The New Meaning of Learning Management Systems
The LMS is a constantly evolving concept
A Learning Management System (LMS) is the software, hardware and content that is put together to teach and train employees. The LMS is a constantly evolving concept for the companies and businesses that use it as a delivery method for training and developing employees throughout an organization. Some organizations launch and manage their own LMS. Other organizations, however, use a Learning Management System created and administered by a third party.
Learning Management System Components
While each LMS can be different, the majority of Learning Management Systems share six primary components.
- Registration and enrollment management capabilities
- Curriculum content management controls
- Internet delivery of the content to attendees
- Course calendar creation and distribution methods
- Interactivity between student groups and instructors with email, instant messaging and discussion forums
- Assessment and testing methods
These six components are the building blocks for most of the Learning Management Systems you can find on the market or in use today. Organizations also tend to have the option for additional features.
Some of the add-ons include:
- Email automation for reminding enrollees of upcoming course(s)
- Manager access
- Human resource integration for tracking purposes
- Ability to group attendees by various characteristics, such as geography or employment level
Learning Management System Advantages
Using a Learning Management System provides several benefits to the companies and organizations that use this method for training employees. The primary benefit to using a LMS is that it adds efficiency to the training process. Training with a Learning Management System allows for quick and efficient delivery of the information to the employees that need to learn the concepts and information.
Learning Management Systems are easy to update. This means that employees can instantly learn a new concept, method for doing their jobs or any other information the company needs to disseminate to employees. Additionally, once the information is loaded into the LMS, it can be used over and over again.
Finally, using a LMS allows companies to train and evaluate employees in a quicker and easier manner than other types of training methods. Because the evaluation of training and development is almost immediate, companies can respond to the changing needs of employees expediently. This also allows companies to train future employees more effectively.
The future of Learning Management Systems – LMS
Learning Management Systems are constantly evolving and changing to meet the training and development needs of the companies and organizations using the systems. While current Learning Management Systems are interactive, future systems will likely have additional interactivity options. Some Learning Management Systems are even integrating social media networks, such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, into the system for additional levels of communication among trainees. The Tin Can API system is designed to track Learning Resources across multiple domains such as social networks, video hosting services, and even online forums and discussion boards.
A Learning Management System enables companies to create and manage content at higher volumes than ever before. The new Learning Management Systems are just as dynamic as those that came before them. The capabilities of these types of training and development systems are dynamic, removing any limitations on the potential these types of systems hold.
Contact eLeaP to discuss your training needs or even custom requirements you might want to accomplish. We try to be as flexible as possible. Call us 1-877-624-7226 or email help@eleapsoftware.com