What Is the LMS (Learning Management System) Platform?

Technological advances have contributed to the development of several tools that facilitate the storage of information, such as LMS Platforms.

In the area of education, the LMS platforms are one of those tools that not only facilitated learning processes, but also transformed the way people learn and teach nowadays.

However, many people who come across the distance education market for the first time get confused by the existing terms or don’t know exactly what each one means.

So that there is no doubt about what the LMS platforms are, and what it offers for those looking for digital training, stay with us. We’re going to tell you everything about it in this post.

What are LMS platforms?

LMS is the acronym for Learning Management System.

In order for a class to take place in the in-person format, it is necessary to have a physical space, in other words, a classroom.

Unlike the traditional teaching process, the LMS platforms were developed to transport the in-person educational environment to the online space. Thus, it is possible to provide education completely online.

With the use of technological resources and tools, the LMS platforms transform the learning process into something dynamic, complete and accessible.

It can be free or paid and have a variety of features. Everything depends on the goals of the course and of the hiring company.

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And when we talk about a company, it is because the distance education market has attracted attention not only of educational institutions, but also from the corporate sector, which has increasingly invested in using the LMS platforms to train customers, partners and employees.

However, although we are talking about the same system, there are significant differences between the corporate and educational LMS platforms.

Of course, both must offer access so that education can take place at any time and from anywhere.

However, a corporate LMS focuses on the performance of employees and the achievement of better results, while the educational LMS platforms seek to offer complete and quality training for enrolled students.

We’ll talk more about this subject throughout this post so you can further differentiate the two types of LMS platforms.

What is the LMS platforms’ use?

We have said before that LMS platforms serve to create an online classroom environment, right?

However, in order for this to happen, it takes much more than only a space for sharing content.

The Learning Management System has a few characteristics that, in addition to replicating the ideal learning environment, offers advantages for students as well as for those responsible for the content.

By using an LMS platform, students have flexible scheduling, which means they can access all available content whenever they can and wish.

In addition, neither teachers nor students need to go anywhere in order for the transmission of knowledge to take place. Everything is done online, using the features of the tool itself. You can study at home, at work, in traffic, or even while on a trip.

There is also the financial matter.

Most of the time, the classes that will be available online require less financial resources to be developed, which makes online courses cheaper both for those who develop them as well as those who buy them.

We also need to consider that, in this format, everything happens online: from enrollment to the completion of the course in the case of an educational LMS.

At the corporate level, the platform should serve to provide a positive online experience during the training courses. And it is important that it also help in measuring the results and the delivery of the information necessary for the organization of corporate training.

 

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Thus, as we have already said, LMS platforms must have specific characteristics for each of the areas, and it is about them that we will talk now:

Educational LMS platforms

When used by a teaching institution or an autonomous teacher, LMS platforms can be used to:

• Create and publish course schedules;
• Forward reminders and notices to students about deadlines, content posting, evaluation period, etc.;
• Facilitate student enrollment;
• Intermediate the payment of the classes;
• Establish interaction between teacher and student;
• Also allow the interaction among the students;
• Perform evaluations and tests of knowledge;
• Create space for feedback;
• Issue completion certificates.

Corporate LMS platforms

Many features used in an educational LMS also serve the corporate system. However, there are certain software-specific tools for this area, such as:

• Training new employees;
• Providing strategic information to be accessed whenever necessary;
• Measuring training results;
• Measuring employee adherence;
• Aligning employees with organizational goals;
• Transmitting corporate culture;
• Keeping professionals updated;
• Recording employee participation;
• Facilitating content updating;
• Expanding employee engagement.

 

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How to select an LMS platform

You have seen that LMS platforms, or Learning Management System, follow the trends of a time when the manner in which we distribute and consume content is constantly changing.

Nowadays, people prioritize everything that offers mobility, practicality and that presents efficient solutions to their problems.

Faced with this demand, companies have started to adapt themselves to deliver exactly what customers are looking for.

So now, it is possible to find several LMS platforms on the market and people often get lost when choosing the ideal system for their course or online training program.

We’ll show what an LMS platform needs to have in order to offer the best possible experience for both users (students or employees) and those who offer the content (teachers and companies). Thus, at the end of this text, you will know exactly what to look for to host your content.

1.  It is customizable

It is interesting that your online course have the visual identity of your brand so that the customer can have a full experience and associate the content with your company.

In corporate training, it is also important to maintain the color pattern and include the organization’s characteristic visual elements. In addition to serving as identification, this customization helps show a professional and consistent image.

It is also essential to have the possibility of customizing the tool’s operational details.

So before choosing the LMS platform, make sure that it allows you to select features according to your needs and to add features specific to your type of audience, for example.

2.  It has the right tools for your course

You should also pay attention to the offer of tools to improve your course.

As we have shown previously, it is necessary to replicate the physical learning environment in the online environment. For this, you need to have discussion forums, student evaluation tools, the issuance of certificates, chat rooms, among other features.

Each platform offers different instruments. This is why it is so important to know the options and choose the one that best meets the needs of your audience and business.

3.  It is safe

In order for students to feel confident in paying for the course, it is essential that the LMS platform provides security.

It is important to choose an LMS that is certified, reliable and has all the necessary features to facilitate payment.

In addition to being a way for the content provider to ensure that they will be paid for the service, this also serves to ensure that the customer is certain to receive the product they are buying.

LMS platforms with safety seals and well recommended in the market are ideal, in order to avoid problems and to offer the best possible experience.

4.  It supports multiple content formats

Using the internet to stream content and not use all of the possibilities it offers would be a waste.

Good LMS platforms support multiple content formats, such as:

• Videos;
• Images;
• Texts;
• E-books;
• Podcasts;
• Infographics, among others.

The more diversified the course is, the less tiresome it will be for the students.

The teacher can opt, for example, for the video format for most of the content, but also share complementary texts, articles or interesting images.

Podcasts can also be an alternative for those who want to reach a different audience, who need to consume content in traffic, waiting rooms or while carrying out other activities.

Therefore, before choosing the LMS platform, it is essential that you check which options allow this diversity. With this, you increase user engagement and improve the absorption of knowledge.

5.   It is responsive

One of the greatest advantages of online education is that it allows users to learn from wherever they are, whether on a computer, tablet or even mobile phone.

To ensure that this is possible, the LMS platform needs to be responsive, in other words, adapt to any type of screen.

If a student needs to access content on a mobile device and cannot load images, download documents, or read material comfortably, the accessibility goal is completely lost.

6.  It is simple and intuitive to use

Finally, LMS platforms need to be easy to use.

Despite being an increasingly well-known and used methodology, there are still many people who are resistant to distance education. Some of the reasons are the fear of not being able to use the platform properly, having difficulty accessing the content, not being able to interact with other students or not having access to the teacher.

If the chosen platform is complicated to use and requires many instructions, students may not feel comfortable and give up on investing in that course.

Thus, investing in an intuitive LMS platform is a way to facilitate access and bring knowledge to as many people as possible.

To check if the option you are researching offers this simplicity, make sure the menu is objective, the features are arranged in a consistent and easily visible manner and if the language used is accessible to your audience.

Now you know what LMS platforms need to have so the learning environment is complete and attractive for users. Go to the Hotmart Club and learn about Hotmart’s exclusive Distance Education platform that offers everything you need to host your online course.

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