UMatter2Us

THIS PLUGIN IS STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND HAS NO WORKING FUNCTIONALITY. CHECK BACK JANUARY 2012.

UMatter2Us turns WordPress into a web-based learning management system (LMS).
The primary motivation behind this effort is the perceived deficiency of existing tools, e.g. Blackboard, for the effective
creation of a learner-centered classroom environment.

The name of the system is a double entendre:

• You Matter to Us
  This interpretation acknowledges the social constructivist pedagogy that underlies the system. The system is designed to foster a learning community in which all members work to help others have rich, meaningful learning experiences. In such an environment, every member of the community is important–you matter to us–we wouldn’t have as deep an experience without you.
• University Matter, To Us
  Members of a learner-centered classroom see a college education not as a means to an end, but as an end in and of itself. The system is designed to foster an intrinsic love of learning that will carry on throughout life. It is designed to produce “enlightened citizens who live meaningful and productive lives” through self-aware, reflective study. It’s how we see university matter, the stuff you study in college.

The basic principles upon with the system is built:

• Social Constructivist Pedagogy
• Mastery learning approach
• Self-directed, flexible learning
• All members of the learning community are learners, including the “professor”; all are equals
• Mutual trust, respect and support

Key features of the system include:

• Robust peer and self-evaluation tools designed to make all community members competent to recognize quality as a precursor to producing quality work
• Multiple paths for achieving all learning goals allowing community members to select or create paths most appropriate to their own learning styles
• “Community health indicators” that allow community members to monitor their own and each other’s learning trajectories. These indicators will alert community members when a peer is in need of attention or assistance.
• Flexible messaging which takes advantage of multiple modes of communication, e.g. email, text messaging, chat, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, phone; allows members to send and receive messages in the manner that suits them best.