eLearning is on the special rise. The experts project that by 2026, the global eLearning market size will reach $167,5 billion. While more and more people appreciate the opportunities online learning opens up, it is easy to get lost in the variety of applications and tools developed to satisfy the diverse needs of modern students and teachers. An LMS platform is just one of the solutions available in the thriving eLearning market. Let's look deeper at it and find out what LMS is, how it is used, its benefits, and what the system pays special attention to.
So, let's see what the LMS system of distance learning is, what advantages it gives to teachers and students, and which of the solutions you should pay special attention to.
What Is LMS - Definition and Use Cases
So, what is LMS, and how does it compare with other eLearning solutions? An LMS means a learning management system; as a rule, it is a solution that schools, colleges, and universities use to manage educational workflows. In the most basic version, an LMS platform allows for planning and scheduling classes (both online and offline), tracking students' attendance, and evaluating their progress.
However, in response to the rising popularity of online learning, LMS platforms began to acquire more advanced features and capture audiences that don't necessarily have to study in a specific college. In the broadest meaning of the concept, a learning management system is a platform that allows for creating, planning, delivering, and sharing educational courses, monitoring students’ progress, and collaborating with other teachers. The concept of an LMS can cover all kinds of virtual classrooms, AR-enabled learning solutions, online course websites, and custom eLearning systems.
LMS Platform Benefits for Teachers and Students
So, after we have discovered the LMS platform, let's proceed with the benefits of LMS for teachers and students.
Learning Management System Advantages for Teachers
- Easy content development and sharing. With the LMS platform, teachers (or anyone having expert knowledge to share) can easily create and launch their courses with the opportunity to add interactive content.
- Deeply personalized interactions. The platform allows teachers to use various tools and techniques to engage their students meaningfully. They can also devote more time to students who need additional explanations.
- Automation and analytics. Usually, an LMS platform for distant learning provides automated grading, reporting, and tracking features that allow for more efficient classroom management and better data collection about student performance.
- Better collaboration opportunities and a career boost. Some LMS systems offer teachers to join their communities where they can share their best practices and find better ways to knowledge delivery.
Learning Management System Advantages for Students
- Self-paced, better, and deeper learning. With an LMS platform, students are usually able to access course content at their own pace. They can pause, repeat and review any section of the course whenever they want without feeling pressured.
- Money saving. The price you should pay to learn online is always lower than the college tuition cost. While an LMS platform can still be a part of the college education process, joining additional online courses can be a way to go for eager-to-learn students who aren't ready to break the bank.
- Motivation through gamified competition with other students. With an LMS platform, teachers can create games that motivate students to do well in class so they can win points or prizes. Such a rewarding system is significantly more encouraging for learners than getting high, medium, or low grades.
- Unlimited learning opportunities for any student. The LMS systems created fair opportunities for students worldwide, including those with special needs. They make education more accessible regardless of the student's location and previous academic background.
Learning Management System Platform Basic Features
Now, let's find out what are the basic features of a learning management system:
- Sing up/login
- User profile (for teachers and students)
- Courses and classes
- Calendar integration
- Class scheduling
- Tests, quizzes, and maraphones
- Video conferencing
- Progress tracking
- Students’ performance evaluation
- Closed communities and groups
- Chat for communicating with teachers and other students
- Payroll system integration
The features we have listed above are pretty general. Depending on your chosen system (or the one you may want to develop from scratch), the feature set can be more diverse and advanced.
Two Ways to Get Started with an LMS Distant Learning System
So, are you ready to get started with an LMS system for distant learning? Compare two possible ways to do it.
Create a custom LMS solution
Some colleges, universities, and even individual teachers prefer creating their own learning management system from scratch. This tactic is feasible enough if it matches your business needs and your business logic is quite complex. But, at the same time, this strategy comes with the highest cost possiblThethe price tag to develop an LMS system may sometimes reach up to $150,000.
Leverage LMS Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
Те владельцы бизнеса и частные преподаватели, которые ищут быстрый и проверенный способ начать работу с LMS, могут рассмотреть LMS Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Простыми словами, вы можете использовать LMS программное обеспечение как услугу, получая доступ ко всем необходимым функциям для онлайн обучения за разумную плату.
Those business owners and individual teachers looking for a quick and proven way to get started with an LMS are welcome to consider LMS Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). For instance, Kwiga online teaching platform comes with all-inclusive features set you need to start sharing your expertise online. Create online courses, run online seminars, schedule individual consultations, and get paid for your knowledge in a single place.
Conclusion
A learning management platform reinvents the ways students learn and teachers support them. But with so many online learning management systems on the market, it can be hard to determine which one is right for your business. Let us bet Kwiga may suit you, so consider starting with it today and join the trendy niche of online learning!