Designing CMS modules to support language learning

Abstract

This article presents an overview of Course Management Systems [CMS] and how a CMS can be modified to support language learning environments. First, the author justifies the advantages of a CMS while examining how CMS fit into the realm of learning theory and pedagogy. Next, several crucial differences between open-source and proprietary CMS applications, and the essential strengths and weaknesses that need to be considered when selecting a CMS are outlined. The main part of the article focuses on a particular open-source CMS called Moodle and explains how it is possible to modify or add modules or blocks to Moodle in order to supplement or enrich language instruction.