needs and honour Aboriginal educational perspectives such as focusing on collaborative and cooperative learning activities, connecting to community, and supporting local autonomy.
References
Bates, T. (2014). Teaching in a digital age. (Chapter 8). Retrieved from http://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/
British Columbia Ministry of Education. (2015) Aboriginal worldviews and perspectives in the classroom: Moving forward. Victoria, BC: Queen’s Printer Publishing.
Chrona, J. (2015). First people’s principles of learning. Retrieved from https://firstpeoplesprinciplesoflearning.wordpress.com/
First Nations Centre. (2007). OCAP: Ownership, control, access and possession. Sanctioned by the First Nations Information Governance Committee, Assembly of First Nations. Ottawa: National Aboriginal Health Organization.
Yukon Education Student Network. (2016). Yukon schools. Retrieved from http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/index.html
ETEC 565A, Assignment 1, YESNet Rubric PDF Version