What is an LMS?

Digital learning solutions are quickly becoming the standard choice for businesses across the globe to onboard new employees and upskill existing ones. Simple to incorporate and implement into your business, these solutions hold the ability to instantly elevate your operations. But, with the adoption of such technical tools comes the need to understand the difference between eLearning, LMS, BMS, authoring tools, and more.

With years of experience working with experts in the eLearning field, we are a learning and development recruitment agency that can help your business hire the digital professionals that you need. Able to access a range of different specialists, we can help you fill your LMS job roles, instructional design vacancies and much more, with our dedicated team working across a whole variety of different sectors.

Interested in discovering how we can help? Contact us today, and we can arrange a consultation call to get an idea of what you really need. But, for now, let’s dig deeper into what an LMS is and how it differs from an eLearning platform.

What Does LMS Stand For?

Let’s start with the very basics. LMS stands for Learning Management System and refers to a software that allows you to collect the data and progress of learners on your eLearning platform. Allowing you to manage and track the educational progress of your students, an LMS acts as the central hub where performance is assessed.

How Does an LMS Differ From an eLearning Platform?

LMS and eLearning platforms are often misdefined, with the latter being a broad definition for a whole range of different tools and services. An LMS is a type of eLearning platform under the broad definition, allowing learning leaders and users to monitor progress. Meanwhile, eLearning platforms are the environments where learning content is delivered. Types of eLearning platforms include:

• Coursera
• edX
• LinkedIn Learning

Meanwhile, examples of an LMS include:

• Blackboard
• Moodle
• TalentLMS

The distinction between the two solutions isn’t always easy to understand, with some eLearning platforms also offering LMS tools. For more information on the differences between an eLearning platform and an LMS, watch the video below.

https://youtu.be/X7spd4oDB_Q?feature=shared

What Does an LMS Do?

While an eLearning platform will host a relevant course for learners, using innovative technological solutions to stay ahead of the competition and engage learners, an LMS will track the data and results provided by such lessons. Both students and learning leaders in educational institutions, private businesses, and beyond would use an LMS to manage digital progress, assign training, and track compliance courses.

LMS tools allow learning leaders to:

• Set up courses and assign new learning paths for essential training.
• Collect valuable data on learner progress and course efficacy, which can be used to manage how users interact with your eLearning course.
• Generate reports using analytics to evaluate learning outcomes.

But, LMS platforms are also used by learners themselves to:

• Access training courses, complete modules, and submit assignments.
• Track progress on their assigned eLearning course and view certificates.
• Access discussion boards and forums (if these features are available).

Types of LMS

There are various types of LMS solutions available on the market that range in price and complexity, meeting the contrasting needs and requirements of different types of companies. Each type of LMS offers something unique to its users, so understanding the features of each kind will help organisations to select the one that best suits their structure. The main LMS types include:

Cloud-Based LMS

Otherwise known as SaaS-based solutions, cloud-based LMSs offer the user flexibility and simple scalability as all the information you need is stored in the cloud. More affordable than on-premises LMS solutions, using a cloud-based version offers plenty of advantages for both users and learning leaders.

Advantages of Using a Cloud-Based LMS

• Access the resources you need anytime and anywhere, with a SaaS-based solution supporting simple remote working and global hybrid teams.

• Enjoy a robust security solution, including data backup and comprehensive encryption, meaning it’s far less likely that sensitive information will be lost.

• Implement your eLearning platform quickly and merge it with existing solutions such as Zoom and your current choice of HR software.

Popular types of cloud-based LMSs include: 

• Canvas LMS: A popular LMS tool specifically designed for schools, colleges and universities.
• Litmos: A corporate-leaning LMS that allows users to offer fast, efficient and scalable employee training.
• TalentLMS: Quick to set up and customise, Talent LMS is used by a variety of sectors for mobile eLearning and more.

Installation-based LMS

Also known as a self-hosted LMS, this solution is made for businesses that like to keep things under their own control. The installation-based solution gives companies full control over the LMS, allowing them to manage hosting, security and software updates. But, for all the control that companies gain, they lose on the scalability of this solution and the ease of its integration. Yet, self-hosted LMSs also have distinct advantages,

Advantages of Using an Installation-based LMS

• Organisations that store sensitive data might use an installation-based LMS, as it gives them full control over their own data.

• Totally customise your LMS, tailoring features and designs to your exact needs. If necessary, source code can even be modified.

• Ideal for larger businesses, this solution allows managers to avoid ongoing SaaS-based costs, with expenditure going toward hosting, maintenance and development costs.

Popular types of installation-based LMSs include: 

• Chamilo: If pace and simplicity are your priorities, this open-source software is favoured by thousands. 

• Forma LMS: Optimised for corporate training, this installation-based LMS has everything you need to upgrade the skills of your workforce.

• Sakai LMS: This community-driven, open-source LMS is used across the world for course management and collaboration.

Open LMS

When a company opts for an open LMS solution, they are choosing an open-source platform that’s pre-built and publicly available to implement. Free to use and modify as per the organisation’s will, Open LMS solutions are self-hosted and offer companies cheap and simple customisation options. Popular examples of open-source LMSs include Moodle, Chamilo and edX. For a certain kind of business, an open LMS carries a wide range of benefits.

Advantages of Using an Open LMS

• The popular open-source LMS platforms mentioned above are supported by global communities who are active in providing frequent platform updates, plug-ins and more, allowing you to invest in an ever-evolving service.

• Complete control over your LMS platform, including the ability to use custom plug-ins and extensions to make it their own, and full data and course content ownership.

• Regularly free to download, these platforms include no licensing fees, with all expenditure going directly into the development of your LMS, including hosting and development.

Popular types of open LMSs include: 

• Dokeos: Used primarily by the medical sector, as well as business and education, Dokeos allows reporting, video-based learning and much more.

• ILIAS: This LMS is used by educational institutions and corporations across Europe for comprehensive learning management.

• Opigno LMS: Ideal for businesses, Opigno LMS offers a whole range of options for collaboration for large organisations and enterprises.

Corporate LMS

A corporate LMS is specifically designed to be used for corporate learning professionals and users. Available either through the cloud or an installation-based system, a corporate LMS focuses specifically on employee training, onboarding, compliance courses for existing employees, professional development and much more. For the right organisation, the use of a corporate LMS is invaluable, offering many advantages.

Advantages of Using a Corporate LMS

• Easily customise learning paths and tailor these to specific job roles to make sure each employee gets the training they need to learn and develop their skills.

• Effortlessly integrate the new platform with your current digital solutions, syncing HR software, payroll systems and more into one streamlined workflow.

• Reduce training costs by investing in a digital solution that eliminates the need for costly resources and accelerates the learning process

Popular types of corporate LMSs include: 

• Adobe Learning Manager: Engage your customer base and develop the skills of your employees with an award-winning platform.

• Bridge LMS: An AI-powered corporate LMS platform that’s built for user engagement and career development.

• Totara Learn: A custom version of Moodle, Totara is a fully customisable platform that allows you to complete all your training needs to a high standard. It’s trusted by the likes of Samsung, Toyota and EasyJet.

Educational LMS

Available as a cloud-based or self-hosted solution, an educational LMS such as Canvas or Google Classroom, educational LMS solutions have become an essential part of modern learning. Often used as part of a blended learning solution, where the student learns through both digital and classroom-based means, educational LMSs are used by every tier of education for assignment submissions, content delivery and much more. They have several user and management benefits.

Advantages of Using an Educational LMS

• Provides a centralised learning hub tailor-made for education, including options that allow you to sync class schedules, attendance records and more.

• Specially designed educational LMSs provide a platform for discussion between peers as well as a line of communication between the user and the teacher. This instant feedback allows for more efficient learning.

• Implement a variety of assessment types, including quizzes, essays and more. Implement these with your existing educational tools and platforms for a seamless solution.

Popular types of educational LMSs include: 

• Blackboard Learn: Offering virtual classrooms and complex analytics, Blackboard Learn is long-established and ideal for higher education institutions.

• Moodle: Recognised as one of the most popular open-source educational LMSs across the globe, Moodle is used by academic institutions for eLearning delivery and student learning tracking.

• Open edX: Developed by Harvard and MIT, edX is an open-source LMS widely used across various sectors of education.

How to Choose the Right LMS for Your Needs

If you’re in the education sector, it may be clear that an LMS specifically designed for your needs is the right choice for the progress of your department, but this choice isn’t so straightforward for those in other industries. Since choosing the right LMS will have a long-term impact on the productivity and engagement of your current and future workforce, you need to take careful consideration before making a decision.

Consider the following factors:

Who are our learners, and what do they need?

Ultimately, while you will be delivering the training, the user is the most important part of an LMS, as without efficient courses that feel tailor-made to their needs, information will not be retained, and skills will not be developed. Are your users young and tech-savvy, preferring mobile learning on multiple platforms? Or, would a blended learning approach work better? Different types of LMS will offer you varying levels of customisation and adaptability.

How Much Control Do We Want Over Our LMS?

Speaking of customisation and adaptability, when selecting an LMS, it’s crucial to consider just how much control you want to have over every aspect of its functionality. If you want total control, it might be best to invest in an installation-based LMS, which is favoured by large businesses. Or, if control isn’t something you need and you wish to instead prioritise simplicity, then an open-source LMS will likely be a better choice.

How Much Do We Want to Spend on this Solution?

The cost of setting up an LMS will likely be the deciding factor when it comes to a company deciding which solution is best for them. Typically, installation-based LMS solutions cost a little more to implement initially but will save you money over time once they’re established. Open-source and cloud-based options, meanwhile, are cheaper but require a monthly or annual payment.

If your business is looking to make a worthy investment in eLearning solutions, you’ve come to the right place. As a specialist digital learning recruitment agency for a multitude of sectors across the professional sphere, from the public sector to the NHS, we can find you the eLearning experts that you need to design, build and manage your LMS. Taking care of the entire recruitment process, if you’re looking to fill elearning jobs with pace and efficiency to elevate your educational offerings, choose Instinct Resourcing!

Contact us today!