Learning management systems : engineering the education industry to educate the industrial engineer

Abstract

A learning management system (LMS) is any infrastructure on which e-learning can be built and delivered. In this article two sides of the LMS coin are investigated: On the one side, it is argued that industrial and systems engineering skills are equally relevant for learning systems as for as for any other system. To support this argument, an analogy is drawn between the management of learning systems and the management of manufacturing systems. On the other side of the coin, the educational issues and concerns related to implementing an LMS at the University of Pretoria are investigated by means of a case study in the Industrial Engineering department. It is concluded that the industrial engineering educator is in the unique position of understanding and contributing towards the engineering of the education industry whilst educating the industrial engineer.

‘n Leerbestuurstelsel (LMS) is enige infrastruktuur waarop e-leer gebou en afgelewer kan word. In hierdie artikel word beide kante van die LMS muntstuk ondersoek: Aan die een kant word getoon dat bedryfsingenieursvaardighede en -beginsels ewe toepaslik is op leerstelsels as op vervaardigingstelsels. Om hierdie argument te steun word 'n analogie getrek tussen the bestuur van leerstelsels en die bestuur van vervaardigingstelsels. Aan die ander kant van die muntstuk word die opvoedkundige aspekte verbonde aan die implementering van ‘n leerbestuurstelsel (LMS) aan die Universiteit van Pretoria ondersoek aan die hand van ‘n gevallestudie in die Bedryfsingenieursdepartment. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat die bedryfsingenieurs-opleier in 'n unieke posisie is om die opleidingsindustrie te begryp en by dra tot the ontwikkeling daarvan terwyl die bedryfsingenieur opgelei word.