The term LMS is an acronym for Learning Management System, which is technology designed to assist with education and training. You can define learning management systems as software applications for "administration, documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of e-learning education courses or training". LMS is a type of learning platform, but the terms are used interchangeably by many.
All sorts of organisations use an LMS these days, including primary and secondary schools, colleges, universities, public sector organisations and private sector companies.
Users usually receive a login and a password, and the administrator can then give them certain permissions, such as the ability to access particular courses and content etc. Modern learning management systems will generally remember what the learner has done within the system and will accordingly display their progress and take them to the latest point in their learner journey each time they log on.
LMS benefits
There are a range of benefits to all stakeholders of investing in an LMS tool. For businesses and educational organizations, amongst the key advantages are cost and time savings and expanded reach. For example, with an LMS, a training or learning session can be created just once and then accessed multiple times by learners, no matter where they’re based. This means teachers don’t need to repeat the same sessions over and over again when it isn’t necessary.
Furthermore, learners are enabled to be more productive. They can log on and recap or do homework whenever they are able to, and many find the web-based platform more accessible and engaging than traditional tools.
It’s also easy for learners and teachers to track progress. Learners will be encouraged to see how far they’ve come and how close they are to goals. Teachers can pinpoint training gaps and areas which require attention very quickly and easily. This feature can also be useful in businesses where certain training is mandatory – HR can see at a glance who has yet to complete certain modules or courses and quickly rectify the situation.
Flexibility
Today’s LMS solutions are highly flexible and offer opportunities for boosting engagement with all types of content. For example, most LMS offerings support articles, videos, PowerPoints, quizzes, test and assessments, images and more.
Learning management systems are also about community. Many include integrated features such as forums, instant messaging, event tracking and more. Also, as long as you choose the right system it should be highly customisable to meet your organisation’s unique needs and goals.
