Too many learning systems cause confusion through out LACCD

The possibility of adapting a single Learning Management System (LMS) for the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) was recommended as achievable by a team through the Feasibility Taskforce Report on Thursday, March 6.

The LACCD is composed of nine colleges which are: Pierce College, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Los Angeles City College, East Los Angeles College, Los

Angeles Harbor College, Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles Southwest College, Los Angeles Valley College and West Los Angeles College.

Within the nine schools, there are currently two LMS’s being used which are “Moodle” and “ETUDES”, according to Wendy Bass, the distance education coordinator at Pierce College and member of the taskforce.

Pierce’s current LMS is Moodle, which is used as a tool by faculty members and students for both online and face-to-face courses that are “web-enhanced” by the system. The current annual cost for Moodle, Bass said, is $37,000 under an enterprise license that allows all of the classes to use it.

The Los Angeles TradeTechnical College (LATTC) is the only other institution in the district that uses Moodle, according to Bass.

The taskforce that recommended the feasibility of the single LMS was created in May 2, 2013 by the Distance Education Stakeholders. This was done in order to investigate the pros and cons of a district-wide system and to see if it would be possible to have just one system, according to the Feasibility Taskforce Report.

By offering a single LMS throughout the district, faculty and students would be able to receive extended technical support, faculty members would receive uniformed training, and each college would pay a possible lower cost, according to the Feasibility Taskforce Report.

However, according to the same report, a potential over reliance on one system, training costs, retraining of faculty and the migration of current data from one LMS to the other might become issues.

[See LMS, pg. 3] to open that because of a global contract. We felt the need was high here. We took a little grief for it, but it was well worth it. So it’s not a full fledged food court by any means. We’d love to have some independent vendors come in like Subway, and Panda Express and all that. It’s going to be viable. And we’ve got to have capitalization. No one is moving into these spots for friendships. they move in because they want to make money.”

Lovebirds is also thinking of extending their hours during midterms and final exams, though “nothing is set in stone,” according to Aliga.

“Let’s just see what the demand is,” Kraus said.

Some of the proposed solutions to the problematic transportation are to purchase newer bike racks, further enforce the rules, and encourage students to park and walk at the appropriate places. Kraus estimated these services costing $23,326.

The funding would not only go to new racks for bicycles, but skateboarders would be able to lock their boards on special docks, and “share the road” signs would be placed in high traffic areas throughout campus.

One solution is to verbally intercept students riding bikes and skateboards to class. Kraus mapped out the busiest areas where it would be best to stop and ask students to walk the rest of the way around campus.

“We want to make the campus more friendly to bicycles,” Kraus said. “We want the bicycle riders to come on campus but we want them to park their bicycles.”

The current bike rack locations and designs are not ideal. Kraus admitted that the older racks were not optimal, only allowing for the front tire to be locked in. This makes it difficult for bikers to lock up their frame without scratching it.

[See SENATE, pg. 3]