Summary of "Evaluate Learning Management Systems for classroom instruction."

Video Transcription

Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and congratulations. You have now made it to the end of the unit on evaluating learning management systems for classroom instruction. Today, we are going to wrap everything up, review all that you have done, and congratulate you on completing this unit.

Just as we began every lesson with a quote, we are going to begin this final summary with a quote as well. This quote is from Pliny the Elder which states, "From the end of spring new beginnings." And even though this is the end of this unit, this is just the beginning for all of the ways that you are going to be able to use your new knowledge in your classroom environments.

Now that you're at the end of the unit, you are able to identify instructor's needs with regard to learning goals and the expected role of the instructor within a learning management system. You're able to practice criteria for selecting and using various learning management systems within your educational environment. You are able to practice course development within multiple learning systems and identify what it is that you need to do in order to develop that course.

And finally, you were able to compare and contrast the experience of developing a course within a number of learning management systems, giving you a broad all encompassing view of what you need to know as an educator when it comes to LMS's Let's review over each of those objectives individually and finalize all of the elements that we learned over this unit.

That first objective, identify instructors needs with regard to learning goals and the expected role of the instructor within an LMS. As you worked your way through this objective towards mastery, you were able to really identify the needs that teachers have within learning management systems, the need for professional development, for mentoring, and various online PD tools that really help you become strong and confident with in that learning management system.

You also were able to identify the way in which each of those needs could really help not only you, but the other people who are involved as well. Professional development not only gives you that information, but you are able to take it back and explain it to the other people within your school environment. Because as we know, not everyone is able to get to all of those professional development opportunities.

Additionally, when it comes to things like mentoring, it's not only you that benefits from the mentoring you get but also the mentor. Don't forget you have things to share with them too. You also really solidified the roles of teachers when it comes to learning management systems. You are no longer taking a back seat to the technology. You are just as relevant and instead focusing in on how learning management systems can help you achieve your role as a teacher.

When it comes to mastery of the second objective, practice criteria for selecting and using a learning management system, you were able to really hone in on what learning management systems are. What are the various components that make it a learning management system? Then you are able to look at the steps involved in selecting that learning management system. Now these steps will change depending on the role that you play within your school or your district. But having a broad knowledge of how that process works is going to be really helpful no matter what role you take on, so that you can be more educated about the materials that come into the classroom.

And finally, you are able to investigate a number of different learning management system types, so that you have an idea of the advantages and disadvantages of the broad options-- whether it was proprietary systems, open source systems, or even cloud based systems-- as you begin that selection process.

As you work toward proficiency on the objective of practicing course development within multiple learning management systems, you got the opportunity to look at some best practices. This was a broad overview of the best practices that have been research and collected not just with the selection process, but also as you begin to use that in the classroom.

Especially for the teachers out there, what are the best practices in use of these learning management systems? And what or the things you're going to want to know when it comes to tech support? Remember we are never so good that we don't need help. And so knowing how you can get that help is really important when it comes to technology in the classroom.

You were able to really focused in on the basics of learning management systems when it comes to course development, looking at a couple of different types of learning management systems and focusing in on their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to that course development and what you are expected to do to really make that learning management system work within your individual classroom.

When it came to proficiency with the objective that involved comparing and contrasting the experiences of developing a course within a number of learning management systems, you got the opportunity to really focus in on the features that are essential for teachers. When we're looking at these things now in practice, what are the elements that each teacher is going to need and look for as we delve through all of the many bells and whistles that come with common learning management systems?

You got the opportunity to then focus in even deeper at the various instructional tools, things that are going to directly impact the information that you deliver to your students and identify which areas of need you might have within those systems.

And finally and most importantly, you got the opportunity to delve deep into some reflection questions. These are big choices that schools and districts are making. And it's important to take a moment and pause through the chaos of a school year and say, what is it that I actually need, how are my needs already being met, and what sort of learning management system could I add to help further meet the needs of the teachers, the parents, and the students?

All of those are the objectives that you have now met. You began first and foremost with identifying those instructive needs, laying the groundwork, and really thinking about what is it that is so essential to you in making sure that you get the information to your students.

You were able to then practice selecting criteria and the process of using learning management systems. After identifying the needs, then we layer on the various selection criteria, so that you know the things that you are selecting when it comes to a learning management system directly relate to your instructor needs.

After you've selected it, you then got to move on to the practice of course development, that essential experience for what you will be doing as a teacher with a learning management system. And finally, most valuable, you got to then compare and contrast the experiences with several different learning management systems, helping to broaden your knowledge of what is out there, so that when it comes time for you to interact directly with the learning management software in your classroom, you feel confident and prepared.

Thank you all so much for joining me throughout this unit. I hope you're having learned a lot, and now you're are able to take it back to your classroom experiences.