What is a Learner Management System (LMS)?
A LMS is an organisational tool often purchased and implemented within a company by it’s Learning & Development department, which coordinates aspects of L&D such as signup for courses, databases, records, relevant information, employee self-service, provision of online learning and assessment, and management facilities for coordinators, facilitators, instructors, etc.
What is a Learning Content Management System (LCMS)?
A LCMS is related to the above-mentioned LMS, with the specific focus on the actual content that will encompass part of the LMS. In a LCMS, content is managed, created, edited, re-used and re-tooled, and stored, within a multi-user environment. These are things which are not done in an LMS, making a LCMS a crucial aspect of L&D.
Which would you recommend to your organization? Why?
I would recommend the use of both aLMS and LCMS which would both be used collaboratively. The effective use of a LCMS would enhance and broaden the effective use of a LMS, thus both are crucial for the success of implementation.
LMS Survey Results from 2005:
http://www.learningcircuits.org/2005/jun2005/LMS_survey.htm
What do you find interesting from these figures?
The provided link does not work.
Bersin and Associates (http://www.bersin.com) have been researching the LMS market for a number of years.
To understand the size and impact of this market – listen to Josh Bersin discuss their latest research results from 2008:
http://store.bersinassociates.com/lms.html#
What are some of the key issues raised by Josh Bersin?
From the site:
This comprehensive study includes:
- Review of the LMS market size, growth rate, and market penetration vs. the total addressible market.
- Discussion of the evolution, history, and key trends in LMS systems.
- An analysis of cost-justification and business drivers for LMS systems by market segment. We include benchmark data on implementation costs and benefits.
- Detailed profiles of the top 24 vendors, including vendor market share by revenue and license revenue, fast-growing vendors, industry focus, and key customers.
- Analysis of key feature issues such as suites, LCMS features, compliance features, performance management, analytics, talent management, collaboration, search, and other features which drive LMS buyers and vendors. We include guidelines on how to navigate through these features to select the right system.
- Our Market Map™ of the LMS market, giving buyers an easy way to identify the short list of vendors that meet their needs.
- Review of best practices in LMS implementation, management, and governance. We also include detailed benchmarking data on implementation costs, timelines, and approaches.
- A discussion of major new LMS entrants, including Blackboard, NetDimensions, and Technomedia.
- A discussion of the role and importance of Oracle/Peoplesoft and SAP as ERP vendors in the LMS market.
- A detailed discussion of advanced new learning features, including collaboration, search, blogs, content management, and tools.
- A detailed review of the Performance and Talent Management features in each LMS vendor offering and a discussion of each vendors’ talent management systems strategy.
- LMS Futures: where is the market going, what should buyers and vendors look for in 2007 and 2008.
How could virtual worlds, like Second Life be used for learning?
The scope of potential uses of Virtual Worlds in learning is extremely diverse and wide. Many companies and organisations worldwide have relaised this. Uses of Second Life for learning can include things like:
- Training courses within the virtual world
- Induction programs run within Second Life, or some aspects run within the virtual world
- Classrooms for exchange of learning
- Virtual conferences which allow people from all over the world to attend
- Team/group meetings or learning sessions within Second Life, expanding the physical barriers that often constrain workplace/learning teams
What is your experience of social networks?
I have had extensive experience with Facebook, which is my primary (and virtually my only) social networking tool. I have utilized it personally, but also in relation to my learning when it comes to connecting with group members for assignments/ sharing information with classmates, and joining groups relating to my subjects. I have also had very minimal experience with myspace, however I find it tedious and not helpful.
How could these be used in learning environments?
As stated above, my social networking can be used in learning environments when it comes different aspects of a subject. When doing group assignments, often it may be difficult to physically meet with all group members, so often Facebook is useful in keeping each other informed and updated on our progress in the assignment and sharing relevant knowledge and links we all discover. There are also group pages created in some subjects which can help to relay content and also other things like what activities must be completed as homework, etc.
What is synchronous communication?
Synchronous communication is the exchange and communication between tow or more people in real-time through virtual mediums such as instant messaging, chat rooms, twitter, etc.
Provide Examples:
NetMeeting
Instant Messaging programs
Twitter
Chatrooms
Audio/Video conferencing
What is the benefit of synchronous communication?
It is instant, builds social networks of support online, and can break down physical barriers and environmental constraints. It can also facilitate co-development of documents and ideas, and ad-hoc quick communications and presentations of of information, dialogue and data.
When would you use it?
It can be utilized in many different ways when the technology is known well enough to properly effect synchronous learning. Some examples would be using NetMeeting to have meetings with team members/employees who may not be in your office or work environment, and also using instant messaging to gain IT support or get answers quickly and efficiently.
Current trends in e-Learning are indicating that effective learning can be enhanced through the use of these communication techniques. What do you think are some of the drivers in the current environment?
Drivers in the current environment surround the growing momentum around e-learning and use of new technologies, as well as the growing presence of Gen Y within workplaces and learning environments.
What is asynchronous communication?
Asynchronous communication occurs over a period of time that is not in real-time. People are able to connect with technologies like with Synchronous communication, however the technologies are slightly different (removing the real-time aspects).
Provide Examples:
Discussion Boards
Streaming Audio/Video
Email
Web based training
Web Books
Surveys/polls online
What is the benefit of asynchronous communication?
Asynchronous communication is effective for longer periods of time than synchronous communication, and is often easier when it comes to re-visiting information (for example going back to past emails or re-listening to a stream of a video conference). It also broadens the extent of responses, for example in relation to a discussion board vs. a live chat. People who may not be present for a live chat can be present whenever they choose in a discussion board. This breaks down time-zone and environmental barriers.
When would you use it?
In relation to accessibility, Asynchronous communication can be used at any time, and it would be effectively used when reflection and recall of documents/emails/information is required for the given objective. The history of interactions are effectively captured, and thus asynchronous technologies would be used when this is an important factor (ie. if a problem needs to be solved over a longer-term period whereby past communications are required to be referenced throughout the process of learning).
Can you identify examples where you have used social sharing in a learning context?
I have used social sharing in e-learning experiences through blog comments, delicious and netvibes, and also through Youtube videos and other similar mediums.
What impact can this have on your learning?
Social Sharing can have a diverse impact on learning. This semester, I have already had to utilise Youtube videos in relation to several subjects and their content. In this specific example alone, the impact on learning is immense, as videos can illustrate many different facets of subject content in ways that classroom situations sometimes can not, and in ways that can enhance book content.
List self-publishing applications you are familiar with:
I am not currently widely familiar with self-publishing applications, but have had extensive experience with Wiki’s, blogs and minimal experience with podcasting, in e-Learning Experiences and beyond.
Consider your use of self-publishing in e-Learning Experiences.
What impact did this have on your learning?
In e-Learning Experiences, my use of self-publishing was predominantly through this blog. The impact it had on my learning was quite broad, as I had never had exposure to creating and running my own blog. It taught me how to use a blog effectively, and ultimately the impact was that I learned an entirely new medium of learning and presentation of my work. It also had an impact on my organisation of work through designated blog posts.
In my research to answer questions, I discovered an interesting article which details what Aggregation of Information entails:
http://72.14.235.132/search?q=cache:S-uDELVvwCEJ:ebusiness.mit.edu/research/papers/106%2520SMadnick,%2520Siegel%2520Information%2520Aggregation.pdf+aggregation+of+information&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=au
I found this article interesting and informative, as I had no prior knowledge of what aggregation of information is before reading this aryicle. After reading, I now have a well-rounded understanding of what aggregation entails and also how it can be beneficial within this subject and also in the broader context of my online activities in work and personally.
What is RSS?
How does it work?
RSS is a link to various online resources, for exampleto blogs, newspaper websites, video sharing sites, etc. When you subscribe to an RSS “feed”, you are given notices when updates or new materials/articles appear on the blog/site.
To use RSS, you subsribe to the feed of that site by entering its URL into an RSS reader. RSS sites have an orange icon to indicate it is an RSS site.
How can RSS be used in this subject?
In this subject, RSS could be utilised in assignmentas and in class activities by subscribing to relevant sites and blogs in order to easily inform us on e-Learning information and new articles relating to the subject that appear on RSS feed from sites.
What is aggregation of information referring to?
How does it work?
Aggregation of information utilises various sources of information, analysing the aggregated information from the sources in relation to a specific objective or outcome. Information aggregators are those who provide the service. Information from various sources (newspapers, blogs, journal articles, etc) are collected and disseminated for convenient consumption.
How could aggregation be used in this subject?
Aggregation within this subject would be relevant in a similar way to RSS, whereby it increases the scope of information and the convenience of the access of information in order to properly adivse students on the range of content available. This gives us a broader scope and greater understanding of content relating to the course and beyond, which ultimately ensures we are efficiently and properly educated in the future.
The topic I was assigned for Assignment 1 is Virtual Worlds.
My fellow group members are Dean Apostolidis and Serina Levy.
I have created a wiki page for the group and started research.
Answers to questions:
What experience have you had with e-Learning?
Besides the experience of completing the subject “e-Learning Design”, I have had experience with e-Learning from working full time at a commercial property firm for 3 years, in the Human Resources Learning & Development team. I was involved in the design, facilitation, recording and analysis of training programs and online performance management program. e-Learning components were involved in several of the courses and the performance management program was entirely “e” based.
Describe the methods of delivery you have experienced?
Methods of delivery included take-home online components of course materials, email and intranet communications and inmteractive components of the course that could be done online. There were also e-learning options for people unable to physically attend the training courses.
How do these relate to the definitions and practices of e-Learning outlined in the earlier readings?
These relate to past readings as my experiences illustrate what the readings have highlighted – that e-Learning is the way of the future and a growing trend within the organisational context. Learning & Development is the leader of this technology within any given firm, which is also something that the readings discuss and that I have also realised through my work experience and completion of the e-learning subject.
