A Google Learning Management System? Sunday, March 2 1:10 PM

I like Google.

I would very much like to see a Google learning management system application and have wondered outloud to many colleagues about how long it's going to take before Google decides to enter the LMS market. This past week, they inched one step closer, in my opinion.

Google finally launched the Google Sites; an application built on the JotSpot platform which Google acquired last June. One of the demo sites for the application is a classroom site. There are several individuals already writing reviews of the product and comparing it to other available wiki tools, so I won't rehash that here. I have three thoughts regarding Google Sites.

First, I am disappointed that Google Sites is only available via Google Apps. What used to be a tool available via the web for any user - JotSpot - is now only available to those with control over a domain for which they can set up Google Apps. I assumed or hoped the tool would likely be rolled out to general users as a tool within Google Documents.

Second, the fact that it is available via Google Apps makes that suite of tools more attractive to educational institutions. Now, rolled in with mail, calendar, and other Google tools, Google Sites is a valued addition to the Google Applications for educational institutions. I also think it highlights the struggle Microsoft faces in keeping up with Google regarding the educationally relevant applications made available online.

Finally, there's on a few items left before I see as being necessary to make Google Applications a viable solution as an enterprise level learning management system. Other Google tools need to be incorporated into applications like Google Documents has been; that makes it possible to create classroom private collections of discussion groups, blogs, etc. An assessment or quizzing tool needs to be possible, and a gradebook function is necessary. Of course, both of those can potentially be accomplished via a database template designed for that purpose; how long before Google makes a database application available via Google Documents?