JoomlaLMS is a commercial component for Joomla Web content management system. The Learning Management System is PHP and MySQL based. JoomlaLMS enables users to create native LMS courses or import SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004 courses either created using Rapid Elearning authoring tools or off the shelf acquired SCORM packages.
Background
JoomlaLMS was introduced by Elearningforce which initially provided Joomla components, extensions and modules developed by Belitsoft outsourcing software developer. The idea for JoomlaLMS emerged due to the absence of Learning Management System for Joomla at that time. The first release was announced on March 8, 2007. The system gained its initial popularity due to being listed at Joomla extensions directory. In January 2009 Joomla officials removed Elearningforce extensions from their directory because of a change to the Joomla directory license policy requiring extensions to use the GNU General Public License.
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Licensing model
The vendor encodes the product license to be valid for specific domain names.
The source code of JoomlaLMS is encoded by ionCube coding software. Professional version comes with open source code providing possibility to modify the source code.
Criticism
JoomlaLMS is not released under the GNU General Public License but requires Joomla to run, which means that the copyleft terms of the GPL may apply to JoomlaLMS.
The license price is based on the number of current LMS students rather than on concurrent connections, but is generally less expensive than other vendors
Software features
In addition to the standard learning management systems features such as Chat, Discussion, Homework and DropBox, JoomlaLMS offers the following features:
- Documents management tool, which helps to create, edit, sort, store documents and create links to documents used in other document libraries.
- Built-in authoring tools - quiz maker and Question Pool – which allows the teacher to create quizzes and keep a pool of questions for future use in quizzes or exams.
- Live conference tool to create a Virtual Interactive Classroom based on Adobe Flash Media Server.
- Learning Path allows the teacher to arrange the course elements into structured learning program which ensures better understanding of the material by the learner and prevents the learner from skipping parts of the lesson.
- GradeBook to record students' grades and issue course certificates if necessary.
- Course Statistics – Each course has a statistics report containing such information as the most active users, which areas/tools are used in the course in what proportion. This can be filtered down to an individual student/group.
- Embedded Subscriptions module is used for selling paid courses on-line.
Marketing
The product vendor uses international resellers network to sell most of their product licenses via its partners.
JoomlaLMS was presented on many international educational conferences. Partners and vendor’s representatives participated in LearnX (Australia), NECC (USA), Uddannelsesforum (DK), BETT (UK), eLearnExpo (RUS).