As per a market forecast report conducted by Fortune Business Insights,
“The global learning management system (LMS) market is projected to grow from $16.19 billion in 2022 to $40.95 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 14.2%”.
Learning Management Systems have become almost synonymous with corporate training today. From delivering training effortlessly to tracking employee progress in learning, the LMS is an essential tool for Learning & Development managers.
However many times organizations fail to get the best out of their LMS systems due to some misconceptions. If these misconceptions are not addressed in time, the management would not be able to leverage LMS systems efficiently. Ultimately it will hurt the quality of training and employee retention rates. So it’s time to put some of the outdated myths about the LMS system, where it belongs – in the dust-bin!
Following are 8 LMS myths that could be holding your business back.
Myth 1
Users need to have the technical expertise to operate the LMS
Gone are the days when users needed to have a modicum of technical know-how to operate an LMS. The Learning Management Systems that are in vogue today in the corporate training sector, are all cloud-based and can be used just like popular mobile applications and websites. The modern LMS apps come with user-friendly built-in features that help people navigate them easily. Corporate training vendors also help firms train employees so that they can use the LMS effortlessly.
Myth 2
Learning Management Systems are High-Maintenance
If a company is using an in-house LMS to track employee training, they would need a competent IT team to deploy, update and maintain it. However, a cloud-based LMS can be maintained easily without an in-house IT staff. The vendors update and maintain cloud-based LMS apps along with providing technical knowledge and support.
Myth 3
LMS comes in handy only for Tracking E-Learning Process
While it’s true that the LMS is indispensable when it comes to monitoring employee training, especially if the mode of training is remote/self-paced, that’s not the be-all and end-all when it comes to LMS. Learning Management Systems can also be used as a trustworthy back-office tool to handle the following activities:
• Enrol/onboard learners
• Host training and assign lectures to instructors
• Automate project processes
• Generate statutory reports
LMS can also be integrated with E-Learning platforms through an API (Application Programming Interface). In fact, by integrating your LMS with various systems you can automate a lot of processes and get rid of a ton of extra paperwork and manual labor. Here are the ways the LMS can be integrated:
Content – An LMS can be integrated with off-the-shelf courses or any e-learning platform including courses on YouTube, Google docs, etc. Once you integrate your LMS into these systems, the employees can have access to the content from these sources through the LMS.
Data – LMS integration can help you manage data like user names, job titles, and department details from various systems. Moreover, whenever a new training program starts it would be prudent to integrate the LMS into various systems like HR, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems like Salesforce, money transfer systems, ERP systems, etc so that people can find everything they need under a single source. No extra time or resources would be wasted.
Myth 4
A responsive or user-sensitive interface is the only thing an LMS needs
User-friendly features are a must in any app today, as most users tend to be a tech-savvy crowd who crave a seamless app browsing experience. But it’s not the only thing needed to create a great LMS.
About 1.87 billion employees around the world can be classified as a mobile workforce today. So LMS needs to be mobile-friendly to provide students with a perfect learning experience. Mobile apps can often function without internet connectivity as content can be downloaded in form of videos, pdf, or documents and accessed when the internet is not available.
A mobile-friendly LMS app that provides access to content in absence of the internet will be a godsend for employees and trainers who may need to travel to remote regions where Wi-Fi is not easily available.
Myth 5
An LMS can only be used for online training
Learning (effective learning that is) can only take place if there is complete access to information anywhere, anytime. Although more employees, especially those below 40 gravitate more towards virtual classes, over-dependency on digital tools will only lead to incomplete knowledge gaining. A trusted LMS will have features that support virtual classroom-based training, traditional instructor-led training as well as social or community-based learning.
And yes, your LMS can also support offline training. As we have described above, a mobile LMS app can be your best friend during offline classes. The app can be installed on the learner’s devices. It can download content from the main LMS server when connectivity is available. The content can thereafter be stored in the device and accessed even in areas where internet connectivity is weak or unavailable. Courses can also be completed offline. You need to connect again only to share updates.
LMS can also be the perfect source of social learning. Here are a few ways how your LMS can be used to facilitate peer-to-peer learning.
• Most of the current Learning Management Systems can help learners form online learning communities by allowing learners to share information in the form of videos, notes, pdfs, presentations, etc.
• LMS can also have discussion forums or communities as a feature. Knowledge forums are typically interactive and allow learners to like answers, share or post queries
• LMS can also foster collaboration through the facility of video conferencing. Some Learning Management Systems come armed with web conferencing features. Through such conferencing tools, the students can have an immersive and interactive learning experience through live conferences and webinars.
• Admins can create polls, and surveys on specific niches on subjects to keep learners aware and up-to-date with recent trends in a sector.
• Some LMSs come with a Live Chat facility. This may help individual learners communicate together and address learning bottlenecks that they may not be willing to discuss in a more public forum.
• Finally, the LMS can be easily integrated with the user’s social media page. Learners can now share their progress on social media. This will help motivate employees to a large extent as the need for public acknowledgment of our efforts is present in everybody.
Myth 6
LMS complicates administrative duties
Au contraire, the LMS helps management save time and labor by automating many administrative tasks like:
• Adding/removing learners
• Deciding which learner can have access to which course
• Creating and deleting online courses
Myth 7
Installing Services of an LMS vendor would require hiring third-party experts to develop training content
Although many reputed LMS vendors do offer instructional designing services as well, this does not mean that you have to use these services every time you use a third-party LMS. Most of the top LMSs come with in-built content-creating tools. Your in-house instructional designers and subject matter experts can use these tools to create courses. They can also make training material more engaging by using eBooks, videos, documents, audio clips, etc.
Myth 8
LMS is too expensive
At last, we come to the last and most stubbornly persistent myth – the perception that LMS would bloat up employee training costs. Many companies are reluctant to install third-party LMSs as they fear this might lead to an increase in L&D expenses. Although the LMS does represent an initial investment, it can help you save money by avoiding unnecessary costs. Here’s how:
• LMS automates the employee training process to a large extent. You can conduct a large part of employee training through digital means. This will lead to less paperwork (printing training materials involves cost!) Besides, you can also save on the travel expenses of instructors and subject matter experts.
• The traditional classroom or workshop-based training will require employers to rent a venue. By installing an LMS you can remove this expense.
• You can also save the cost of tracking employee training progress and on-the-job performance. Learning Management Systems would provide you with in-depth reports on the number of classes attended, chapters completed and assessments taken.