Instructional Benefits Of A Course Management System In K 12 Education
- Conference
- Location
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Austin, Texas
- Publication Date
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June 14, 2009
- Start Date
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June 14, 2009
- End Date
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June 17, 2009
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Technological Literacy Constituent Committee
- Page Count
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10
- Page Numbers
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14.745.1 - 14.745.10
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--5284
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/5284
- Download Count
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457
Paper Authors
Patricia Carlson Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Patricia A. Carlson has taught a variety of professional writing courses at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and has held ten ASEE Summer Research Fellowships. She is on the editorial board of three professional publications for advanced educational technology and has served as a National Research Council Senior Fellow at the Air Force Human Resources Laboratory. Email: patricia.carlson@rose-hulman.edu
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Instructional Benefits of a Course Management System in K-12 Education
ABSTRACT
We report on the recent activities of PRISM, an electronic hub to support integration of digital resources into 6th – 12th-grade STEM classrooms for Indiana teachers. Specifically, this presentation gives a description and a preliminary assessment of the efficacy of integrating a course management system (Moodle) into a range of 6th – 12th grade content courses.
THE PRISM PROJECT
Funded by the Lilly Endowment, PRISM’s goal is to help Indiana teachers (primarily of STEM) take advantage of digital learning tools in meeting the state academic standards. PRISM (http://www.rose-prism.org ) is a test-bed for Indiana K-12 educators to try out web-based resources to which they might not otherwise have convenient access. Moving toward 6,000 registered members, the user community has grown dramatically since its inception in September 2003. On peak days, the site receives close to 1,200 unique visits. Assessment of PRISM’s effectiveness has been reported elsewhere.1,2
At its core, PRISM’s mission is to help teachers embrace digital learning tools as extensions of their own dynamic presence in the classroom. The objective is to move beyond mere surface appeal in order to integrate computer-mediated resources into traditional STEM curricula. To this end, we provide two complementary services:
(1) A library of over 2,300 online teaching resources (e.g. simulations, scientific visualizations, virtual labs, collaborative skills builders, process modelers, serious gaming, access to live data) that mirror the digital tools available in the modern workplace. All resources are reviewed and indexed to the Indiana Academic Standards.
(2) Access to a full-featured, course management system (Moodle). This platform provides tools for tracking student participation, homework/quizzes, and grades. In addition to these rather standard functions, the learning platform supports exciting new ways to engage students beyond traditional “talk and chalk” delivery methods. For example, Moodle uses many elements of “social networking” to motivate young people and to incorporate 21st century technology literacy.
COURSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (CMS) AND EDUCATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS Course Management Systems (CMS) (sometimes called learning management systems or virtual learning environments) evolved out of software to support virtual groups in business and industry. These systems then migrated to higher education, where they had a natural fit with distance education because they (1) organized and sequenced course content, (2) promoted communication among class members, and (3) mediated various forms of collaborative work. These systems help make possible new roles for teachers, learners, and interactive content in a dynamic environment.6
Carlson, P. (2009, June), Instructional Benefits Of A Course Management System In K 12 Education Paper presented at 2009 Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--5284
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