Wk 1 Project: LMO Overview

CMS (Course Management Systems) are used in education to manage courses, registration, grading etc. Learners advancing through similar courses with similar learning goals. They are easier to regulate because each learner has similar content, goals, and are graded by similar rubrics. They are especially useful for schools that require accreditation because they can demonstrate that they are meeting specific standards.

LMS (Learning Management Systems) are used in commercial enterprises to manage individual requirements of learners. They are especially useful in companies where learners have different age ranges, skill levels, and might require different certifications. By using learning management systems, needs of individual learners are taken into account and instruction can be differentiated to meet the needs of each learner.

Throughout history, many useful advancements developed in a commercial domain have been adopted by education when it becomes economically feasible. The same is true for learning management systems. Personalization of syllabi, different learning styles, and more choices for learners are just a few of the advantages of a learning management system that could have great value in the education domain. Since all learners are different, and best practices in education are now acknowledging this, learning management systems will become a bigger part of the education domain as they are refined and perfected in the commercial domain.

LCMS (Learning Content Management Systems) are used to manage content, primarily by very big organizations like universities or the military. RLO (re-usable learning objects) provide instruction that can be used in many courses and re-used, and do not have to be re-authored repeatedly. Applications in traditional education environments may allow a less linear type of learning in the future.

PLE (Personal Learning Environments) are ways in which learners can customize their own content and networks to meet their own needs. The possibilities are endless when it comes to personal learning environments. They can be a combination of the above mentioned learning systems or something completely different. They can be managed by instructors, organizations, or learners themselves.

The possibilities afforded by online learning are truly mind boggling.  Learning how to manage different learning management systems will help people get the most out of the Internet and the educational experience.