Want to know what LMS platform is ? It is the Learning
Management System (or learning management system). It is an indispensable
requirement to enable the management of education through digital platforms.
When we talk about corporate education, distance learning
and online training, we need to familiarize ourselves with some key concepts.
They support the entire process, and the LMS is one of them.
If you want to better understand what the LMS platform is,
how it works and why it is such an important tool for online education, keep
reading this article!
We will talk about the concept, features, the main features
of a modern and functional platform and some application examples.
First of all: what is LMS platform?
An LMS platform is a virtual environment that makes it
possible to manage online learning. It's exactly what the acronym in English
says: a Learning Management System, or learning management system .
In general terms, it is a virtual platform that allows the
complete coordination of the course or training given. This happens from
enrollment management to issuing certificates and monitoring payments, in case
we are talking about an open course for the external public.
Knowing what the LMS platform is, it is possible to
transpose the educational routine entirely to the virtual environment.
Its emergence dates back to 1924, when Ohio professor Sidney
Pressey invented the so-called “teaching machine” (discussed in the article
Sidney Pressey and the Automation of Education ). Constantly evolving over the
years, technology represented the beginning of a major advance for the distance
education market.
What are the functions of an LMS platform?
There are different types of LMS platform. They may vary
depending on the format of the course offered and the needs of the hiring
company. However, regardless of the particularities of each system, it is
possible to list some of the essential features for the service.
customization
Whatever the target audience of the course or training
offered by the LMS platform, it is important to keep in mind that it is a
digital product , and, therefore, it fulfills functions that go beyond the act
of teaching.
When we talk about a corporate course, for example, we are
betting on content that will educate, but also tune employees into the
company's values and principles.
That's why having a modern and personalized LMS platform is
so important. To reinforce brand positioning, to speak the organization's
language and to ensure greater identification between employees and content.
Uploading files in different formats
You know how outdated courses and training based on long and
boring lectures are, don't you?
To give you an idea, the last EAD CENSUS revealed that
companies offering free courses are already betting on different formats to
offer content. The main alternatives considered are:
video classes;
digital texts;
digital learning objects;
videos (other than classes);
e-books;
audios (podcasts, songs etc);
online simulations.
Developing multimedia content is essential to ensure target
audience engagement. Likewise, having a platform capable of hosting this type
of content is essential for the good development of the educational proposal.
Interaction between tutors and students
We know that one of the main goals of the LMS platform is to
enable a completely virtual learning environment. But we also know that
interaction between tutors and students is essential to ensure content
assimilation. This is especially true when we talk about complex topics, such
as corporate operational training.
Therefore, a modern LMS platform has tools to facilitate
contact between the figure of the educator and the students. It can be a chat,
a forum, a direct message channel and so on. The important thing is to ensure
that there are open channels for answering questions and exchanging learning
and experiences.
Engagement Evaluation and Parameterization
One of the greatest challenges for companies that provide
training and courses for their employees is to find an effective way to measure
engagement and content absorption.
We know that evidence is not always the best solution for
this. However, a good LMS system needs tools to help measure class engagement.
This can be provided through a formal assessment or reports
based on class attendance rates or the time each content is displayed on the
platform.
Modern LMS platform: what to expect
With the digital transformation, user behavior in online
channels is being modified. Likewise, the developed technologies evolve to
provide an even better experience for him.
Like other digital products, the LMS platform also
constantly incorporates new features and technologies into its structure. Some
of them are:
Usability and user experience, providing a more fluid and
autonomous virtual environment;
Full responsiveness, so that the platform can be accessed
from any mobile device;
Cloud data storage;
Adoption of security and data protection mechanisms;
Integration with management and automation software.
Why is the Learning Management System an ally in digital
education?
1. Cost reduction and facilitated logistics
You can already see that knowing what LMS platform is and
choosing a modern system can make all the difference in how your target
audience absorbs the content offered, right? For the avoidance of doubt, we
list below the 4 main advantages of using the tool to apply training and
courses.
Let's do a quick exercise together. Your company needs to
train its employees in a new technical standard. First, think about the
logistics of conducting the training face-to-face. List each of the essential
aspects to take into account (and their assigned costs):
space rental;
equipment;
hiring a professional to teach the course;
transport of employees;
food;
and so on.
Now let's think about this same course, however, taught
entirely online. As you redo the list, you will certainly notice a reduction in
essentials. It's the impact of the LMS platform showing another of its facets!
2. Engagement Parameterization
As mentioned above, a good LMS is capable of providing
extremely useful data for the management of training and development of a
company.
This data can even be used as a thermometer of the company's
climate or of certain sectors.
3. Flexibility
Remember all that logistics mentioned in item 1 of this
list? If we are talking about large companies, with teams working in shifts, it
gains one more item. This item is the need to prepare a careful schedule that
does not affect the routine of any shift.
However, if the option is to use an LMS platform, this item
can also be cut from the list! Collaborators can access the learning
environment and consume content according to their time availability.
4. Scalability
Let's think again about the large company, with branches all
over the country (or even around the world).
Understanding what LMS platform is and applying technology
in routine, training applied in one unit can be easily adapted and scaled to
the others, making the process more effective and unified.
Some LMS platform applications
Companies
Knowing what the LMS platform is and using it as an ally in
the training and development of employees opens up a range of possibilities.
Some of them are:
create a fully modernized, personalized and autonomous
onboarding and corporate integration process for employees;
offer informative institutional content for employees,
customers and partners;
develop training for sectors using different formats and
media, as did Alliar, which created the series “From the other side of the
line” to establish technical procedures in a humanized, accessible and dynamic
way;
https://vimeo.com/320742062
Schools
Having an LMS system associated with the educational routine
is a great differential for schools.
Some higher education institutions were already working with
the LMS as a support for on-site activities. One of the most famous LMS is
Moodle , used in over 235 countries around the world.
Recently, the covid-19 global pandemic showed how important
it is for educational institutions at all levels — including primary and
secondary education — to have tools to guarantee distance learning in emergency
cases.
Now that you know what the LMS platform is, you can start
exploring the best ways to leverage its capabilities. One of them is investing
in dynamic content and different formats.
If you are thinking of transforming your company's courses
and training with a modern LMS platform and super interactive content, we can
help you with that!
DNA Content works to empower people with knowledge, helping
companies to rethink the way they offer corporate content to their employees.
We work with content production outside the box, according
to the needs of the target audience. Some of our products are:
videos
infographics
podcasts
e-books
presentations
interactive platform
and more!
Find out all about our engaging, personalized, high-impact
content by contacting us!
About Us
1. Performance
control
When we talk about face-to-face evaluation processes, we
must take into account that there may be delay and complexity involved. This is
because, in addition to having to apply the assessments, the instructor needs
to correct them manually, in addition to often needing to travel or use many
alternative tools (e-mail, telephone, video conferencing tools, spreadsheets,
Word documents, etc).
When we talk about evaluation processes on an LMS platform,
the situation is different. In it, everything is hosted in a single system and
the student receives immediate feedback. In addition, the instructor can
centrally check each user's performance, percentage of correct answers and
errors, as well as the overall average of a group of people.
This ensures greater control over learning, so that it is
always possible to measure training results in real time and, thus, have data
that proves results and that allow for improvements in teaching, eventually.
See what the Twygo dashboard looks like »
2. Content hosting
On an LMS platform, it is possible to host the most diverse
content formats, such as:
Videos (including YouTube videos);
PDFs;
Power Points;
Questionnaires;
Spreadsheets;
Infographics;
And much more.
So, with this diversity of content, acquiring new knowledge
is much more fun.