Reply To: Module 3- Learning Management Systems

[Rachelle Allen-McFarlane]

The impact of LMS on the learning outcome for students can vary. Based on my analysis this maybe dependent on several factors, including but not limited to the following: (1). The type of LMS used. There are several types of LMS each with its own pros and cons. Depending on which is available to an instructor it could either enhance ( positively impact) or militate ( negatively impact) the learning outcome of the course. The review paper by Muruthy et.al 2017 indicated that the top three LMS are: Moodle, Canvas and Blackboard respectively and each has pros and cons. (2). How well the instructor/instructional designer organizes the course content: If the learning content is well organized so that students can easily execute tasks, this could positively impact the learning outcome of the students. If poorly organized, then this could lead to frustration of students and negatively impact learning outcomes. (3). Some LMS platforms allow easy access to student performance data. this can assist some instructors in improving/upgrading the design of their course(s) to positively impact learning outcomes. (4). How technologically savvy students are: If students are not very knowledgeable about the use of computers or are cyberphobic, this could have a negative impact on learning outcome, especially if the course is entirely online. On the contrary, if students are very knowledgeable about computers, it increases the probability that the impact of LMS use on learning outcomes could be a positive one. (5). The flexibility and the self-paced nature that some course(s) are offered using LMS can have a positive impact on learning outcomes. This can ensure that most people( each with varying schedule) successfully complete the course.