MANAGING COURSES ONLINE

The future of pedagogy?

Virtual Learning Environment

A virtual learning environment (VLE) is a software system designed to help teachers by facilitating the management of educational courses for their students, especially by helping teachers and learners with course administration.

Some examples:

Characteristics

usually run on servers, to serve the course to students via multimedia and/or web pages

usually include templates for content pages, discussion forums, chat, quizzes and exercises such as multiple-choice, true/false and one-word-answer

sometimes also called Learning Management System (LMS), Course Management System (CMS), Learning Content Management System (LCMS), Managed Learning Environment (MLE), Learning Support System (LSS) or Learning Platform (LP)

is a computer program that facilitates computerized learning or e-learning.

Common Features syllabus for the course details of pre-requisites

and co-requisites, credit information, and how to get help

notice board for up-to-date course information

student registration and tracking facilities

basic teaching materials, may be the complete content of the course

additional resources, including reading materials, and links to outside resources in libraries and on the Internet

self-assessment quizzes which can be scored automatically

automatic grading procedures

More Features communication

support including e-mail, threaded discussions and a chat room

differential access rights for instructors and students

documentation and statistics on the course for institutional administration and quality control

facilities are capable of being hyperlinked together

easy authoring tools for creating documents including the insertion of hyperlinks

support for numerous courses, so students and instructors experience a consistent interface when moving from one course to another

Advantages

economize on the time of teachers, especially when they are also involved in research, extension and administration

provide a service for students who increasingly look to the internet as the natural medium for finding information and resources

ensure that quality control requirements are met by providing a standard vehicle for collecting the required information

facilitate the integration of distance and campus-based learning or of learning on different campuses

Major VLE Variants

The following are some of the major VLEs today: Dokeos Moodle Sakai ATutor Blackboard Claroline WebCT

For those wishing to deliver e-learning there are many free open source and proprietary VLEs available for use. Most VLEs are placed on a web server, meaning they can be accessed by a web browser with Internet connection.

Blackboard vs. Moodle Learning Management

System (LMS) software partially owned by Microsoft

Popular software used around the world

Licensed annually (HSU pays approx. $8,600 each year)

Used at HSU since 2001 Over $1 million spent each

year in the CSU on Blackboard licenses

“Open source” (free!) Learning Management System (LMS) software

Customizable by programming staff

Flexible for the instructor and developer

Supported by programmers world-wide

Question: Can free software satisfactorily meet the needs of students,

faculty, and instructional technologists for online teaching and learning?

Blackboard vs. Moodle

Facilitator's Feedback Did Blackboard/Moodle

enhance instruction?

Received adequate technical assistance?

Technology-based activities developed problem-solving skills?

Well organized instructional materials?

Communication tools: Interaction with classmates?

Communication tools: Interaction with instructor?

Web-based resources were effective learning tools?

Discussion Boards were easy to use?

Student Comments

Would like another (Blackboard/Moodle) course?

Which do you prefer, Moodle or Blackboard?

Tracking Faculty Use of Online Learning Tools

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY KEY STUDY QUESTIONS

To collect and analyze pre-implementation data on course management system use among University System faculty.

To use this data to inform development of support, services, and training for faculty to use WebCT Vista.

To use this data to inform strategies for encouraging faculty not currently using CMS to try it.

What is the extent of the faculty use of CMS on each campus and system wide?

What factors encourage faculty to start using a CMS?

What factors determine whether faculty increase or decrease their use?

For what purposes are CMS used?

What are the pedagogical advantages of using a CMS?

What barriers prevent faculty from using a CMS?

Tracking Faculty Use of Online Learning Tools

SURVEY DETAILS DEMOGRAPHICS

Survey administered online.

33 of 34 institutions participated.

Between 25-80% of faculty at each institution responded.

Total number of responses = 3,228

Approximately 37% of all USG faculty participated.

58.0% of respondents were tenured/tenure track faculty

16.7% of respondents were non-tenure track

13.4% of respondents were part-time faculty

19.6% of respondents were in Arts/Humanities

13.1% of respondents were in Social Sciences

10.4% of respondents were in Math/Computer Science

Tracking Faculty Use of Online Learning Tools: Result

KEY QUESTIONS

What is the extent of the faculty use of CMS on each campus and system wide?

What factors encourage faculty to start using a CMS?

What factors determine whether faculty increase or decrease their use?

For what purposes are CMS used?

What are the pedagogical advantages of using a CMS?

What barriers prevent faculty from using a CMS?

Conclusions Future Studies

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