Learning Management Systems

LMS - Learning Management Systems.

CMS - Course Management Systems.

These two acronyms are used interchangeably; therefore, I will use LMS throughout this page. LMS is a web-based software application that is designed to aid instructors and/or designers in planning, delivering, and assessing course materials.

Unit 3 of the MDDE 610 course discusses CMS/LMS (Learning Management Systems).  This unit's topic is very familiar to me. Much of my online work experience involves online course development and online instruction. This experience has exposed me a variety of LMS such as: D2l, WebCT, Blackboard and now as a student in MDDE, Moodle.  As a result of working with these products, it is apparent that they all contain similar features in a variety of interfaces. This standard structure of LMS's allowed me to easily familiarize myself to each product presented in this module.

Timing is everything! At approximately the same time we were covering Unit 3 in MDDE 610, the institution where I work announced that they will be migrating to Moodle in the next year; therefore, they opened up a "sandbox" that allows instructors to snoop around and become familar with Moodle's interface.

As I began comparing the various LMS platforms it was apparent each of its interfaces differ; however,  the file transfer, file managment, HTML editor, quizzes, forums, gradebook are all very similar. I particularly like the D2L gradebook in comparison to BB. It is much easier to setup and is well presented on the screen. As for interfaces, I find that Moodle interface and how topics are covered in books very easy to use. I appreciate that when I first open the program I can easily see any posting in the discussion forums.