The following report discusses the use of the Blackboard Course Management in terms of overall patterns of activity as recorded in the Blackboard activity database across the whole campus of Brigham Young University during the 2004-2005 academic year. The report contains a set of data represented by tables and graphs that summarize activity, or clicks, in the Blackboard system performed by students, professors, and assistants. The clicks are summarized according to a number of different categories and criteria and analyzed to show interesting patterns of activity. The report is designed to show a general campus wide summary of Blackboard activity and also to briefly explore patterns that may be used as a platform for further detailed research.

Rick Danielson describes his early involvement in course management software, from bringing WebCT to Laurentian in 1998, to leading the formation of a purchasing consortium for WebCT in 41 Ontario institutions, to his decision to move his personal course management software to Moodle - an open source alternative.

During the past several years an increase in use of Course Management Systems (CMS) in higher education’s instructional infrastructure had been witnessed (Morgan, 2003). As a result, increased online education placed an emphasis on CMS because CMS were able to provide information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Faculty, staff, and students were increasingly dependent on information and learning services provided by the colleges and universities (Carey & Gleason, 2006). The flexibility provided by the CMS had led campus faculty, staff, and students to expect continuous availability in campus systems (Carey & Gleason, 2006). This study examined faculty perceptions of a course management system used to enhance teaching and learning. Faculty members’ perceived motivation reasons and barriers were analyzed in this study using descriptive statistics. The important motivation reasons for using a course management system were to provide course information, augment student learning, and provide diverse teaching methods. In addition, the study revealed that faculty members were satisfied with institutional support in terms of training and technical support but not rewards received. Demographic variables (gender, age, faculty tenure status, faculty rank, college of teaching, location of course delivery, and time spent per week preparing materials) were examined to see if there were differences in faculty members’ perceived satisfaction of pedagogical effectiveness. An online survey was sent to 300 faculty members who used CMS in their academic courses at Mississippi State University. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey data. The results revealed that the majority of faculty used CMS primarily to: (a) distribute information to students, (b) augment student learning and (c) provide diverse teaching methods. In terms of strengths and weaknesses of a CMS some faculty members thought the tools were complicated to use while others thought it was easy to use. Overall, the majority of faculty thought that CMS was a great way to communicate with students. Faculty also thought that lack of time played a role in their ability to use CMS effectively.

Due to a shortage of librarians to teach classes coupled with a growing student body, librarians at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) decided to explore alternative means to deliver instruction. Their charge was to supplement traditional classroom instruction by utilizing ETSU's course management system (Desire2Learn, D2L) to inform students about resources and search techniques. They created a D2L module consisting of short films and documents about the library that faculty could add to their course sites. This paper outlines the process of selecting topics, creating materials for the module, and promoting the module to faculty.

According to research by Tennessen, PonTell, Romine and Motheral (1997), the Extension System has been educating the nation for over 96 years, and the idea of using technology as a medium for education has been in the minds of Extension educators for over 40 years. The National E-Extension (eXtension) Initiative is being adopted at a rapid pace, and the history of this impact requires documentation in order to assist others in similar adoption and diffusion processes. The purpose of this historical study was to describe how and why eXtension was established and the implementation of Moodle as a Course Management System (CMS) within eXtension. The researcher was able to determine that the eXtension system is becoming an accepted form of education for Extension. However, barriers to adoption do exist. The study revealed that online education is becoming part of Extension through eXtension, but as awareness grows and develops the eXtension system must do the same. Technology is offering new ways to reach clientele, and as such, Extension continues to strive to take advantage of these technologies. This study consisted of two parts. The first part sought to document the history of eXtension and the implementation of Moodle as a Course Management System (CMS) in Extension. The second part sought to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) related to the use of Moodle as a Course Management System within eXtension. Interviews were conducted with five individuals knowledgeable of the history of eXtension and the implementation of Moodle concerning their experience. For the second part, interviews were conducted with nine individuals currently serving as instructors within one or both eXtension Moodle websites. The researcher was able to document the history of eXtension and Moodle and determine 11 emerging themes within the predetermined areas of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Findings revealed that those involved in using Moodle within Extension have knowledge of the innovation, have formed an attitude toward the innovation, and have decided to adopt or reject the innovation based on the stages of Rogers' innovation-decision process. Completion of the implementation of the innovation and confirmation of the decision stage of the process will be most effectively completed through the work of eXtension at the national level.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of gender, CGPA and amount of weekly Internet use on the acceptance of CMS (Course Management System). Specifically, the purpose is to investigate METU-ONLINE in a course given in PSPA (Political Science and Public Administration) department at METU. One questionnaire has been used in the study. The questionnaires have been distributed to 63 PSPA students who were enrolled to POLITICAL HISTORY (ADM3106) course during spring semester of 2007-2008 year. The data gathered from the students with questionnaires has been analyzed in SPSS 16.0 program with ANOVA method using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that students&rsquo / Cumulative GPA and amount of weekly Internet use have an effect on the perceived usefulness of METU-ONLINE.

This study explored changes in goal orientations throughout the semester that might be influenced by self efficacy and a sense of classroom community in hybrid courses in which course management systems (CMS) were used. A hybrid course is distinguished from a traditional face-to-face classroom in that there is an extension of the class, and students interact online in addition to face-to-face. Data were gathered from 14 hybrid courses two times during a semester, once at the beginning of the semester and once again at the end, and were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate the relationships among the variables. Overall, the results indicated that each goal orientation changed throughout the semester, dynamically interacted with one another, and had unique relationship with self efficacy and sense of classroom community. More specifically, first, a sense of classroom community acted as a significant antecedent of goal orientations and mediated the relationship between pre-mastery goal orientation and post-mastery goal orientation. Second, self efficacy, another antecedent of goal orientations, mediated the relationship between pre-performance avoidance goal orientation and post-performance avoidance goal orientation. Third, post-performance approach goal orientation was influenced by sense of classroom community but not by self efficacy whereas post-performance avoidance goal orientation was influenced by self efficacy but not by sense of classroom community. Fourth, the nature of performance approach goal orientation at the beginning of the semester seemed to change throughout the semester as students gain or lose their competence and develop sense of classroom community. The results also showed that the collaborative function of the course management system most significantly contributed to the sense of classroom community in hybrid courses among four categories of functions (information delivery, external links, course materials, and collaborative function). Lastly, the study suggests ways for instructional designers and college teachers to identify and design courses that promote motivation and a sense of classroom community using various CMS functions, thereby enhancing teachers’ teaching and student learning. / text

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The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the use of a course management system in a University learning environment and the factors that affect students' attitude and performance in such environments and to study the relationship between these factors. The course management system that was used in the research studies in this thesis was WebCT. Three in-field studies were carried out to achieve the aim of this research thesis. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative approaches was used in the studies. Data from participants were collected via questionnaires, interviews, and numerical data from the WebCT tracking system. First the relationship between the students' attitude towards using WebCT and their module leaders' attitude towards using it was studied. Then, the relationship between students' cognitive styles and their satisfaction, their achievement, and their way of using WebCT was investigated. Finally, a model of the critical factors affecting students‟ attitudes to WebCT, use of WebCT and achievement was developed and tested. The model is divided into three main dimensions. The three dimensions are 1) The learner dimension: students' interaction with their classmates, students' capability of using the internet, students' capability of using WebCT. 2) The instructor dimension: Instructor's technical competence, instructor's way of presenting materials on WebCT, interaction between students and their instructor. 3) The technology dimension: usefulness, ease of use, flexibility, quality. The results suggested that students have a positive attitude towards using a course management system (WebCT) on their courses. Also, the results indicated that students' use of WebCT is a positive indicator of their academic achievement (in terms of performance on specific modules). It was also found that instructor attitude and way of using WebCT affects students' attitude and performance when using WebCT. The Technology dimension was found to be a positive indicator of students' attitude and use of WebCT. The Instructor dimension was also found to be a positive indicator of students' attitude and achievement in WebCT. Moreover, the Learner dimension was found to be a positive indicator of students' attitude, use of WebCT and achievement.

BakgrundMånga gymnasieskolor i Sverige har infört eller är på väg att införa en lärplattform. Det finns dock sällan några riktlinjer till vad man ska använda lärplattformen. Läraren får friheten att använda plattformen till de ändamål som passar denna. Hur läraren ser på sitt uppdrag blir alltså väsentligt för hur lärplattformen används. Vi har därför valt att undersöka hur lärare ser på de nya möjligheter som lärplattformen ger.SyfteUndersökningen har haft som syfte att åskådliggöra hur lärarens yrkesidentitet utmanas av lärplattformen.• Hur ställer sig lärarna till lärplattformens obundenhet i tid och rum?• Hur ställer sig lärarna till att de inte längre är dominerande kunskapsförmedlare iskolan?MetodVi har genomfört kvalitativa intervjuer på två gymnasieskolor i Västra Sverige. Totalt har vi pratat med sex lärare i ca 45 minuter vardera. Det insamlade resultatet har vi analyserat utifrån Gunnar Bergs teori om skolans uppdrag och skolors uppgifter.ResultatVi har funnit att lärarna ser att vissa av deras yrkesuppdrag skulle påverkas av ett ökat användande av en lärplattform. Dessa tre uppdrag benämner vi som det ämnesförmedlande uppdraget, det socialiserande uppdraget och det kvalitetssäkrande och bedömande uppdraget.Vidare har vi funnit att lärarna inte vill använda lärplattformen för att ändra deras verksamhet utan enbart för att stödja de uppgifter de redan har.