network321 The importance of LMS recruitment systems, a competent solution to the problem of choosing a software platform for e-learning, is often underestimated. Almost every university that has been organizing and developing distance and e-learning for many years has a negative experience in this field.
After dealing in detail with its requirements structure (project goals, educational programmer, pedagogical landscape, organizational model), the university will set the initial requirements for the functionality and strength of the EE system required to proceed with the selection of a suitable EE system recruitment.
Of course, the success of e-learning including distance learning depends not only on the software platform, but it’s right choice is one of the fundamental factors.
Most Common Problems Faced By Users Of LMS Recruitment Systems
Typical business processes inherent in Russian universities are not supported. For example, group training according to a given curriculum, divided into semesters, as well as the interaction of deans, departments and university administrations. It is impossible to integrate EE systems with existing university corporate systems recruitment due to their complexity or impossibility.
The variety of tasks that an EO system can solve gives rise to all kinds of options for implementing such systems. As a result, modularity is practiced or multiple systems are used at the same time that implements the full set of required functions.
The problem of organizing single access to electronic resources arises when using multiple EE software systems within a university or when implementing projects that involve the exchange and/or integration of electronic resources. By choosing a system that supports a widely accepted standard, this problem can be partially solved. However, at present, the standards are only a general guideline for achieving interoperability, so if a course of study complies with the SCORM standard, it does not mean that using SCORM will automatically integrate it into another EE system. may be used.
Unfortunately, for all software products, the high rate of obsolescence and constant changes in user requirements for the system requires a high degree of adaptation of the EO software platform.
Difficulty accessing the System. The transition of the EO system to the web platform has solved many problems in terms of facilitating access. Now it is enough for students and teachers to have access to the Internet and a browser to access the system, but another side of the problem emerges: for example, some technologies require the installation of additional plug-ins in the browser. , which is not always the case. possible.
The problems listed above arise when systems being purchased or developed do not meet the requirements highlighted (in italics).
In addition to the above requirements, one important factor was not taken into account – cost, which includes the cost of software, maintenance and hardware. While calculating the cost, it is often forgotten that the cost of software includes not only the EO system itself, but also other essential system software. It is necessary to consider who will be maintaining the software: perhaps the cost of paying more qualified employees will need to increase if existing employees do not meet the required requirements. Hardware upgrades are likely to be required, including: Servers; power redundancy; data backup system; network and channel facilities, etc.
Implementation Options for the EO Software Platform
The choice of a particular system is almost always a process of compromising its cost and other requirements. For the university, according to the author, the following options are possible for implementing software platforms of an electronic learning environment: Use ready-made solutions; use and develop own software solutions; integrate ready-made (foreign) solutions into their own systems; and outsource.
Turnkey solutions are commercial and freely distributed EO systems offered in the market.
Commercial Systems: WebCT/Blackboard, Nauman University, Docent, LearningSpace 5.0, Learn eXact, eLearning Server 3000, OROX, WebTutor, Prometheus, etc. The main advantage of commercial solutions is that they are most reliable products with the appropriate level of user support. Support, regular updates, and new versions. Disadvantages of commercial systems recruitment :
Freely distributed systems are open source systems: MOODLE, LAMS, Sakai, ATutor, Claroline, Dokeos, OLAT, OpenACS, ILIAS, etc. Commercial systems have disadvantages that are directly opposite the advantages of these systems. In addition, the following disadvantages should be noted:
Russian law does not define the concept of systems with the GNU/GPL license under which open source systems are distributed, and therefore the legal status of these systems has not yet been determined. In addition, there have been instances when open source projects evolved into commercial systems, and users of such systems were forced to switch to other payment systems.
As already mentioned, the cost of the program includes not only the cost of software recruitment, which in this case is really free but also the cost of support, which can be quite expensive. This is due to the fact that to support and develop the acquired system you need to pay for the work of your own highly qualified personnel or a third-party company.
A thorough comparative review of independently distributed SEO systems is considered.
Not every university is capable of developing its own software solution and this is a project that has a high risk of failure (such as a project in the field of complex software development). The following are undoubtedly the arguments in favor of our own development:
Support is provided by direct developers of the system, so changes are made quickly and efficiently;
The development is usually carried out with the participation of students and graduate students recruitment, which undoubtedly contributes to the development of research and engineering projects in the field of information and pedagogical technologies in education.
Software Platform of NSTU e-learning environment
For more than 10 years, the NSTU Institute of Distance Learning (IDO) has been implementing projects to develop EE systems. The system changed recruitment developers and each other, as a result, today the university successfully uses a family of products called DSpace. It is designed to support e-learning, both at the level of teaching individual subjects, and at the level of planning and organizing the educational process.