Social Software Tools and Learning Management Systems

In the diagram above Terry Anderson illustrates the functions of four software systems used in his graduate level distance education course offered through Athabasca University’s Centre for Distance Education.

This is an example of how social software (in this case Elluminate, Me2U instance of ELGG.net and Furl) can work in tandem with a “traditional” LMS (well, it is open source constructivist Moodle LMS). “They each play a role in building educational social overlays that are creating the next generation of formal education webspace.”