Learning Management Systems

It seems nowadays that Learning Management Systems and education are synonymous.  I remember using Blackboard while working on my undergraduate degree.  I am currently a student using Moodle to facilitate online courses for my graduate degree.  As a middle school teacher, I have used some form of an LMS in my classroom for the past decade.  The point is, they exist, and for good reason.  Their presence in an educational setting is invaluable.

According to the video Education tutorial: Exploring the role of a learning management system (LinkedIn Learning, 2014), a Learning Management System is “an online portal to manage learning events.”  We use it to replace printed syllabi with digital formats, students turn in work and take quizzes, and through discussion boards, they are able to interact with classmates.  Uses continue beyond the classroom, as well, and allow for entire district or school staff to partake in professional development.  I have found that attribute particularly useful as district leaders update content resources for both subject areas I teach this year.

As I explored the features of Google I found a large number of them that would be beneficial in any classroom.  Blended learning, handout distribution, the ability to provide differentiated or leveled resources to students, answer student questions, collaboration…just to name a few.  I especially was drawn to the possibility of using Google Drawings to allow students to annotate text digitally and submit their work for review.  However, when I went to investigate Google Classroom further, I hit a roadblock.  It is no longer a free service and needs a district subscription.  I would love to know more, and could see the potential behind using Google Classroom, but feel restricted to websites explaining the pros and cons.  By not having the opportunity to get a hands-on approach, my deeper understanding of the applications is limited.

While I find the features and seemingly unlimited uses of Google Classroom valuable, I have been very pleased with our district-adopted LMS, Canvas.  This is our second year using the platform and I am continuously finding new ways to engage student learning and adapt to the needs of 21^st century learners.  I began by using Canvas as a way to assign basic tasks and homework, collect assignments, and enter scores into the online gradebook.  As I found the time to tinker with it more, I quickly discovered that I could have students submit their writing for review and input a scoring rubric, allowing me to comment and provide other forms of feedback right there in Canvas.  Students can see their grade, read my comments, and make corrections to their writing, all in one place.  I often use the discussion board for writing prompts, critical thinking, and analyzation associated with novels.  Modules can be created to allow for varied resources, documents, and tasks.  I have used modules for grammar, Supreme Court case studies, and portions of a Science Fiction unit.  What I like about modules is how they are student-led and self-paced.  I can assign a due date, and students work at their own pacing to complete the tasks in the given time frame.  Canvas syncs with Google Drive, so any files I have can be quickly attached, or students can submit their work directly from their drive, saving a few steps in the turn in process. 

Other Pros and Cons of Canvas include:

Pros

Cons

·       Easy for teachers to create assignments ·       Assignments are linked to the gradebook and calendar ·       SpeedGrader.  This is a feature that allows teachers to comment directly on submitted work, use a rubric for quick grading with a click of a button, and adds the final score directly into the grade book.  This makes grading assignments easier, allowing me to provide more detailed and timely feedback.  I also can eliminate the large stacks of papers being carried around, waiting to be graded. ·       Allows for different input of files (videos, pdfs, photos, etc.) ·       There’s an app!!  Students and parents have quick access from any device. ·       Hypothetical Grades - Students can input an assignment grade to see how it would impact their total class grade. ·       Calendar that syncs with all of the students’ classes in order to view upcoming due dates and assist with time management. ·       Canvas Support - The “Help” button is very helpful and I’m often able to easily find answers to my questions ·       Design is very user-friendly for teachers and students ·       Report Generating - I can generate a report for a quiz taken through Canvas that will provide me with a data per student and assessment question, which allows me to adjust future instruction as needed. ·       Announcements can be sent to all users, which has been helpful with class reminders or changes to schedule/due dates.

·       Students and parents have had trouble understanding the gradebook and the markings used for missing work vs. ungraded work. ·       Notifications can be overwhelming if the settings are not set up well. ·       Organizing quizzes can be difficult.  I tried unsuccessfully to create a unit test incorporating multiple texts and have it broken down by each text with labels/headings.

I am wanting to investigate the possibilities for collaboration through Canvas more.  Using an LMS as a simple input and output program limits the deeper connections students can make. (Ribeiro, 2015)  When students can collaborate with each other, they are honing in on future-ready skills they will need to be successful in their chosen careers someday.  Canvas has a peer review option, as well as organization for group work, linked into the system.  It’s an area I have just not had the time to explore yet.  I also would like to find a way to have students use chat features in order to work through investigations or complete writing activities.  I know this is possible through Google Docs, but am curious to know if there is a way to also make this level of collaboration possible through Canvas as well.

Overall, the impact of using an LMS on students and parents is extremely positive.  It allows students, parents, and teachers to stay connected.  It creates a digital platform to allow educational resources to be accessible 24/7.  Most of all, it is a “one-stop-shop” for grades, assignments, and other resources, that I feel can’t be replaced.  If we were to get rid of the use of Canvas or any other LMS in my classroom, I feel I’d be taking a step in the wrong direction.

References

LinkedIn Learning. (2014 July 18). Education tutorial: Exploring the role of a learning management

            system [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8CgSVLs1z4

Ribeiro, J. (2015). 5 Common Mistakes Teachers Make Using Their School's LMS. Retrieved from

The Learning Bird: https://blog.learningbird.com/5-common-mistakes-teachers-make-using-

their-schools-lms/