image created by Gemini.

The Leaning Management System, (LMS), saved us during the pandemic and in many cases is still being used poorly today. In chapter 9, 2002, Weller (2020) talks about the LMS becoming the enterprise solution for universities for both blended and fully online offerings. The introduction of the LMS started prior to 2002, the first steps began in 1924 with an invention by Sidney Pressey called the teaching machine, and the first ever software-based LMS launched by SoftArc in 1990, (Rittmann, Barreto and Rabidoux, 2020). Weller chose to introduce LMS for the year 2002 which corresponds with Martin Dougiamas launching the first open-source internal network for facilitating learning on a global digital platform (Rittmann, Barreto and Rabidoux, 2020). The ability to have a system to manage both the administrative requirements and the educational content for in-person, blended and fully online delivery methods was a major asset. One of the major controversies surrounding LMSs is how they are used to deliver that content. For those of us that went from all paper to no paper in the course of a summer, the LMS was a place to store, present from, and share the information that had been printed and handed out. The capability of LMS has grown with time but with the panic over there is less urgency to learn more and expand on how we use the tools they provide.

For chapter 10 Weller chose Blogs as the major contributor to the advancement of Ed Tech. I can see how this development can be used to publish and share information across time and space, and promote collaboration and idea generation amongst like minded individuals. I work at an Institute of Technology with a strong vocational focus and to my knowledge the use of Blogs as part of the curriculum is very limited if used at all. My area of instruction is in the trades and as such I am mostly in contact with others that also have a trades focus. Most of our instruction is designed around teaching basic understanding of systems by presenting facts and doing hands on application. One of the reasons for me enrolling in the MALAT program is so I can explore other methods of instruction and see if there are methods that can be used to enhance and/or provide options to students to aid in their learning progression. My initial reaction is that Blogging has no real place in the trades, which is why I need to look at it closer.

References

Weller, M. (2020). 25 years of ed tech. Athabasca University Press. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781771993050.01

Barreto, D., Rottmann, A., & Rabidoux, S (2020). Learning Management Systems: Choosing the Right Path For Your Organisation. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/learning_management_systems