Developing a Homegrown Course Management System: Community/Course Action/Interaction Management System (CAMS)

Abstract

This case describes the development of a unique, student-centered, online course management systems (OCMS). The system grew from a fairly straightforward grade reporting system into a full-blown collaborative system within a short — in traditional information systems development terms — timeframe of approximately one year. The Community/course Action/interaction Management System, known as CAMS©, was developed iteratively with specifications derived from faculty and students working together to address the limitations of existing OCMS and to identify new functions and features that would contribute to the value of the educational experience. To address the most critical issue identified — limited interactive functionality — the participant became the focus of the development process. This case describes the evolution of CAMS© from both a product and a process perspective. Changes made to the system and the factors motivating the changes are discussed, as are challenges faced before, during, and after the development process.