In step with the hyper-connected and constantly evolving world, educational institutions have managed to stay on top of their rapidly changing needs by making Learning Management Systems (LMS) adoption commonplace. Learning Management Systems for higher education institutions offer a streamlined and cohesive eLearning platform for the convenience of students, instructors, and administrators alike. 

The increased shift towards the use of LMS platforms has gained even more momentum during the pandemic. The LMS global market showed a 23.8% increase in 2020, which was much more significant than the average year-to-year growth. 

There is no real mystery behind the success of LMS platforms. The popularity of Learning Management Systems for higher education institutions can be attributed to the incredible amount of convenience they lend to all stakeholders involved. 

Learning Management Systems offer several advantages to their users, whatever their role in the institution might be. Let’s look at some of the reasons why LMS platforms are here to stay:

1. Convenient and Efficient 

One of the best features of Learning Management Systems is that it becomes a centralized platform containing all the course material needed for any particular course. Having a single, well-managed database streamlines the learning experience for all students. Students can upload assignments and take assessments, all from one platform. It also makes it convenient for the instructors to be able to distribute resources to all students simply by uploading them on the LMS. Cloud-based LMS especially adds to this convenience since the data is accessible from anywhere. 

2. Allows Greater Flexibility

One of the biggest ways that the traditional classroom experience has changed is through the introduction of blended and hybrid learning. Blended learning allows students to take lectures in-person and supplement their learning with study materials found on the LMS. The Learning Management System content could include readings, notes, recorded lectures, lesson plans, and much more. 

Hybrid learning, on the other hand, allows even greater flexibility to students by allowing them to take classes in-person or online and supplement that with course material on an LMS. The online classes can be taken right from within the LMS. Based on their preferences, students can attend classes however they like. This flexibility makes it easier for students to maintain attendance and prevents any disruption in the course plan should the campus face closure for any reason.

3. Analytics Offer Unique Insights

Data is the currency that higher education institutions use to grow and improve themselves. LMS reporting enables its users to evaluate and analyze the data from each course and tailor it according to what the reports indicate. From knowing how well students are progressing in the course to time logs and assessment data, instructors can get to know exactly how their courses are being received. 

Knowing which courses are popular and what can help improve enrollment in other courses. Reviews and feedback on the course can be easily analyzed by reporting tools to present a comprehensive picture of what material students found engaging. Time logs can help determine what aspects of the course are perceived to be difficult or most interesting. Other data like average view time and the number of correct attempts can also be used to improve the courses in the future. 

4. Personalized Learning Pathways 

An important consequence of the increased interest in eLearning platforms has been the importance given to personalized learning. Learning is not homogenous for everyone and different students learn in different ways. Personalized learning allows students to go through courses in a way that suits them.

The pace of learning can be adjusted to match the student’s aptitude. Similarly, each student can set their own personalized goals within a course, learn collaboratively or individually, and take voluntary assessments as per their needs. There are some courses that allow for more personalization than others, but having the option to tailor their learning experience helps build confidence in students.

5. Easy Assessment and Grading Tools

A key advantage of having Learning Management Systems for higher education institutions is the ease with which instructors can assess their students’ performance. Timed/Untimed tests and quizzes can be administered from the LMS and grading them can be automated and made even easier. Students can choose to take these assessments from anywhere.

Additionally, the cumbersome collection and sorting of papers are avoided by online submission, which can then be reviewed by the instructor anytime and anywhere. Personalized assessments can be made for students depending on their progress in the course. Not just that, homework, projects, and presentations can all be managed directly from the LMS. 

6. Learning On the Go

Having your courses on a Learning Management System means learning from anywhere, even on the go. Some of the best Learning Management Systems come with mobile applications to make content even more accessible. Students can take their courses even if they do not have access to a desktop and can attend lectures, submit assignments, and check their grades, all while traveling. Having the convenience to check course updates from your phone and tablet is a feature that is popular with students and instructors alike.

7. Scalable 

Having a scalable LMS is essential when it comes to higher education institutions. In unpredictable times such as these, it is difficult to gauge the enrollment numbers and class sizes. With the opening up of campuses worldwide, there is a sudden influx of students and courses.

Having a Learning Management System that is capable of growing with the institution is crucial in order to keep the learning process uninterrupted. A capable LMS needs to be able to handle a large amount of data, as well as a large number of users without breaking down. Modern servers and cloud environments enable institutions to monitor and adjust capacity according to LMS usage: ensuring efficiency as well as reliability. 

8. Update Course Content Without Hassle

Back in the old days, once a course plan was drawn and resources shared with students, there was little that could be changed in the course content without a major overhaul of all study materials. Today, that process is so much simpler thanks to LMSs. Instructors can update course plans as they go along, making the course flow smoother. Depending on how well students receive the course, they can also adjust the pace of the course. Lecture presentations can be edited at any time and study material can be added or removed as per the need. Whatever the changes may be, having Learning Management Systems for higher education institutions allow students to keep up to date with the latest.

9. Encourages Social Learning and Communication  

Though it might seem that by encouraging online learning, an LMS isolates students and keeps them from socializing, in reality, that is far from the truth. A well-equipped Learning Management System encourages interaction and social learning where students can learn from each other. Several group tasks can be done collaboratively on an LMS. Students can meet for group study sessions using video conferencing, share the screens of their individual devices and collaborate on LMS offline discussion forums.

Many assignments require collaborative submissions so tools present on an LMS could be used to collaboratively edit documents and presentations. In fact, the flow of ideas is much quicker on an online platform than it would be, had students had to schedule physical meetings. Another major advantage is that students can reach faculty members through the LMS, which removes the intimidating barrier of meeting them personally, not to mention waiting around to meet them when their schedule allows.

10. Saves Time and Money

Perhaps one of the most underrated benefits of using a Learning Management System for higher education institutions is that it saves its users a lot of time and money. With so many fancy features to pay attention to, it is easy to forget that at its simplest, an LMS makes it possible to share a vast variety of study materials and resources with students for free while also keeping them boundaryless. These resources would otherwise take up a significant amount of an already tight student budget.

Apart from that, hybrid learning allows students to save on travel costs and commute time by taking classes from their homes. An LMS also allows institutions to cut down costs by reducing the number of physical classes on campus, especially with a smaller number of students, in order to use their campus resources effectively.

Learning Management Systems have a lot to offer. From facilitating students with their course selection and progress to making it easier for instructors to deliver lectures and grade assessments, LMS is the most significant tool to have changed the eLearning landscape permanently. With further incorporation of technology and learning, the future LMS versions could hope to bring even more benefits to their users. For now, the future of Learning Management Systems looks bright and the possibilities, are endless.

How Can We Help?

Edly is helping organizations build successful Learning Management Systems for higher education institutions and providing services to improve their experience. We’re committed to providing the best LMS solutions to our clients. If you are a higher education institution looking for an LMS that caters to all your needs, here’s why you should choose Edly. Or get in touch with us today to know what we can do for you!