October 2004 — Web/Net
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Course Management Systems and the Reinvention of Instruction
However, that attitude assumes that users of the system explore every function in a creative fashion. While such a paradigm might work for other kinds of software, teachers usually don’t have the time or inclination to explore some new technology. Also, the Instructional Technology departments of most universities are not prepared to train their faculty on anything beyond the simplest use of new software, while the companies themselves usually avoid suggesting a specific pedagogy with their software in order to appeal to the broadest possible audience. Consequently, how a CMS effects the organization, implementation and even the meaning of a class has rarely been explored.CMS as a Supplement
The assumption we make is that teachers commit extensive time and effort in preparing their classroom activities. Many educators teach the same class year after year, and while they update their materials periodically and learn from past experiences, the general framework of the class is set. Therefore, left to their own paradigms, teachers most often use their university’s CMS as a supplement to their preferred teaching style. The lecture and teacher-led activity remain the organizing principle — the locus of attention for students and teachers alike. The instructor uses the CMS functionality as an add-on to the course. What d'es this mean in terms of making use of the CMS?
Authoring/Publishing Tool. Typically, teachers might use the CMS to put content on the site, including publishing their syllabi and class assignments. Students can then check the CMS for their assignments and due dates. Teachers sometimes create PowerPoint presentations of their lecture notes which they can upload or provide Web hyperlinks to. In addition, teachers often post links to Word or PDF files for reading materials or links to online references. This content provides support for the course experience, but d'esn’t substantially affect how the class is organized or what happens in the classroom. The content is usually text-based and not intended to stand alone. Teachers also sometimes use the test-authoring tool, mostly to generate a series of simple multiple-choice questions that can be graded automatically.
Virtual Community. Teachers frequently ask students to write a number of comments on threaded discussions. The teacher then uses the student responses as part of his or her classroom participation and grades accordingly. It is interesting to note that this communication tool may actually be decreasing the amount of time teachers and students spend communicating — knowing that students will have a chance to air their views online often results in teachers spending more class time lecturing, rather than interacting with students.
Data Management. Instructors frequently move their grading and some other simple data management functions to the CMS. The CMS, in this case, replaces stand-alone software that teachers often use to maintain their grading. Overall, a teacher who supplements his or her class by using a CMS to post reading assignments, promotes student communication through a threaded discussion, and uses the gradebook feature, seems to be extracting some value from the system. However, we suggest that there is a better alternative.
