Learning management systems, also known as LMS, are a single, centralized software program which allows educators to store and manage learning materials as well as provide e-learning courses.
A good LMS in education has a range of features that lets teachers manage, document and deliver content.
They can also track student progress and monitor their performance with a learning management solution.
In this article, we take a closer look at the role of learning management systems in education and what educators need to look out for when they plan to use an LMS.
What Does LMS Stand For In Education?
In the education sector, LMS stands for “Learning Management System”.
It is a desktop-based or cloud-based software that schools can use to deliver online learning.
More and more schools and education facilities around the world start to adopt a blended approach to combine traditional teaching with online education.
According to statistics, schools are some of the leading users of learning management systems in the education sector, well ahead of colleges and universities.
While making the move to a blended learning is often a difficult step for many schools, schools with LMS experience have reported a lot of positive feedback.
And that’s no surprise. There are studies which have shown that student-learning drastically improves when a school can offer access to an LMS.
Students said that they could learn easier and more independently with digital learning tools. But an LMS is not just beneficial for students.
Teachers will be able to pick up a more facilitative role for students when it comes to creating a modern learning environment.
How Can LMS Help Students And Teachers In Education?
Learning management systems and digital learning tools are a great way to engage students and allow them to learn independently.
Here are some of the benefits for teachers and students when a school can offer digital tools, such as an LMS.
Online Courses
LMS in education allows teachers to create individual online courses which match the curriculum.
Teachers and educators can store all their teaching materials on the system, so everyone can get access to the materials when needed.
Automated Messages And Notifications
When a teacher uploads a new assignment, then the LMS automatically notifies all students who are registered.
Teachers will be able to receive reports of these messages, and they will know who has received their assignments.
This is just one type of LMS integration which covers some of the essential administrative functions.
Distribute And Check Homework
Distributing and checking homework of students is an essential part of a teacher’s role.
With an LMS, educators can distribute, analyze and grade students much faster.
An LMS can check and correct mistakes, and it even provides feedback to evaluate the student’s performance.
This allows teachers to grade learners more transparently and consistently.
Plus, students can receive feedback which allows them to improve their learning skills.
Learning management systems can be individually adapted for your educational facility.
For example, you can even choose the color which is used to highlight errors in assignments.
Easy Report Management
You can create a large variety of reports with an LMS, including scores, student performance reports and student engagement reports.
This data is essential to get a better understanding of the effectiveness of the course and how well students are doing.
Benefits Of Using A Learning Management System In Education
The education world is changing with many schools, colleges and universities facing an uncertain future.
However, technology is on the rise and many educational institutions look to LMS software to help them deliver online learning.
Here are some of the reasons why a school, college or university can benefit from a learning management system.
Keeps Students Engaged And Motivated
Most children grow up with technology from an early age, so providing a familiar digital environment can be a big learning advantage in education.
Gamification is one of the most popular features in learning management systems for education.
Making learning fun means that students learn faster and they are more motivated to learn.
But an LMS does not just provide an opportunity to make learning more engaging.
Many LMSs also add reward systems which provide students with badges for completed projects, participation or assessment grades.
This can drastically improve engagement rate amongst students and it can also boost grades.
Saves A Lot Of Administration Time
Once teachers have created their material and educational program in the LMS, they don’t need to copy or repeat the material for future students.
This allows students to work more independently in their own digital space, and they can then ask the teacher for help in a difficult situation.
Helps Teachers And Students To Collaborate
An LMS in education is also a digital collaboration platform where teachers provide the learning material and students work through the curriculum.
There are many different ways in which teachers and students can collaborate, such as discussion boards.
Also, students can discuss work in teams to develop teamwork skills.
Encourages Students To Be Self-Disciplined When Learning
In a traditional classroom environment, teachers often have to encourage students to be more disciplined.
However, with blended learning techniques that use digital tools, such as an LMS, students are encouraged to be self-disciplined during their study time.
There are a few different useful built-in features that LMS to help students and teachers with better organization, including a calendar and the ability to set deadlines.
Teachers can set deadlines for upcoming events, assignments and homework.
Students are notified of these deadlines and they need to take on more responsibility for meeting these targets.
This gives students a lot more control over their learning process.
Deeper Understanding Of The Value Of A Learning Program
Learning management systems offer a wide variety of reports which provide a deeper insight into the effectiveness of the curriculum.
Teachers will be able to create reports that allow them to track and analyze the efficiency of the learning process.
There are reports that track student interaction with the material, how much time students spent on assignments and the most (or least) popular courses.
Create More Individual Paths
Teachers often have a good understanding of the best way in which their students can learn.
With an LMS, educators can customize different parts of the course materials to create individual learning paths for classes.
The virtual classroom as part of an LMS allows instructors to engage with their students and go into more detail about certain lessons.
Create A Safe And Social Learning Environment
Learning management systems provide IP blockers, antivirus software and anti-malware protection.
This makes many LMS solutions safer than video calling apps. But a safe environment for learning doesn’t mean that the platform is difficult to use.
On the contrary, the user interface for many learning systems are simple and straightforward.
They don’t require any special training for students or teachers. All it takes is a short introduction to the most important features.
This makes an LMS such a powerful tool in education.
A blended classroom experience with the ease of use allows teachers and students to create a solid learning environment.
How To Choose The Best LMS For Your School?
As an LMS in education is just a piece of software, it can often be configured to the school’s exact needs.
However, there are a few features that you should consider when choosing an LMS for your educational institution.
User-Friendly Design And Accessibility
At the top of the priority list for many schools is the usability of their new LMS.
If a platform isn’t easy to use for everyone, then this can create a lot of disruption for teachers and students.
Make sure that the home screen is intuitive and that it contains all the information the user needs.
This could be starting an assignment, deadline notifications or homework reminders. The layout and fonts of the content should be easy to read.
Depending on your school, you may also want to have the ability to translate your material into other languages.
There are also a few features that can make learning more fun and engaging, such as chatbots.
This can also help new students or multi-generational learners who are not used to digital learning tools to navigate the platform.
Measure Course Effectiveness
An LMS can help to measure the effectiveness of the learning process and how well your course material is doing.
As teachers and educators can download different reports, they can review the data and decide where material needs to be improved.
Secure Data Management
When a school wants to transition part of their curriculum to a digital learning platform, security is absolutely essential.
A secure LMS platform should have a range of security features, such as double authentication.
There are different LMS solutions that are cloud-based and desktop-based. A desktop-based LMS requires extra security on user devices.
On the other hand, cloud-based LMS should use a secure serve to encrypt all essential data.
Mobile Learning
When it comes to digital learning, it’s important that all learning materials are accessible on the go.
This means that students will be able to access the LMS tool on their tablet, mobile or laptop.
It’s quick and easy when teachers or pupils can log into their account on a school tablet.
That’s why, keep in mind that only a multi-device LMS can provide a solution that allows teachers and students to access your new learning management system on different devices.
You should also make sure that the LMS runs on different operating systems, screen sizes and browsers.
Support Availability
Whenever you are looking at a new piece of software for your educational institution, it’s essential that you understand the support package that comes with the new platform.
There may be technical issues or users might have some questions about how to use your new LMS.
Then, you will need a responsive technical support team that can help.
What’s The Difference Between An LMS And An MIS?
You may have heard the terms LMS and MIS used in one sentence. While they are both education platforms, there are some clear differences.
Management Information Systems (MIS) are also known as Student Information Systems (SIS).
An MIS is a school’s central information system which allows the school to manage all student, faculty and course data.
This data includes admissions, attendance, wellbeing, assessments, communication, reporting and timetables.
On the other hand, a virtual learning environment, such as an LMS, provides learning materials to students and tracks student progress and grades.
An LMS is a digital space that allows students and teachers to come together to learn and share knowledge.
One of the key differences between the two systems is that an MIS focuses on the the administrative side between students and a school.
An LMS’ key task is to retain the educational relationship between students and teachers.
Saying there, there are also a few things that both systems are used for, such as improving operational efficiency of a school, assisting school staff with optimising materials and delivering education.
While an MIS delivers these objectives for the entire school with a focus on administration, an LMS delivers education through teachers.
Both systems are essential in education to provide a better service for students and create an engaging learning environment.
What Is An Example Of An LMS In Education?
The most popular learning management systems used in education include Blackboard Learn, Moodle and Schoology.
There are also larger LMSs which are more suitable for organizations, such as Docebo LMS, eFront, iSpring Learn and Adobe Captivate Prime.
Final Thoughts
The education landscape has changed considerably, and many schools, colleges and universities are trying to keep up.
One step towards a more blended learning approach which is accessible to everyone is the implementation of a learning management system.
This type of platform can help engage students more with their learning and it also makes administrative tasks for teachers easier.
LMS solutions are a great way to provide a safe and motivating learning space for students.
