Learning management system (LMS systems ) is a platform or software application designed to integrate learning tools, as well as administer, manage and distribute educational and information materials, generate analytics and reporting.
The main goal is to replace isolated and disparate training programs with systematic methodologies for assessing and improving competence and performance levels across the organization.
The term ” distance learning system is associated with the LMS systems” is also often encountered , since the learning management system is used primarily for distance learning or remote support of the educational process. Nevertheless, the functionality of the system makes it possible to effectively administer programs implemented both remotely and in a mixed format 1 .
In addition, modern learning management systems can be complemented by other technologies, such as a training management system ( training management system, TMS ), when learning is managed under the guidance of a teacher, and a learning record store (LRS ), a system that tracks all user actions: opened the video file, paused, rewound the video to the end, re-watched the video fragment, opened the test, answered the test question correctly or incorrectly, etc.
Depending on the placement of data, the platforms are divided into stationary, which are installed on the organization’s servers, and online, which store information in the cloud. The online platform allows you to quickly launch courses, saving time and money: you do not need to have a server to install software, pay specialists to set it up and wait for everything to work. The server-side platform requires a lot of resources to maintain, but the company’s data does not go beyond it.
Depending on the tasks to be solved, platforms can be universal or highly specialized. Universal ones offer a standard set of tools for business in any industry, specialized ones allow you to make finer settings.
Functions of LMS systems:
► placement of electronic educational content developed in various formats;
► registering students, collecting data and tracking the progress of training;
► differentiation of levels of access to educational materials;
► control of the learning process, including the chronology of the student’s actions and control of the execution of tasks;
► interaction and communication of participants in the learning process;
► creation of new electronic educational content, as well as evaluation of the effectiveness of training.
The Best Examples of LMS Systems
eLeaP LMS
eLeaP LMS platform with the ability to support multiple channels for different types of users: resellers, dealers, internal employees and external students, etc. Support for multiple learning portals, types of authorizations, a deployed administration network, integration with CRM (automated customer interaction management system) .
Main functions:
► full-featured reportingwith the ability to createyour own reports;► certificate management;► support for SCORM, xAPI;► catalog of courses;► creation of registration rules;► curriculum;► MOOC constructor; | ► the possibility of trainingexternal students;► blog;► course store;► the ability to connectmultiple domains;► gamification;► notifications;► access rights. |
Standards for creating and integrating content into LMS 3
► AICC ( Aviation Industry CBT Committee ) is the very first e-learning standard. A more modern version of it is the SCORM standard.
► SCORM ( Sharable Content Object Reference Model ) is a collection of specifications and standards developed for distance learning systems. It contains requirements for the organization of educational material and the entire system of distance learning. SCORM allows you to ensure the compatibility of components and the possibility of their reuse: educational material is represented by separate small blocks that can be included in different training programs and used by the distance learning system, regardless of who, where and with what means they were created.
► xAPI ( tin can API, experience API ) is a next-generation standard that is a specification for distance learning programs that allows learning systems to communicate with each other by tracking and recording learning sessions of all kinds. Information about learning activities is stored in a special database – the learning record store LRS ( learning record store ).
► LTI ( learning tools interoperability ) allows you to embed a remote service directly into an electronic course on the side of the learning management system, which eliminates the need for multiple authorizations and work in different interfaces.