Why Use a Learning Management system...

9/7/2021

A Learning Management System (LMS) is a structure to provide consistent access to instruction and resources. It provides a pathway for students, families and teachers to access the learning and feedback at all times. Many teachers and families had their first experiences with an LMS in response to Covid-19. However, a Learning Management System, whether it be Schoology, Google Classroom, or Seesaw has a purpose and a place far beyond a pandemic.

In a world where all educators are working to guide students to become Global Collaborators, Creative Communicators, Knowledge Constructors, Empowered Learners, and engaged Digital Citizens we need to provide the structures and spaces that authentically deliver these opportunities on a daily basis. A well organized and thoughtfully implemented LMS is the foundation to this work.

For students

Access to a Learning Management System provides students:

Continuity in accessing the learning, especially if the LMS is used daily to access resources and tools for learning.

Ability to easily review and revisit supports and scaffolds (videos, teacher feedback, digital resources, & more).
A clear path of communication with their instructors.
Continuity in learning structures from elementary through high school and on into future career pathways.
Authentic and relevant technology integration when the LMS is utilized to its full potential.
When schools and teachers coordinate to use the same LMS, students can focus the cognitive load on their learning, instead of working to understand how to access the learning.

For Our Families

Use of a consistent LMS means that caretakers will have peace of mind knowing their students have access to all the resources listed above. It also means that families will:

Be able to support their student's access of learning resources in a timely manner.
Potentially have consistent structures to support all the students in their family, K-12, lessening confusion and increasing access to the learning.
Have a clear and direct communication pathway to their student's teachers.

for teachers

For Teachers, embracing and utilizing a LMS on a consistent basis means that they will have a structure built for student success. A Learning Management System:

Makes it possible for students that are out ill to access the learning, including students that might be quarantined.

Provides a format to support differentiation and build in resources and scaffolds for students to access the learning in a mode that works best for them. (videos, ebooks, articles, teacher/student feedback, and more!).

Contains and organizes the learning resources in a format that provides a form of portfolio for students and families. This offers an opportunity for clearer communication keeping the focus on student learning and builds stronger feedback loops for all involved.

Allows teachers to build in rubrics and formative assessments into their structures.

Creates an opportunity for collaboration for students as well as teachers.

Learning Management Systems in jeffco

In Jeffco we currently utilize three different Learning Management Systems: Schoology, Google Classroom, & Seesaw.

You can learn more about each of these tools by visiting our Ed Tech YouTube Channel: LMS Playlist, and exploring the collection of asynchronous eBooks from the Jeffco Ed Tech team.

(Click on the slideshow at the left to explore just a few of the eBooks available)

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