A practical perspective on the role of learning management systems in teachers’ professional development at Escuela Complutense

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. This study attempts to assess the use and integration of Learning ManagementSystems in teachers’ professional development. The aim, therefore, is to question the possibilities of these environments and tests the attitudes of teachers once they have experienced their use.METHOD. The sample includes 45 Latin American and Spanish teachers from 8 countries, witha majority of teachers in Mexico (54%). From the practice of in the 2011 Lantinamerican Complutense School and the 2012 Summer Complutense School, teachers made use of these platformsin their professional development, and through a questionnaire the data was measured and analyzed.RESULTS. Analyzing Learning Management Systems, the study concludes that Edmodo andMoodle improve collaborative activities, foster interaction, improve professional development andoffer advantages in organizing the sessions. In both platforms the handling is simple but Edmodooutranks Moodle in the sense that it has a more attractive environment and better access to communities. DISCUSSION. In short, the opinions and attitudes of teachers regarding the use of Moodleand Edmodo are clearly positive, and they appreciate the fact that the integration of these platformsfavours a more effective professional development in educational contexts.