Learning+Management+Systems

=Learning Management Systems=

What is it?
A Learning Management System (LMS) or Virtual LEarning Environment (VLE) is an online tool that helps teachers & organisations manage courses and exchange information with students. Typically, they include the following features:
 * A way of managing: students (users), courses, instructors, etc.
 * The ability to generate reports
 * A programmable Course calendar
 * Learner messaging and notifications
 * Assessment and testing features
 * A way of grading coursework

They usually incorporate tools such as forums, multiple choice exercises, etc. Recently, blogs, wikis and virtual classroom spaces have also been added to many VLE/LMS systems.

> > An alternative is to use a Moodle that is already hosted. Organisations that do this specifically for education include __[|http://www.freemoodle.org]__  (completely free) and __[|http://www.keytoschool.com]__  (free trial). You can find more help here: __[]__ .
 * Which One?**
 * **Educadium**  offers a free VLE (up to 25 users) at [|http://www.educadium.com].
 * **Free Web Class** ([|http://freewebclass.com]) offers a similar hosted VLE for up to 35 users.
 * **Moodle** . Currently the most popular VLE for education. Please note that Moodle ( __[|http://moodle.org]__ ) requires you to have your own //server space//  from a  //web hosting service company// (see __[]__ ), so there is a cost, although when you buy server space, setting up a VLE is usually automated and easy to do.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**Blackboard** <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> ( __[|http://www.blackboard.com]__ <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">). Another popular VLE with organisations, but it is not free. If you are looking for an institution-wide solution, that you don't want to host yourself, then it is worth considering.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Alternatives to the above (if you are looking for a more simple solution) include the social network <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//EdModo// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">( __[|http://www.edmodo.com]__ <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">), which, although lacking the powerful course management tools of a VLE, is free and easy to use.

How can I use it?
If you are new to LMS, then start with one of the hosted options above. Otherwise, these systems usually need to be set up by your organisation as a whole rather than by individual teachers. Many of them are complicated to use and require an IT administrator to manage. [|Blackboard] is an example of a paid services that many organisations use. Their popularity has been challenged by [|Moodle], an open source LMS/VLE that has gained a lot of ground and users.

Although, the decision to use an LMS/VLE is usually one taken by an organisation, as a whole, there have started to appear solutions aimed at specific teachers who want to try this type of tool out (see above).

Practice
I have created a Moodle at Ninehub called @http://secondaryelt.ninehub.com/ which we can start to explore together.

You can login as a guest if you use the enrolment key 'secondary'