Course Management Systems and Flexibility

Smart, K.A. and K.A. Meyer (2005). "Changing Course Management Systems: Lessons Learned," Educause Quarterly. 2(1): 68-70.

Unit Six: Learning Management Systems and Learning Objects

Summary
This article presented findings on how well courses convert from one course management system (CMS) to another, an issue of increasing relevance in today's technology-dependent classrooms. Researchers asked ten faculty in the Academic Affairs Division at UND to evaluate the transition of a Blackboard course to Desire2Learn (a different CMS) at the University of North Dakota. Much of the course content was lost in the transition including important online documents and course materials. The study found that, despite the work of ensuring materials in the new CMS (Desire2Learn) are intact and accurate, there was an overwhelming willingness to change to another CMS in the future; most professors admitted they would willingly transfer CMS structures again.

Reaction
Though this article examines course management system changes at the college level, I think the article holds relevance to teaching at the secondary level. First of all, the article is a reminder that technology is everchanging. Blackboard, as used widely at WWU, is already quite outdated technology. In order to entice and interest young students with online and virtual classroom materials and assignments, teachers need to be ready, willing and able to experiment with new technologies and online academic resources.

The overwhelming complaint by subjects of this research was that course materials were lost in the system transfer process. This is a clear reminder to teachers that online resources are not permanent and can fail or move at any time. It's important to back up any and all instructional material, rather than relying on online forums as storage units.

I was disappointed to not learn more about the Desire2Learn system. I'm incredibly familiar with the Blackboard Academic Suite (and I'm very aware of if it's limitations), so as a novice teacher, I'm open and interested to the idea of exploring new systems to manage the online portions of my courses and I wholeheartedly support advances to connect classroom learning to technology. I think this is a step all teachers need to be willing to take as we move toward a more and more virtual world.