- Navigate 3.1.1 LMS Tool Categories Quest
In your blog, discuss the most relevant features offered in an LMS, which relate directly to effective online instruction. How might these be used in the online environment?
The major tool categories of an LMS are listed below followed by a description of how the tool is used in Brightspace, the LMS used by GAVS.
Course Administration - this is accessed by the administration only. This includes ASI, DC, and the development team. Each has different levers of access and responsibility.
Teacher Information - At GAVS we have a Teacher Information widget that contains our contact information in addition to a link to a biography in some sort of form (usually presentation or video). This gives the student a more personal look at our lives and hopefully connects us more with the students.
Content - This is where the actual course in contained. It represents the combination of reading a textbook, listening to the teacher (in the form of videos), and interactive learning activities. This is where the student learns. While many other tools are important, this is the core of the LMS.
Communication - Our communication tools consist of email, discussions, and feedback on assignments. All are important and essential.
Course assessments - In order for students to see if they are learning, they have to have assessments. We access through dropbox assignments, quizzes, and tests.
Grades - The gradebook is the culmination of the assessments. It is a place where students can collectively see their progress on their assessments. Our feedback on each assignment is also present in this location. So, it is a convenient place for students too see our communication as well.
Reporting - Our analytics portal has increasingly become a more important and more used tool in our LMS. We can see trends in progress, analysis on specific tasks, etc. This allows us to make changes to our instruction, including remediation, as needed.
LOR - We do have a Learning Object Repository, but I am not sure that it is active in our LMS. If it is, I am not familiar with how to use it.
ePortfolio - This is where we can share our best practices that otherwise might not been seen by others. By viewing other ePortfolios, we can get ideas for our own courses. It is our way of "visiting" another teacher's class.
The major tool categories of an LMS are listed below followed by a description of how the tool is used in Brightspace, the LMS used by GAVS.
Course Administration - this is accessed by the administration only. This includes ASI, DC, and the development team. Each has different levers of access and responsibility.
Teacher Information - At GAVS we have a Teacher Information widget that contains our contact information in addition to a link to a biography in some sort of form (usually presentation or video). This gives the student a more personal look at our lives and hopefully connects us more with the students.
Content - This is where the actual course in contained. It represents the combination of reading a textbook, listening to the teacher (in the form of videos), and interactive learning activities. This is where the student learns. While many other tools are important, this is the core of the LMS.
Communication - Our communication tools consist of email, discussions, and feedback on assignments. All are important and essential.
Course assessments - In order for students to see if they are learning, they have to have assessments. We access through dropbox assignments, quizzes, and tests.
Grades - The gradebook is the culmination of the assessments. It is a place where students can collectively see their progress on their assessments. Our feedback on each assignment is also present in this location. So, it is a convenient place for students too see our communication as well.
Reporting - Our analytics portal has increasingly become a more important and more used tool in our LMS. We can see trends in progress, analysis on specific tasks, etc. This allows us to make changes to our instruction, including remediation, as needed.
LOR - We do have a Learning Object Repository, but I am not sure that it is active in our LMS. If it is, I am not familiar with how to use it.
ePortfolio - This is where we can share our best practices that otherwise might not been seen by others. By viewing other ePortfolios, we can get ideas for our own courses. It is our way of "visiting" another teacher's class.