What is a Learning Management System

2 min read

Table of Contents

Benefits
Purpose
Standardization
Implementation

A learning management system (LMS) is an application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation, and delivery of educational courses, training programs, materials, or learning, and development programs. The learning management system concept emerged directly from e-Learning.

It is used in eLearning practices and, often consists of two elements: a server that performs the base functionality and a user interface that is operated by instructors, students, and administrators.

Benefits #

Learning Management Systems are beneficial to a wide range of organizations, including higher education, institutions, and corporations. The primary use of a learning management system is for knowledge management (KM). KM refers to the gathering, organizing, sharing, and analysis of an organization’s knowledge in terms of resources, documents, and people skills.

Purpose #

A Learning Management System delivers and manages all types of content, including video courses, workshops, quizzes, and documents. In the education and higher education markets, an LMS will include a variety of functionality that is similar to corporate but will have features such as teacher and instructor-facilitated learning, a discussion board, video conferencing, and sometimes the use of a syllabus. A syllabus is rarely a feature in the corporate LMS, although courses may start with a list of learning objectives to give learners an overview of topics covered.

Learning Management Systems are frequently used by businesses of all sizes, national government agencies, local governments, traditional educational institutions, and online/eLearning-based institutions. The systems can improve traditional educational methods, while also saving organizations time and money. An effective system will allow instructors and administrators to efficiently manage elements such as user registration, content, calendars, user access, communication, certifications, and notifications.

Standardization #

While not universally accepted, the Advanced Distance Learning group, sponsored by the United States Department of Defense, has created a set of specifications called Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) to encourage the standardization of learning management systems.