ED 722 Week #3 Reading/Video Response

As we scale up and refine the LMS built using free tools (G+, Drive, Communities, Twitter, Google Groups, etc.), how well does this LMS support you and your learning style? How could it be improved? Feel free to be critical as you post as this contributes to the evolution of such systems.

2015 should be known as the year of the acronym!  I feel like everywhere I look I see, ICT, LMS, MOOC, BYOB J, etc.  As I have said prior to starting my program at UNH I was hesitant about online learning but it has grown on me over the past few months.  My brain is bursting with information and sometimes a little overwhelmed but it’s all a learning process, it’s important for teachers to be students sometimes.

This LMS supports my learning style and me because I would like to think of myself as organized and I’m definitely a visual learner.  All of the coursework online has allowed me to see all of my online learning and allowed me to use the internet, etc. as a tool for my learning.

Both the videos and the reading by William and Sunnie Watson were able explain what Learning Management System can do for both learner and teacher.  For the most part LMS is easy implement.  Of course there will be a lot of trial and error but that helps everyone involved.  When Dropbox was first introduced in my school district many people were hesitant to try it, including myself but over time I saw what a huge help it was for me!  No longer was I remembering to save to my flash drive or email myself my latest version instead I was able to view documents and edit them on my either my school or home computer.  What a lifesaver!  As I started IT&DML I was unfamiliar with Google Drive or any G+ applications.  It has taken me some time but I think I get it.  I like how Google Drive automatically saves and you can easily share documents with others and have them edit or make comments right to the document.  I’m now trying to use Google Drive for more and more things, so far so good.

LMS also creates an open learning environment that allows everyone to be engaged.  Once everyone is engaged, learning can be blended together and then critically used.  LMS software easily makes tests easy for students to take and easier for the teacher to create and grade tests.  And who doesn’t love more “free” time!  Teachers can also upload all of the content needed for learning, anytime, anywhere, this saves time for the teacher and gives students immediate responses.  LMS gives teachers and learners the chance to interact in an online classroom and lets everyone do so at their own pace.

I really like how each week there are objectives and assignments that are listed for this course.  It makes it easier for me as a learner to see the expectations and it allows me to stay on track for what is do.  The Google+ community also allows me to find everything I need in one place.   I wish more of my classes presented things to me this way!