The creation of a rubric helped me as an individual understand the diverse range of needs that various organizations would have in selecting (and using) an Learning Management System (LMS). I have generally been limited to using either a free option (eg. Moodle or Edmodo) or going with the existing LMS that the organization has to offer. This assignment opened up the horizons for what is possible, and got me curious about what other features an LMS may have.

After looking through many iterations of the LMS, I could see some subtle differences in what they all were capable of, what technical prowess was needed to operate the LMS, and the customizability of the system. However, it struck me that by and large these are evolved systems… even something like Moodle has come a really long way in terms of the user friendliness, accessibility, and security.

In the assignment, one of the biggest challenges I found was not knowing all the specifics of how BCCampus would use the LMS. This made is difficult to reason specifically what aspects would be critical for them to use. After looking over their website, I got a bit better of an impression of what they would look for in an LMS. However, I do think that in such a process one of the most critical steps would be interviews with a number of stakeholders to get a better and more personal picture. An organization like BCCampus would likely have many specific needs which would come up in conversations with them, and would help to create an accurate picture.

I have already started to apply these findings in my own school. Prior to this assignment, I continuously recommended Moodle without thought of how well the system fit the needs of the teachers. We are going through some large transitions as a school, which include our use of an LMS, a SIS, and other applications of technology related to education. I now am looking at the essential needs we have without attaching any bias for or against a given LMS.