What is an LMS?
Simply defined, a learning management system (LMS) is a software used to administer learning and training of various courses to one or more learners. These days, an LMS is typically a cloud-based system that allows the learners to authenticate themselves, register for the course, complete the course, and then take assessments for learning outcomes.
More and more organizations across the globe are adopting learning management systems (LMS) to supplement their learning and training requirements. Compared to traditional classrooms, an LMS offers several advantages. First, learning is not restricted to a classroom with an instructor explaining the course to all students together, irrespective of their learning abilities and capacities to assimilate, retain, and recall. An LMS allows learning at your own pace.
Moreover, the course contents are in the form of micro-nuggets, enabling the learners to master one concept at a time before proceeding to the next level. The second advantage is that learners are not restricted to the boundaries of physical classrooms and can learn anywhere, anytime, in their homes, offices or while on the move. Besides, a cloud-based LMS can also be leveraged for team learning across geographies, enabling knowledge-sharing and brainstorming.
What is Moodle-based Learning Management System?
There are several types of LMS available, the most popular being a Moodle based Learning Management System, which is an open source, free to download, flexible user-friendly eLearning platform, supported by a global community and with over 68 million users worldwide from all types of organizations.
The Moodle based LMS is ideal for:
- Compliance training
- Online course development
- Competency-based training and management
- Onboarding training
- Workplace safety training
- Product and service launches
- Hiring, recruitment and interview process
Top 10 Benefits of a Moodle-based Learning Management System (LMS)
1. User-friendly Interface
A research conducted by Brandon Hall Group in 2016 showed that about 44% of the companies using an LMS were thinking of replacing them with ones that could provide them with a better user experience. It is very important for an LMS to have a user-friendly interface with self-descriptive navigation features,and a Moodle-based LMS provides just that. The LMS is easy to use, which means you have to invest minimum time on training and learning to familiarize your employees to use it effectively.
2. Ease of Integration
Moodle based Learning Management System (LMS) is easy to integrate with your various business functions within the enterprise such are human resource management, compliance, talent management, workflow management, customer relationship management, payment processing to name a few. Besides, it also has features that enable the sharing of data across all geographies.
3. Content Management
A Moodle based LMS can support all latest eLearning standards such as SCORM and Tin Can/xAPI. Besides, it also enables you to upload existing documents and videos, and also share materials and events between courses or learning paths.
4. Ease of Access
Moodle-based LMS has a responsive design, which means that the content can adjust to different screen sizes, be it a mobile device or tablet. Also, with more and more people using their smartphones while on the move, it is important to ensure that the LMS supports mobile learning, implying that the content should be interactive and delivered in short segments. Besides, it has generally been observed that users also want more social engagement. Hence, Moodle-based LMS has all the necessary features that enable communication through discussion boards.
5. Blended Learning Features
Besides providing online features, this LMS is able to support offline learning and includes features for tracking, recording and assessing offline events along with online ones.
6. Assessment and Testing
The Learning Management System can support pre-tests and post-tests as part of the learning process. Besides, it has several flexible testing and assessment features, for example, automatic and manual marking, storing a learner’s complete assessment portfolio etc.
7. Reporting and Tracking
Apart from assessment and testing, Moodle-based LMS includes features to track and record learners’ progress through a learning path. Besides, it can analyse exam performance and record which learners have completed particular learning items and which ones have not. In case of e-commerce, it can track purchase, revenues and performance of marketing initiatives.
8. Security
The importance of security of data cannot be underestimated. An LMS doesn’t just include records and personal data of learners but also content that is proprietary in nature or is of commercial value. The Moodle LMS has a secure sign-in feature to protect sensitive data. It also provides controlled access to ensure data integrity is maintained at all times.
9. E-commerce Functionality
In case you wish to generate further revenues from selling your courses, you must ensure that your Learning Management System offers an e-commerce functionality, complete with tracking and reporting features to allow you to track purchases and generate revenue reports. Moodle LMS has an appropriate functionality to support e-commerce and also incorporates payment gateways to allow customers to make their purchases through credit cards, PayPal etc.
10. More Than 500 Plugins
Another reason for Moodle’s popularity is the fact that it is configurable, highly-flexible, and feature-rich with more than five hundred plugins developed by a global community of learners, managers and administrators that allow you to perform all your business needs and make learning collaborative, engaging and fun.
Conclusion
Moodle based LMS enjoys popularity with all types and sizes of organizations, mainly because it is configurable, highly-flexible and feature-rich. The fact that it is open source implies that it is open to scrutiny, and developers from all over the world can access and modify the codes and make it more secure. In fact, a large community of learners, managers, and administrators are constantly adding new plugins to add new features and functionalities, in accordance with evolving learning needs. Given that Moodle is driven by one of the largest open-source communities in the world, you have the option to connect to millions of other users to find answers.
While some organizations choose to support Moodle on their own, others prefer to outsource tasks to Moodle-based LMS providers because it is more cost-effective and allows them to access services of experts without having to hire them in-house.
If you are looking for a Learning Management System which meets the above criteria and more, opt for Hurix Learning Management System that is a cloud-hosted, Moodle-based LMS.
Drop an email to marketing@hurix.com
