The process of learning can vary from person to person, and what works for one learner might not work for another. When choosing a learning management software (LMS) or learning platform, you should consider one that’s dynamic and flexible enough to accommodate the different needs and capabilities of your learners and also keep user engagement high.
According to Pearson’s 2020 Global Learner Survey, 88% of experts believe that people will need to take more control and responsibility for directing their own learning. This applies to both the students and the workforce. It is therefore important for teachers, trainers and organisations to start adapting their tools and strategies to meet these changing demands.
Using a traditional LMS platform can fall short in providing an effective learning experience to your users. In this article, we’ll go through four reasons why.
1. Accessibility
Digital learning relies heavily on user devices. Devices such as desktops, smartphones, and tablets are the only ways learners can access your courses and modules. If your LMS platform is incompatible with certain devices, engagement with your content is naturally going to fall.
One of the main differences between traditional and modern learning platforms is accessibility. Traditional LMS platforms are often desktop-based. This means that users must install software onto their devices before they can access learning content. If planning to use the platform across multiple devices, users have to repeat the installation process. Some platforms may even require purchasing additional licenses in order to do so.
In comparison, modern learning platforms are not as restrictive and support a variety of devices. With 91% of internet users now preferring mobile devices like smartphones and tablets over desktops, it only makes sense to have your content available on these media.
2. Social learning
The e-learning experience typically involves a user learning alone. This is removed from the traditional classroom setup, where students get to interact with their peers to discuss concepts and teachers/instructors to clarify any doubts.
Picture this scenario, which is a common one with legacy learning platforms:
Users review learning materials on their own and after going through each learning module, they take a quiz or an examination to prove that they have successfully learned. Afterwards, it’s a rinse and repeat process until they reach the end of the course. This limits the interactions with content authors and other students taking the course.
This isolating experience can have a significant impact on your users’ motivation to learn and leave unanswered questions. Worse, this can create a zombified audience. A great way to break this monotony and improve user engagement is for a platform to enable social learning. This can take the form of likes and comments, sharing and more.
On SmartUp, users are actively encouraged to learn from other members in their community as each member is given the ability to create content.
3. Gamification
Incorporating gamification elements into learning is a well-known way to improve user enjoyment and engagement. Common elements include competitive rankings, leaderboards, challenges, rewards systems and more.
However, most traditional LMS platforms do not offer such features. The most you might see are the ability for users to take quizzes and exams, which do not offer learners the full benefits of gamification. For a list of gamification features commonly adopted by modern platforms, check out this list of LMS platforms by FinancesOnline.
4. Analytics and reporting
Legacy learning platforms may present challenges for administrators in terms of reporting capabilities. For instance, an older platform may not allow for the tracking of learner completion rates, progress, learning trends etc.
Newer platforms tend to have more robust and comprehensive reporting and analytics tools for your data gathering needs. These go beyond scores and grades and can provide valuable insights around your users. This data allows you to maximise user engagement with your courses.
Moving on to the new
As times change, the way we learn is also evolving and the need for flexible and personalised training is becoming the norm.
Whether you are a business owner, a teacher or an instructor and are still using a more traditional LMS system, it might be time to consider moving on to something more modern. Fortunately, platforms such as SmartUp can help bridge the gap.
If you’re interested to find out how SmartUp can meet your training needs, get in touch with us here.
