Explore: Identify the major tool categories in Learning Management Systems.
Answer: What are the most relevant features offered within an LMS? Which features directly relate to effective online instruction? How might you use these features in the online classroom environment?
Tools
- Organization level announcements
- Blogs – private space for users used as a reflection tool, users can get comments from outside of the LMS
- Journals – area to write a narrative
- Glossary – defines common terms or acronyms used throughout the course
- E-mail – this is often used as an internal function between instructor and student or student to student
The most relevant features of an LMS are the collaboration tools. The ability for the learner to collaborate with peers and the instructor is invaluable. Otherwise online learning becomes extremely isolating. More than this, collaborating allows them to grow far more than they would without the collaboration.
Collaboration can come in many forms, such as: discussion boards, online chats (one-to-one or group chats), blogs/journals/wikis, messaging, and user groups.
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