6. Õpihaldussüsteemid ja õpikeskkonnad
Eestis
• Eestis arendatud keskkonnad: VIKO, IVA, Edutizer, Krihvel,
LePress, EduFeedr, Dippler, eDidaktikum, Tera, Õpiveeb
• Eestis kasutusel olnud välismaised keskkonnad: WebCT,
Moodle, Ilias, LearnLoop
49. 28 TechTrends • March/April 2007 Volume 51, Number 2
The application of computers to education
has a history dating back to the 1950s, well
before the pervasive spread of personal
computers (Reiser, 1987). With a mature
history and varying approaches to utilizing
computers for education, a veritable alphabet
soup of terms and acronyms
related to computers in
education have found their way
into the literature, most of them
non-standardized. Learning
Management System (LMS) is
one approach to the application
of computers to education
which holds great potential
and important concepts yet is
often misunderstood and the
term misused. This article will
clarify the use of the term LMS
by presenting a history and
definitionofLMS,differentiating
it from similar terms with which it is often
confused, and discussing the role it can play
in education. It will then describe current
application and available features of LMSs,
and conclude by identifying trends and
recommending future research.
History and definition of LMS:
What are LMSs?
The history of the application of computers
to education is filled with generic terms such as
computer-based instruction (CBI), computer-
assisted instruction (CAI), and computer-
assisted learning (CAL), generally describing
drill-and-practiceprograms,moresophisticated
tutorials and more individualized instruction,
respectively (Parr & Fung, 2001). LMS has its
history in another term, integrated learning
system (ILS) which offers functionality beyond
instructional content such as management
and tracking, personalized instruction and
integration across the system (Bailey, 1993;
Becker, 1993; Brush, Armstrong, Barbrow, &
Ulintz, 1999; Szabo & Flesher, 2002).
The term ILS was coined by Jostens Learn-
ing, and LMS was originally used to describe the
management system component of the PLATO
K-12 learning system, content-free and separate
from the courseware (R. Foshay, personal com-
munication, October 24, 2006). The term LMS
is currently used to describe a number of differ-
ent educational computer applications, and we
would argue that it is often used incorrectly. Lat-
er sections of this article will differentiate LMS
from other terms with which it is often confused,
but prior to describing what LMS is not; we will
focus on describing what an LMS is.
The key to understanding the difference
between LMS and other computer education
terms is to understand the systemic nature of
LMS. LMS is the framework that handles all
aspects of the learning process. An LMS is the
infrastructure that delivers and manages in-
structional content, identifies and assesses in-
dividual and organizational learning or training
goals, tracks the progress towards meeting those
goals, and collects and presents data for super-
vising the learning process of an organization as
a whole (Szabo & Flesher, 2002). An LMS deliv-
ers content but also handles course registration
and administration, skills gap analysis, tracking
and reporting (Gilhooly, 2001).
Bailey (1993) presents the following general
characteristics of an LMS in education:
An Argument for Clarity:
What are Learning Management
Systems, What are They Not, and
What Should They Become?
By William R. Watson and Sunnie Lee Watson
“A veritable
alphabet soup
of terms and
acronyms related
to computers
have found
their way into
the literature.”
Watson, W. R., & Watson, S. L. (2007). An Argument
for Clarity: What are Learning Management Systems,
What are They Not, and What Should They Become?
TechTrends, 51(2), 28–34. http://doi.org/10.1007/
s11528-007-0023-y
50. HAMISH COATES, RICHARD JAMES AND GABRIELLE BALDWIN
A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE EFFECTS OF
LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ON UNIVERSITY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
ABSTRACT. The rapid uptake of campus-wide Learning Management Systems
(LMS) is changing the character of the on-campus learning experience. The trend
towards LMS as an adjunct to traditional learning modes has been the subject of
little research beyond technical analyses of alternative software systems. Drawing on
Australian experience, this paper presents a broad, critical examination of the
potential impact of these online systems on teaching and learning in universities. It
discusses in particular the possible effects of LMS on teaching practices, on student
engagement, on the nature of academic work and on the control over academic
knowledge.
INTRODUCTION
There is a significant change taking place in higher education that has
received surprisingly little analysis. In the last few years, integrated
computer systems known as Learning Management Systems (LMS)
have rapidly emerged and are having, and will increasingly have,
profound effects on university teaching and learning. LMS are
enterprise-wide and internet-based systems, such as WebCT and
Blackboard, that integrate a wide range of pedagogical and course
administration tools. These systems have the capacity to create virtual
learning environments for campus-based students, and are even being
used to develop fully online virtual universities. They are becoming
ubiquitous at universities around the world, adding a virtual dimen-
sion to even the most traditional campus-based institutions.
Unlike other financial or human resources management systems
recently introduced into universities, online LMS have the potential
to affect the core business of teaching and learning in unanticipated
ways. Despite this, research into the ramifications of LMS, in par-
ticular the pedagogical issues, is still in its infancy. In spite of wide-
spread levels of adoption, and although the systems are essentially
devices for teaching, attention has been most often focussed on their
Tertiary Education and Management 11: 19–36, 2005.
Ó 2005 Springer
Coates, H., James, R., & Baldwin, G. (2005). A
Critical Examination Of The Effects Of Learning
Management Systems On University Teaching And
Learning. Tertiary Education and Management,
11(1), 19–36. http://doi.org/10.1007/
s11233-004-3567-9
51. Siemens, G. (2004, 22. november). Learning
Management Systems: The wrong place to start
learning [ajaveebipostitus]. Loetud aadressil http://
www.elearnspace.org/Articles/lms.htm
52. Viited
• Hill, P. (2017). State of Higher Ed LMS Market for US and Canada: Fall 2017
Edition. https://mfeldstein.com/state-higher-ed-lms-market-us-canada-fall-2017-
edition/
53. See materjal on avaldatud Creative Commons Autorile viitamine–Jagamine
samadel tingimustel 3.0 Eesti litsentsi alusel. Litsentsi terviktekstiga tutvumiseks
külastage aadressi http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ee/
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