Research on How People Learn
MANY SCHOOL LEADERS are looking at research from the National Research Council that has found some common trends in education. In How People Learn, Bridging Research and Practice, the research leads to three key findings important for teachers to know: Accessing prior knowledge, building conceptual frameworks, and metacognition are the three influential strategies to increase student success. 

How can teachers use these key findings in their classrooms to increase achievement? Some teachers are turning to learning management systems (LMS's).

The purpose of a learning management system is to provide a creative and effective online learning community. It also provides a variety of features to lead students to achieve their intended learning outcomes. These features include assignments, chats, forums, glossaries, quizzes, surveys, Wikis, workshops, and lessons. Teachers are given the flexibility to determine the layout and features used for each lesson. There are a variety of LMS's for teachers to choose from, including Moodle, Blackboard, and WebLockerz. Can these programs really help students learn?

Students come to the classroom with misconceptions, which left unaddressed will lead students to fail to accept new concepts. Teachers must assess the students’ prior knowledge to bring these ideas to the surface. With the aid of an LMS, teachers can find new and creative ways of having students share what they think in a safe environment. 

A feature known as a Chat allows the teacher to post questions to a group of students and they can chat about their thoughts on the topic. Students can share without feeling the pressure of being correct. Pre-assessment quizzes, such as Moodle’s Hot Potato, is another feature teachers can use to assess students’ prior knowledge on what they know and think they know.

Students need to build conceptual frameworks linking old and new concepts together. The role of a teacher is not to teach solo lessons, but teach an organized unit that connects one day of learning to the next. 

The features of a LMS assist teachers by giving students the opportunity to link one day to the next. Forums allow students to post their thinking and results, and challenge other groups on their findings. The assignments feature allows students to share their learning and make connections to previous lessons.

Students also need time to think about their thinking, which allows students to become monitors of their own processing. Research has shown that students capable of metacognitive strategies improve understanding in many subject matters. 

How can a LMS assist students to master these strategies? A feature in most LMS is journaling. This allows time for students to reflect on a daily basis on learned concepts and experiences. Students have the opportunity to revist lessons and predict outcomes, determine areas they are still confused on, activate their prior knowledge, and make connections to other ideas.

As research helps the learning community bridge the gaps between achievement and failure, educators have to find ways to assess prior knowledge, help students make conceptual connections, and allow students time to reflect on their learning. Learning management systems are a great tool for teachers and a creative way to get students to be excited about all subjects.

Nicole Buchanan

Buchanan, N. (2005). Learning Management Systems. In B. Hoffman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Educational Technology.