1.1.3 Learning Management Systems
A learning management system (LMS) is a software application used to manage and deliver educational courses and materials. It is typically used by educational institutions such as universities, colleges, K-12 schools, and corporate training departments, as well as by individual instructors and trainers. An LMS provides a central platform for instructors to deliver course materials, such as lectures, readings, assignments, and quizzes, and for students to access those materials and communicate with their instructors and classmates. It is a tool that can be used to track student progress, manage grades, and generate reports on student performance.
According to Farley and Pike (2016), engaging convicts in education is one of the approaches that could reduce security risks in prisons. One of the most difficult aspects of detention for convicts is boredom, which often leads to frustration and increases the danger of damage to staff and other prisoners. The authors propose that if education were measured for its risk-reducing capacity, some of these issues may be mitigated. The authors emphasized that a number of programs in Australia and the United Kingdom have been done to integrate digital technology into prisons to give better access to self-paced higher levels of education, which could assist achieve the benefits of reduced risk and lower recidivism rates. LMSs can be self-hosted or cloud-based, and may offer a variety of pricing models, such as monthly or annual subscriptions. Some popular LMSs include Moodle, Blackboard, Canvas, and Schoology.