Who Uses Learning Management System (LMS)?

Teachers

Teachers use LMS software to upload and house digital course content. Those who teach online courses often use only an LMS for all of their teaching-related needs. In an LMS, teachers can upload and collect assignments and assessments, update student grades, track student progress, and more.

Students

Students use LMS tools to access course material, take online assessments, submit assignments, and track their progress throughout the duration of a course. The LMS, particularly for an online student, acts as the hub for all school-related activities.

Administrators

School administrators use the data gathered by LMS software to track student progress and report on key metrics. Often, administrators may integrate existing student information systems (SIS) with the LMS to facilitate a seamless transition of data from one system to another. In this way, they use an LMS to maintain a holistic view of student performance throughout their tenure at the educational institution.

What Types of Learning Management System (LMS) Exist?

• Proprietary LMS

A proprietary LMS is a closed-source platform sold and maintained by a vendor. These LMS products are often more expensive than closed source due to the licensing fee that must be paid per user, in addition to annual and ongoing fees related to the subscription. Proprietary LMS is hosted by vendors on their own server, and they are responsible for managing and maintaining the platform. They also offer the benefit of strong external support in terms of tech support if anything goes wrong with the product, though this comes at an additional cost. The downside to a proprietary LMS is the limited integrations and customization, and that security and stability rests in the vendor’s hands.

• Open-source LMS

An open-source LMS is freely distributed, does not require a licensing fee, and can be maintained and customized by the user. Compared to proprietary products, these open-source solutions allow for a greater level of accessibility and control. Users can personalize the platform to suits their specific needs, with plugins and new functionalities able to be added immediately and for free. The caveat is that organizations must have the infrastructure in place to run and support their open-source solution, as well as an IT team that is familiar with the platform. Managed service providers do exist for open-source LMS, though. While there are no hard costs with an open-source LMS, organizations may still find themselves spending just as much, if not more, as a proprietary LMS to implement and manage an open-source platform.

Below we explore the top ten advantages of using an LMS in a school 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 everyday, an up to date product can be integrated into the class page.

2. Resources in a variety of formats

Resources are able to be sourced and disseminated 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 class pages to allow students ease of access as well as aesthetically 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 and assessment dates. 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, questionnaires 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 screencasts, podcasts or video.

5. Transparency on feedback

Feedback from a teacher for formative and summative tasks can be easily shared with the student via the class page of an LMS. These can also be sent onto the parental page and allows all feedback to be kept and stored so students can easily access and action in later tasks.

6. Provides a number of communication options

Schools can set up a variety of access points and groups to communicate learning via the Learning Management System. Class pages, home rooms, year level or house pages are common.

7. Tracking student data

Data from student assessment and attendance 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.

Some most popular free and open source LMSes