Learning management systems (LMS) are a type of software that helps facilitate and manage a range of learning activities in organizations, schools, and universities. They provide a simple interface to organize and manage different kinds of learning activities and administrative workflows, such as course management, student management, and training management. 

A good LMS also provides tools to plan, deliver and track learning, so that learning outcomes can be improved, learning delivery can be engaging and accessible, and the institution gets a birds eye view of the performance of the students and the courses. Learning management systems can help you manage different learning activities and help create a learning environment that supports the goals of the institution and build a better teaching and learning experience.

Higher Education Institutions in particular need LMS platforms as contact hours with students has been reducing, and with the entry of MOOCs and other learning options, Higher Education Institutions are also transforming themselves to offer a differentiated learning experience, with a mix of online and offline learning activities and experiences.  

Benefits of Learning Management Systems for Higher Education Institutions

Learning management systems (LMS) or Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) can be a great tool for higher education. They allow administrators and educators to organize classes, students, and resources and assessments in an effective and convenient manner. 

Key benefits of an LMS:

• Enable educators to manage classes and students and create a virtual learning space which is accessible anytime anywhere

• Enable educators to create or modify lesson plans and assignments in real-time

• Enable Personalized Learning by allowing educators to share resources with specific groups of  students in their class, or share resources across multiple modules/classes 

• Can be used to collect student feedback

• Use learning analytics to understand student performance, track student progress and focus on learning outcomes

• Allow collaboration among learners, instructors and peers

• Build a learning ecosystem by integrating with other learning apps and systems needed for a seamless learning experience

• Can support Gamification - award points and badges for actions and participation along with tracking capabilities such as leaderboards

• Enable learners to stay up-to-date with their learning activities with a Calendar tool that shows upcoming events and due dates.

Using a Learning Management System

Learning management systems, such as Teamie, encompasses aforementioned capabilities and can be leveraged for a variety of purposes - collaboration & social learning, course management & online learning, assessment & feedback, MOOCs and blended learning being a few to list. 

Learning management systems are not just used for running courses in schools and universities but also for a variety of professional development, educational, and training activities. They also allow for easy management of online courses and online learning environments with minimum efforts.

The advantages of learning management systems lie in the ability to teach, manage and track the progress of students. These systems are also popular as they help to make the learning process easier and more effective.

Next Step

Learning management systems are an essential part of any online education. They can provide a platform for students to take their courses, manage their grades, and improve their overall knowledge. But these systems have a lot of benefits that aren't always immediately visible.

The unforeseen global pandemic has brought the learning management systems front and center to the learning, training and development requirements. Be it schools moving entirely to e-learning and online classes via LMS overnight or enterprises relying heavily on them for their training and development requirements. Now, when the world has mostly come back to the "new normal", LMS has become integral part of both the standalone anyplace, anytime learning and the hybrid online-offline learning needs!

So, if you are thinking about switching or implementing a new LMS and want to learn more about best practices for implementing an LMS, download the following white paper that includes 24 Best Practices for implementing an LMS.