Rethinking CMSs and Learning in Public
If a student creates something brilliant in a closed CMS, does it make a sound?
The Gradebook Graveyard
Have you ever created something meaningful in a course: an essay, a video, or a piece of code, and watched it disappear into last semester’s dustbin, never to be seen again? That feeling isn’t just frustrating; it points to a deeper flaw in how we structure learning.
Most Course Management Systems (CMSs) and Learning Management Systems (LMSs) are built around containment, not connection. They’re designed to walk students through a linear curriculum, keep things compliant, and archive everything away. What they rarely do is showcase learning as a living, evolving thing.
As someone designing learning systems for real-world impact, I’m always asking: Does this tool help students grow, or just help the institution track them?
This blog post isn’t just a critique; it’s part of my ongoing project to design learner-first, networked, and portfolio-driven learning environments for the future of education.
What About the Role of the Institution?
But LMSs aren’t going away. And they shouldn’t. Schools and universities have real responsibilities: protecting student privacy, documenting learning outcomes, supporting accreditation, and scaling instruction for thousands of learners.
LMS platforms like Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, and Google Classroom serve those needs well. They provide the structure, security, and compliance that institutions require to function.
| LMS | Strengths | Weaknesses | Flexibility | Ideal Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canvas | Clean UI, mobile-friendly, good integration | Limited customization, closed system | Medium | Higher Ed courses, easy onboarding |
| Blackboard | Powerful analytics, enterprise features | Clunky interface, steep learning curve | Low | Institutions needing reporting + compliance |
| Moodle | Open-source, highly customizable | Requires tech skill, UI can feel outdated | High | Educator-led innovation and prototyping |
| Google Classroom | Simple interface, integrates with Google tools | Basic analytics, limited discussion features | Low–Medium | K-12, informal or hybrid learning spaces |
| Schoology | Social feed style, supports parents & students | Feature limitations in free version | Medium | K–12 and small institutions with SIS needs |
The Problem with CMSs
Let’s call it what it is: most LMSs are self-contained ecosystems built for instructional control. Professors upload syllabi. Students download assignments. Knowledge moves in one direction. However, adult learning theory (Knowles, 2015) tells us that learners thrive when they feel ownership, autonomy, and a sense of purpose in their work. But most LMSs weren’t built with those needs in mind. They were built to track, not inspire.
According to Whitworth and Benson (2007) in “Learning, Design, and Emergence,” the problem isn’t just the software, it’s the sociotechnical structure that surrounds it. Some systems (like Blackboard or Moodle) become directive, reinforcing top-down authority and making learning feel like a checklist.
Both organizational learning and professional development will likely suffer. A directive CMS can drive a 'wedge' between communities of practice and the technostructure, encouraging each to reify its existing practice and thus retard critique, organizational learning, and the evolution of both the system and the practices it embodies.
This kind of system makes teachers and tech teams stick to what they already know rather than experiment. Instead of growing together, they get stuck in their lanes. That’s the opposite of a living, learning system and exactly what we’re trying to move beyond.
| Feature | LMS (Directive) | PLE (Responsive) |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership of Content | Instructor-owned | Learner-shared |
| Structure | Linear, pre-defined | Flexible, emergent |
| Feedback | One-way (top-down) | Multi-directional |
| Innovation | Centralized | Grassroots, participatory |
| Tool Philosophy | Closed ecosystem | Open, remixable |
| Example | Blackboard, legacy Moodle | Blog + Social Media |
What Adult Learners Actually Need
Let’s not forget who’s often using these systems: adult learners.
They’re here not just to “learn” but to pivot, grow, and prove their skills.
That means:
They need portfolios, not just GPAs
They need networking, not just rubrics
They need public evidence of learning, not just institutional records
LMSs weren’t designed with that in mind.
That’s why we need to build around them: to help learners move forward, not just pass through.
Reframing the LMS
So what’s the fix?
Instead of forcing knowledge into rigid containers, what if we built systems that:
Let learners publish their work
Allow content to live beyond the gradebook
Encourage real-world audience feedback
Enable networked collaboration
This isn’t just idealism. It’s connectivism in action. George Siemens wrote that learning is no longer internal. It’s distributed. It’s messy. It’s networked.
What About STEM or More Structured Disciplines?
Of course, some subjects, especially in STEM, require precision, structure, and assessment rigor. LMSs support that well. But even in these fields, learning isn’t just about getting the right answer. It’s about explaining your thinking, applying concepts, and building transferable skills.
Portfolios, blogs, and public projects help learners show what they can do, not just what they’ve submitted.
Call to Action
The next time you create something you’re proud of, ask:
Would I want someone else to see this?
Could it help someone?
Could it help me get hired?If the answer is yes, why hide it behind a login?
Learning should feel alive. It should adapt. And most importantly, it should be seen.
Let’s start designing learning systems that don’t just assess knowledge. They amplify it.
Let’s learn in public.
References
- Benson, A., & Whitworth, A. (2007). Learning, design, and emergence: Two case studies of Moodle in distance education. In G. Veletsianos (Ed.), Emerging technologies in distance education (pp. 195–210). Athabasca University Press. https://www.aupress.ca/books/120162-emerging-technologies-in-distance-education/
- Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2015). The Adult Learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development.
- Kropf, D. C. (2013). Connectivism: 21st century’s new learning theory. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, 16(2). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1075179.pdf
- Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1). http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm
Chris Mena
Instructional Designer | Editor
Chris specializes in instructional technology, digital storytelling, and content strategy. With a background in video editing and a passion for innovative learning design, he integrates emerging technologies to create engaging, learner-centered experiences.