LMS Alternatives - Part 1

This is the first in a series of posts where I will detail tools that replace functions of a learning management system. Today's subject: Discussion boards.

Discussion boards are nothing new. It's age is a double-edged sword. Because they've been around for a while, they have a high rate of adoption into the (virtual) classroom. Also every LMS has the option to have one. The down side is that the nature of posts tends to bury the answers and conclusions the participants come to deep within a thread.

So, what if you just want a discussion board and nothing else? Here are some options:

Proboards.com
Proboards are ad supported but if you don't mind a couple of ads the setup is quick and painless.

Freeboards.net
Freeboards.net has no ads but was acting really slow the day I tried to use it.

PHPBB
If you can setup a webserver then you can put up your own PHPBB. But make sure you keep up with the security updates.

Or you can pay for hosting with:

Boardhost.com

What discussion boards have users had success using?

Coursecasting

Recently the BBA tech team was invited to a meeting about the direction of new technology on campus. One of the subjects that came up was podcasting (sometimes known as coursecasting in higher ed.

We've had this discussion in the context of the BBA as well. Luckily, the main concern that faculty and administration have about podcasting don't apply to the BBA's model.

Main Concern #1: Students will stop showing up for class.

Several studies including this one from the University of Washington show that this is not the case. In fact it had no impact on attendance one way or another.

In the BBA there are no classes to attend anyway, so the point is moot.

We're considering podcasting several Business Topics for our students who prefer an audio presentation of a subject rather than a written one.

How do you feel about podcasting? Have you used one successfully?

Wiki Learning

In her article "Wiki-Based Collaborative Learning" Dr. Irfan Naufal Deputy Director, Centre for Instructional Technology and MultimediaUniversity of Science - Malaysia states that using wikis as a learning tool creates a useful space for collaborative work but the idea that "anyone" can edit the page, still frightens new users.

So what exactly frightens new users? The article argues that users are not used to working in such a collaborative space. In a comment to a previous post Ben suggests that some users are also nervous about taking on an active new role as "content-contributors" rather than the passive role of "content-consumer". I think there are many reasons that users are reluctant to dive-in. The usual suspects like techno-phobia and the like are major causes but I also believe that users are afraid of someone using the "anyone can edit" privilege to harm the wiki as a whole. Vandalize it, if you will. So users are unwilling to work on stacking a bunch of blocks, if they know someone will just come by and knock it down.

I have been working with wikis for several years now and I honestly believe that a wiki is only as good as the community that supports or "patrols" it. I always find it interesting how cyber-spaces mimic real life spaces. For example: A neighborhood park will only stay in shape if the community helps keep it up. If no one visits the park, or helps keep it clean by picking up after themselves or by reporting suspicious activities to the authorities, then the park will succumb to graffiti, vandalism and neglect.

Such is the fate of a wiki. If the wiki's community pitches together to keep it on subject, clean-up vandalism (people entering false information) and contributes quality content often, then the wiki will thrive. Otherwise the wiki will fall into ruin.

Wiki's are a reflection of the communities that use them.

I feel that the wiki we use in the Bachelor of Business Administration is in a great position to live a long and happy life because our users really care about the quality of information that is being distributed to their fellow users.

How about you? Have you had a particularly good or bad experience using a public or private wiki? I'd love to hear about it!

Change the Paradigm

While perusing the intertubes, I came across this article by Professor Antonio-Ramón Bartolomé Pina of the University of Barcelona.

In it, Bartolomé argues that although schools are incorporating Web 2.0 technologies (blog, wikis, rss feeds) this activity alone hasn't changed the paradigm of how students are learning.

Typically schools only use the technology as a new publishing system. So rather than had students books, professors hand out URLs. This doesn't help students become better learners or take advantage of all the knowledge everyone brings to the table.

Here, I believe that the Westminster BBA is way a head of the curve. Because, our learners are allowed to modify the community wiki, everyone is encouraged to share their knowledge and personal experiences with each other. Becoming, in th end, a true learning community.

What do you think about technology helping to create learning communities? Does it work?

The New Frontier of M-Learning

Over at New Learning Playbook the blogger Jeanne C. Meister posted an article about learning on mobile devices being the next big movement in education. From E-Learning to M-Learning.

Companies are going to produce more mobile content and better mobile devices are going to be adopted by consumers. Once those two forces converge, a device everyone has plus content everyone wants, then the M-learning revolution will go into full-swing.

We continue to explore delivery methods for our learners. How do you feel about M-learning and is it something the BBA at Westminster should agressively persue or is it time to wait and see where the market goes?

Crosswalk Story

I just finished this video for the program. I'm very happy with it. Take a look and tell me what you think.

First Post

Hello, this is Chris Hoffman. I'm the Multimedia Content Developer for the Bachelor of Business Administration at Westminster College. I'll be keeping this blog to keep everyone informed about changes, ideas, upgrades, etc to the BBA program.

The Bachelor of Business Administration at Westminster College is designed around and for adult students to help them finish their degree. We have some really unique approaches to getting people to that goal.

For instance we don't have traditional classes. We use the internet, online video, wikis, discussion boards, instant messaging and many other tools as resources to help students find the information they need. Faculty act as coaches rather than lecturers to help students acquire the knowledge they need to complete projects.

That's right, projects. No assignments here. Students are given projects to complete and that's how they prove their competent at the skills they learn.

The projects have a specific set of guidelines that students are graded against so students know exactly what's expected of them.

Finally, everything is done at a student's own pace. If a student knows everything about balanced scorecards, we have no reason to make them sit through a lot of content before starting that project. They just start!

In the end they will have a Bachelor's Degree from Westminster College!

I'm proud to be working with the program and look forward to keeping up this blog.

- Chris

The Official Westminster BBA Site
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