Learning Management in the Classroom

I was wondering what, if any learning management systems people used.  Do you use these to communicate with your students? Create lessons? Share files? Grade posting? Group work? Forums?
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SimKathy - Fri, 2007-07-27 08:30
We are using Moodle and I hear with tech support some schools are using Drupal.

LisaMLane - Sat, 2007-07-28 23:35
Both inside the classroom and for fully online courses, I have switched from Blackboard to Moodle. It is far more intuitive, and displays better in a classroom. The more I use it, the more I want to put in it. But, as with all CMSs, I am careful to create all content outside it in text files, so when the next best thing comes along, I can move! :-)

lnitsche - Tue, 2007-08-07 23:18

Good point about files.  My district will be instituting Moodle across the district this year. 

Any sugestions for introducing it to elementary teachers who are completely new to CMS's, blogs, wikis, etc?

I've been given an hour to introduce it to third through sixth grade teachers who will not have computers in front of them.  Rather daunting!

coordinator2 - Sun, 2007-07-29 11:10

I was thinking of the Self-Contained Elementary Classroom.  I could guide the students in creating a digital portfolio.  I'm not sure I'm ready to host a moodle.  Perhaps assigning a number and posting grades on page of classroom blog. I guess there are certain things that technology doesn't facilitate.  I mean, we have enough paperwork already!  Any creative ideas on assessing content created online?

Jose Rodriguez 3rd Grade Teacher, It's Elementary Webcast

mvanvuren - Tue, 2007-07-31 02:37
I have created a "blanket" rubric for assignments students complete online. We discuss the rubric at the beginning of every year for student input and changes. For example this year I will be implementing some type of "global communication" score into the rubric. When a student completes an assignment they use the rubric and grade their own work and hand it into me (grading their own work is a score in the final rubric I use). I then grade the assigment and we discuss our differences. You may have to change the rubric as the year progresses and the students' skills increase.

LisaMLane - Mon, 2007-08-13 05:04

Linda, I apologize for this appearing at the top instead of nested -- I couldn't figure out how to change it!

My first reponse was to say "let them play", but having just hosted a workshop where everyone came out asking for "how to" advice, I'm thinking differently. Perhaps one could describe it first as an interactive calendar, into which you can plug activities that students can use.

Then you can talk about what those activities can do for students: let them access learning materials, discuss with each other in real time or by messages or by discussion boards, etc. Use the weekly format first, since it's most like a calendar. Then show that it can also be used in its social (discussion only) or topical formats for more flexibility. But I'd start with calendars as a concept.

If their interest is primarily their own organization (grades, materials, schedules, testing), the calendar focus works there also.

Just a thought! :-)