Learning management system

Definition

A Learning Management System (sometimes also called "Course Management System", "Pedagogical Platform", "E-Learning Platform") is a software system that delivers courseware plus e-tutoring over the Internet.

LMS should not be your starting point. Typically, when decision makers talk about E-Learning they want to know what system to install. First of all, so called LMS are not the only answer, you also can implement E-Learning with other tools (e.g. groupware, content management systems or even a wiki or other hypertext system, often in combination with a forum. Second, in any case you should start by thinking about an appropriate instructional design that uses appropriate teaching strategies for various learning types.

“LMS” is a catchall term in SCORM. It refers to a suite of functionalities designed to deliver, track, report on and manage learning content, learner progress and learner interactions. “LMS” can apply to very simple course management systems, or highly complex enterprise-wide, distributed environments. (SCORM 2004 3rd Edition Overview Version 1.0)

See also: LCMS (Learning content management systems) and Student management system

Components of an LMS

Feature lists are getting quite long and it is not easy to decide which features are the most important unless you have a good background in various areas like instructional design, ergonomics and systems management.

Typical features are:

• Course Management, e.g. lists of courses, registration, credit information and syllabus, pre-requisites
• Teaching Materials, i.e. courseware
• Self-assessment quizzes
• Lessons tools: Authoring for contents (structured XML or HTML) and quizzing/testing (e.g. Java Script generators) or alternatively ability to import standard IMS or SCORM packages developed with an external tool (e.g. Dreamweaver).
• Asynchronous Communication: email, forums
• Synchronous Communication: chat, whiteboard, teleconferencing,
• Student tools: Home page, self tests, bookmarks, progress tracking, ....
• Student Management Tools: progress tracking, on-line grading (assessment), ....

Usually LMS are closed circuit platforms (logins, restricted access to classes), so the idea of sharing contents and reusing products generated during classes does not exist in the world of "LMSs" (main-stream e-learning).

List of software

Free / Open Sourcource Portalware

(to install on your own server)

• Amadeus (the Brazilian Federal Government public software LMS)
• ATutor (used at TECFA our student's to play with)
• Bodington
• DoceboLMS
• Dokeos (used at TECFA for student projects and one course)
• e-Learning XHTML Editor (contents can then be imported to most LMSs).
• eFrontLearning. On 1/2010, probably the most user-friendly systems. Best rated on opensourcecms.org.
• Fle3
• GaneshaLMS
• ILIAS
• interact
• KEWL.Nextgen
• LRN
• Moodle (used at TECFA for several courses)
• OLAT
• OpenUSS: platform itself and sourceforge site
• Sakai, “a community source software development effort to design, build and deploy a new Collaboration and Learning Environment (CLE) for higher education.”
• Segue
• TelEduc

You can try out some of these system at http://www.opensourcecms.com/ (in addition to many other portalware). You will have full administrator rights (all systems will be refreshed every hour).

Online services

(basic service is free)

• CCNet
• Haiku LMS

Commercial

• Blackboard Vista (former WebCT)
• Halogen eLearning Manager
• iQpakk
• Rapid Intake (several tools, both for corporate and school environments)
• ... many others

Links

There are many sites that will give you advice on how to choose a standard, main-stream E-Learning System:

• Course Management Systems (formerly Landonline). This site was built to assist higher education in using a more rational decision making process to review the many options for a course management system.

• LMS Talk List of products, forum, etc.

• Elearning Platforms (Learning Management Systems) by EduTech, the technological support for the Swiss Virtual Campus project. Much shorter list, but enough for most of us ....

• LMS comparison

• UNESCO free software portal

Other references:

• The Re.ViCa wiki has been set up to provide an inventory and to show the results of a systematic review of Virtual Campus initiatives of the past decade within higher education throughout the world.

• Wikipedia's article on Virtual learning environment which also features a nice list of links to Systems plus other useful information.