Learning Management Research Articles

Addressing inconsistency in use of the LMS

Inconsistency in the use of the learning management system (LMS) by academic staff is a source of dissatisfaction among university students in the UK. One solution is to establish a set of minimum standards (or baseline) for LMS use within an individual institution. Another is to supply templates – frameworks for LMS course sites – with a view to providing students with a seamless experience in their interactions with the LMS. This paper describes how the issue of inconsistency was addressed at a leading research university in the UK through an exploratory project, WebLearn Improved Student Experience (WISE). The widespread devolution of responsibility for site management to administrative staff, together with the ‘maverick’ creation of course sites by those academics who chose to engage with the WebLearn LMS, had resulted in unevenness in students’ access to learning materials. The project team engaged in close collaboration with 19 departments in order to achieve the immediate purpose of improving uptake of, and consistency in, their LMS presence. The ultimate aim was to develop a support package comprising LMS templates and ‘best practice’ guidelines that would enable departments in the future to achieve the same objective, either unsupported or with minimal assistance from the central team of learning technologists. The project was evaluated using a modification of the Innovation Histories method, which included interviews with 13 participants. The evaluation findings additionally threw into relief the complex social and cultural factors at play that can inhibit a consistent student experience in an institutional LMS.

‘One size does not fit all’

Online learning is immensely popular and attracts learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Given learning is situated in culture, the diversity of online students presents a great challenge to course designers, but remains largely unaddressed. To complicate matters, Learning Management Systems (LMS), though efficient and easy to use for course design, promote a one-size-fits-all’ approach. The PhD study referred to in this paper seeks to make inroads to cultural sensitivity in LMS. A beginning point for the project is to explore Instructional designers’ perspectives on culturally sensitive online learning design features. We report on the early findings from this first step and aim to incite rich discussion around culture, instructional design and online learning.

Us and IT: Capacity-building for blended learning

When Victoria University (VU) Australia, adopted a new learning management system (LMS) as part of its Blended Learning Strategy and Operational Plan in 2014, it introduced a range of support structures including a staff support and training program. Complementing this, the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (the course providing professional development for early career academic staff) offered an elective AET4010 Blended Learning Design and Development fusing the pedagogical and theoretical aspects of blended learning to foster teaching as a design science. In this study we investigate the effectiveness of AET4010 in developing participants’ capacity to design and, develop blended learning. In this paper we report on the data from the first stage of this investigation. Data is derived from assessment rubrics. Complementary qualitative data will be collected in the second stage via interviews conducted after the participants complete the unit. We analyse our findings against the JISC Building Digital Capability Framework mapped to the UK Professional Standards Framework. This Framework identifies early career academics’ capabilities (Associate Fellows). The emerging findings indicated the value of capacity building through a structured unit of study enabling participants to experience learning from their own learner’s standpoint while reflecting on pedagogical perspectives and ‘teaching as design’.

Analysing the learning pathways of students in a large flipped engineering course

Recent advancements in educational technologies (learning management systems, online discussion forums, peer-learning tools) coupled with new methods of course delivery (e.g. blended, flipped, MOOCs) provide significant opportunities for universities to deliver challenging, high quality, yet engaging curriculum for students. In this paper, we examine the variations and similarities of student’s approaches to learning (learning pathways) by examining how well they performed in a large (N ~ 1000 student) first year engineering flipped classroom. The analysis focused on student’s performance in their assessment (formative and summative) as well as their online interaction with a range of tools purposely built to support students through peer learning and acquisition of resources and expertise. Analysis using k-means clustering reveals that students do in fact adopt a variety of successful pathways through the course. The unique aspects of this work lie in the use of analytics algorithms that whilst perhaps routinely utilised in data mining, are not as well utilised in better understanding patterns (successful or otherwise) of student interactions within a technology enhanced active learning environment that integrates theory with engineering practice.

Using an e-authoring tool (H5P) to support blended learning

With an increasing emphasis on blended learning at Victoria University (VU), all the units are to be redesigned and delivered in a blended approach by the end of 2020. This presentation will outline VU librarians’ experience in the use of an open source e-authoring tool (H5P) to support the University’s blended learning strategy. We will discuss using the H5P tool to enhance library instructional videos and create interactive learning objects to support a specific unit. By using these enhanced resources, students are actively engaged with the content and can easily revisit and review at any time and are able to complete self-assessment activities at their own pace and receive immediate feedback on their performance. Furthermore, this presentation will showcase various H5P learning objects created by librarians that are reusable and shared with all VU staff, who can access from the learning objects library in VU’s learning management system (VU Collaborate). Instead of duplicating learning resources, teaching staff and other librarians are able to save time through reusing the learning objects/activities. In addition, we will outline the data that were accessible through VU Collaborate and feedback received from the teaching staff. The benefits of the tool outweighs the limitations and future plans are suggested to continue utilising this tool for the University’s First Year Model.

Social media in enabling education

This paper argues that students from rural and low socio-economic status (LSES) backgrounds, who undertake enabling education, benefit from the social, cultural and network capital which digital, narrative and connective platforms may provide in pre-tertiary teaching and learning. In particular, this paper discusses the trial of the use of the social networking site Facebook as a learning management system within an enabling tertiary preparation program designed to raise the aspirations and widen the participation of economically and geographically disadvantaged young people. It also discusses the role of new media in an approach to Tertiary Preparation which recognises that to succeed in their university study, non-traditional students need to develop not only academic skills and confidence, but the skills and confidence to survive and thrive in the broader digital society.

A learning analytics pilot in Moodle and its impact on developing organisational capacity in a university

Moodle is used as a learning management system around the world. However, integrated learning analytics solutions for Moodle that provide actionable information and allow teachers to efficiently use it to connect with their students are lacking. The enhanced Moodle Engagement Analytics Plugin (MEAP), presented at ASCILITE2015, enabled teachers to identify and contact students at-risk of not completing their units. Here, we discuss a pilot using MEAP in 36 units at Macquarie University, a metropolitan Australian university. We use existing models for developing organisational capacity in learning analytics and to embed learning analytics into the practice of teaching and learning to discuss a range of issues arising from the pilot. We outline the interaction and interdependency of five stages during the pilot: technology infrastructure, analytics tools and applications; policies, processes, practices and workflows; values and skills; culture and behaviour; and leadership. We conclude that one of the most significant stages is to develop a culture and behaviour around learning analytics.

Explaining learning achievement in student experience of blended learning

Drawing on theories of student approaches to learning and sociomaterial perspectives on learning, we investigated how a combination of sociocognitive and sociomaterial variables explain variation in 365 students’ learning achievement in a first year human biology blended learning course in an Australian research intensive university. We used a close-ended questionnaire to measure students’ approaches to learning through inquiry, approaches to using online learning technologies, and their use of on-campus physical learning spaces. We obtained use of online learning tools in terms of frequency and duration through analytics provided by a proprietary learning management system. Students’ learning achievement was evaluated using six assessment tasks in the course. Correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between approaches, use of online learning tools, use of oncampus physical learning spaces, and achievement. Based on the correlation results, we regressed learning achievement on approaches, use of online learning tools and physical learning spaces. The results showed that by introducing sociomaterial variables into the regression model, a significant proportion of learning achievement was explained over and above the explanations offered by sociocognitive factors alone, highlighting the important role of both sociocognitive and sociomaterial factors in blended learning.

Parental perspectives on the management of online learning and school readjustment for children with SEN during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons and applications for possible school closures

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in worldwide school closures and disrupted education – which was extended in the Republic of Ireland – and some children with SEN may be more adversely impacted by prolonged school closures than others. Despite this, and possible future pandemics, experiences of Irish children with SEN have not been explored to date. The current research utilised semi-structured interviews to explore parental perspectives (n = 10) of online learning and the subsequent return to education for children with SEN. Reflexive Thematic Analysis resulted in the identification of three global themes: [1] Balancing Act, pertaining to a lack of support and educational provision, [2] Prioritising Wellbeing over Education, whereby parents made the decision to stop engaging in online learning to promote familial wellbeing, and [3] The Return to School and its Challenges, highlighting academic, behavioural, and mental health concerns on return to education. Inclusion of parental feedback was noted as important for the success of home-schooling during future school closures and is a clear application of this work. Finally, suggestions are made for research to examine the links between support for parents and children’s academic attainment and wellbeing, as well as child insight directing provision for school closures.

Peningkatan Skill Literasi Digital dan Teknologi untuk Mendukung Pengelolaan Pembelajaran Daring

Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic is dominated by online learning, where teachers need digital and technological literacy skills. However, many digital and technological literacy skills teachers possess are not optimal. Whereas digital literacy skills and technological literacy are supporters of the successful implementation of online learning. Thus, the Community Service Program Team provides training to improve digital literacy skills and technology to support online learning management. The service activity was carried out from July 17, 2021, to August 7, 2021, involving 23 MGMP accounting teachers in Kulonprogo Regency. Overall, this activity went smoothly and successfully. This success was shown, among others: a) As many as 83% of participants were able to set up Google Classroom, utilize online learning media, and set up online quizzes; b) 94% of participants are able and skilled in identifying key information, managing information from various sources, evaluating digital information; c) 94% of participants are able and skilled to learn new technology, practice various applications, use technology effectively, and differentiate technology appropriately.

FACTORS IN LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO OUTREACH ONLINE LEARNING ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The global education will not be limited to a place, time and condition. A non-state university in Indonesia through its online learning makes it happened so everyone can experience learning. In providing high quality education, this non-state university facilitates the learning process with Learning Management System equipped with features that will support students. This support will strengthen the bonds between the students and the university even after graduation. The uniqueness of this paper is aiming to find out the essential factors of the Learning Management System that outreach alumni engagement in online learning, not regular type of students, and how the factors work through the Learning Management System. The online learning students interact and collaborate virtually with the lecturers, among students, administration staff, and so on that will impact to the bonds or the sense of belongings among them. A questionnaire with open questions, was distributed through social media to the online learning students. The questionnaire was created using Microsoft Forms and Mentimeter. Mixed method was used to analyze data collected. Quantitative method was used to calculate the data and then quantitative method for interpreting the findings. The findings which are the essentials factors to outreach alumni students will be benefits for the university, online learning institutions, also other parts that required the information to manage the alumni to create alumni engagement.

Adaptation of the Learning Process for Students in the Post New Normal Era: Learning Management System (LMS) Innovation Efforts in Indonesia

This study aims to explore the condition of Arabic learning at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta after the New Normal Era and the response of the academic community of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta to the post-New Normal situation through the development of a Learning Management System (LMS). The descriptive method is used by utilizing qualitative data from interviews and quantitative data from surveys using questionnaires. The findings show that students' response to adaptation after the COVID-19 pandemic has increased, especially in motivation to learn Arabic. The use of LMS elicits a positive response from students and faculty, enabling variety in teaching, increasing learning motivation, and facilitating assessment. Nonetheless, challenges related to access and conventional learning preferences must be overcome. The majority of lecturers see benefits in using LMS, but differences of opinion regarding the need for a face-to-face approach emphasize the importance of adapting and integrating learning technology with traditional approaches to improve the effectiveness of Arabic language learning. These findings support Gerald Gleason's concept of Educational Technology and John Dewey's The Philosophy of Education. Overall, the study highlights the importance of adaptation in Arabic language learning in the post-pandemic era, with the majority of students and lecturers responding positively to the use of learning technologies such as LMS despite the need for adjustments and improvements to improve overall learning effectiveness.

Learning Management System in Education via Mobile App: Trends and Patterns in Mobile Learning

The mobile revolution has influenced students’ preferences for various educational platforms in the new digital era, especially regarding young learners’ utilization of mobile devices such as smartphones, iPads, and other gadgets for mobile learning (m-learning). Because of this, universities that implement learning management systems (LMS) through standard web-based platforms should explore the potential for integrating mobile devices and technologies into m-learning platforms. Through the utilization of this technology, LMS can facilitate continuous user interaction and enhance user awareness of any revisions made to the material. To reach the majority of LMS users, mobile applications must be developed for all major mobile platforms. By utilizing the Web View API, this research combined native mobile and web technologies to develop the mobile application. This strategy was adopted in anticipation of the requirement to create and maintain the application across multiple mobile platforms. It was anticipated that this approach would reduce the time needed for creation, maintain a consistent interface, and enable the use of platform-specific features. It also makes sense to provide mobile device access to some of the LMS virtual classroom’s functions. The K-means algorithm is used for analyzing course material and learning. Nevertheless, achieving this goal might not be an easy process. To enable this form of connection between the LMS and the m-learning applications, this chapter assesses the challenges involved in achieving that goal and presents various common interchange designs and related research and development efforts.

What Determines the Engagement of Nurses in Organizational Learning Post Covid-19? The Role of Street-Level Bureaucracy and Florence Nightingale Theories

This paper aims to explore what has caused nurses to engage in organizational learning since Covid-19. The empirical sample comprises 27 semi-structured interviews with nurses working full-time in public hospitals in the context of the developing economy of Egypt. Thematic analysis was subsequently used to determine the main ideas in the transcripts. The findings include the following three categories of factors: individual (discretionary power, ensuring care to large numbers of patients), contextual (absence of stakeholder pressure, poor funding and resources, lack of communication) and job-related factors (long working hours and demanding duties, low status of nurses) that determine the engagement of nurses in organizational learning. This paper contributes to the literature in public administration, human resources management, organizational learning and healthcare management as a pioneering study specifically addressing organizational learning among nurses before and after Covid-19 in a developing country (Egypt).

Implementasi Pembelajaran Pendidikan Agama Islam Berbasis Learning Management System Moodle di SMP Al-Fath Cirendeu

The purpose of this study is to describe learning based learning management system in SMP Al-Fath Cirendeu. This study used a descriptive qualitative approach. Data collection is carried out by; observation, interviews, and documentation. Technical data analysis by reducing data, display data and verification. From this study, it was obtained that LMS learning planning at SMP Al-Fath Cirendeu in its stages has a point of difference with learning planning in general, where there are stages for uploading material, converting material and publishing material before the material is taught in class. In its implementation, SMP Al-Fath Cirendeu utilizes LMS as a medium to deliver material, conduct discussions and collect various tasks in the LMS. Learning model with blended learning, learning approach using discovery learning, the method generally uses discussion and presentation. As for the evaluation stage, teachers use quizzes and assignments at the end of each lesson that will be uploaded in the LMS.

Smart teaching versus hard teaching: Insights from instructors from old and new classrooms in Ghana

Smart learning environment (SLE) modules are rapidly expanding with the advancement of technology. However, the concept is still new to many educational institutions in developing countries, with scant studies conducted using the African context. To avoid being left behind in the steps towards modernization, the qualitative study proposes the need to migrate from a traditional learning environment (TLE) to a SLE. Thirty-eight (38) teachers in Ghana who transitioned from TLE to a SLE were recruited to explore their pedagogical experiences in instructing in TLE (old classrooms) and SLE (new classrooms). Generally, teachers favoured SLE compared to TLE. Teachers were motivated to instruct in smart schools because of the affordances of smart technologies. They considered the ambience created in SLE as conducive to promoting their psychological well-being, facilitating their professional development, fostering good assessment strategies, and building twenty-first-century skills in learners needed in the labour market. However, a majority of the teachers perceived self-regulation and social interactions to be more effective in TLE. The key challenges in the SLE included network lag, limited funds to purchase data bundles, malfunction of learning management systems (LMS), and difficulty in designing a Smart App tailored to instructors’ and students’ interests. It is recommended that school administrators and policymakers continually revise SLE frameworks for a successful smart education. Future researchers can investigate how to promote personalized and adaptive learning in SLE and promising tools to assist instructors in technology-enhanced learning environments.

Revitalizing Religious Learning in Madrasah Through the Use of Technology

In today's digital age, the use of information technology (IT) has become commonplace in many aspects of life, including in education. This study deals with the use of IT as a tool for revitalizing religious learning in madrasah with the aim of improving the effectiveness and quality of teaching learning processes. In the context of the madrasah, religious learning is often considered monotonous and less attractive, so the use of IT is expected to enrich teaching methods and expand students' access to diverse learning resources. This research uses literary methods by searching for references in accordance with the context of the research. Research results show that IT has great potential in supporting more interactive and enjoyable learning. Some examples of successful IT implementations include the use of interactive learning applications, social media for learning discussions, the creation of digital content such as educational videos and podcasts, and the implementation of Learning Management System (LMS) to facilitate student progress tracking. However, the study also identified barriers, such as infrastructure constraints, lack of training for teachers, and resistance to change on some sides. To overcome these obstacles, joint efforts between educational institutions, governments, and communities are needed to improve the availability of facilities, as well as conduct a comprehensive teacher training programme in the use of IT. Therefore, with adequate support and mature planning, IT can be a powerful tool in revitalizing religious learning in the madrasah, thereby producing a more dynamic, interactive, and adapted learning process

Student Study Portal

Student Portal Project is an online learning management system developed using Python, Django, HTML, CSS and JavaScript. It simplifies the attendance and grading process, integrates data storage and increases the efficiency of the application process, while ensuring effective communication between teachers and students. Security is paramount and sensitive information is protected. It has been redesigned and complies with industry standards for scalability, stability and security. It offers flexible solutions to make things more efficient and clearer when it comes to absenteeism and lack of grading in schools. Keywords : Learning Management, Enrollment Management, Grade Management, Enrollment Processing, Web Based Systems, Python, Databases, Schools.

AI-powered Leadership in Moroccan Organizations: An Integrative Literature Review

This integrative literature review (ILR) examines how we can exploit AI to enhance organizational leadership in Morocco, where there is a notable lack of awareness among leaders and IT policymakers about the revolutionary potential of AI-powered leadership. This ILR aims to address this knowledge gap by looking at the application and impact of strategic analytics and adaptive machine learning management in critical industries such as banking, healthcare, tourism, manufacturing, and logistics. These AI-driven techniques get value for their ability to alter leadership by improving Moroccan decision-makers capacities in driving competitiveness and organizational sustainability. The review thoroughly illuminates the power of AI-driven leadership, which Strategic Analytics and Adaptive Machine Learning Management trigger. The study's conceptual framework revolves around four key pillars: AI, strategic analytics, leadership, and adaptive machine learning management. This ILR employs inclusion and exclusion criteria, data extraction, data analysis and synthesis, and conceptual mapping to ensure the rigor and comprehensiveness of the research material. The findings of this ILR highlight the significance of implementing strategic analytics and adaptive machine learning management into Morocco's leadership practices. They illuminate the need to develop a strong leadership pipeline, conduct collaborative research, establish policy frameworks, safeguard data, foster innovation in management, and train the workforce. This review offers suggestions for forthcoming policies and practices, emphasizing the application of adaptive machine learning management and strategic analytics. These recommendations can significantly influence the practice of AI-powered leadership in Moroccan organizations and offer valuable insights for future research.

Implementasi Gamifikasi pada Learning Management System Linsafe LPK Adiputra Purwokerto Berbasis Website

This study aims to apply gamification to the LPK Adiputra Purwokerto website-based learning management system (LMS) to increase participant motivation and involvement in the learning process. Gamification is a method of using game elements to influence the behavior of LPK Adiputra Purwokerto participants to achieve learning objectives. The research method used was a case study with participants consisting of LPK Adiputra students in Purwokerto using a quasi-experimental design and divided into two groups, The control group, and The experimental group. The control group took part in learning with an LMS without gamification elements, while the experimental group took part in learning with the application of gamification to an LMS. The number of research participants was 47 participants who took the LPK Adiputra Purwokerto driving course. During the research, the experimental group had access to an LMS that implemented gamification elements such as points, levels, rewards, challenges, and a ranking system. Experiment group participants are given the freedom to compete with themselves or other participants through the scoreboard and reach a certain level of learning. The results of the data analysis will later show that the experimental group that took part in gamification learning experienced a significant increase in motivation and engagement compared to the control group. It is hoped that this research can make an important contribution to the development of technology-based education and the use of LMS as an effective tool for increasing participant motivation and engagement. This study concludes that the implementation of gamification at the website-based LMS Linsafe LPK Adiputra Purwokerto will be effective in enhancing the learning experience of participants by incorporating game elements. LPK Adiputra Purwokerto participants should tend to be more motivated and actively involved in the learning process so that later they can improve the quality and overall learning outcomes.