Learning Management Systems (LMS) Evaluation Framework

Abstract

mend implementing Moodle LMS and creation of development community in SudanA Learning Management System (LMS) is aimed at managing an e-learning environment, establishing the organization and delivery of content, administrating resources and tracking learning activities and results. LMS that are in use today are either commercial products (e.g. WebCT, Blackboard), or free open source products (e.g. Moodle, ILIAS), or customized (building) software systems that serve the instructional purposes of particular organizations. LMS that belongs to the first and second categories are exponentially increasing, as most education, training institutions and universities are using readymade LMS. This is due to the difficulty of the development of such systems. In this study an evaluation framework was developed to study and assess about 20 Learning Management System (LMS), used worldwide. These LMS systems differ from each other in the following criteria: their sources, as some of them are open sources and the others are closed ones; prices, where some are free of charge and some are sold in different ranges of prices; producing corporations, where some are profit companies and some are universities and research centers. The developed Framework depends on his work upon group of selection criteria, these criteria divided in to two types, Major Criteria; these criteria are common features (tools) that must be found totally or partially at any LMS, gave a percentage of 85% from the total score that obtained by the LMS. Veto Criteria; these criteria are based on the local needs which help implementation of LMS in Sudan, and gave a percentage of 15% from the total score that obtained by the LMS. This Framework was assessed 20 selected Learning Management System (LMS), and the final result that the Moodle was obtained the first position regarding this assessment (the best one for Sudanese environment) with percentage of 84.36%. And we recommend implementing Moodle LMS and creation of development community in SudanA Learning Management System (LMS) is aimed at managing an e-learning environment, establishing the organization and delivery of content, administrating resources and tracking learning activities and results. to develop to develop and design the local needs of Sudanese universities.