Weller’s (2020) references to contractual obligations with vendors, file access limitation and a “good enough” (p. 64) Learning Management System (LMS) are some of the implications I captured from the author’s LMS chapter that still have relevance, not just for universities but also for organizations. These implications are the reasons why, as a HR professional, I did not look for another LMS after my experience with implementing one in the mid-2000. Consequently, when I had to deliver compliance training during the pandemic, I went straight to Zoom to replicate a live session and I did not have a second thought for LMS. Interestingly, one of the panel members from the podcast on the resistance & care for the LMS, shared her experience of overlooking LMS and using Zoom instead for similar reasons (Pasquini, 2021). I could appreciate Weller’s (2020) point of using new technologies with “old ways” (p. 64) before the features of the new ones are being understood. One of the panel members, an ed tech support, testified during the podcast of being asked the “most depressive question” (Pasquini,35.30) of “How do we do that in Moodle?” (Pasquini,35.34) when the user is trying to replicate the live teaching in LMS. I wonder what function the LMS will still have moving forward, especially considering the pandemic, and what other solutions are being contemplated for the future of ed tech.
References:
Pasquini, L. (Host). (2021, January 7). Between the chapters: The LMS (No. 9) [Audio podcast episode]. In 25 Years of Ed Tech: The Serialized Audio Version. https://25years.opened.ca/2021/01/07/between-the-chapters-the-lms/
Weller, M. (2020). 25 years of ed tech. Athabasca University Press.
September 14, 2021 at 12:34 pm
Hi Stephanie. I think you brought up a good point that seems to continually emerge throughout this course. A powerful perspective is that of finding/creating a solution to the problem, not how does a specific technology address the problem. When we ask “How do we do that in Moodle?” we immediately closed of a multitude of options that could have emerged. Of course there are variables that may restrict certain choices for immediate use, but there may be discovery for a better solution to strive for in the future!
Zac
September 14, 2021 at 7:40 pm
Yep, this has been my mindset for years of how the technology address an issue until I listen to George V.’s responses to our questions from the previous course, especially the one perspective of focusing on a specific technology is sometimes about studying things. That really broaden my thinking on not only focusing on the technology, but more what can we address, what are the problems we are trying to resolve, and then how we can leverage technology. I especially appreciate Weller’s point on our tendency to use new technologies with old technologies features. Thanks for your perspective Zac!