Virtual classes are becoming more and more popular and there is high demand for software that can enable schools, universities and training providers to manage them. The learning management system market is growing and is estimated to be worth around $4 billion.

The upside of this growth is that there is a very wide range of options available. Whatever an organisation needs from an LMS, it’s highly likely they’ll be able to find an online training platform that suits them. The downside is that the sheer amount of online platforms on offer can make it very difficult to make the right choice.

Any educational establishment or training organisation that’s planning to invest in an e-learning platform should be sure to explore all their options before making a decision. An LMS often represents a large investment, and getting it wrong could result in a wasted budget, lost time, poor productivity and frustrated staff.

 

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Luckily, these issues can be avoided with careful pre-planning. No organisation should rush into purchasing an online learning platform until they are confident of their key needs.

What are the advantages of an online learning platform?

#1. Online learning platform has compatibility

If an organisation has already invested a great deal of time and money in online courses, they’ll need to make sure the educational platforms they are considering will be comfortably compatible with the courses they are already using. Most training providers will wish to stick to SCORM assured software and it will be important to ensure prospective learning management systems comply with any other standards existing course content relies on.

#2. Online learning platform has usability

Almost all LMS providers claim their software is easy to use, but it’s important to get a real feel for a piece of software before investing. Every platform will work in a different way and will appeal to different types of users. In order for an organisation to be confident that they are choosing the right platform, they will need to know that the software will suit the type of students they will be providing for. It’s also important to consider the level of technical support that will be offered with each platform as this by no means comes as standard.

#3. Online learning platform has innovation

In order to get the most out of the investment, it’s expected that most organisations will stick with the same LMS for three to five years. This means that it’s vital for organisations to think ahead and make sure they are not committing to an online learning platform that will limit them. Many organisations decide to choose a platform that offers them more capability than they currently require: that way there is plenty of scope for them to grow into the platform rather than growing beyond it.

Not sure whether it’s the right time for your organisation to invest in a learning management system? Here are four ways they can benefit businesses.

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