• Front Page
    • Digital Education
    • Terry Freedman's Books Bulletin
  • RSS
  • Search
    • Welcome
    • The "About" Page
    • Testimonials
    • CV/ResumĆ©
    • My Writing
    • Published articles
  • Corrections Policy
Menu

ICT & Computing in Education

Articles on education technology and related topics
  • Front Page
  • Newsletters
    • Digital Education
    • Terry Freedman's Books Bulletin
  • RSS
  • Search
  • Info
    • Welcome
    • The "About" Page
    • Testimonials
    • CV/ResumĆ©
    • My Writing
    • Published articles
  • Corrections Policy
Bett 2020, by Terry Freedman

Bett 2020, by Terry Freedman

Bett2020 Neo Learning Management System

January 29, 2020

Cypher Learning's Neo is a Learning Management System designed for universities and schools. It has all the features you would expect, such as the ability to create competency-based courses, groups, set assignments, have the assignments marked automatically, gamification, badges and the increasingly-popular micro-credentials approach. In addition, you can have parents sent alerts when certain events occur. If you are looking for a learning platform, this seems to me to be as good as it gets. It has a nice visual layout, and drag and drop capability.

However, I think it's important for institutions to consider the following issues.

First, from my research into competency-based education (as part of my MA) it suffers from the unfortunate characteristic that someone can end up ticking all the boxes but still, overall, not be competent. It's a good example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. There's a corollary too, which is that a person might not tick all of the boxes, but still be competent overall — an example of good enough as opposed to faultless.

Secondly, although I think there is a place for automated assessment, and have advocated it for years, it's not enough. It's good for saving teacher time and work, and for getting quick feedback, but you still need more in-depth assessment, looking at students' work, and (dammit!) actually talking to students.

Thirdly, I have to agree with Stephen Downes' comment regarding micro-credentials (admittedly not regarding Cypher Learning, but the general point is well-made I think), that when you read the marketing hype about microcredentials (given by FutureLearn in this case) you'd think you could achieve a PhD in a few months without venturing from your sofa!

Something else I found when working both as an advisor and an independent consultant in schools is that no matter how easy it is to create subject portals (say) -- and in Cypher Learning it is easy to do so -- some subject departments will achieve amazing things and others will do very little. That's not to make a judgement -- there may be all kinds of reasons -- but to state an observable fact.

All of which is to say that there is more to setting up courses and all the associated infrastructure than installing a learning management system, no matter how comprehensive or well-designed it is. It's a statement of the obvious -- for which I make no apology, having seen some well-meant but ultimately useless innovations in schools -- but there needs to be a properly thought-through strategy, linked to the school's vision, with training, a shared understanding of what is expected by staff, who are given the time required to meet them, robust technical support. and full commitment from the senior leadership team. The system itself is a component of a much larger ecosystem.

As I've said, the Neo LMS seems pretty good, so if your school is at the stage where it could derive the most benefit from such a system, you will be pleased to know there is a free trial version. Why not set up a pilot study and try it out?

In Bett Tips, Leading & Managing Computing & ICT, News & views Tags Bett2020, Bett, Cypher Learning, Neo, learning management system, Stephen Downes, innovation, implementation, implementation strategy
← Bett2020 Reader PenArticles update →
Recent book reviews
a little history of the earth.jpg
One for your Geography colleagues perhaps? Review: A Little History of the Earth -- two reviews in one!
Read more →
a word for all seasons.jpg
For your English colleagues: A Word for all Seasons -- two reviews in one!
Read more →
the mending.jpg
For your maths colleagues: The Mending of Broken Bones: A Modern Guide to Classical Algebra -- two reviews in one!

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.

Read more →
the worst exhibition.jpg
For your History colleagues: The Worst Exhibition in the World: Degenerate Art, 1937 -- two reviews in one!

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.

Read more →
History lesson, by Terry Freedman.jpg
Is The computing Curriculum Too Masculine? Revisited 16 years later!

One of the apparently insoluble problems of the age is how do you encourage more girls to take up Computing? I think a lot can be done, and have done so myself, but I wonder how far a lot of the effort fails to get to the heart of the issue, which could be the curriculum itself, the way it is taught, or a combination of the two?

Read more →
best writing maths.jpg
Book review: The best writing on mathematics, 2016

I think this could be an excellent resource for teachers of mathematics.

Read more →
international short (2).jpg
For your Eng Lit colleagues? The Penguin Book of the International Short Story -- two reviews in one!

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote!

Read more →
Turner and Constable (1).jpg
Two reviews in one: Turner and Constable: Rivals and Originals -- art and history

One for your colleagues, perhaps: art, art history, ploitics with a small ā€˜p’.

Read more →
satire (1).jpg
Two reviews in one: State of Ridicule: A History of Satire in English Literature -- politics, history, English

One for your colleagues, perhaps. Sperrin has provided a wealth of information that can be used to provide a rich experience for students of politics, history and English literature.

Read more →
a little history of maths.jpg
Two reviews in one: A Little History of Mathematics

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.

Read more →
Dig+Ed+Banner.jpg

Contact us

Privacy

Cookies

Terms and conditions

This website is powered by Squarespace

(c) Terry Freedman All Rights Reserved