Course Management Systems

After numerous searches on the internet for a clear definition of what a CMS is, I came to this conclusion:

"A CMS is a web based platform that is simple to use in terms of IT knowledge, and one which can facilitate online learning.
The platform can utilize teaching notes, video tutorials, podcasts, links to other sites, quizzes and exams. A CMS can also receive postings from students, including homework assignments, polls and quizzes, and track individual and group performance."

All of the above features I feel we have covered in our class, including testing via quizzes, the CMS is a home a central location for this information and data. The major difference is that Blackboard and other systems can track individual performance as well as groups and that is a plus.


Please read below for the information I gathered and its origin:

According to the unknown author at http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/DEC0302.pdf “At it’s simplest a course management system is a tool that allows an instructor to post information on the web without that instructor having to know or understand HTML or other computer languages… it provides an instructor with a set of tools and a framework that allows the relatively easy creation of online course content and the subsequently teaching and management of that course…”

Moodle is a Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It is a Free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning sites.

Wikipedia returned my google search with “A virtual learning environment (VLE) is a software system designed to support teaching and learning in an educational setting, as distinct from a Managed Learning Environment, (MLE) where the focus is on management. A VLE will normally work over the Internet and provide a collection of tools such as those for assessment (particularly of types that can be marked automatically, such as multiple choice), communication, uploading of content, return of students' work, peer assessment, administration of student groups, collecting and organizing student grades, questionnaires, tracking tools, etc. New features in these systems include wikis, blogs, RSS and 3D virtual learning spaces.”

Powerpoint attempt

I tried this with Zoho It looks pretty straight forward, maybe a little slow, but it's probably the laptop (getting tired lately).

This powerpoint goes with the calculator posted earlier - for manualy manloading projects.

Manloading Calculator - Construction

Update: I tried "Google Docs" and "EditGrid" and couldn't get either to allow me to lock the cells off. To clarify, I want to have sheets that are protected with just a few cells open for data entry. This way I can have the sheet calculate the input in an adjacent cell without the option of erasing the formula by accident (its locked off in another cell).

I saw the Mr. Rogers had a page that looked like a view only page, what I want is in between. It is possible in regular excel - I use it all the time. Still good technology, just hope it improves a little more.

Click on the link to view: http://www.editgrid.com/user/slockie/Man_Loading_Calculator_IBEW_7th_District

I used "EditGrid" to post a manloading calculator to my blog. I am going to play around with this some more. What i really want is a spreadsheet (or part of one) that is locked except for the cells for data entry. That would be like the excel sheet this came from.

Click on the down arrow to select full view of this sheet. It is a calaculator (part of one) in use right now and part of the new Foremen Development Series for the IBEW Seventh District.

The cool uses for this technology (especially if lockable) are for posting to a blog or linking to a site a calculator that helps guys plan their man power- without a lot of math on their part.

I like it.

Survey's and Polls (next four posts) Survey - Zoomerang.com

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB229GUH9K43M

This website charges a $199 a year fee to utilize all of its services, but the layout is easy to use. I couldn't insert it into the blog as easily as surveymonkey.com but it was still fairly easy to use overall.

The posted survey is a standard survey for course evaluation - one of the templates - which re open to standard free accounts (some sites didn't offer that, you had to design your own from scratch).

Negative: I couldn't get the HTML to take so a link or button would come up, just the link itself (no hyper).

survey

Click Here to take survey

This is the www.surveymonkey.com survey which was really easy to use and embedd. I think a lot of features are disabled unless you purchase a premium account but this was my favorite experience of the few I tried. Survey monkey may have a poll feature but i didn't try it out.

I have wondered how to do this for awhile...

Poll - Freepolls.com (Style 1)

The freepolls.com site was the easiest to use for polling. This particular style (compared to next post) is the same exact poll but with a different look.

I thought I could use this to ask a code question of the week or some opinion on a video clip etc...

This is powerful stuff, now team mates or coworkers can respond instead of experiencing a one way communication....

Poll - Freepolls.com (Style 2)

This is the format I liked the most. We could post some information and maybe do a weekly opinion poll - say on code - and the viewers could respind with their idea of the correct answer and then we could post the right solution later (maybe email it to a list of viewers). It could also be used to get feedback for needs and how something is received in to improve training.

The only concern with polls is that these ones are viewable in terms of results, immediately.

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com