Choosing an LMS – What to Look for in an LMS

Bar November 2022
man holding blocks with LMS letters and icons

Last Updated: October 24, 2023

Have you decided to incorporate online learning into your training organisation? If so, then using a Learning Management System will be advantageous for you. But when it comes to choosing an LMS, there are many factors to consider. What are the LMS capabilities that your organisation needs? What is the best LMS for your budget and your students? How do you know which learning management system is right for you?

We will answer these questions and provide essential features to help you find the best learning management system for your online training purposes.

Define LMS

A learning management system (LMS) is a dynamic software solution used by companies, educational institutions, and registered training organisations (RTOs) to streamline and enhance their academic programs. It’s not just about organising content; an LMS bridges the gap between educators and learners, fostering an interactive environment regardless of geography. The challenge lies in sifting through many options to find an LMS that aligns with your organisational ethos, goals, and learner demographics.

How Does an LMS work?

At its core, an LMS is the backbone of your e-learning initiatives. It’s not just a vault for content but a versatile tool that enables you to craft courses, initiate and monitor e-learning modules, and even host virtual classrooms. It empowers educators with tracking capabilities to follow a learner’s journey, providing insights that can shape more effective, personalised educational experiences.

What are the LMS Capabilities That Your Organisation Needs?

Choosing an LMS requires a precise analysis of your organisation’s objectives. Are you aiming to enhance skills, ensure compliance, or provide continuous education? Identifying the type of content – be it text-heavy courses, interactive media, or discussion-based learning – is crucial. Consider the scale of access, too; the number of users can influence your choice. The ideal LMS should offer a blend of functionality and user-friendliness tailored to your audience’s tech-savviness.

The Best LMS for Your Budget and Learners

Finding the right LMS is a balance between cost-effectiveness and optimal learning experiences. It’s vital to understand not just what you can afford but what will most engage your learners. Reflect on whether your focus is on collaborative features, mobile access, or extensive analytics. Knowing the specific LMS features that resonate with your educational goals helps hone in on systems that offer real value, ensuring a return on investment through successful learning outcomes.

How Do You Know Which LMS is Right for You?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question – it depends on the specific needs of your organisation. However, there are some key considerations that you should keep in mind when choosing an LMS.

Select an LMS system that delivers all the right perks while saving time and resources on functions you don’t need. Consider the features your organisation needs and make learning management system comparisons to test different systems and find the best fit. With these considerations in mind, you can be sure to find an LMS that meets all of your learning needs.

Features You Should Look for in an LMS

Are you ready to invest in a learning management system? If yes, then here are a few key features to look for:

Intuitive User Interface: The best LMS platforms are user-friendly and easy to navigate. Look for an LMS with a clean, modern interface that is easy for trainers and students to use. After all, an LMS with excellent features becomes wasted when only a few can master how to navigate the system.

Content Management: A good LMS will allow you to create, upload and manage your learning content easily. Look for an LMS with robust content management features, such as the ability to develop and deliver online courses, host virtual training sessions and track student progress.

Reporting and Analytics: As a training provider, you must track various aspects of your training courses to ensure their effectiveness. As such, you will need an LMS that provides detailed reports on learning activities to help you identify where you are with your online training objectives. LMS platforms also feature customisable reports to help you generate metrics based on your preferred variables. Choosing an LMS that also includes visual representations of data would be ideal for helping you spot patterns and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Mobile Access: Mobile accessibility is a must-have for any good LMS since it would be advantageous for trainers and students to access learning content anywhere at any time. Find an LMS with a cross-platform app so learners can maximise their performance. You can also look for one with good offline storage so learners can continue to learn even while offline.

Pricing: When considering an LMS, it is crucial to consider the price. Some LMS platforms are free, while others charge a monthly or annual subscription fee. Be sure to consider the cost of an LMS before making a decision. But remember that a paid LMS always comes with better features to handle more complex learning needs.

Cost-Effective: As mentioned, some LMS platforms charge fees. But avoid choosing the cheapest one. Instead, think about the long-term benefits your new LMS will bring. Will it help you save time and money on unnecessary tasks? Will it increase productivity for teachers and students? Will it save storage, paper and printing costs? If the answer is yes, then that LMS is surely worth the price.

Social Learning Integration: A good LMS will allow you to integrate social learning features, such as discussion forums and blogs. Look for an LMS with social learning features that can help you engage students through informal learning tools. This way, students can interact with their peers and teachers, share feedback and exchange much-needed information.

Assessment Tools: A good LMS will include assessment tools to help you evaluate student learning. That’s because, apart from reports and analytics, online training assessments are the most direct way to track progress and learner engagement. These assessments range from online training simulations to branching scenarios and written exams. Regardless, the goal is to gauge a learner’s progress so you can provide personalised recommendations.

So, look for an LMS with assessment features, such as quizzes and surveys. Moreover, the LMS should allow you to provide immediate feedback.

Certification and Compliance: Registered training organisations need to track compliance initiatives, and LMS platforms can handle this. You can offer online training programs for certifications focusing on specific tasks or skills, such as customer service. Some platforms also enable the maintenance of up-to-date records in case of audits.

Online Collaboration Tools: LMS platforms with built-in online collaboration tools include community calendars and video conferencing software. These tools allow you to create engaging and interactive online learning experiences that eliminate geographical barriers. Moreover, everyone can get updated on synchronous learning events and online training courses.

Data Security Protocols: Keeping sensitive data safe from prying eyes is a must-have feature for an LMS. As such, you must ensure that the LMS you choose has data security measures in place to keep your information safeguarded. For instance, your platform should have encryption protocols and protected servers to prevent hacks.

But if you need to know whether the LMS you are considering has these features in place, ask the LMS vendor about their data security policies. It will also help if you look for online reviews or ratings from previous clients.

These are just a few of the key features to look for in an LMS. When considering different learning management system examples, be sure to keep these features in mind to find the best fit for your organisation.

Learning Management System Examples

Now that you know what to look for in an LMS, let’s take a look at some examples of popular LMS platforms.

Canvas LMS

Canvas is a popular learning management system used by schools and universities. It offers a wide range of features, including creating and delivering online courses, hosting virtual training sessions and tracking student progress.

Moodle

Moodle is a popular open-source learning management system used by schools, universities, training institutions and other organisations worldwide. Not only does it allow users to create and deliver online courses and learning resources, but users can also tailor their learning experience to their specific needs.

While commonly used for online learning, you can also use Moodle for face-to-face teaching or blended learning. It offers a wide range of features, including tools for tracking progress and creating reports, making it ideal for training providers seeking to provide the best educational outcomes for their learners.

TalentLMS

TalentLMS is a popular cloud-based learning management system used by businesses. It offers a wide range of features, including the ability to create and deliver online courses, host face-to-face training sessions and track employee progress.

These are just a few examples of popular LMS platforms. When choosing an LMS for your organisation, be sure to consider the specific needs of your organisation and the features that are important to you.

Source Quality Online Learning Resources from Didasko and Facilitate Excellent Learning through Moodle

Didasko Learning Resources uses Moodle as its online LMS system to help educators and training organisations create and deliver quality learning. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, students and trainers can navigate the platform’s tools with ease. The system is also continually improved and updated to enhance its performance and usability.

Moreover, Moodle has multilingual capabilities and comprehensive resources. It is also secure, private and scalable, catering to classes of any size. Lastly, users can customise this LMS platform to suit an organisation or institution’s specific learning needs. So, apart from creating high-quality eLearning resources, we also deliver them through an outstanding online LMS that training organisations and schools can use with ease.

Source your online learning materials from the leading educational developer and publisher of world-class VET eLearning resources, and call us today.

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