Caitlin Ross Computer Programmer Student Algonquin College 1385 Woodroffe Ave. Ottawa, ON, K2G 1V8 April 13, 2021 Rinni Reubens-Alege Online Facilitator for Technical Communication Algonquin College 1385 Woodroffe Ave. Ottawa, ON, K2G 1V8 Dear Ms. Reubens-Alege, Included is my report on the benefits of Ontario creating a full curriculum with content using an online Learning Management System (LMS). During the weeks when my 11-year-old nephew stayed with us, I saw him struggle to focus on his virtual classroom. A significant portion of his school day was spent listening to the teacher explain how to find, access, and complete the homework. My report outlines why the Province of Ontario should consider mandating that schools use an online LMS. It starts by explaining the benefits for students and their families, then proceeds to compare various options available. The Snapshot of Successful K-12 Online Learning paper by Jemma Bae Kwon, Kristen Debruler, and Kathryn Kennedy helped immensely in developing this report by describing an existing version of my solution. Knowing that the solution exists elsewhere gave me confidence in proposing it for this context. I enjoyed learning about the intersection of pedagogy and technology. This research has given me a deeper look into how technology can not only benefit society, but also ameliorate various issues we take for granted. For more information, or to discuss my findings, feel free to contact me at ross0272@algonquinlive.com. Sincerely, Caitlin Ross   Declaration of Sole Authorship I, Caitlin Ross, confirm that this work submitted for assessment is my own and is expressed in my own words. Any uses made within it of the works of any other author, in any form (ideas, equations, figures, texts, tables, programs), are properly acknowledged at the point of use. A list of the references is included. Digital Signature: Date: April 13, 2021   Abstract The arrival of a global pandemic exposed how reliant the Ontario education system is on being physically present. Many events can prevent students from attending classes in-person, which is why the Province of Ontario needs to mandate the addition of distance learning to supplement the traditional classroom. This report examines reasons why online learning using a Learning Management System (LMS) is a desirable addition to the current classroom environment and enumerates various challenges around requiring this option. Furthermore, it describes the leading LMS and compares it to the one already in use by Ontario, then goes on to outline a few non-LMS alternatives.   Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables v Figure v Table v Glossary vi Introduction 7 Ontario’s VLE 8 Background 8 Benefits 10 Challenges 11 Alternate LMS Option: Moodle 12 Alternatives to LMS 13 Conclusions 14 Recommendations 15 References 16   List of Figures and Tables Figure 1. LMS Market Share in Canada. A graph showing the relative market share of various Learning Management Systems by year in Canada [1]. 8 Figure 2. Brightspace Funster Mode. Example of the user interface that Brightspace uses for younger students [2]. 10 Figure 3. Moodle Plugin Directory. Screenshot showing a small subset of themes available for Moodle [8]. 12   Glossary Term Acronym Definition Learning Management System LMS Software used to develop, publish, and administer courses to students User Interface UI The part of the software that the user interacts with Virtual Learning Environment VLE Ontario’s catch-all term for the both Brightspace LMS and the content made available for teachers   Introduction This report proposes a solution for the Province of Ontario to implement that would improve distance and virtual learning for public school students. Despite having adopted Brightspace as the Ontario’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), not all schools have implemented it. The arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic revealed how essential it is to have distance learning options available for all students, regardless of age. The information will concentrate on the students’ perspective. E-learning may provide unique challenges to educators, parents, and administrators, but the needs of the students will be the focus here. The report will focus on the benefits and challenges of compulsory VLE use for all classes, along with pros and cons of various alternatives to Ontario’s VLE. These options will be considered in the context of integrating distance education into the kindergarten to grade 12 curricula rather than replacing the traditional classroom. While virtual learning is becoming more essential, it does not eliminate the value of attending classes in-person.   Ontario’s VLE Background Learning Management Systems (LMS) are becoming more and more prevalent as working from home and virtual education become a priority. As seen in Figure 1 [1], the most popular LMS for post-secondary education in Canada is Moodle at 39% market share in 2019, followed by Brightspace at 29%. Typically, LMS software includes several components that integrate to create the e-learning environment. At it’s most basic, it provides the framework for course creation and allows the instructor to publish the course to students. In addition, the LMS normally allows the instructor to track enrollment and view student progress through quizzes, assignments, and other assessments. The Ministry of Education in Ontario has already provided a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that includes materials for teachers to plan and run their classes using the Brightspace LMS by D2L [2].   Benefits Using an LMS allows greater access to education for children who are unable to physically attend school for various reasons such as being hospitalized, incarcerated, or living in a remote community. In addition, e-learning minimizes disruptions to education for all students during pandemics and severe weather. While access to internet would become an issue during prolonged storms, snow days would no longer interfere with lessons. In addition, the LMS could permit the province to collect and analyze data about factors effecting student success and learning outcomes. This data could be used to incrementally improve the curriculum and increase the quality of education across Ontario. One advantage of Brightspace over other LMS is the focus on K-12. Many commercial LMS developers market their product towards large corporations and higher education. While these solutions may work well for older students, younger ones could have a harder time learning the interface. Brightspace supports all age ranges by tailoring the user interface (UI) based on reading level. Younger students have a “Funster mode” (shown in Figure 2) that makes navigating the LMS easier and less text-based [2].   Challenges Certain courses will never be ideal for distance learning. Typically, these courses would require expensive equipment or materials, such as chemistry, auto shop, or certain forms of art. In many cases, these classes could be adapted to have a virtual component that focuses on theory in addition to the practical in-person requirements. One of the major barriers to virtual classrooms right now is access to reliable internet. Currently, many rural or Northern communities lack hardline access. There is currently a push to increase the availability [3], but this would need to be a continuing priority for the province. For some students, barriers to virtual learning would be more profound than just access to internet. Certain disabilities may make it difficult or even impossible for them to participate in an online classroom. These students would require in-person accommodations when their peers are using the VLE. This is not insurmountable, but it would require extra planning to support these students.   Alternate LMS Option: Moodle As seen in Figure 1, Moodle is the most popular LMS in Canada for higher learning. Moodle is open-source, highly customizable, and free. While all these factors have made it extremely popular, this also means that extensive technical knowledge and resources are needed to implement it properly. If Ontario were to switch, the province would need to hire their own team to administer, host, and support the software. There are Moodle Partners who manage the hosting and support [4], but this would likely cost as much as using Brightspace. The only remaining advantage would be Moodle’s customizability, as illustrated in Figure 3.   Alternatives to LMS An early alternative to LMS that was used at Carleton University was called CUTV. This service has been rebranded over the years and appears to now be integrated into their LMS [5]. In the past, certain lectures were recorded and made available to distance learners through a dedicated TV channel. While this model worked for a post-secondary situation, it poses serious security concerns for children in the classroom. Beyond the security issues, elementary students have very different learning needs from post-secondary students. Another option would be to simply continue with the in-person model of education. However, the pandemic has made this extremely dangerous. Beyond the pandemic, this hinders access to education for students who cannot attend school for various reasons. Maintaining the status quo may be the path of least resistance, but it no longer works for many students.   Conclusions   Recommendations   References [1] J. Menard, "Learning Management Systems in Canada," Listed Tech, 28 June 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.listedtech.com/blog/learning-management-system-canada. [Accessed 13 March 2021]. [2] D2L, "D2L Creators of the Brightspace Learning Management System," D2L, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.d2l.com. [Accessed 14 March 2021]. [3] Province of Ontario, "Connecting Ontario: Improving broadband and cellular access," 4 November 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.ontario.ca/page/connecting-ontario-improving-broadband-and-cellular-access?_ga=2.20923134.736021085.1591109634-2139301460.1583437132. [Accessed 13 April 2021]. [4] Moodle, "Find a Partner | Moodle," Moodle, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://moodle.com/partners/. [Accessed 13 April 2021]. [5] Carleton University, "About the VOD Service," 2016. [Online]. Available: https://vod.carleton.ca/about. [Accessed 13 April 2021]. [6] Moodle, "Online Learning with the World's Most Popular LMS," Moodle, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://moodle.com. [Accessed 13 March 2021]. [7] Connections Academy, "Annual Survey Results Reveal Why K-12 Students Attend Virtual Public Schools," Connections Academy, 2015. [Online]. Available: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7310553-connections-education-satisfaction-survey/. [Accessed 28 March 2021]. [8] CRTC, "2019 Fixed Broadband Service Availability," Cartovista, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://crtc.gc.ca/cartovista/BroadbandService_18_19_4km_En/index.html. [Accessed 13 April 2021].