A learning management system is a software application or web-based technology used to plan, implement and assess a specific learning process. It's used for e-learning practices and, in its most common form, consists of two elements: a server that performs the base functionality and a user interface (UI) that is operated by instructors, students and administrators.
Typically, an LMS provides an instructor with a way to create and deliver content, monitor student participation, and assess student performance. It might also provide students with interactive features, such as threaded discussions, video conferencing and discussion forums.
Businesses, government agencies, and traditional and online educational institutions often use these systems. They can improve traditional educational methods, while also saving organizations time and money. An effective system lets instructors and administrators efficiently manage elements such as user registration and access, content, calendars, communication, quizzes, certifications and notifications.
The Advanced Distributed Learning group, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, has created a set of specifications called the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) to encourage the standardization of LMSes.
Some popular LMSes used by educational institutions include Moodle, Anthology's Blackboard Learn and PowerSchool's Schoology Learning. Popular enterprise-level LMSes include Adobe Learning Manager, Docebo Learn LMS, eFront, iSpring Learn and TalentLMS.
LMSes are beneficial to a range of organizations, including higher education institutions and companies. They're primarily used for knowledge management: the gathering, organizing, sharing and analysis of an organization's knowledge in terms of resources, documents and people skills. The role of the LMS varies according to the organization's training strategy and goals.
Employee training and onboarding are two common uses of LMSes in a business environment. For onboarding, the LMS helps train new employees, providing opportunities to access training programs across various devices. New employees are able to add their own knowledge and provide feedback, helping employers understand how effective the training course materials are and identify areas where new hires need assistance.
An LMS can be used for extended enterprise training purposes as well. This includes customer, partner and member training. Customer learning activities are common in software and technology companies where user learning goals might include learning how to use a product or system. Ongoing LMS-based customer training improves the customer experience and can increase brand loyalty.
When using an LMS for these purposes, instructors can create immersive learning experiences that let users develop new skills and problem-solving capabilities. For example, an LMS could be used to create tutorials that incorporate augmented reality, virtual reality and artificial intelligence (AI). This will likely have the effect of improving creativity and innovation throughout the workforce.
Employee development and retention is another way LMSes are used in businesses. The system assigns courses to employees to ensure they are developing effective job skills, remain informed about product changes, and have requisite product and compliance knowledge.
Another way LMSes are used is to enhance employee sales skills. This includes the creation of seminars on product knowledge, customer interaction training and case study-based tutorials that use previous experiences with clients to improve future interactions.
An LMS can provide students with blended learning experiences that combine traditional classroom teaching with online learning tools. This method is more effective than simple face-to-face education because it enriches instructor-led training in the classroom with digital learning content customized to fit a student's learning needs.
An LMS can be thought of as a large repository where users store and track information in one place. Any user with a login and password can access the system and its online learning resources. If the system is self-hosted, the user must either install the software on their computer or access it via their company's server.
Some common LMS features include the following capabilities and technologies:
The different LMS deployment options include the following:
The various pricing models used for LMSes include the following:
An LMS can save an organization time and money. Instead of making learners take time out of their day to travel and sit through classes or training at another location, LMSes let them complete the coursework at a time and in a place that's best for them. In addition, LMSes eliminate the need for instructors, training days, training materials, travel expenses and location hiring.
Some other benefits of learning management systems include the following:
An important part of the LMS process is creating the content to be used in the system. If the LMS has its own content, you'll want to check that it can be changed in response to your organization's requirements. If you need to create your own content, a content management system (CMS) can be helpful.
A CMS helps produce a variety of content types and includes two components:
Learning experience platforms (LXPs) are the next generation of learning management technologies. This SaaS-based technology uses AI to adapt the learning experience to the student's needs and raise the bar on a student's overall experience. This differs from LMSes, which generally require students to follow a program as the provider designed it.
The AI component gives students a more autonomous and self-managed experience. For example, if the student indicates an interest in certain information, the LXP presents relevant content from the internet to the student. The LXP also captures data on the student's preferences and uses it to increase personalization. The goal is to make the training experience more student-centric.
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08 Sep 2023