What is a Learning Management System?

A Learning Management System (LMS) is a software application for the development, implementation, delivery and learning of educational courses.

From many past years educators and learners using an LMS especially after the pandemic of 2020. Online learning platforms are also used by Institutes to deliver and manage courses. Some Institutes have courses that are completely online and often students choose these for ease and flexibility of working remotely.

Below, we explore the top ten advantages of using an LMS in an Institute setting.

#1. Support efficient distribution of class materials

By using the LMS to share class materials, all students—regardless of whether they are in class or learning remotely—will have access to the lesson including objectives, activities and resources. Textbooks can even be shared online via software applications. Instead of students purchasing and lugging one giant textbook to and from school every day, an up to date product can be integrated into the class page.

#2. Resources in a variety of formats

Resources are able to be stored and shared in a diverse range of formats. This allows teachers to gather multiple resources on a topic or skill that will help students understand the context in a way that suits them. Videos and external sites can be embedded easily into the LMS to allow students ease of access as well as better engaging learning pages.

#3. Parental access to class schedule, outlines and assessment

Parents and guardians can have access to their child’s calendar, class timetable, outline, assessment dates and can monitor child’s progress as well. This creates opportunities for conversation to meaningfully occur outside of class time and parents or guardians can actively engage in their child’s learning. For students who need help with organization, this can be a big help.

#4. Enables diverse assessment options

Assessment can take place online via multiple formats in an LMS. Short quizzes, multiple choice, assignments all provide the opportunity to deliver immediate feedback. Teachers can also reference an external site including video formats and apply questions or topics from that stimulus. Students have the option to upload their work in multiple formats including pdf, doc, jpg, png or video etc.

#5. Transparency on feedback

Feedback from a teacher for formative and summative tasks can be easily shared with the students and parents and allows all feedback to be kept and stored so students can easily access and done action in later tasks.

#6. Provides a number of communication options

Institutes can set up a variety of access points and groups to communicate learning via the Learning Management System. Course pages, Chat rooms are common.

#7. Tracking student data

Data from student assessment can be stored in the LMS and used to provide progression with learning. Those students who need extra support across subjects can also be easily identified. Likewise, students who are gifted and talented in more than one subject can be highlighted.

#8. Enhances student organization

When uploading assessments, due dates, task requirements, criteria and information regarding a formative or summative task, an LMS allows teachers to automatically populate into the students’ calendar. This then helps students plan their homework and assignment time as they can see all of their tasks for the week, month and term and also add in extracurricular and personal commitments. It is also possible to share the calendar with parents or guardians.

#9. Digitalization of teaching and learning

By digitizing curriculum, students have access to the same unit outlines and resources regardless of what class they are in and creates cohesion and equitable access across the grade. Units can also be archived for the following year, eradicating the notion of recreating work. Teachers can then use this archive feature to reflect upon, review and improve units for the following year.

#10. Transitioning to remote learning in a heartbeat

And finally, using an LMS enables learning to take place in a variety of places, including the child’s home. Setting up digital spaces to deliver education acts as a safeguard to provide continuity to students in instances where schools need to transition to remote teaching with little warning.