The use of e-learning course management systems to support learning strategies and to improve self-regulated learning

Abstract

The adoption of Course Management Systems (CMSs) for web-based instruction continues to increase in today's higher education. A CMS is a software program or integrated platform that contains a series of web-based tools to support a number of activities and course management procedures (Severson, 2004). Examples of Course Management Systems are Blackboard, WebCT, eCollege, Moodle, Desire2Learn, Angel, etc. An argument for the adoption of elearning environments using CMSs is the flexibility of such environments when reaching out to potential learners in remote areas where brick and mortar institutions are non-existent. It is also believed that e-learning environments can have potential added learning benefits and can improve students' and educators' self-regulation skills, in particular their metacognitive skills. In spite of this potential to improve learning by means of using a CMS for the delivery of elearning, the features and functionalities that have been built into these systems are often underutilized. As a consequence, the created learning environments in CMSs do not adequately scaffold learners to improve their self-regulation skills. In order to support the improvement of both the learners' subject matter knowledge and learning strategy application, the e-learning environments within CMSs should be designed to address learners' diversity in terms of learning styles, prior knowledge, culture, and selfregulation skills. Self-regulative learners are learners who can demonstrate 'personal initiative, perseverance and adaptive skill in pursuing learning ' (Zimmerman, 2002). Self-regulation requires adequate monitoring strategies and metacognitive skills'.The created e-learning environments should encourage the application of learners' metacognitive skills by prompting learners to plan, attend to relevant content, and monitor and evaluate their learning. This position paper sets out to inform policy makers, educators, researchers, and others of the importance of a metacognitive elearning approach when designing instruction using Course Management Systems. Such a metacognitive approach will improve the utilization of CMSs to support learners on their path to self-regulation. We argue that a powerful CMS incorporates features and functionalities that can provide extensive scaffolding to learners and support them in becoming self-regulated learners. Finally, we believe that extensive training and support is essential if educators are expected to develop and implement CMSs as powerful learning tools. The educational technology revolutionSince the late 1990s, the utilization of CMSs for web-based instruction has steadily increased in higher education. The implementation of CMSs in universities followed on the revolution of educational technology that promised better quality, learner-centred education and claimed that it would deliver more independent and active students (Swinney, 2004). E-learning delivered electronic learning materials to distant learners and it was considered to be the new vehicle that would lea...

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