With organisations increasingly keen to monitor both formal and social learning, Learning Management Systems (LMSs) are set to be a big trend for 2015.
In a market saturated with over 600 learning management solutions, (yes, that many!) choosing the right LMS for your organisation can be a daunting task but will reap huge benefits in terms of money savings, time efficiency and the ability to deliver innovative and effective learning campaigns.
In this latest post, we’ll help point you in the right direction.
What is an LMS and why do you need one?
An LMS is a software application which will allow you to manage all aspects of your online learning; including administration, tracking learner progress and the delivery of learning content. A good LMS will make the organisational, technical and administrative tasks associated with delivering online learning into a simple, manageable process.
In his presentation: 7 Questions you must ask before purchasing an LMS, Business Development Manager at Aurion Learning, Gavin Woods outlined the seven key questions you should ask to avoid LMS disappointment:
- Is it easy to implement?
- Is it easy to customise and configure?
- Is it secure?
- Is in-depth reporting available?
- Does it have strong functionality?
- Is it scalable?
- Do I want to work with this vendor?
See the full presentation here.
In 2015, there are five industry wide trends that we predict will affect LMS choice and that you’ll want to take into consideration as you future proof your E-Learning:
- The widespread adoption of big data in E-Learning
- The emergence of Tin Can API
- An increase in self-directed, informal learning
- A further rise in mobile learning
- The integration of learning management and talent management
Ultimately, the aim is to find an LMS which is robust, functional and future proof, as well as being within your budget. Each organisation will have different requirements in terms of technical and functional requirements.
Before approaching any vendors, we recommend sitting down with representatives from across your organisation and discussing what you need to have and what you would like to have.
It’s likely that your LMS will be used by more than just your learning and development team, so remember to include colleagues working in management, human resources, marketing and anyone else who will use the LMS on a regular basis.
With so much LMS choice available, it can be hard to select the right one for your organisational needs. At team Aurion, we’ve selected three LMS solutions that we regularly recommend to a wide range of organisations and outlined which learner needs they meet most effectively:
NetDimensions Learning
Described by Brandon Hall as “bulletproof”, this LMS is notorious for its technical dependability and is ideal for high information or compliance based industries.
With inbuilt talent management integration, it benefits both the human resources and training department by tracking and recording learner progress as well as potentially reporting workplace performance. NetDimensions Learning is used all over the world and its translation and localisation capabilities make it ideal for organisations operating in several countries or using numerous languages. Customer service is reportedly helpful and quick.
LearnUpon
Recently named by independent reporter Learning Light as one of its top 8 learning management systems, LearnUpon is famed for being a simple, easy to set up LMS where administrators can quickly upload and share learning content.
With a transparent payment plan and ability to create new learning content at a fast pace, it is a favourite amongst training providers. As a cloud based LMS, it is highly competitive in terms of data security, accessibility and customisation.
Moodle
For many in the academic world, the word Moodle is synonymous with E-Learning. This open source, highly scalable LMS is seen by many as the unquestionable forerunner in the race for best LMS.
Also voted by Learning Light as one of the top 8 LMSs, it stands out from the crowd because of the cost benefits it offers, its consistent development and innovation and the community of developers who continually create new features and ways of delivering digital learning. It is great for creating mobile learning and is compatible with Tin Can API.
Although it is free, you will need to partner with someone who knows how to use it and will help you to keep abreast with the constant changes associated with a Moodle LMS deployment.
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