Blended Learning: Using a Learning Management System Live in the Classroom

Tom Worthington

For the ANU Linking Research and Teaching Swap Shop, 24th October 2008

Context

  1. Department: Computer Science
  2. Course: Electronic Document Management (SATOMGI Module D)
  3. Year: 2007
  4. Number of students: 24

Some online education technologies, such as a Learning Management System (LMS), do not have to be used by students alone at home; they can be used in a computer equipped classroom by a group of students and teachers. This technique was used in November 2007 for Electronic Document Management (Module D of Systems Approach to the Management of Government Information) with a class of 24 public servants.

What do students and teacher do?

  1. Teacher: gives short lectures (20 minutes); helps students with exercises, guides group discussion and supervises computer based tests
  2. Students: follow the lectures via the LMS, read notes, do exercises on their workstation and take part in discussion

Hot tips

  1. Provide content and activities via the LMS
  2. Give students access in the classroom
  3. Use the LMS assignment facility to see who has not finished exercises
  4. Use the LMS for assessment

Does it work?

Issues

  1. Requires well designed, computer equipped classrooms
  2. Requires good LMS (Moodle used)
  3. Assumes computer skills for students and teachers
  4. Will drive a demand for remote e-learning

More Information

  1. Notes for this presentation: http://www.tomw.net.au/technology/it/blended_learning/
  2. Includes Slides and links to source material
  3. Electronic Document Management, Moodle Course Notes, 2007
  4. Edna Blended Learning Group
  5. Online Education Technologies
  6. How to Create On-line University Courses in Electronic Archiving, Parts 1 to 15, 2006 to 2008

Creative Commons License
Blended Learning: Using a Learning Management System Live in the Classroom by Tom Worthington is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia License.