Navigate 4.1.1 – Trend Impact Quest

Navigate 4.1.1 – Trend Impact Quest

I think one of the hottest and upcoming trends in Digital Learning will be m-learning or mobile learning. Everyone has a smart phone, tablet, or electronic device with them at all times. Students live and breathe by their smart phones. M-learning is an opportunity for schools to tap into students' interests and passions by offering apps and tools to utilize in the classroom and outside the classroom.

Instead of looking at mobile devices as a negative impact in the school, we need to embrace them and let students utilize them for learning. If all we do is take up phones and fight this war, that we will never win, then we all lose- students, parents, educators, schools and communities. We need to look at mobile devices as a chance for us to finally be able to bridge a gap with our students and communicate with them on their level.

Schools and districts are beginning to adopt Bring Your Own Technology(BYOT) or Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)- this is a chance for schools and districts to embrace technology instead of shunning it and punishing students for having it.

Educators need to get on board use the devices and apps that motive students in their classrooms. M-learning is also a wonderful opportunity to stay in touch with parents as well. Again, parents usually have a smartphone to be able to plug in and check on class/homework assignments, grades, etc...

Mobile learning along with other tools in the digital learning world can be a chance for educators to really connect and touch the lives of more students.

Navigate 3.2.1 – Tools for Deciding on an LMS Quest

Navigate 3.2.1 – Tools for Deciding on an LMS Quest

There are so many LMS/CMS for one to look at it that the task of choosing one can be quite daunting and overwhelming to say the least. The process needs to focus on your learning institution's expectations, goals, and needs. The following steps from GAVS Tool Navigate program can help in the process:

• Needs Analysis – define the goals of acquiring an LMS for your organization.
• Requirements Gathering Process- meet with stakeholders from users to the implementation team to do a thorough rubric of requirements that meet all needs.
• Vendor Identification – identify the potential vendors that match the program’s needs and general requirements. Open Source or a vendor?
• Request for Information – request information from the vendors identified to clarify that the needs and requirements are in line with their product offerings.
• Request for Proposal – request proposals from the leading vendors to compare pricing models.

Josh Bersin quotes in his blog so profoundly... "The days of being an "expert" have changed. In today's rapid-moving information economy professionals in every discipline have to learn continuously. The "renaissance man" has been replaced with the "renaissance learner." People who know how to continuously learn will outpace their peers." That is why the LMS is now a $2 billion industry that keeps growing yearly.

For K-12 learning and higher learning (professional learning with teachers), I feel the following are the top LMS:

1. Moodle

2. Canvas

3. Blackboard

4. Pearson Learning Studio

5. Desire2Learn

My number one priority is the user-friendly component for both the teacher and student. If it is NOT user-friendly I moved on to other LMS.

Moodle as of now is the optimal LMS for me to utilize with teachers in professional learning.
Canvas is my pick to utilize with students in K-12.