Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/58065
Technology TOOLS OF THE TRADE New Tech for the Virtual Classroom Providers of e-learning technologies promise educators more options to design courses, organize content, and assess student performance than ever before. Expanded assessment capabilities, more customizable courses, more interac- tive content. These are features that digitally minded faculty are looking for in e-learning software, according to providers of educational software. The latest versions of course man- agement systems (CMS) and digital content have enhanced and added features to provide these capabilities and more to their systems. They aim not only to help educators design more dynamic online courses, but also to provide the assessment tools needed to meet today's increasingly rigorous accreditation standards. Tools for Assessment Perhaps the biggest concern for business schools today is assessment, says Jim Kourmadas, vice president and director of marketing for the business and economics group at McGraw-Hill Higher Education (MHHE). "AACSB has played no small part in driving the notion of accountability in its accreditation standards. Today's technology helps schools demonstrate that they're meeting their goals," he says. David Yaskin, vice president of product marketing for Blackboard, agrees that an increased emphasis on learning outcome assessment is one of the most significant trends now influencing the design of e-learning software. "Institutions recognize the need to make decisions based on comprehensive outcomes assess- 56 BizEd JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007 ment," says Yaskin. "Chief academic officers are concerned with questions at the heart of educational institu- tions. Primarily, 'Are students learn- ing what we say they should learn? Are we using student outcomes data as an organization to foster academic improvement?'" New features that address schools' assessment needs are emerg- ing quickly. For instance, MHHE's Assessment Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) allows instruc- tors to record student interactions and closely monitor student per- formance. ALEKS is also equipped with a Web-based tutor that helps students pinpoint and strengthen their weak areas. In addition, early this year Blackboard will be adding the Blackboard Outcomes System, which will allow faculty to track students' comprehension of material throughout a course. Another course management sys- tem in the higher education market, eCollege, is also adding assessment capabilities to its software. Its soon- to-be-released Learning Outcome Manager (LOM) is designed to help institutions monitor student mastery of material, says Matthew Schnitt- man, president of eCollege's eLearn- ing Division. "LOM will enable administrators to collect and analyze evidence that goes beyond grades," says Schnittman. "This can help sup- port accreditation requirements and drive program growth." Increased Customization While off-the-shelf e-learning soft- ware streamlines assessment and educational processes, instructors note that such systems can present some disadvantages. In the past, it was difficult for individual instruc- tors to customize the look and operation of their online courses within the larger system, and exter- nal software was often incompatible with many CMS platforms. Manufacturers are now emphasiz- ing greater customization capabili- ties within their individual products. eCollege.NExT, the latest software version from eCollege, includes interoperability with third-party and faculty-created software, as well as external simulations. It offers fea- tures that allow different customers to offer unique materials to students and create a unique look and feel to their programs. Blackboard, too, is increasing its platform's flexibility. Its Blackboard Academic Suite is built on an open architecture that allows administra- tors to integrate third-party applica- tions into its platform. Much of this customization is driven by an industrywide shift toward more open standards for educational software. In October, the IMS Global Learning Con- sortium of Lake Mary, Florida, announced that digital educational content and e-learning software will soon follow a new standard of interoperability. The new stan- dard, called "Common Cartridge," promises to enable the exchange of data between learning management platforms and standalone learning tools, such as adaptive tutors and assessment engines. Supporters of