Why do we need a LMS?

Oct 2, 2018


What is a Learning Management System (LMS)?
LMS is a software application, that creates, delivers and manages eLearning content. The most key factors in LMS purchase decision are functionality, price and support. Top of desired features are Live/Video Conference, ITM, Mobile learning, Gamification. The most used are Assessment/Testing Tools and Blended Learning, but the lack of certain features remains the biggest dissatisfaction. However, setting up an LMS is just one step, which includes involvement to establishing connection with the company requirements. So, it is important to choose the right LMS for your needs.

What is a good LMS?
A good LMS platform should be capable of managing a large amount of data easily for many users. It needs to possess a friendly interface for users and administrators or the so-called Application Program Interface (API). The platform should have specified reports, which are formed from the requirements of the company. Considerations must be the portability and scalability of the system. Another aspect with immense importance is the administration of the LMS. This includes the management of complex recourses, trainers, training inventories, rooms, planning of training sessions, tracking feedback, and notifications to end users.

What is the future face of LMS?
The LMS will become more individualized – to schools and to teachers. There will be personal applications, that can be plugged together in kind of self-personalizing environment. Popular use today has the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) standard, which is created by the IMS Global Learning Consortium. LTI links content and resources to LMS's. Its purpose is to connect the LMS with external service tools in a standard way across learning systems.

Next Generation Digital Learning Environment (NGDLE) 
NGDLE envisions what is the next thing that is not an LMS that can help manage digital learning.

There are five different dimensions of NGDLE:
1. Interoperability and integration - allows the parts to be connected and to share data.
2. Personalization - learning environments and activities can be tailored to individual users.
3. Analytics, advising and learning assessment - so that course level learning analytics as well as planning advising systems that have focused on student success can be part of this environment.
4. Collaboration - imply several types of interaction - student to student, student to faculty, faculty to faculty.
5. Accessibility and universal design - so that everybody can access education.

Referring to these dimensions of NGDLE to build individual components (bricks), the options for customization and personalization are infinite. This is the same as Lego analogy and as institutions, students, trainers, the NGDLE will prompt us to take the role of individual creators.

Therefore, NGDLE can be implemented like a Lego. The experts are stating that the possible future of LMS will be the implementing of NGDLE.

Where do we live?
We are living in a world with endless information. This information elevates the capabilities of our companies. Learning Management Systems are the modern way to continue the path of gaining the knowledge in a very efficient and remarkable manner, which is developing the look of our existence in the technology world.

Author: Kamen Zhelev

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