What's Next for the LMS? From Walled Gardens to Open Ecosystems
Lesley Blicker
MN State
Keywords: lms, next generation learning environment, next generation lms, learning management system
Abstract
Nationwide over 90% of educational institutions are running a learning management system. Yet there seems to be a restlessness with the current LMS design since it matches up poorly with newer teaching and learning models. Is there anything out there that truly differentiates itself from the pack? What do we see peeking over the horizon? In this session, the presenter will provide perspectives on the future of LMSs and what we might expect to see and utilize over the next several years. Spoiler alert: there is no big reveal! But terms like ecosystems and Lego approaches will be used generously. You may want to attend this session if for no other reason than to affirm your own (school’s) knowledge and preparedness for the future.
This presentation is based in part on the ELI Paper (Educause) called "Next Generation NGDLE (Next Generation Digital Learning Environment) which was developed in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The research explored the gaps between current learning management tools and a digital learning environment that could meet the changing needs of higher education. April 2015, Malcolm Brown, Joanne Dehoney, Nancy MillichapAuthor Biography
Lesley Blicker, MN State
Lesley Blicker is the Director of LMS Learning and Next Generation Technology at MnSCU. She administers projects involving the system's LMS, D2L Brightspace, and facilitates Next Generation Learning projects. As self-ascribed futurist, Lesley's motto is if you want to change the future, create it yourself. Lesley caught the online teaching bug in 2003 and has been teaching online courses at Metropolitan State University ever since. Lesley has presented and published on the topic of quality and best practices in online education.
