Otus–Exciting Free LMS You Want to Meet

I’ve been on the hunt for a good–scratch that: excellent–Learning Management System for several months. There are a lot of options out there, but none had enough of the characteristics that most teachers I know look for with an LMS, namely:

• delivers content to students in a variety of formats
• tracks student progress on assigned activities
• assesses student learning (both formative and summative)
• provides for teacher-student and student-student communication
• intuitive to use for both teachers and students, to encourage daily access. It should be non-intimidating, non-threatening, even non-geeky, so stakeholders feel as comfortable as they would in a physical classroom
  
• works across all platforms–iPads, web, Chromebooks
• plays well with a wide variety of apps, such as Khan Academy
• easily monitors student progress, work, and learning
• includes reminders of activities
• communicates important announcements to students
• allows for co-teaching in a classroom (an arrangement that is growing in popularity)
• encourages parent involvement in the education journey

I know–sounds impossible. Then, an email from Otus showed up in my stream. It caught my attention because the conversation was straightforward, plain-speaking, and hit my high points. So I agreed to review it.

I’m glad I did.

Otus is a free all-in-one mobile learning management system designed by teachers for teachers, available on iPads and desktops. Tools include all those I was looking for, as well as:

• an abbreviated Student Information System to go along with the class set-up
• student analytics to track not only student academic progress but absences and recognition badges
• the ability to tie lessons into a variety of standards, including customized ones
• student and teacher blog platforms
• a student resource area that can include anything with a weblink
• full access to Google Drive
• an ed pen to mark up math work (or any work)

Educators sign up for Otus, create classrooms, add students, and get started. Students can join with a class code.

Pros

The interface is clear, intuitive, and easy to use. With a nominal sense of adventure and risk-taking, teachers and students can use Otus to stay organized.

There are no ads or in-app purchases. You can access it with a Google log-in.

To make this a tool my students and I could use in every class, every day, I asked the Otus folks I met with about system downtime. I wanted them to say ‘always on’, as reliable as the Pony Express and they said the equivalent: The server that powers Otus classrooms operates through an Amazon service. If you think Amazon is reliable, you’ll consider Otus reliable.

One last kudo: Otus has a YouTube channel with fourteen (maybe more) videos on how to use its features.

Cons

I learn fine with black-and-white text, but lots of my students rely more on visual presentations. I’d like Otus to have that available as a customized design option, where students or teachers could personalize their user interface to serve the need for color and pictures. Having said that, I have a similar complaint about most of the LMS programs I’ve evaluated.

I didn’t see any way to embed widgets into the program. Links–yes–but not those geeky embed codes that put the Wordle or Voki right onto the webpage. When I’m teaching a lesson that uses a webtool, I like to natively show it. Did I miss it? Anyone?

Education Applications