A Survey of Learning Management Systems and Synchronous Distance Education Tools

TL;DR

This survey compares various Learning Management Systems and synchronous distance education tools, highlighting Moodle's MIST/C as the most practical and convenient due to its open-source nature and unique features.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of two LMSs and four SDET tools, emphasizing Moodle MIST/C's advantages over other systems.

Findings

Moodle MIST/C is superior among tested tools.

Open source nature enhances practicality and accessibility.

Unique features like mirrored whiteboard improve teaching experience.

Abstract

Although compelling assessments have been quite frequently examined in recent years, more studies are required to yield a better understanding of several Distance Learning (DL) methods where Learning Management Systems (LMSs) significantly affect student learning process. Most studies in this area do not consider the effect of varying web-facilitated DL application tools. To address these drawbacks, the objective of our study is to compare two LMSs and four synchronous distance education tools (SDET). The comparisons confirm the superiority of Moodle Integrated Synchrotrons Teaching Conferencing (MIST/C), which seems to be the most practical, convenient and modest distance education tool offered in the market today because it is open source and has a second mirrored whiteboard for simulteaching that is not available with any other system.