A comparison of learning management systems in a school district: searching for the ideal personalized integrated educational system (PIES)

• Published in: Interactive learning environments 2014-11, Vol.22 (6), p.721-736
• Main Authors: Yildirim, Zahide, Reigeluth, Charles M., Kwon, Seolim, Kageto, Yuichi, Shao, Zihang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administrators; Age; Comparative Analysis; Content Analysis; Coordinators; customized learning; Indiana; information-age features; Integrated Learning Systems; Interactive learning; learner-centered paradigm; Learning Management Systems; Management Systems; Needs analysis; Opinions; personalized integrated educational system; Preferences; Qualitative Research; Research Design; School Districts; Semi Structured Interviews; Suburban Schools; Teachers; Technology Uses in Education; Trends
• ISSN: 1049-4820; 1744-5191
• DOI: 10.1080/10494820.2012.745423

This study explored the use of several learning management systems (LMS), their benefits, and their limitations in relation to the desired characteristics of an ideal Personalized Integrated Educational System (PIES) for the information age. A qualitative research design was used. The participants of the study were teachers, administrators, and technology coordinators in a small suburban school district. The data were collected through interviews and were subjected to content analysis. The findings of the study indicated that each of the LMSs investigated in this study still has some significant limitations, for none of them provides all the information-age functions of PIES, and what an ideal PIES should possess as information-age functions can be categorized under students' learning, assessment and system-related preferences.