iZoca.com is currently a hyper-local social networking site. It combines elements of social networks and organizational tools. In contrast to other social networks like the market dominating Facebook, iZoca is not based on relations between individuals but on group affiliations. By giving their zip code members become part of their local community and can access the latest local news and information about events in their local area. They can form and join groups, in which activities can be planned, managed and promoted to the public. One of the most important features of iZoca is the integrated personal calendar.
However, the company is struggling with difficulties. Membership is growing very slowly. Only about 4000 people are currently signed up at iZoca.com. Revenues generated by ads on the website are scarce.
For these reasons, we propose a strategy shift. iZoca should enter the market of Learning Mangement Systems (LMS) by partnering with an existing LMS. With its key features, the group and community structure and the shared calendar, it has the potential to satisfy needs of students and colleges that are currently either not or only insufficiently addressed by existing players in the market such as Blackboard or Moodle’s Joule.
The entire college could be mirrored virtually in a community on iZoca. Classes could be organized in groups, over which students and teachers can interact and communicate about all issues related to the class. Teachers could upload the syllabus or assignments, students could hand in assignments by uploading. Through the integrated calendar, group members would always have an up-to-date overview of the class schedule or due dates for assignments. Other things like campus events could also be organized in groups directly on the LMS platform. Through a smartphone application, students could also access the latest information about classes and campus events directly over their smartphones.
These examples show that iZoca could clearly offer benefits to college students. However, before any actions are undertaken into this direction, it is important to put any assumptions about customer needs on a fact-based fundament. To accomplish this, a survey has been conducted with college students about their perceptions of their college’s current LMS and about their appraisal of the features iZoca could offer. The results of this survey are presented in this research paper.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Methodology
3 Results
3.1 Demographics of the respondents
3.2 Perceptions of current LMS
3.3 Possible benefits of iZoca
4 Interpretation and conclusion
Appendix A – Survey Design
Appendix B – Answers to Question 2
Appendix C – Answers to Question 4
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This research paper examines student perceptions of currently utilized Learning Management Systems (LMS) at various colleges to determine potential areas for improvement and to evaluate the feasibility of introducing iZoca’s features into the academic market.
- Current student satisfaction levels with existing platforms like Blackboard and Moodle’s Joule.
- Identification of common functional drawbacks and usability challenges in current LMS solutions.
- Assessment of the importance of specific LMS features (e.g., calendar integration, document access).
- Evaluation of the potential benefits of integrating social network-based features, such as hyper-local group structures and calendars, into academic environments.
Excerpt from the Book
1 Introduction
iZoca.com is currently a hyper-local social networking site. It combines elements of social networks and organizational tools. In contrast to other social networks like the market dominating Facebook, iZoca is not based on relations between individuals but on group affiliations. By giving their zip code members become part of their local community and can access the latest local news and information about events in their local area. They can form and join groups, in which activities can be planned, managed and promoted to the public. One of the most important features of iZoca is the integrated personal calendar. It includes the scheduled events in the member’s community and groups, is automatically updated and makes it therefore very easy to keep track of all things going on in the local area.
The company was founded in 2007 by the CEO and president Jeffrey Goronkin. The following years were primarily used for acquisition of capital and software development. With the launch of the community and group pages in 2010 and 2011, the architecture of iZoca.com is now complete and online. However, the company is struggling with difficulties. Membership is growing very slowly. Only about 4000 people are currently signed up at iZoca.com. Only about 20% of the groups are considered to be “active”, which means used continuously. Revenues generated by ads on the website are scarce.
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the iZoca platform and proposes a strategic shift toward the Learning Management System (LMS) market to address unfulfilled student needs.
2 Methodology: Details the survey process involving 74 students across various colleges, explaining the structure of the questionnaire used to assess LMS perceptions and iZoca’s potential.
3 Results: Presents the empirical findings, covering respondent demographics, student satisfaction with existing systems, and the perceived utility of proposed iZoca features.
4 Interpretation and conclusion: Synthesizes the survey findings, concluding that students identify significant room for improvement in current LMS platforms and that iZoca could provide tangible benefits.
Keywords
Learning Management Systems, LMS, iZoca, student satisfaction, Blackboard, Moodle, Joule, higher education, survey analysis, platform integration, digital learning, user interface, academic software, student needs, group-based learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The paper investigates how students perceive the Learning Management Systems (LMS) currently used by their colleges and explores the potential advantages of integrating the iZoca social networking approach into the academic sphere.
What are the central themes discussed in the study?
The study centers on user satisfaction, identification of platform-specific drawbacks, the importance of various LMS functionalities, and the adoption of smartphone-based academic tools.
What is the main objective or research question?
The goal is to determine if current LMS platforms meet student needs and whether iZoca could effectively address existing shortcomings by offering improved group structures and calendar functionality.
What research methodology was employed?
The author conducted a survey among 74 college students from institutions such as Union College and the University of Rochester, collecting data through both hard copies and online questionnaires.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body focuses on respondent demographics, a comparative analysis of student satisfaction with Blackboard and Moodle’s Joule, and a feature-by-feature evaluation of iZoca's potential value.
Which keywords define the scope of this research?
Key terms include Learning Management Systems, LMS, iZoca, Blackboard, Moodle, student satisfaction, and educational technology.
How do students generally perceive Blackboard compared to Moodle's Joule?
Survey results indicate that students are generally more satisfied with Blackboard than with Joule, though both systems face significant criticism regarding usability and consistency.
What specific role could iZoca play in improving existing LMS platforms?
iZoca could offer benefits through its integrated and automatically updated calendar, as well as its group-based communication structure, which addresses the lack of interactivity identified in current systems.
- Quote paper
- Klaus Schütz (Author), 2011, Perceptions of Current Learning Management Systems, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/198847
