Meaningful Lesson from the History of Education Technology
Weller (2018) lists learning management systems (LMSes) as 2004’s most significant education technology (often referred to as edtech). He defines an LMS as a “collection of the most popular tools” which can be “implemented more quickly [than previous technologies] across an entire institution” (p. 39). For almost two decades, I have taught in various schools around the world. During that time, I have used several LMSes, including D2L Brightspace, Schoology, Edmodo, Blackboard, Quizlet, and Moodle. I appreciate the convenience of having all course materials and assessment tools in one location which is easily accessible by both teachers and learners.
Problematic Lesson from the History of Education Technology
Despite the usefulness and convenience of an LMS, I do agree with Weller’s (2018) claim that LMSes are “the only route for delivering e-learning in many institutions, with a consequent loss of expertise and innovation” (p. 39). An LMS alone is quite limited. Though it may contain all of the course content, students need diverse contexts to engage with the material, including opportunities to network, formally and informally, with teachers and classmates. Beyond the LMS, an experienced teacher can gauge students’ cognitive load and engagement level, take advantage of teachable moments, comprehend the nuances of students’ body language, and instantly adjust and personalize the learning environment to increase relevance and engagement.
Therefore, despite the importance of an LMS in my work and its overall success as an edtech tool, it does have significant limitations which, if solely or overly relied upon, would severely limit students’ learning opportunities.
Reference
Weller, M. (2018). Twenty years of EdTech. EDUCAUSE Review, 53(4). Retrieved from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2018/7/twenty-years-of-edtech
Hi Sherry – thanks for sharing! I completely agree with you – LMS’s can be a bit of a challenge to work with, given there limitations. As you have uses several LMS’s, is there one you have found to be the overall best experience from a student perspective?
I think your point about having to intentionally design opportunities outside of the LMS are key – especially as LMS’s are used across diverse disciplines, and they do not necessarily take into account the discipline-specific ways in which a learning space would be optimally designed.
Hi, Sanjay. Thank you for your comment! I can’t say that I have found one LMS to offer the overall best experience for students (or teachers). They vary greatly in what they offer and it really depends on the course content, objectives and learner needs and abilities as to which LMS is best. The LMS also change over time with additions and updates. It would certainly be helpful if there was one best overall system!