What is the right (Learning Management System) LMS for you and why would you use one?

In our modern digitally-orinetated classrooms, the use of a Learning Management System (LMS) classrooms helps the teacher connect the students’ everyday life with an educational system for easier technology integration.   A learning management system (LMS) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of electronic educational technology courses or teaching programs. LMSes are made to help educators create and deliver content, monitor student participation and assess student performance. They may include interactive features like discussion forums or video conferencing. They are generally collaborative, web based, user-oriented software applications. Sometimes a LMS is rather referred to a Social Learning Setwork like Edmodo and Obami. 

a) Edmodo

The most popular Learning Management System among teachers, or rather Social Learning System among teachers, it seems, is Edmodo. I use it extensively for global projects because you can do so much collaboration on it and it is free.  The following video shows a basic tutorial in using Edmodo.

One can find a more detailed video from Russel Stannard on using Edmodo entitled 'A Full Introduction To Edmodo' at https://goo.gl/obYKLi. On our SchoolNet blog there is also a post on Edmodo entitled Introduce your class to Edmodo – a great Learning Management System

b) Obami

"Obami (www.obami.com) is a social learning network that connects everyone within the education space -- from teachers, learners and parents, to trainers and mentors as well as business management, NGO's and government. Along with social media tools -- like blogs, chat, newsfeeds and more - the platform allows for the creating and sharing of educational resources, while providing a powerful assessment while providing a powerful assessmentmodule to improve learner participation and performance. Obami is accessible via both web and mobile and is already being used by hundreds of primary and secondary schools (city, township and rural based) across Southern Africa, as well as Europe and the United States. It is helping more than 30,000 educators, young people and their parents to connect, create, share and learn -- all from within an incredibly secure and easily managed, learning environment. Obami has been recognised as one the most innovative technologies in the world by UNESCO, Netexplo, Deloitte, Air-France and partners. It has also been identified as one of the top 20 start-ups in Africa by Forbes."

We have a post about Obami on the SchoolNet blog entitled 'Have you tried Obami - an internationally recognised, award-winning, social learning management system?'

c) Google Classroom

Google Classroom is not a LMS at this point in time but I am sure it will eventually. I use it every day with Grades 3-8 and love it but it can't do many of the keyLMS type things. As Alice Keeler says - Google Classroom is not an LMS but it can be used in conjunction with an LMS. I think that is a good description. 

d) Moodle

Moodle is a learning management system (LMS) used to deliver course content and host online learning activities. This is a one minute quick overview of the Moodle learning platform:

Which is the most popular LMS?
I came across this ranking on the Internet of the 20 most popular learning management systems http://www.learndash.com/20-most-popular-learning-management-systems-infographic/

Why use a LMS?

• Teachers are enabled to bridge specific gaps in students learning.
• The process of evaluation becomes more transparent when a LMS is used.
• Parents have instant access to their children’s grades and progress.
• Learning can be made more flexible, more tailored and personalized and more fun. as students watch step-by-step presentations and tutorial videos and even collaborate with other students around the globe