Learning Management Systems

In the 21st century, education needs to be given serious thoughts and discussions needs to be given to the future of human society.  This means that the function of education on which human progress depends in Africa, to a large extent needs to be reviewed. This article explores John Dewey’s assertion of “education is not preparation for life but life itself” through a review of literature. The author’s interest in this article is to critic this assertion and show how this has implication to the education policy makers, the teachers and the students
The Article is based on empirical literature review to critic John Dewey’s Assertion and find out its implications on the teaching and learning in our schools
The findings imply that John Dewey’s assertion has implications on curriculum development, methods of teaching and learning. The teacher’s role of linking students’ personal experiences and characteristics to the material studied is very important.

The present study seeks to become a positive contribution to the research and development of e-learning systems by conducting an exploratory evaluation of the opinions of the academic community of the University of Porto about various technical and social dimensions present in the conception and deployment of learning management systems, both in the context of supporting face-to-face education and as technical infrastructure to blended and distance learning programs. A survey by questionnaire was applied to 504 members of the academic community at the University, and it was found that among the participants there is still great scepticism toward e-learning and technologically mediated education, especially among younger students. Participants also considered that learning management systems presenting a plethora of features are not as desirable as systems focused on providing a pleasant and consistent user experience.

The evolution of information and communication technologies is influenced by trends, which should be perceived and reflected. This also applies to e-learning in support of higher education. Web-based services, such as Software as a Service or Cloud Computing, and also the development of mobile devices and mobile internet, and the development of modern format for distributing web content, are some of the trends that affect our everyday lives. Change in the access to electronic content changes also the way it is consumed. A clear trend is showed by fast expanding of the Massive Open Online Courses. Compared with these simple and purposeful portals, the traditional e-learning portals for universities seem to be outdated and cluttered. This paper is devoted to reason and benefits obtained from the transition from the most widely used Open Source LMS Moodle to innovative new cloud solution iSmart. This paper also presents the perception of the change by the students of the Faculty of Management at Comenius University in Bratislava. Special view is also dedicated to the real benefits of e-learning, which is proven by a sample of students from compulsory subject "Controlling". Presented are the results of the review on how continuous learning in e-learning iSmart influenced the final grades. The purpose of the article is to point not only on the advanced technology in e-learning, but also on the need of a methodological framework for development and operation of e-learning courses.

Learning Management Systems (LMSs) are applications that facilitate the management, observation and delivery of educational material through the Internet. Nowadays several of these systems are of such high quality that despite their free distribution and open source nature they are gaining popularity among distinct academic institutions. This paper addresses the issue of installing and adopting the open source LMS Dokeos to deliver SCORM lessons in the Greek language. Additionally, the authors demonstrate the extension of the system with direct support for new services such as videoconferencing and streaming video. The proposed methodology is applicable to any LMSs and therefore can function as the basis for coping with similar localization problems in discrete e-learning platforms.

The acquisition of non-proprietary and proprietary learning management system has provided a richer learning experience to users and raised interest among education providers. This study aims to assess student adoption of Canvas as a new learning management system and its potential as a webbased platform in the e-learning programme of the University of the East. This study also assessed student readiness in using Canvas. A survey was administered to 214 students of the University of the East through snowball sampling. An Exploratory Factor Analysis was conducted to examine the validity of the model. A Confirmatory Factory Analysis was used to validate the Exploratory Factor Analysis results and analyse the correlation of the constructs. A Structural Equation Modelling was conducted to analyse the relationships between the constructs, which were evaluated using fit indices. Adopted from the Technology Acceptance Model, the constructs perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and a...

The fuzzy logic, which is a technique of the artificial intelligence, rose as a result of studies based on simulating the human brain. It is a type of logic that recognizes more than simple true and false values. Linguistic variables can be represented with degrees of truthfulness and falsehood by using fuzzy logic. Like other artificial intelligence techniques, the fuzzy logic is used in many different areas. It is a widely used technique but it is always difficult to teach and learn its basic principles and working methods. Because it has abstract and theoretical subjects that need more special learning materials and methods to be learned. In this paper, an online education system that can be used to teach and learn the fuzzy logic is developed. With this system, students can connect to a web site and start to learn fuzzy logic by using education materials integrated to the system. Teachers can edit features of the education materials for better teaching and learning experiences. The web based fuzzy logic education system is beneficial to computer science, computer engineering students and also to anyone who wants to learn basic principles and working methods of the fuzzy logic. This system allows teaching and learning basic principles and working methods of the fuzzy logic in an easy and effective way.

In most Australian correctional jurisdictions, prisoners are not allowed access to the internet precluding them from participating in higher education online. Making the Connection is an Australian government funded project which is taking digital technologies, that don't require internet access, into prisons to enable prisoners to enroll in a suite of pre-tertiary and undergraduate programs. A version of the University of Southern Queensland's learning management system has been installed onto the education server of participating prisons. The second stage of the project will see notebook computers preloaded with the learning management system and course materials, allocated to participating prisoners. At the time of writing, the project has been deployed at thirteen sites in Queensland and Western Australia, with a further three sites coming on board in time for semester I 2016 and negotiations underway for further rollout to Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory.

Abstract. The paper presents a way to overcome the shortcomings of traditional learning by enforcing collaboration between students and introducing self-assessment as part of the process of final grade formation. Treating collaboration and self-assessment as two elements of a modern learning process that are very closely bounded together, the authors argue that these elements should by no means replace the traditional (ex-cathedra) way of learning but rather extend it. A specifically designed computer science course is presented as an illustration of how the introduction of self-assessment combined with teacher evaluation can encourage collaboration between students. The benefits and drawbacks of this method are discussed.

I am a lecturer with professional marketing experience, and this study was motivated by my dismay at university about what I have perceived as oversights in colleagues’ typical use of mass email (emailing a single message to a large group of subscribers) for content delivery, in comparison to the communication strategies of major industries (for example, retail and public administration). I examine non-academic research about mass email best-practice, as implemented in industry communications; then I perform a systematic review of academic research on mass email for content delivery. My review of 19 studies confirms academics are behind the industry when it comes to mass email evaluation and optimisation strategies. Finally, I outline tactics necessary for more effective mass emails at university, the most salient being systematically analysing a range of email metrics, and testing and optimising emails. Also, included in this study is my identification of current obstacles to more effective mass email at university, and these include the technological limitations of learning management systems (LMS), and the limited expertise of teaching staff.

Social media have enormous power and trigger changes in whole spectrum of businesses, as well as learning and education. A study of students’ adoption of social media at the University of Economics – Varna (UE-Varna), Bulgaria, has proven its significant impact on young people. Using online questionnaire among 378 students, the high popularity of social media has been confirmed. An important research question is whether higher education institutions teaching students mainly in the fields of social, economic and legal sciences use the benefits of the social media in the context of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) and integrated social media tools. The majority of the examined 24 universities use two LMSs - Moodle and Blackboard Learn. Both possess tools like forums, chat, wikis, internal messaging, blogs, learning groups, collaboration tools. The study of the two Moodle platforms implemented at the UE-Varna shows use of discussion forums, chat, and internal messaging.

In this paper a particle swarm optimization algorithm is presented to solve the Quadratic Assignment Problem, which is a NP-Complete problem and is one of the most interesting and challenging combinatorial optimization problems in existence. A heuristic rule, the Smallest Position Value (SPV) rule, is developed to enable the Continuous particle swarm optimization algorithm to be applied to the sequencing problems. So, we use SPV to the QAP problem, which is a discrete problem.
A simple but very efficient Hill Climbing method is embedded in
the particle swarm optimization algorithm.
We test our hybrid algorithm on some of the benchmark instances of QAPLIB, a well-known library of QAP instances.
This algorithm is compared with some strategies to solve the
problem. The computational results show that the modified
hybrid Particle Swarm algorithm is able to find the optimal and
best-known solutions on instances of widely used benchmarks
from the QAPLIB. In most of instances, the proposed method
outperforms other approaches. Experimental results illustrate
the effectiveness of proposed approach on the quadratic
assignment problem.

This paper presents the research method, the context of the project, and the results of an analysis of the conceptions of the incorporation of a LMS into instructors’ teaching practice at a university in Western Canada. The phenomenographic analysis identified four qualitatively different categories based on faculty member’s conception of self with a hierarchical relationship of pedagogical function. Finally, the effects of these categories against future strategic planning at the university will be discussed as well as areas of further research.

Among the many technologies that support knowledge management, electronic learning or e-learning has become as popular as business intelligence. Along with the rapid development of modern communications and information technology and the increasing demand for building and maintaining business continuity capabilities, e-learning has emerged into a viable solution for continuous, on-demand training and organizational learning. It becomes critical for organizations to design and develop an effective e-learning system by using well-researched theories and technologies that fit their organizational environment. As we discovered in our study, a successful e-learning system is supported by many critical success factors (CSFs), and technology is the key factor among the CSFs. We also conducted a comparative study on e-learning theories, technologies and products from the perspectives of both western practitioners and Chinese counterparts. Due to the rapid economic development in China and its fast adoption of communications and information technology, the ways Chinese practitioners are developing e-learning theories, technologies and products have inevitably become a focal point in the world of information technology. Through the analysis of the current e-learning technologies and products, we outline the trends of developing e-learning systems and emphasize the importance of proper theories in guiding e-learning systems development.

It is now quite common for organizations to simultaneously implement ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 systems. During audits of such organizations, it is seen quite commonly that their 3 systems run paralleled; and do not handle the requirements of these three standards through an integrated approach to achieve desired efficiency and ease. Mostly, the similarities and/or mutual correspondences of the clauses of these 3 standards are not well understood.

So far, the approach for providing such correspondences has been just on the basis of the similarities of clause headings - ref Table A.1, OHSAS 18001:2007, and Annex-B, ISO 14001:2004. This approach has not been sufficient for the precise understanding.

So, the author in this document presents the correspondence between all the clauses of standards ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and OHSAS 18001:2007; which is based on actual content/coverage of the clauses, and not on just the similarities of clause headings.

It may be noted that, now, any such correspondence is not available under these standards. ISO also have not provided any such correspondence in their year 2015 version of standards, because they now use a ‘common clause structure/sequence’ for all their management-system standards - although the clause structures differ down the line at places, even for the clauses of overall systemic controls, as apparent in this document.

The purpose of this document is to facilitate:
o The understanding and appreciation of relative coverage/content of these standards;
o The structuring of a single ‘integrated management system’ against these standards; and/or
o The planning for an ‘integrated audit’ against these standards.

Standard ISO 14001 has been a widely used management-system standard by ISO, since its first publication in 1996. ISO first revised it in 2004 and then again in 2015 using the common ‘clause sequence, text and terminology’ stipulated for all management-system standards under Annex SL, Appendix 2, ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1, Consolidated ISO Supplement, 2014.

The author has always noticed - throughout his 20 years of extensive experience as a management-systems expert, consultant, trainer and auditor - that the users of this Standard, including consultants and auditors, find this Standard quite difficult to fully comprehend, despite the fact that ISO has defined and well explained all the terms used in the Standard.

Main reason for this lack of understanding is that the text specifying the ‘requirements’ in this Standard by ISO sometimes uses quite complex syntax, sentence-structures, etc. Many diverse ‘requirements’ are sometimes included in single complex sentences. Onetime requirements (eg, to formulate the system) are also at times mixed-up with the continuing requirements (eg, to implement the system). Latest year 2015 version of the Standard is also no exception.

As a result, all the ‘requirements’ under this Standard, their mutual relationships, their intent, their mandated content/coverage, etc, are not clearly understood and appreciated. This results in the EMSs in organizations that remain patchy, and maybe not addressing all the wonderfully crafted ‘requirements’ under this Standard, or maybe not addressing all the ‘requirements’ in the desired perspective and with desired equal-weightage.

The author has always been trying to address this issue by imparting clarity on the requirements of this Standard through his training programmes.

Now, the author has attempted through this document to present an easily understandable version of the standard ISO 14001:2015 for the use of all concerned, specially the consultants and auditors.

The required skills and knowledge expected from human capital is affected by Industry 4.0. In order to keep up with this movement and graduate qualified human resources, universities need to update themselves and transform to University 4.0. In this study, research was conducted on the sample selected from large and small universities with different characteristics. In this research, first, the structural characteristics of the universities and the information management systems used which concern all the stakeholders in that institution were examined. Also, a roadmap is proposed to help the digital transformation process of universities. The flow of the elements in this model is logically determined to form a basis for the whole transformation process. This study contributes to the literature by introducing a new model to the researchers in this field and to all employees who will endeavor in this transformation process. Üniversite 4.0'a Dijital Dönüşüm: Bir Yol Haritası Öz: Beşeri sermayeden beklenen gerekli bilgi ve beceriler Endüstri 4.0'dan etkilenmiştir. Bu harekete ayak uydurabilmek ve nitelikli insan kaynaklarını mezun edebilmek için üniversitelerin kendilerini güncellemeleri ve Üniversite 4.0'a geçmeleri gerekmektedir. Bu çalışmada, farklı özelliklere sahip büyük ve küçük üniversitelerden seçilen örneklem üzerinde bir araştırma yapılmıştır. Bu araştırmada ilk olarak üniversitelerin yapısal özellikleri ve bu kurumdaki tüm paydaşları ilgilendiren bilgi yönetim sistemleri incelenmiştir. Ayrıca, üniversitelerin dijital dönüşüm sürecine yardımcı olacak bir yol haritası önerilmiştir. Bu modeldeki elemanların akışı, tüm dönüşüm süreci için bir temel oluşturmak üzere mantıksal olarak belirlenmiştir. Bu çalışma, bu alandaki araştırmacılara ve bu dönüşüm sürecinde çalışacak tüm çalışanlara yeni bir model getirerek literatüre katkıda bulunmaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Endüstri 4.0, Eğitim 4.0, Öğrenme yönetim sistemi, Dijital dönüşüm

The quality of teaching technique employed by the teacher basically influence student's interest and learning outcome. In recent times, it has become obvious that the conventional learning pattern can no longer meet the need of digital millennials nor prepare them for the future. This has necessitated the transition from traditional (teacher-centred) approach to inquiry-based (student-centred) approach in order to improve students' skills and enhance productivity in learning. The present study critically examines the potentials of mobile technologies in enhancing the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning approach. The findings show that mobile technologies have the potential to enhance the success of inquiry-based learning method. Indeed, the inquiry process can be more effective if the "Inquirers" can maximize the potential benefits offered by mobile technologies. The study indicates that many students are closely attached to their mobile gadgets such as smartphones, tablets, notebooks and other PDAs, and can easily manipulate it for inquiries, discoveries and innovations. Also, mobile devices often come with fascinating features, apps and functions that motivate learners to connect to the internet, think critically, and to actively engage in authentic and creative learning inquiries, collaborations and discussions. With the aid of mobile devices, students can conduct inquiries (ask questions) via phone calls; text messaging, chat, and e-mails both within and outside the classroom. From the study, it can be inferred that, the use of mobile devices enhance inquiry-based learning; promotes student's inquiry and entrepreneurial spirit, and positive attitude towards learning. Also, mobile devices can inspire students to learn more comprehensively and effectively, International Journal of Education (IJE) Vol. 2, No. 01, October 2019 2 thereby increasing their proficiencies, and preparation for changes; challenges, and a knowledge-based society. Thus, the study concludes that the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning approach in the 21 st century can largely be enhanced by mobile technologies.

Laboratory and practical work are characteristic features of an undergraduate degree program in any engineering discipline. Trying to incorporate practical work successfully in to the engineering curriculum can present a number of challenges. Laboratory and practical work are expensive to run, sometimes requiring specialist equipment to be purchased that can rapidly become obsolete. Despite the challenges, the application of theory in a practical setting remains an expected and fundamental part of the engineering curriculum. The challenge now is for program teams to consider how the knowledge, skills and attributes that we desire to develop through such practical activities, can be facilitated in an appropriate, effective and efficient way within an engineering degree program for the 21st century. The aim of this review paper is to summarize the literature available in the form of books, journal papers and articles on the alternative approaches for learning, assessment and evaluation of laboratories in the engineering education.

Slide dell'intervento "Creare Contenuti Interattivi per Moodle con H5P" tenuto il 27/11/2020 durante il MoodleMOOT 2020 organizzato da AIUM - Associazione Italiana Utenti Moodle.

Registrazione: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC7RQq0pnXc&feature=youtu.be&t=5400

The exploitation of computers in language teaching/learning begins in the ‘70s and continues
uninterruptedly until today. Τhis time period can be divided into different phases, characterized by
different approaches concerning the use –and role- of computers, the learning theories on which the
corresponding software applications were based on and of course, the pedagogical and linguistic
goals. The emergence and popularization of the internet has led to the creation of a generation of
eLearning applications and language e-courses for which, at least in higher education, LMS has been
the main distribution pillar. Nowadays, LMSs are widely used in universities around the world to
provide online courses in every specific knowledge area. However, in the last few years, there is a
transition iin progress from the previously isolated learning process that LMSs offer to a model of
interconnected, free and informal learning. Thanks to web 2.0 services and tools, users can now
produce content, communicate, collaborate and use a variety of sources, while at the same time
teachers can apply more creative approaches and practices in class. In this new context, LMSs have
started to appear rather outdated, as they cannot fully support this new pedagogical philosophy, the
new learning-centered model that increasingly characterizes higher education practice. Extensive
research is under progress in order to conceive and develop a new generation of digital learning
environments that aims either to expand the capabilities of LMS or to replace them completely. As far
as Higher Education is concerned, these next generation learning environments must evolve from a
strictly structured environment such as an LMS, to an ecosystem based on open standards, made up
of a variety of interconnected pedagogical applications and services, more suitable for and adaptable
to support emerging instructional practices. These New Generation Digital Learning Environments
(NGDLEs) should also allow access to institution-centric courses, as well as to free-range learning
experiences, combine open content and educational apps and support more personalized and flexible
learning experiences into an interconnected community of learners and instructors. NGDLEs are
among the technologies that are expected to have a direct impact on FLT in the following years. This
paper presents the concept and the current reality of NGDLEs as shaped by the research so far, and
examines the ways in which NGDLEs could stimulate the learning / teaching of a foreign language.

There can be no doubt that technology has transformed the way education is delivered to people across the globe. We now live in an interconnected world where the traditional concept of formal learning, taking place in a single physical location, is becoming increasingly less relevant. Modern learners are becoming dissatisfied with the stand-and-deliver approach to education that dictates attendance times, learning venues, and modes of participation. The emergence of sophisticated communication technologies and mobile devices has enabled a new generation of information consumers to satisfy their demands for knowledge without the need to meet in a physical location. Software vendors, open-source developers, and educational institutions, cognizant of this development, have embraced systems that can facilitate the management of courses and engagement with students remotely. The technologies that facilitate the provision of courses over long distances are broadly termed “learning management systems” or “LMSs.” Learning management systems can be defined as web-based software platforms that provide an interactive online learning environment and automate the administration, organization, delivery, and reporting of educational content and learner outcomes.

In an intensely competitive, rapidly evolving, and increasingly knowledgebased IT sector, the ability to learn becomes critical to the success of IT organizations. In today's knowledge economy, a firm's intellectual capital represents the only sustainable source of competitive advantage. This intellectual capital manifests itself, predominantly, in the form of both the individual and the collective competencies of employees within an organization. The knowledge management approach which seeks to facilitate the sharing and integration of knowledge has had limited success, primarily because of its focus on 'knowledge as a resource' rather than on 'learning as a people process'. A strategic 'people-oriented' approach to the management of learning is now emerging in many organizations and this has, in turn, led to the appearance of a new breed of Information Systems (IS) known as 'Learning Management Systems' (LMS). Based on a case study of the implementation of an LMS by a major multinational IT enterprise, this paper proposes an empirically tested framework for 'learning in organizations' and highlights the roles that LMS can play in the continued commercial success of IT organizations.

This paper investigates the outcomes of e-learning systems adoption and use by conceptualizing three elearning systems adoption outcome constructs namely perceived learning assistance, perceived community building assistance and perceived academic performance. Utilizing these constructs, the paper proposes a research model for assessing the possible outcomes of e-learning systems adoption and use. The study collected longitudinal survey data from 249 university students participating in hybrid courses using a popular learning management system, Moodle. Partial least squares (PLS) approach was then used to test the research model. The findings suggest that beliefs about perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, and how an elearning system is used influence students' perceived learning assistance and perceived community building assistance. In turn, perceived learning assistance and perceived community building assistance influence the students' perceived academic performance.

Over the years, e-learning is gradually integrated with the traditional classroom learning style and more ways to improve on this is being produced. Amongst which is being majorly today is the learning management system (LMS). One significant problem is that students do not effectively use the functionalities which are available by this learning management systems or may rather concentrate on some particular component of the LMS, for some various reasons which this research aims to identify. The aim of this study is to investigate Computer and Instructional Technology Teacher Education (CITE) graduate students’ views and opinions related to LMS using Moodle. The research was carried out in the CITE department faculty of education, Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Northern Cyprus. This research is a case study with mixed method approach. 30 master students participated, both close ended questionnaire and a focus group interview was conducted. The data analyzed revealed that students check Moodle regularly for updates on course contents, announcements, discussion.
Moodle enhances learning and also students are generally satisfied with Moodle as a way to manage their learning process, thus more effort needs to be made on the instructors in engaging all the components of the Moodle system for effective learning and usage.

The need for knowledge has increased rapidly making the traditional systems of learning insufficient to entertain these needs-people are seeking for how to learn quicker, learn from a distance, learn at low cost, learn effectively from the educational to business and all sphere of life where knowledge is required. The method through which teaching and learning is carried out today is changing and moving towards involving technology. The traditional classroom style is now been integrated with e-learning. In other to find new ways to supply these needs, learning has turned to the face of technology as the answer to most of its problem now in the 21 st century. By adopting these technologies such as the internet, terms like e-learning, web based learning (distance education, e-education) and elearning system started emerging, in other to enhance the traditional system of learning. E-learning is important because it improves the quality of learning experience and extends to the reach of both instructors and students. Conannon, Flynn and Campbell (2005) note that technology is driven into educational process because of the change in student demography, innovations of new technology and also changes in the way education is given. E-learning generally refers to learning through the internet and on the other hand, elearning systems refers to the using of web enabled tools (internet, web browsers, LMS) for learning and interaction with other systems (Hassanzadeh, Kanaani, and Elahi, 2012). E-learning has the capacity to accommodate different learning styles (Ituma, 2011). E-learning offers new ways of producing, distributing and consuming academic materials (Concannon et al., 2005). According to Liaw, Huang and Chen (2007), users' attitude towards e-learning makes a difference in the success of an e-learning environment. Paechter, Maier, and Macher, (2010) suggests 5 factors that affect student experiences which are course design, interaction between student and instructor, collaborative learning, individual learning, and course outcome. Moodlewhich stands for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment is an open source course management system, initially founded by Martin Dougiamas.

The authors, veteran online instructors and course designers , work at a university that is in the process of changing its learning management system (LMS) from Blackboard to Canvas. Discover what the literature has to say about student, faculty, and administrator perspectives and preferences when switching to a new LMS and learn about the authors' experiences during the conversion process. The pros and cons of Blackboard and Canvas are discussed, and special attention is paid to the overall faculty experience when transitioning to a new LMS.

Open Source LMSs are fully flexible and customizable, so they can be designed in line with your school/organization's brand image. Open Source LMSs can also be converted to social learning platforms. You can create an online community through your LMS. This paper describes the most important features in learning management systems (LMS), that are critical to compare and contrast depend on your system requirements. Also represents a multiple LMS providers that are designed to use in university environment.

يهدف هذا الكتاب إلى تقديم المفاهيم الأساسية والمتخصصة لجودة تصميم المقررات الإلكترونية وفقا لمعايير مؤسسة "كواليتي ماترز" بأسلوب شيّق يتضمّن تشكيلة واسعة من الأشكال والجداول والمربعات الحوارية التوضيحية والتفاعلية، مع مجموعة من الملاحظات الخاصة والحالات العملية التي تسهم في إدراك الوضع العام لجودة المقررات الإلكترونية من واقع الخبرة العملية والمهنية للمؤلف.