| LMS Configuration Learning Management System | | | | Ability to combine training initiatives on a scalable, |
| (or LMS) is a software solution that enables the | | | | economical Web-base |
| management and delivery of online content to | | | | Assembles and delivers content swiftly in several |
| learners. LMSs are web-based to make possible | | | | languages. |
| "anytime, any where, any pace" access to learning | | | | Measures the efficiency of training initiatives. |
| content and management. | | | | Incorporates other LMS. |
| Usually an LMS allows for learner registration, | | | | Consolidates and automates administration. |
| delivery of learning activities, and learner | | | | User friendly and easy to learn |
| assessment online .Some LMSs include tools such | | | | Merges classroom and online learning. |
| as competency management, skills-gap analysis, | | | | Maintains portability and standards: AICC, IMS and |
| succession planning, certifications, and resource | | | | SCORM. |
| distribution (venues, rooms, textbooks, | | | | Benefits |
| instructors, etc.). Other than the most | | | | Learning management systems allow companies |
| straightforward, basic functionality, all LMSs focus | | | | to plan and track the learning requirements and |
| on different educational, administrative, and | | | | accomplishments of employees, customers, and |
| deployment requirements. | | | | partners. |
| LMS Commercial & Open Source | | | | Within a company, an LMS can link organizational |
| Recognizing the incapability of many companies to | | | | goals to employee jobs and competencies. It |
| create and organize e-learning courses with | | | | provides a catalogue of available and relevant |
| appropriate content, a niche market was created | | | | courses, books, and training events. |
| that offered outsourced e-learning solutions. | | | | LMSs deliver content in classroom-based or |
| These companies take an organization’s | | | | e-learning formats. The system also has the |
| learning content, and create, host, and supervise | | | | capability to register learners for courses etc. |
| Web-based courses. They provide services to | | | | LMS has mixed-media training initiatives, |
| make the course content web based on their | | | | automation and administration of courses. |
| software rather than license the software to the | | | | Limitations An LMS drives/dictates the nature of |
| user. | | | | interaction (instructors-learner, learner-learner, |
| While most systems are commercially developed | | | | learner-content. |
| and frequently have non-free licenses or restrict | | | | The interface - generally is confusing for many |
| access to their source code, free and | | | | learners. The key criteria in interface design should |
| open-source models do exist. Open source and | | | | be what the end needs to do, but Current LMS |
| Web-based LMS solutions are growing rapidly in | | | | interface designs rely on what the designers |
| the education and business world. | | | | administrators want to do. |
| Characteristics | | | | In limited ways LMS vendors have started |
| LMSs can combine mixed-media training initiatives, | | | | extending tools that offer anything beyond simple |
| automation and administration of courses, collect | | | | content sequencing and discussion forums. |
| and deliver content, measure learning | | | | As thinking skills move to advanced levels, artificial |
| effectiveness and merge with other enterprise | | | | construction of content and interaction imposed |
| applications. | | | | by an LMS are limiting to constructivist learning. |
| Because of its ability to integrate, organize and | | | | In Conclusion |
| standardize learning across broad organizational | | | | LMS is still the best e-learning solution. These |
| needs, the LMS model has been compared | | | | limitations are not the end of LMS, with a few |
| favorably to enterprise resource planning (ERP) | | | | changes it can be made to suit the user end. As |
| solutions, which change a company’s | | | | time changes the LMS will also evolve to be |
| back-office into a flawlessly functioning whole. | | | | better and more user friendly. |
| A good LMS has the following characteristics -- | | | | |