An interesting article on the "death" of CMS.

LMS 3.0

Are Learning Management Systems the best solution for e-learning?

Do you think, learning management systems are the best kind of software for e-learning and long distance education? Should universities really spend all the money in LMS software such as Blackboard? Which tools are you using for your online classes? Do you think they are sufficient for your needs? Or do you know of software you would prefer? 

What is your favorite Learning management system?

To all users and administrators of learning management systems!! Are you using Blackboard, Moodle, Claroline, Ilias, ATutor, D2L? What do you like/dislike about it? Does it work well for online learning? Which tools are your favorites? Instructors, do you feel the LMS enhances teaching? Or are there better tools for online or blended learning? 

I would be happy about any input of what you think!

What do you like/dislike about your course management system?

Instructors and users, how do you use course management systems? Is there are benefit for both of you? 

Here are some questions for instructors: Do you use a course management system for teaching your classes? Do you think, it is improving teaching, is it a benefit for the learner and instructor? Or is it "just more work?" Which tools (gradebook, discussion forum, etc.)  do you use? 

And for users: Do you think there are benefits that your class has an online feature, too? What do you like about it, what do you dislike? How does your instructor use the online course system? 

 

Platform Learning Management Systems—Creating a Knowledge Base

Most universities and colleges nowadays employ course management systems to enhance instruction. Besides commercial systems such as Blackboard, quite a few Open Source learning management systems have become available in the last years,  such as Moodle, ATutor, Ilias, Claroline and many more—some of which even have won awards. While I have encountered Moodle to be used as an alternative to Blackboard at the same university and at high schools, the use of Open Source Course/Learning Management systems within Institution of Higher Education is rare—at least here in the U.S. What are the reasons for institutions to rather buy a commercial system than using one of the freely available ones? Is it the quality of the product, user friendliness, administrative issues, political issues? Do Open Source systems lack a sufficient support system? Have you even heard about Open Source Management Systems?

With these questions in mind I would like to invite all people who have experience with any course management system—users, administrators, developers—to talk about their experience with course management systems, no matter if commercial or Open Source. What do you like/dislike about the software? What could be improved? Administrators, what kind of problems are you facing, what does it mean for you to keep such a system running? Would you recommend the system you are using to other people/institutions? 

Your contribution to this platform will help to create a solid knowledge base about course management systems, which in future hopefully could foster improvement and understanding.