Indianapolis District Opts for New LMS to Support New Staffing Initiative
Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) has selected a new learning management system in an attempt to improve efiiciency and support a new staffing model.
IPS representatives said they
decided on the Schoology LMS because it seemed like the best system to
streamline its
workflow problems and create new efficiencies. One feature of the LMS
is that
it is similar in appearance to Facebook, making students and parents
more
comfortable with it. At the same time, it limits access to only to
those
portions of the LMS that certain constituents need to have access to.
The platform also will offer
IPS course management, asset management, analytics and standards-based
integration tools it doesn't currently have. There are also mobile apps
that
teachers can use to manage their classes, students can use to stay
connected
and parents can use to stay up to date on their children's academic
progress.
Finally, a new LMS will help
IPS as it becomes a pilot district for Indiana's Innovation Network
Schools, a
strategic staffing model that allows teachers to take on additional
accountability and responsibilities — among them, the opportunity for
personalized learning — that could translate into salary increases for
them.
"While researching various
LMS platforms, we knew that we needed to find a technologically
sophisticated
partner that could meet the demands of all IPS stakeholders for a
collaborative
learning interface," said IPS Information Technology Officer Laura
Larimer. "In
Schoology, we have a partner that can address our needs today, as well
as our
evolving demands."
About the Author
Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.