Professional Cloud Services
An estimated 50-70% (Hodges, 2011) of current IT investments by companies and schools is directed to the maintenance of infrastructures such as servers and in-house data storage devices. This cost can be significantly lowered by the use of cloud computing technology. With the use of a private company to manage the data storage and availability for the business, savings of up to 30% of their current budget could be expected.
Using a private company to manage and maintain your data storage and access also has the potential to increase the speed at which the company is able to do business and for schools, this means greater potential for student access to information (Ledesma, 2011). This is emphasised by many companies that offer cloud computing technologies to their customers. Many companies are currently offering services to accommodate professional applications of cloud computing. For businesses, small and large, this option has been marketed as a cost efficient option and schools now too are seeing these benefits.
Lowering costs for IT infrastructure and maintenance leaves extra room within school's already tight budgets. However, if a school decides to use a cloud based Learning Management System, they will not have the support of a dedicated in house technician to fix the issues. This means that schools, district and teachers will need to seek outside help to customize, change, update and manipulate their Learning Management System.
Below is an example of companies offering cloud based Learning Management Systems and pages that offer support to users, as well as some extra information about the services. These pages should give you a better idea of the services offered by these companies as well as the similarities and differences between these Cloud-Based Learning Management Systems.
Using a private company to manage and maintain your data storage and access also has the potential to increase the speed at which the company is able to do business and for schools, this means greater potential for student access to information (Ledesma, 2011). This is emphasised by many companies that offer cloud computing technologies to their customers. Many companies are currently offering services to accommodate professional applications of cloud computing. For businesses, small and large, this option has been marketed as a cost efficient option and schools now too are seeing these benefits.
Lowering costs for IT infrastructure and maintenance leaves extra room within school's already tight budgets. However, if a school decides to use a cloud based Learning Management System, they will not have the support of a dedicated in house technician to fix the issues. This means that schools, district and teachers will need to seek outside help to customize, change, update and manipulate their Learning Management System.
Below is an example of companies offering cloud based Learning Management Systems and pages that offer support to users, as well as some extra information about the services. These pages should give you a better idea of the services offered by these companies as well as the similarities and differences between these Cloud-Based Learning Management Systems.
Google Apps for Education
Less of a Learning Management System and more of a personalized space, Google Apps Marketplace allows users with a Google account to select and access applications that can be used to collaborate, communicate and create. The use of Google apps allows users to share documents with anyone else that has a google account. Google Apps for Education include many different applications in the suite including gmail, calendar, chat, documents, sites and videos. As Google Apps for education is not a traditional Learning Management System, its marketing has been effective for educational institutions as a low cost, user friendly suite of applications that lend themselves to creating an integrated and engaging learning environment. Many of the learning management systems we explore below are able to integrate Google Docs and Apps into their learning platform making Google one of the keystones to many available cloud-based Learning Management Systems. |
MoodleRooms
MoodleRooms bases their service off the open-source Learning Management System, Moodle. By using the open-source aspect of Moodle, MoodleRooms tailors and offers a customized e-learning solution for educational institutions. As MoodleRooms is a cloud based service, as opposed to Moodle which requires a dedicated server and hosting service, the speed and the amount of room required by educators and institutions can be modified, increased and changed as needed. MoodleRooms has recently been acquired by Blackboard (a proprietary closed-source learning management company), but has continued to serve as an effective community member of the open-source community through contributions to code and financial support.
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Haiku
Offers users tools to create a Learning management System that integrates well within the classroom as well as outside the classroom. Haiku offers the creation of website, collaborative activities, assessments and online annotation of student work. Haiku also advertises that is scalable and can work for any size of user. Haiku integrates with Google Docs and allows teachers and students to convert Word documents directly to Google Docs while still in the Haiku platform. This is intended to increase the ease of collaboration for both students and teachers. Haiku also offers users the opportunity to make suggestions for improvement and additions to the software. This means that teachers and instructors have the opportunity to suggest what they would like to see added and have the opportunity to have these additions added to the services or the program code. |
Docebo
Docebo offers e-learning platform solutions and online courses at cost to the consumers or learners. Docebo advertises that for a fee, you will have access to preloaded courses, mobile modifications to the learning management systems for learners, and access to their cloud technology. Docebo makes use of the Amazon Cloudfront for its distribution network and also offers round the clock unlimited support to its customers. Docebo also offers a free service for a maximum of 5 users if one would like to trial run the service. Docebo also is compatible with Google Apps as well as SCORM compliant.
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Luminosity
Luminosity is a set of eLearning products that are designed and marketed as a product that does not require extensive IT training for users.
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Litmos
Litmos is a cloud based Learning Management System that allows users to create courses, manage classes, track, analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the classes offered. One unique element of Litmos is that it offers users the chance to charge learners for taking the course, enabling individuals and institutions to create custom courses for e-training that learners will have to pay for. Litmos also hosts its own training system, which in turn means that the teacher or instructor becomes the expert rather than an IT professional or department. Users are then trained how to manipulate the LMS, and thus gain firsthand knowledge of what is and isn't possible. |
OpenClass
OpenClass is a joint venture between educational publisher Pearson and Google. Together, they have created OpenClass which is marketed as a free Learning Management System aimed at helping institutions lower the costs and increase the usability of learning management systems. Unlike many of the other options available for cloud based Learning Management Systems, OpenClass is a free solution that is offered to its users. However, at the moment OpenClass is currently in beta testing version and is not open to individual teachers to implement themselves.
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Knoodle
Knoodle is a learning management system that integrates media and presentations in the effort to make the programs that are presented more engaging for the learners. Knoodle was founded in 2009 and is a relatively new company that is trying to break into many different fields with their products. These products include elearning solutions, personal applications and uses and the platform is flexible enough to allow users to create material in for any means they seem fit. Knoodle provides many different applications within its service to manage and give its users the ability to create custom courseware for individual needs. This information can be found here. Knoodle also allows users to integrate and embed Google Docs as well as youtube videos and allows users to publish and share their Google Docs. Below you will find some information about Knoodle and the services, purpose and solutions it provides. |
Where else can you go for Support
There are many services available for organizations that want to use cloud-based technology to host and create their Learning Management System. What you have been provided above is only a small sampling of the available companies and a few sites to use to seek further information about the companies and their services.
Some of these companies offer their services for a price, which helps to ensure support, customization and customer care. Other technologies listed above of of no cost to the users, keep in mind that these free services do not necessarily come with the dedicated customer service that the pay for use companies can provide. However, support for most LMSs is available through web searches and YouTube videos.
Another subset of companies also exist for users who want professional help in customizing and altering their existing non-cloud based Learning Management System. Companies such as Lambda Solutions, ecreators and Net Spot offer services for customization of Moodle LMS platforms. While services such as Catalyst, ULCC, and Kineo work with customization of Mahara, an open-source eportfolio and social networking software. These companies offer their services and expertise to help consumers create Learning Management Systems that are tailored and fit the needs of the school, district, individual or company.
Some of these companies offer their services for a price, which helps to ensure support, customization and customer care. Other technologies listed above of of no cost to the users, keep in mind that these free services do not necessarily come with the dedicated customer service that the pay for use companies can provide. However, support for most LMSs is available through web searches and YouTube videos.
Another subset of companies also exist for users who want professional help in customizing and altering their existing non-cloud based Learning Management System. Companies such as Lambda Solutions, ecreators and Net Spot offer services for customization of Moodle LMS platforms. While services such as Catalyst, ULCC, and Kineo work with customization of Mahara, an open-source eportfolio and social networking software. These companies offer their services and expertise to help consumers create Learning Management Systems that are tailored and fit the needs of the school, district, individual or company.
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