Learning Management Systems
in the K-12 Classroom
Technology
is responsible for many of the major advancements in teaching and learning
today. While there have been great advances in the use of technology replacing
the traditional classroom, technology has been and will continue to be an asset
that can work to compliment the traditional classroom, as well as in class
teaching and learning methods. This paper will outline how e-learning, and more
specifically, learning management systems (LMS) can be used to enhance the
traditional classroom learning experience.
A learning
management system is a software application for the administration,
documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of electronic educational
technology (also called e-learning) courses or training programs” (Ellis, 2009,
pg 1). Traditionally, LMS’s are used for online learning, and act to replace
the face-to-face classroom. However, LMS’s can be used simultaneously with in
class teaching to enhance (blended/e-learning) the traditional teaching and
learning experience. The most well-known and commonly used LMS’s include
Desire2Learn, Blackboard, and Google Classroom. LMS ads value to the traditional class because
it can compliment traditional teaching. “LMS
supports e-learning activities such as presenting information, managing course
materials, and collecting and evaluating student” (Al-Busaidi & Al-Shihi, 2012, pg 19).
When
used simultaneously with traditional teaching, LMS can enhance the learning
experience by providing additional supports outside of the classroom that
wouldn’t otherwise be available. “LMS supports e-learning activities such as
presenting information, managing course materials, and collecting and
evaluating student” (Al-Busaidi
& Al-Shihi, 2012, pg 19).
As we learn more about how different students have diverse
learning styles, we continue to become more reliant on using LMS’s in our
classrooms, as LMS provides a way to cover the same content in multiple ways, accommodating
students who have different learning styles, as well as providing additional
opportunities for students to study and review material that has already been
taught. “Additionally, a large variety of student cultural backgrounds,
concerns, and needs are present in a single classroom. Lecturing is an
important instrument in each educator’s toolbox, but it should not be the only tool”
(Downing, Spears & Holtz, 2014, pg 2). Placing basic information on the LMS
allows teachers to be more efficient with the class time available, as teachers
are “faced with a shrinking
amount of class time to cover resources. Class time is frequently spent
covering basic information literacy tenets or reviewing the current assignment”
(Jensen, 2010, pg 77).
In class instructors using a LMS are more equipped to
monitor student progress in their classes, as “E-learning
systems are also useful for teachers to know how well the concepts have been
understood and to allow them to keep track of each student and the whole
class’s learning progress” (Rodrigues
& Oliveira, 2014, pg 30). As an example, instructors can set up their LMS
to see how much time students are spending online, whether they are completing
assignments and quizzes on schedule, etc. LMS shells can be customized to fit
the needs of both the teachers and the students, adding more value for students
and teachers alike.
LMS use allows students to gain access to
course content and additional resources, as well as test preparations to
further solidify the concepts being taught in the traditional classroom.
“Online learning environments permit the instructor to build one course, yet
implement a variety of resources, so students can utilize materials in whichever
way works best for them” (University
of Calgary, 2014). Not all students learn the
same way, and having the opportunity to go back over materials on their own
time online provides the additional flexibility that many students need.
As technology advances
rapidly, it’s important for in class teachers to incorporate LMS use when they
can, as “Learning with technology refers mostly to situations when technology
is used with the purpose of encouraging learning. The explosion of personal
computers with the potential for internet connection in the second half of the
20th century revolutionized the way we communicate and has therefore profoundly
influenced learning and teaching” (Dolenc & Abersek, 2015, pg 344). Since personal computers are becoming more
popular, it’s important for these items to be incorporated into the classroom,
as they will also be required in the workforce after graduation from school.
The LMS
will also provide students and teachers with different resources to make sure
students are on the right track when it comes to the material being studied. “E-learning
lets students’ access pre-packaged software on their own time, working at their
own pace” (Etherington, 2008, pg 31).
This means that students can access pre-packaged software to test their
understanding of the materials being taught in class before taking a formal,
for credit exam, providing another value ad for LMS use in the traditional
classroom.
Another
considerable advantage of LMS use in the classroom is that it gives students an
out of class platform where they can interact with one another and their
teachers about the topics discussed in class. “An e-learning system is a
web-based communication platform that allows learners, without limitations on
place and time, to access diverse learning tools, such as discussion boards,
assessments, content repositories, and document sharing systems” (Mohammadyari
& Singh, 2015, pg 12). This is perhaps one of the main value ads of LMS use
in the classroom environment. Combining LMS use with in class instruction
provides a great opportunity to ask questions, seek clarification, and to
continue the learning process even while not in class.
As
technology continues to move forward, it’s important for schools to make
efforts to keep up with these advancements, especially as Internet access
increases in rural areas and becomes an increasingly important aspect of the
learning process. “With the rapid increase in student and teacher access to the internet
over the past 10 years, blended-learning as an instructional model has become a
more reasonable option for k-12 schools” Kumi-Yeboah
& Smith, 2014, pg 2). It’s also important to note that LMS use in the
traditional classroom prepares students to take courses offered completely
online at a later date.
Technological advances don’t mean much unless teachers
champion their use in the in class teaching and learning process. “It is still the role of the teacher to
connect these tools purposefully and to teach students to benefit from using
these universal tools for learning.” (Tîrziua, & Vrabie, 2015, pg 379).
Technology cannot at this point seamlessly replace the in class learning
experience, and both methods have their pros and cons. Having teachers use a
LMS in the classroom is an innovative way to deliver curriculum in a modern and
quickly changing environment, such as today’s classrooms.
References
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doi: 10.1155/2014/430732
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