How can you use learning management systems to engage students?

The idea is right: align your LMS use with your objectives. Unfortunately the example objectives in this prompt ("if you want to foster collaboration and communication," and "if you want to assess students' knowledge and skills") are far too generic. Using Bloom's Revised Taxonomy or Webb's Depth of Knowledge to evaluate and create your objectives and align them to lower and higher order thinking or cognitive effort would be advisable. From that point you can align your LMS use with your objectives. For example: if you want your students to analyze and evaluate others' writing and then create their own, using a blog or forum feature for them to respond to samples and then post their own would be a well-aligned use of an LMS feature.

Not a lot to add here since LMSes typically come with navigational elements. The idea, though, is to reduce working memory load by making the user experience as consistent and easy to navigate as possible. So using consistent colors, images, and naming conventions will go a long way toward lowering cognitive load and increasing the potential of learning.

It can be extremely helpful to use analytics and user testing to actually confirm that the UX is consistent and understandable. I like running a new user (especially a new hire) through the basic tasks to see what they intuitively look for. Sometimes a button is poorly named, or a menu isn't visible immediately on a mobile device. Testing with a real user can expose the flaws and help improve the LMS.

Providing options for different forms of learning material, covering the same content, allows for learners to engage in a method of their choice. On occasions, for example, there could be moments when watching a video isn't possible or appropriate and when looking at static versions of the learning material is more appropriate. Regardless of the type of interactivity that is involved, the biggest consideration should be with the quality and speed of feedback that feedback can be provided to the learner based on their interaction or answers.

Most LMSs include discussion boards, threads, or messaging areas. --> Consider starting a Discussion board around a fun question for the day. --> Start a Mentoring thread where folks can post videos they found helpful when learning a new subject. --> Start a study-buddy match maker where people can pair up to find folks to help them learn new skills. --> Add a thread that is only for off-topic chats. Sports threads, movie threads, song board: anything that will allow people to share otherwise silent parts of their personality. These opportunities allow your learners to connect on a social level, promoting a sense of community in your learning space.

Including features for informal data collection can be a game-changer! Beyond traditional assessments, tools like discussion analytics, participation trackers, or simple surveys within your LMS offer real-time insights into student progress. For instance, in Moodle, discussion analytics reveal engagement patterns; Blackboard's participation trackers monitor student involvement; Canvas provides survey tools for quick feedback. These data-informed features not only enhance our understanding of the learner’s specific journey but also enable timely interventions and personalized support. By embracing these tools, we can tailor-make a more responsive and effective educational experience.

For certain students, the act of logging in presents a notable hurdle. This challenge is exacerbated when a LMS incorporates additional applications, each demanding a distinct login with its unique set of credentials, creating a potential catastrophe. In this scenario, the student's cognitive resources become disproportionately consumed by the authentication process and password trial-and-error, hindering their ability to engage with the lesson material. In the realm of educational technology, it becomes evident that adopting alternative and user-friendly authentication methods, as opposed to lengthy and intricate passwords, would significantly enhance the overall learning experience for students.