Hi, I'd like to do adjunct teaching, and want to take an online course for Blackboard/WebCT, Angel, or Desire2Learn - or preferably, a course that would include information on all of those. Does anyone have advice or recommendations on how best to familiarize oneself with these?
Many institutions put their faculty LMS/CMS training online, so a Google search can provide a wealth of information. The LMS/CMS vendors will often allow you to try out the system for 30 days. I have taught with and administered Blackboard, Desire2Learn, WebCT (before it was acquired by Blackboard) and now oversee Angel (also recently acquired by Blackboard). Each system has its advantages and disadvantages. You may also wish to become acquainted with Moodle, since it is becoming quite popular and is easy to obtain for free.
I had no idea it was possible to utilize these resources from other schools, which I have encountered while searching for a way to familiarize myself with CMS/LMS.....I simply assumed that only faculty members were allowed to use them. Blackboard offers training to individuals, but it's pricey, at $390 per course, with a total of approximately $1000 for certification. Without knowing exactly what to expect on the ROI, it seemed unwise to go that route. Thanks very much for your reply; this is great information!
