en.wikipedia.org/…Learning_management_system
Another overview of software used to host/manage courseware.
Again, PSA will need to “consult” to make our way through this complexity. LMS in this article is sort of connected to corporate use, while the VLE, is more connected with ed institutions.
Virtual Learning Environment has its own Wikipedia page…see next post
gary575 on 25 Jun 12
As you suggest, there are too many acronyms – if one does not throw around acronyms that others don’t know, how can they be experts?
I am not sure I really agree with your conclusion on the difference between LMS snd VLE. LMS is NOT an enterprise-only concept; Blackboard , Moodle and Sakai are all LMSs oriented to education.
If you click through the links in the Wikipedia LMS article to LMS vendors and then to Moodle, you get this intro statement : “Moodle (abbreviation for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is a free source e-learning software platform, also known as a Course Management System, Learning Management System, or Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)”.
In the more “traditional” sense on on-line learing/computer training, there was a difference between the LMS (thte back-end that controls/monitors access and track performance) and the VIRTUAL CLASSROOM which adds interactivity (chat, polling, etc.), breakout rooms and other functionality to a simple broadcast, webcast or podcast.