25 Understanding Learning Management Systems

Learning Objectives

By completing this section, you can:

  • Identify essential knowledge about your school’s learning management system.
  • Access your school’s learning management system.
    • Examples include Blackboard and Microsoft Suite applications
  • Access your student account website.

Learning Management Systems

LMS stands for Learning Management System. There are numerous LMS platforms that your post-secondary school may use, so it is important to familiarize yourself with how to access and engage with the platform or application utilized by your school.

Some popular LMS systems consist of Blackboard Inc., Moodle, Sakai, Canvas by Instructure, and the Microsoft Suite applications.

Blackboard

Blackboard Learn

Blackboard Learn is a course management system that allows your instructors to provide course-based content in a central location. It can have course content, syllabuses, discussion boards, contact information, and provide grades in an electronic format.

For help navigating the platform, here is Blackboard Learn – Help for Students. Or, take a look at some of the helpful YouTube tutorials below.

Blackboard Inc.’s YouTube Playlist for Blackboard Learn: In this youtube playlist, you can learn how to use the tools in your Blackboard courses. These short on demand video tutorials are targeted just for you, explaining how to be successful in your online learning course environment.
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Blackboard Collaborate

Blackboard Collaborate is a real-time video conferencing tool that lets you add files, share applications, and use a virtual whiteboard to interact with classmates and instructors. Collaborate with the Ultra experience opens right in your browser, so you don’t have to install any software to join a session.
For help navigating the platform, here is Student and Participant Information for Blackboard Collaborate. Or, take a look at some of the helpful YouTube tutorials below.

Blackboard Inc.’s YouTube Playlist for Blackboard Collaborate: In this youtube playlist, you can learn how to use the tools in your Blackboard Collaborative experience. These short on demand video tutorials are targeted just for you, explaining how to be successful as a participant in Blackboard Collaborative sessions.

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Blackboard App

The Blackboard app is designed especially for students to view content and participate in courses. The current version of the app is available on iOS and Android mobile devices.

Microsoft Suite Applications

General Applications

Microsoft Suite or Microsoft 365 consists of multiple software programs that help with productivity. It includes applications that you may be familiar with, such as:

  • Microsoft Word, a word processing tool;
  • Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet program;
  • Microsoft PowerPoint, used for creating interactive presentations;
  • Microsoft Outlook, used for email and calendar management;
  • Microsoft Access, a database management program; and
  • Microsoft OneNote, a note-taking application.

Here is a quick video that highlights the Microsoft applications you may need to use for your academics:

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a collaboration application that lets your team or class stay organized and have conversations all in one place. With the shift to online learning and work amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many instructors utilize the Teams application to hold synchronous classes. You can use the application to connect with your peers and professor.

This quick video introduces Teams and provides some helpful information about navigating the application:

Microsoft Applications Integration with Teams

Retrieved from Alissa Bigelow at Georgian College

How to use Learning Management Systems to Your Benefit

Created by Vanessa Reka at the University of Windsor

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Post-Secondary 101: The First-Year Transition (eCO 2022) Copyright © 2022 by University of Windsor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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