Learn about the concept of an LMS platform, its general characteristics, and how it can help your institution manage and improve teaching and learning.
The development of technology has facilitated access to many new tools in different fields, including education.
Learning management platforms (LMS) have become popular in recent years, and their popularity has only grown during the Covid-19 pandemic. LMSs not only help keep programs organized, but they also improve the learning experience for students.
There are a few popular LMS platforms currently available on the market. You might have heard about Canvas, Blackboard, or D2L. Several educational publishers also offer their own LMS platforms, such as MyEnglishLab.
In this article, we’ll explain what learning management platforms are and what functions they perform.
What is an LMS platform?
An LMS or e-Learning platform is a distance learning tool that allows you to create a virtual classroom to teach using the Internet. That is, it is a program or software that teachers and students can access from anywhere in the world to meet their teaching and learning objectives.
But not only that. Great learning management systems not only provide an adequate learning environment, but they also transform the learning and teaching process, making it dynamic and accessible. Therefore, LMS platforms must meet certain characteristics. Here are the main ones:
Flexibility: LMS platforms are customizable and flexible for different study plans. This allows content to be added according to the needs of teachers and students.
Interactivity allows users to have different content with which they can interact to better engage with and understand the topics taught.
Usability refers to the ease with which users manage to use the platform in order to achieve a goal. That is, an LMS platform should be easy to navigate with no confusion about its use.
Multiple functionalities: LMS platforms try to replicate the physical environment of the classrooms in a virtual environment. For this reason, they offer different tools such as video classes, chats, and discussion forums.
Accessibility: users can access the full content anytime, anywhere. This should be possible from any type of device (mobile, tablet, and computer).
e-Learning platforms have many advantages for schools and institutions. They are an excellent communication channel for the teacher and student community. Many of them also allow access to student performance reports, which in turn, allows teachers to address performance issue and tailor their instruction to individual students.
Benefits of LMS platforms
They simplify the learning processes
These platforms use intuitive systems and content with a logical structure that are very easy to use for anyone, including children. In addition, the possibility of having virtual classes expands the options for collaborative and social learning.
They allow access to multimedia content
Learning through LMS platforms is more engaging because they not only include written content like in traditional classrooms, but also allow students to engage and learn with images, videos, infographics, podcasts, and more.
They are easily manageable
The digital nature of the content allows it to be updated in real time and instantly. In addition, it is very easy to manage the roles of users, such as students, teachers, administrators, and others.
They are available 24/7
Thanks to the LMS platforms, the geographical and temporal distance is eliminated. Teachers and students can access their materials from anywhere and at any time of the day.
Without a doubt, LMS platforms are a powerful 360º tool that all schools should consider for their training and educational activities.
If your program is not currently using an LMS, consider Pearson Digital Hub. Pearson Digital Hub allows you to offer mixed classes (face-to-face and virtual), serve digital content to students, run synchronous instruction directly from the platform, assign homework, and obtain performance reports that show each student’s progress. Learn more here or contact your local rep for a demo to see how you can implement at at your institution.
