What is a Learning Management System (LMS) and how can it benefit your organisation?
In the short of it, LMS stands for Learning Management System. This is the software that organisations can use to develop, deliver and track e-Learning whether they have large or small teams, across various areas of a business.
LMS’ are not a new concept, they’ve existed and been utilised by businesses in various sectors since the for years and the innovative nature of this software means it can be updated and sustained as an organisational investment for years to come. With the expansion and growth of smart phones, tablets and laptops, this gives the learner and organisation a real opportunity to utilise cross-platform usage to complete e-Learning, training and read policies and procedures.
By investing in a great LMS, you can monitor e-Learning through reports, which makes it easier to maintain compliance for your organisation’s Learning and Development.
Benefits for your organisation
An LMS is an all-in-one software that includes the following key features and benefits:
· Delivery of online e-learning.
· Progression tracking through usage reports.
· Add policies and procedures.
· Produce branded certificates and upload course files.
· Individual staff learning pathways.
· Monitor teams, with limitless opportunities to allocate training.
· Booking system to allocate workshops or incorporate further ways of e-Learning to support Blended Learning.
Although these are some of the high-level benefits of an LMS, it can really help hone in and support the delivery of your organisations Learning and Development. We are firm believers that an LMS is truly what you make of it.
Is an LMS suitable for my organisation?
The right LMS will truly compliment your organisation’s Learning and Development toolkit and add a layer of professionalism, standardisation and quality when organising and delivering your organisations learning opportunities.
When it comes to the delivery of e-learning for organisations within Social Care, Housing Associations and Health Care, an LMS can support these organisations to produce excellent Learning and Development opportunities. While the main focus is on staff retention and maintaining compliance, there is also additional scope to ease the process of recruiting new staff, training volunteers all while ensuring your organisation has the correct data available in one place, when it comes to external audiences, in particular the Care Quality Commission and Local Authority Compliance Teams.
The LMS that you choose should not only aid the Learning and Development of your organisation, it should also empower your learners and users to manage their own e-Learning by utilising a self-management approach. This means most learners can complete their training on demand and at a time that suits their schedule. The approach of ‘Learning on the Move’ allows your learners to track their learning in real time and by adopting a blended approach, help drive personal progression.
What does an LMS cost and how do I get one?
The cost of an LMS can vary from company to company and it’s important to think of this as an investment. Some will include e-Learning courses and others will offer just the LMS software program for your organisation to fully customise. In terms of pricing, it’s not always a simple one-off cost.
When it comes to LMS types, there are three options.
· An Open Source LMS offers a free download but requires the ability and resources to configure to your organisation’s requirements. This means utilising an internal IT department with a programmer and usage of own servers.
· Purchase a complete LMS system from a SaaS (Software as a Service) company which offers a readymade solution that stores your organisations data on the SaaS company’s own servers and includes support, maintenance and updates. This would be ideal if you had your own e-Learning courses and organisational resources and wanted it in one place.
· Lastly you can purchase a tailored LMS which is provided by a SaaS company, but more specific to your organisational needs for Learning and Development. This could be industry specific, with the offering of certified e-Learning courses.
Can you guess which one we recommend?
You guessed it, the last one.
At My Learning Cloud, we offer an all-in-one LMS, a complete solution with over 100 CPD certified Health and Social Care e-Learning courses that come as standard with our Learning Management Systems. We offer unlimited support to your organisation to ensure you are truly making the most of your Learning and Development journey.
Our tailored LMS’ and interactive, engaging content are just two of the benefits your organisation can take advantage of. We believe that good design and user experience facilitates good engagement and should provide the opportunity to allow the technology to take the strain and administration of Learning and Development challenges away from you.
Investing in a Learning Management System can be a very comprehensive project, in time, resources and energy, but it’s critical to get it right the first time and this is where we come in.
Contact us today for a free, online consultation to discuss your organisations Learning and Development needs and provide your learners with the essential tools they need to become competent and confident in areas necessary for their role.
Simply fill in the below form and we will get in-touch.
By Charlotte Gareppo, Digital Marketing Executive, My Learning Cloud
