Learning Management System
Overview
Deciding on a learning management system (LMS) is an involved process. LMS' have erroneously been marketed as the heart of learning...but in reality, they are little more than a tool that performs a certain task. As such, an LMS should be considered in light of the overall approach to elearning within an organization. The LMS should compliment other activities and tools. This resource page is not an exhaustive listing of resources. I list some of the more common LMS for both corporate and academic environments...as well as a series of very functional open source LMS. For more information, try Google: LMS
The main task of an LMS is to manage learners and learning. Additional features are added regularly - including authoring, synchronous, and content management tools. The increasing sophistication of LMS' requires a clear understanding of needed features and how the system integrates with established systems and processes. |
Resources
Choosing
The Right LMS/LCMS For Your Organization
"Selecting the appropriate Learning Management System (LMS) and/or
Learning Content Management System (LCMS) for your organization starts
with identifying your learning strategy and requirements. It is important
to prioritize your requirements in order to find the right LMS that will
meet your core requirements initially, and grow to meet your subsequent
requirements in the future."
Process
of Selecting an LMS
Process for evaluating "LMS's with respect to functional, technical
and commercial requirements."
Assessing
Learning Management Systems
"A learning management system provides the platform for the enterprise’s
online learning environment by enabling the management, delivery and tracking
of blended learning (i.e., online and traditional classroom) for employees,
stakeholders and customers. A robust LMS should integrate with other departments,
such as human resources, accounting and e-commerce, so administrative
and supervisory tasks can be streamlined and automated and the overall
cost and impact of education can be tracked and quantified."
Asynchronous
Web Based Software Suites
Compilation of various platforms.
Click2Learn
Focused on corporate market.
Saba
Part of a large suite of products - also corporate focused.
Blackboard
A major commercial LMS.
WebCT
A major commercial LMS.
Plateau
Around since 1996.
GeoLearning
Also around for a while...offer a nice "strategic planning"
toolkit.
Desire2Learn
"Desire2Learn Inc. is a world leader in providing innovative eLearning
solutions to academic institutions and other leading organizations around
the world."
Colloquia
"Colloquia is a software system that supports group working and group
learning. It allows any user to set up a working or learning group around
a particular topic (a context), add people to it, add resources (web pages,
documents etc) to it, set up group tasks, and then engage in group and
personal "conversations" about the topic." (free for educational
use)
Fle3
"Fle3 is a web-based learning environment. To be more specific Fle3
is server software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL).
Fle3 is Open Source and Free Software released under the GNU General Public
Licence (GPL). The licence is protecting your freedom to use, modify and
distribute Fle3."
Interactive
Learning Environment
Open source
Claroline
"Claroline is an Open Source software package allowing the teacher
to create, administer and add to his/her courses through the web."
Interact
"Interact is an Online Learning and Collaboration platform developed
by the Christhchurch College of Education."
Moodle
"Moodle is a course management system designed to help educators
who want to create quality online courses. The software is used all over
the world by universities, schools, companies and independent teachers.
Moodle is open source and completely free to use."
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License
