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What are the Pros and Cons of Using a Learning Management System (LMS) such as
Moodle?

Having worked with a Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) since 2011, I have
experienced many Moodle updates and versions and, consequently, a great deal of change.
Furthermore, I have experienced significant change with regard to how I use the system, which is
primarily a result of my own learning and development as an online teacher, and a reflection of
the continually evolving capabilities of the LMS to address the needs of the students. Yet, I still
have as many questions as I did four years ago, if not more. I find the more I learn, the more I
understand the possibilities and limitations that exist when using a learning management system.
Four years ago, my initial impression of the Moodle LMS was that it was primarily useful as a
content delivery platform. However, now I recognise that content delivery is just one small way
in which the LMS can be used. Research and experience have led me to understand that it is
more important to try and use features that engage and facilitate interaction with and between
students (i.e., to encourage students to think more deeply about the content, and to allow for
opportunities to question and build upon prior learning and understanding, thus leading to
students being able to apply new knowledge in practical and authentic ways). However, in order
to fully use the many tools of Moodle for interactive purposes, one must evaluate the steps and
time necessary to do so, and weigh this against the requirements of the students and the needs of
the teacher and the school.
Time consuming is one descriptor often used to describe working with an LMS.
However, despite the initial set-up, which can take a tremendous amount of time, if structured
thoughtfully with the students needs at the forefront of course development, an LMS can also
facilitate the learning of a large numbers of students, synchronously or asynchronously. The

difficulty is, it takes time to understand what is needed and how best to address the needs of the
students. In addition, district and Ministry policy, enrolment demographics, teacher assignments,
etc., continually change. Therefore, a course developed with one intent, or to serve an anticipated
student population group or to meet a specific goal, might not be structured in the best manner to
address any changes that occur (or are mandated). For example, a course that includes a great
deal of text might not suit learners requiring other modes of sensory input and more interactive,
auditory and/or visual experiences (which is considered more in-line with good practice for
course development these days). However, a course that includes a fair amount of text might be
exactly what adult students working at a camp desire, as they are able to easily print off student
notes and assignments (i.e., if connectivity is going to be an issue). These are just a few
examples of considerations that arise when pondering Moodle course design, and managing
ones time when teaching online.
To design a Moodle course takes time, and it also requires a clear vision of the intent of
the course and the student population whose needs are being addressed. Although it is easy
enough to design a course with a wide range of interactive styles and options for the learners, I
believe that if the variety is too much, the course can get unwieldy and not be as effective at
bringing about the desired learning outcomes. With online courses, it is extremely easy to keep
adding activities, resources and content. Therefore, one needs to keep in mind the advice of wellrespected researchers and educators regarding instructional design and online learning. In Nine
steps to quality online learning, Tony Bates (2012) outlines in Step 7 the need to pay close
attention to the time it will take for students to navigate through the course content and to
complete activities. Furthermore, Grant Wiggins (2011) in Understanding by Design emphasizes
the need to identify the desired results (to begin with the end in mind), determine acceptable

evidence, and then plan learning activities. Wiggins notes (2012) this helps students to
understand more deeply what they learn, and therefore they are able to transfer their learning
more successfully to other areas of study. Thus, the challenge is designing courses that meet the
universal accessibility standards, or the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines (CAST,
2011), while addressing the specific goals and diverse needs of the students (given the limited
time available for course development and the ever-changing parameters that teachers work
within - i.e., course assignments, staffing, delivery model changes, policy changes, etc.).
Within Moodle, there are a number of ways one can differentiate instruction to meet the
needs of learners (using the various resources and activities). Moodle also provides the option for
pathing students according to their needs (using groups and groupings). As with setting up any
learning activity online, it takes time to implement groups and groupings, and it also requires that
others who might provide teacher coverage understand how to manage these slightly more
advanced Moodle features. This year in my ongoing quest to better meet the needs of learners, I
tried Cohort groups, as outlined by David Le Blancs video (2012, October 25): Cohort driven
self-paced, continuous enrolment. The use of Cohort groups varies from the way I have used
groups in the past, as Cohort groups focus on an enrolment period rather than on activities,
lessons or sections of a course being targeted for a particular group. However, uncertainty with
staffing and coverage over the summer resulted in having to interrupt the use of Cohort groups (I
would normally run a Summer Cohort group), which highlights the way external factors can
dictate Moodle features chosen for course design. Despite this, I feel that the use of Moodle
groups can lead to increased student engagement, when structured with the students needs in
mind. As stated by Caplan and Graham in The Theory and Practice of Online Learning

(Anderson, 2008), Teaching online often requires more anticipatory effort than the teaching
effort which is typical of a face-to-face classroom setting (p. 253).
Ultimately, the pros and cons of a learning management system such as Moodle are what
we make them to be. It is the way we structure the learning environment, and the way in which
internal and external factors impact the functionality of the course we have developed, that will
determine the success or failure of our learning environment at meeting the learners needs. Now
if one could minimize the external influences, perhaps Moodle would have a chance to prove its
full potential as an interactive platform...

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References

Anderson, T. (2008). The Theory and Practice of Online Learning, 2nd Edition. Retrieved from
http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/99Z_Anderson_2008Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf
Bates, T. (2012, May 2). Nine steps to quality online learning: introduction. Retrieved
October 10, 2014, from
http://www.tonybates.ca/2012/05/02/nine-steps-to-quality-online-learning-introduction/
Bates, T. (2012, May 2). Nine steps to quality online learning: Step 7: Design course
structure and learning activities. Retrieved October 10, 2014, from
http://www.tonybates.ca/2012/06/26/nine-steps-to-quality-online-learning-step-7-designcourse-structure-and-learning-activities/
CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author.
Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines
Le Blanc, D. (2012, October 25). Cohort driven self-paced, continuous enrolment [Video].
Retrieved March 22, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRP4dbvJO_U
Urban, Shawn. (2012, May 25-30). Moodle Instructional Design. Retrieved March 20, 2014,
from http://www.ualberta.ca/~urban/Learning/InstructionalDesign.pdf
Wiggins, G. (2012, April 23). Understanding by Design [Video]. Retrieved December 1, 2014,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cagh0H7PPA
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2011). What is backward design? Understanding by design, 7-19.
Retrieved from
http://sites.google.com/site/ellieresourcebinder/WhatisBackwardDesigny.pdf