Paper Title
An Ethnographic Perspective on an Lms used for Post-Graduate Students in an online Environment
Abstract
LMS facilitates the learning process and includes various components such as e-learning, multimedia elements including text, videos and graphics. Jumping into a Covid world was not planned or anticipated and lead to a new way of teaching. Covid came harsh and unannounced, and left its marks on how we perceive teaching and learning in higher education. The journey of LMS development of a module offered in the distance mode of delivery during the first semester of a post-graduate programme, was selected for this article. This module will be unpacked and analysed. Students enrolled for this module were also requested to complete a questionnaire to determine their overall experience of the module where the ADDIE model was applied as it describes the systematics approach to instructional development. It includes these 5 steps: The analysis phase (1), design phase (2), developmental phase (3), the implementation phase (4) and the evaluation phase(5). The focus will be on the evaluation phase where multimedia elements used in a specific section on a LMS (wilthin the online platform used) will be unpacked. The use of a LMS can assist a more structured and controlled curriculum offering within the educational cycle although it still provides numerous challenges within the higher education environment as the design of learning experiences on a LMS require not only pedagogical knowledge but also knowledge of the instructional design.Some of the recommendations include planning of more strategically on more rehearsal activities (such as reflections, smaller activities, tasks related to content, polls, etc.), to create more time for students to process and reflect on new information, more interactive tools to monitor the learning process and cognitive load should be limited The many lessons learned will be discussed as the learning experience on a LMS needs to take into account various multimedia – and interactive elements.
Keywords - Learning Management Site (LMS), Online Education, Student Experience, Instructional Design