Navigate 3.1.1 LMS Tool Categories

An Learning Management System (LMS) has many relevant tools. This post will focus on Analytics and how it relates directly to effective online instruction.

Analytics plays a pivotal role in the layout of an effective Learning Management System (LMS). Analytics provides a mechanism for  timely feedback and evaluation of assessments. Using these automated metrics, teachers can drill down while identifying outliers (those questions that seemed to stump the class and need to be reworded or the content retaught/taught differently). Equally as important, the individual data can be shared with a student to aid him/her in examining “specific” areas of improvement. Together teacher and student can create an action plan.

How might these be used in the online environment?

 Analytics, especially the grading feature, is used everyday in an online learning environment. Assignments that provide students with immediate feedback that guides them to the correct answer without stating it directly while allowing them to have multiple attempts on incorrect responses are the most useful. These types of activities permit students to work towards content mastery without misappropriating their time by having them "simply redo the assignment in its entirety."