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How to choose an online learning platform? How to choose an LMS?

How to avoid mistakes choosing an LMS?

 

With online education flourishing, more and more Learning Management Systems are appearing on the market. Server, cloud, simple and multifunctional - how not get confused and choose the right service for your business? In this guide, we'll walk you through the LMS features and explain what to look for when choosing a platform to host your online courses.

Let's refresh your knowledge a bit. LMS (learning management system) is a system that helps manage online learning. In fact, it is software that allows you to create courses, conduct classes, and provide users with educational content. LMS systems can be server and cloud-based. The first category of services is web-based and installed on the company's server. Such LMSs are often used by universities and large companies that want to fully control the operation of the platform and monitor information security.

Cloud LMS (SaaS LMS) are ready-to-use and simple solutions with certain functionality and limitations. The content of the service is stored on the cloud, so there is no need to buy and maintain a server. These are the best LMS for small businesses and employee training, and a great option for online schools.

 

What are the main LMS features?

 

Modern platforms can do a lot. First, let's list the basic functions:

  • Working with content. In the LMS, you can upload and edit educational content (texts and multimedia materials).
  • Learning management. A set of tools that help you schedule the classes according to the calendar and provide access to personal accounts. 
  • Learning assessment.  All platforms can attach a homework file or test.
  • Chat rooms for students. In online learning, people want to feel like they are a part of the community, so platforms often provide open and closed chats where students can communicate with each other.
  • Analytics. Allows you to monitor student progress, class attendance, and homework.

All these features are available on any platform. But there are additional tools that will help your educational product become better and more convenient. For instance:

  • Online broadcasts service
  • Online course builder
  • Gamification elements 
  • The ability to collect feedback from students
  • Built-in email marketing tool
  • CRM system 
  • Payment system

 

How to choose a platform for your project?

 

After the overview of the main features, you can proceed with LMS selection and decide which platform is better to place the online course. 

We advise you to be careful with the decision and give yourself enough time.  In case of failure, you will spend a lot of resources to change the supplier and reshape the entire educational process.

Step # 1. Define your needs

Firstly, you need to answer a few important questions:

  1. Do you want to educate employees or create an online school?
  2. How old are your students?
  3. What kind of learning forms are they ready to use? You can do either long video lectures or short lessons that you can take on your smartphone.
  4. How many people will be in a group?
  5. Are you planning to launch one course or regularly create new programs? 
  6. Are you going to employ students after course completion?

Step # 2. Define the features you need

It is important to remember that the functionality should be convenient for everyone: students, teachers, and admins. To identify what features you need - write them down. Separately mark the tools that you definitely won't benefit from. This will help to exclude complex and overloaded programs.

Step # 3. Test several options

Pick a few solutions that suit your goals and try them. Many platforms have a demo or trial period that allows you to create a small online course and test it with users. During the test, pay attention to:

  • Usability. If you need to read giant manuals and instructions to work with the platform, this is not an option. It is important for participants to intuitively understand the platform while studying.
  • Statistics. An in-depth analytics tool will help you to find gaps in the course program, determine the level of student motivation and assess the organization of studies in general.
  • Integration. It's great if you can link the platform to the apps you're already using.
  • High-quality technical support. We can say for sure that the learning process is never cloudless. If students are unable to get access to the platform or send a task, the tech team will solve the problem in a few clicks.

 

 What are the most popular LMS platforms?

 

MOST Technology

The platform is focused not only on education but also on the students hiring process. Each student has a personal profile that reflects the skills acquired, as well as a CV and portfolio with completed tasks during the course. After graduation, students are tested for soft and hard skills and are ready for further employment. All that remains for entrepreneurs is to set up search filters and find a suitable candidate.

The platform has a course builder, personal accounts for students and teachers, a course schedule, a tool for sending emails, and a CRM system. An important point is that  MOST Technology is a startup, so the platform is in the process of constant improvement.

Udemy

An international platform for creating online courses. The main educational content is videos and texts. The service also has a teacher's account and students can track as well as mark completed tasks. On the other hand, there is no way to add gamification and there are few blocks for designing lessons.

Learme

Service for online learning in micro education and lifelong learning formats. You can add texts, videos, and various widgets as learning materials. They can be used to collect feedback forms or posts from social networks. This service is ideal for the gamification of ongoing activities.  As for the disadvantages - there is no teacher's account, and statistics can only be obtained in the form of excel files.

GetCourse

A well-known LMS platform for training and online classes. Suitable for both online schools, experts, and entrepreneurs who want to share their experiences in a course format. In addition to learning management features, there is a CRM system and the ability to send email newsletters. The disadvantages include a rather high license cost and a heavy interface, which can confuse you a lot. 

 

To sum up, whether you want to organize training for a team or create an online course from scratch, you can't do it without an LMS training platform. To choose the right platform you need:

  • Determine the needs of your companyHighlight target audience
  • Understand what features you need 
  • Select several LMS options and test them 
  • Take your time to find the best option

We hope this guide will help you choose the right LMS solution for your business. But if you still have questions or want to see the MOST Technology platform demo do not hesitate and contact our team today.

 

 

 

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