The July 2011 issue of Campus Technology Magazine has a panel discussion on the future of Learning Management Systems.  

Here’s a summary of the Campus Technology Conference Panel on Learning Management Systems.

My response on what LMSs can learn from Facebook after the jump.

”Integrating social networking features in LMSs could e useful. LMSs may take on additional features of social networks, allowing students to post profiles and connect with their classmates. Teachers and students could post to the class’s wall page, share ideas, interesting blog posts, videos, or other online resources. There could be group pages for group projects.  Imagine going to your LMS to see which of your classmates are logged in and working on homework, so you can chat with them. This could change the in-person dynamic as it becomes easier for students and teachers to know their classmates.  The social LMS may extend beyond the physical classroom, allowing students to connect with peers in similar courses from other universities. On the other hand, it creates the possibility of a popularity contest in the classroom.  Do we really want students to “Like” our lectures?