Project Overview
An Exciting Transition is About to Happen!
In 1999, the College of Charleston selected WebCT, as the more appropriate of the two Course Management Systems (CMS) available. The value of a CMS at the time was the capability to help faculty manage/organize their instructional materials and make information readily available to students. Your experiences and input have allowed us to document both the strengths and weaknesses of the system selected (WebCT 4.1). That information is critical in helping the College choose a newer system that will meet the expressed needs of the faculty and students.
The more contemporary management systems, known as Learning Management Systems (LMS), are more expansive, collaborative, and faculty friendly. LMS products provide significantly improved course management capabilities for faculty and also include a host of new student learning tools. This combination of teaching & learning tools will enable faculty to develop a wonderfully rich instructional environment for our students!
Your input and enthusiasm are vital to the successful selection and implementation of the new LMS. An open invitation is extended to the campus community to participate in the vendor demonstrations and provide evaluative feedback. A formal procurement process will begin at the close of the demonstrations. Faculty feedback and enthusiasm for different product tools will be considered in this process. Your participation now will help the College provide instructional resources that reflect your expressed needs!
Role of Faculty and Other System Users
Before the vendors come to campus:
- Read the information posted by your Instructional Technologist. You will be receiving emails and printed materials. There will be presentations, one-on-one chats, and town meetings. This website is dedicated to the project, along with postings on the IT webpage.
- Start talking about the new systems with fellow faculty and your Instructional Technologist. Brainstorm the types of system tools that contribute to an effective teaching and learning environment.
- Gather as much information as you can and get excited about this new opportunity!
When vendors demonstrations are conducted:
- Participate!!! Attend the vendor demonstrations!
- Critically review the Learning Management Systems (LMS) presented.
- Fill out the feedback forms with your opinions about the teaching and learning tools available in each system
It is very important that we get as much input from you as possible so the Procurement Panel can make the best decision in helping the College move forward.
Expectations of our Learning Management System (LMS) Project
The goal of the LMS Project is to identify a teaching-learning management system that:
- Meets the instructional needs of the faculty and students at the College of Charleston;
- Enables faculty to optimize efforts to organize and make instructional materials easily accessible to students;
- Incorporates rich media & internet resources to expand instructional materials through dynamic examples;
- Provides a wide array of multisensory teaching tools that accommodate learning style preferences and pacing adjustments;
- Takes advantage of the new Web 2.0 tools such as social networks, blogs and wikis.
- Enriches faculty-student-peer interactions and provides a ubiquitous (24/7) venue to share opinions, analyze information, and actively demonstrate a critical understanding of material presented;
- Provides anywhere/anytime web-based opportunities for assessment, feedback, grading, and record keeping.
Objectives
- Conduct Needs Assessment
- Identify the teaching and learning needs of the campus community
- Communicate Benefits of New Vendor Solutions
- Publish information about project process
- Highlight the emergence of newer collaborative social networking teaching/learning tools through: email, IT/College/Division websites, printed media, town meetings, department presentations, and 1:1 contact
- Provide opportunities for faculty and important stakeholders to attend vendor demonstrations
- Select New Learning Management System
- Collect input from faculty (preferred teaching-learning tools) and IT staff (capacity to administer products) attending vendor demonstrations
- Identify representatives (faculty, IT, academic affairs administration, etc.) to serve on Procurement Panel
- Execute steps in the formal CofC/SC procurement process
- Provide Training and Support for Faculty and Staff
- Beta pilot user group
- Workshops/Seminars
- Convert existing WebCT files to new LMS
CMS vs. LMS - What’s the Difference
CMS
Course Management Systems (CMS) were the first generation of digital tools that enabled faculty to organize and post course content materials for their students. Examples of such tools are assignments, threaded discussions, and online quizzing. WebCT is an example of a Course Management System.
LMS
Advances in technology and an inclusive focus on student learning have led to a new generation of management systems. These Learning Management Systems (LMS) are typically more adaptive, interactive, and user-friendly than their CMS forerunners. In addition to teaching management resources, they also include student learning-based tools. These enable greater interaction between students and instructors and among students, and provide more opportunities for assessment and feedback! Blogs, wikis, file exchange, and real time chat are some examples of LMS communication and collaboration tools.
Sample of Tools Available in an LMS
The following are descriptions of tools that can enhance faculty-student interactions.
Blogs:
Blogs are used to provide commentary, news or reflection on a subject. It can contain text, images, links, video and more. The ability for readers to leave comments is an important part of blogging. Blogs can be used for writing, reflective journals, or current events to name a few.
Wikis:
Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites. Any group project could conceivably be enhanced with a wiki; some possibilities include collaborative development of a textbook or manual, or the editorial commentary of students critiquing one another’s writing.
Private Social Networks:
Most social network services are primarily web based and provide a collection of various ways for users to interact, such as chat, messaging, email, video, voice chat, file sharing, blogging, discussion groups, and so on.
Podcasting:
User-friendly tools that allow students and faculty to post audio or video podcasts or download them to their computer or iPod.
