New report explores experiences of online educational consortia that implemented a common learning management system.

Cost savings and increasing operational efficiencies are among the top reasons educational consortia choose to adopt and use a common learning management system (LMS), according to a new report.

The California Community Colleges Online Education Initiative (CCC OEI) worked with MindWires Consulting to determine what online consortia are doing and plan to do when faced with similar decisions around adopting a common LMS. The resulting report outlines a number of reasons for such a move.

In 2015, CCC OEI chose Instructure’s Canvas as its common LMS, and more than half of the 113 member community colleges have announced plans to implement it.

The report found that the cost savings and operational efficiencies seemed to be the primary motivators for a common LMS adoption.

“Cost savings were generally realized by leveraging the power of negotiating as a system to obtain more favorable terms with platform providers,” according to the authors.

Increased efficiencies “came primarily from the centralization, at least partially, of support, training, and professional development resources for one common platform.”

(Next page: 5 recommendations for a common LMS adoption)

Access and Pedagogy New Considerations

Other motivators include equity, which some consortia see as “a way to ensure that all campuses, large and small, were able to have access to a CMS [common course management system],” the authors noted.

And while access and pedagogical benefits were not top considerations for the consortia that adopted a common LMS in the early 2000s, that has changed, according to the report, because many consortia now realize “that their online programs increase access to some courses and programs that are either not offered at a local campus or are over-subscribed. In addition, these online programs have proven to increase access for the growing population of nontraditional students who are unable to attend courses on campus.”

“As we talked about deploying a full complement of resources for high-quality programs across a system, it became clear that a common CMS enabled that,” said Pat James, executive director of the CCC OEI. “It made professional development easier, it made actual resource deployment reasonable and efficient, it meant having communities of practice, but mostly it meant students would have the benefit of a consistent approach, so the actual course environment became transparent.”

While efficiencies and cost savings were expected benefits, flexibility emerged as a surprise.

“The surprise piece was the benefit of the flexibility that a common CMS could provide,” James said. “Because we’re working with a product or a platform that is cloud-based, we’re finding that customization across the system is possible, and that really allows us to experience with effective practice and find out what’s working. You wouldn’t think that everyone using the same system would be flexible.”

The authors also examined various drawbacks to a common LMS, which include:

  • If a system-wide problem develops, everyone is affected
  • A common platform may not let the system take advantage of benefits or pedagogical strengths of different platforms
  • Consortia might over-pay for a system-wide tool that is, in reality, not widely used
  • A common LMS doesn’t solve all problems

5 Recommendations

For those consortia considering the adoption of a common LMS, the report offers five recommendations:

1. Bridge the gap between IT and ed-tech teams
When information is shared and exchanged equally between the two teams, everyone is better positioned for success.

2. Don’t let technology drive the bus
Consider the needs of the instructors and students who will actually be using the common LMS.

3. Establish consortium-wide committees
This helps to ensure everyone is informed and has a chance to offer input.

4. Go with vendor support and leverage relative strengths
Internal resources are freed to focus on instructional design and other high-level concerns, and users are able to get support through the vendor.

5. View it as an opportunity to focus on effective pedagogy
Moving to a common LMS can transfer the focus from the actual system to teaching and learning practices.

The full report is available on the e-Literate blog.

The CCC OEI was established as a collaborative effort to increase access to, and success in, high-quality online courses to help students meet their educational goals.

Sign up for our newsletter

Newsletter: Innovations in K12 Education
By submitting your information, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Laura Ascione

Oops! We could not locate your form.

Sign up for our newsletter

Newsletter: Innovations in K12 Education
By submitting your information, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.