Best Learning Management Systems for Schools and Businesses
This is a simple but comprehensive guide on setting up a Learning Management Systems for schools and businesses to implement remote learning and training within and outside Nigeria.
A Learning Management System (LMS) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation and delivery of courses, training programs or learning and development programs.
It is an e learning platform that is used for administering and overseeing virtual courses and training programs in such a way that these programs can be accessed anywhere, over the internet.
Just like LMSes, e-learning platforms are sets of intertwined online services that provide individuals (administrators, instructors and learners) the resources they need to effectively carry out their duties.
These platforms allow them to learn in a coordinated manner, and exchange knowledge in real-time.
The term ‘e-learning’ is basically a fancy name for ‘online learning‘. It refers to all learning processes that are carried out over the cloud, and made possible as a result of the internet.
Remote learning began a very long time ago, and gained acceptance in many countries of the world because of the ease it brought to the learning space.
Before we go any further, let’s quickly dive into the relevant statistics associated with LMS and online learning, as it relates with businesses and schools.
Statistics associated with Learning Management Systems
There are a few interesting statistics that are associated with Learning Management Systems and online learning in the world today. Some of these facts include;
1.The global e-learning market will reach $31 billion by the end of 2020.
This business prediction was made by Technavio and recorded in the Top Learning Management System (LMS) Statistics For 2020 You Need To Know [Infographic].
This implies that by the end of the year, the market size of the global corporate e-learning system is predicted to reach that staggering amount.
2. 68% of people prefer to learn within the workplace. This increases the need for incorporating a functional e-learning platform in the workplace/for businesses.
3. 58% of these employees who want to learn on the job want to do so at their own pace.
4. 72% of global organizations see Learning Management Systems as a competitive advantage.
5. 90% of students prefer e-learning to traditional, classroom learning.
6. 49% of students have taken an online course within the last few years.
How are Learning Management Systems Beneficial to Schools and Businesses?
Learning Management Systems are very important in the education and business spaces.
Ever since they were introduced, they have gained a wide acceptance over a range of countries, and the world is quickly catching up.
Here are a few reasons why businesses and schools find leaning management systems important.
1. Unified and Accessible Learning Centres for students and employees.
Since Learning Management Systems are meant to provide a centralized space for learning and instructional resources, they are very vital for ensuring that all the needed resources for learning are kept together in an accessible platform. This reduces the stress associated with gathering and searching for materials.
2. Ease Administrative Tasks easier for Teachers and Trainers.
Learning Management Systems are created with the purpose of ensuring that everything which needs to be done with them is easy and effectively done. As a result of this, administrative tasks like grading, giving assignments, monitoring the progress of students is easier for the teacher or instructor.
3. Assures Learners Engagement.
In some Learning Management Platforms, students can define exactly how they want to learn. This way, they are more likely to learn in a way that suits them the most.
4. Self-paced and Individualized Learning.
This implies that there is really no fixed time as to when someone can learn a course. So an individual can monitor his pace and learn at a rate which is best for him. This is best for those who are continuing education, or have special needs and cannot learn at the pace of others.
Courses are virtual and one must not be within the four walls of a school to learn. This is one of the major challenges of traditional learning as it is restricted to the four walls of the school or learning facility. But with a functional learning management system, online learning is possible, and people can access their learning programs remotely, as far as they can connect to the internet.
5. Access to Learning Resources and Materials:
Virtual learning and learning management systems give more people access to education resources and courses they may not have been able to access because of many challenges including location.
As indicated in the section above, 58% of workers who want to learn on-the-job, want to be able to do this at their own pace. As a result of this knowledge, it is advisable that businesses incorporate a full-functional e-learning system into their operations and management tools.
HR research and statistics show that it takes more in terms of finances to perform a staff turnover, than it would have taken to upgrade former staff and have them keep their jobs.
This means that it is costlier to try to sack and hire staff, than to offer old staff what they need to be more efficient at their jobs.
Because of this knowledge, it is smarter, less cost-intensive and better to incorporate a Learning Management System into the business in order to allow workers learn on the job.
6. Give Your Organization a Competitive Edge.
Because global organizations (including schools and businesses) see Learning Management Systems as a competitive advantage, the emphasis has shifted into how they can be able to incorporate these into their systems. As a result, having an effective Learning Management System in the workplace is a very vital criterion for ensuring that work continues seamlessly.
Statistics have shown that 90% of students prefer e-learning to classroom learning. Indicating that the attention of these students has been drawn to this models of learning that allows them the luxury of being free to do other things even as they learn.
As a result of this, it is very vital that every school begins to look at ways to take their learning platforms away from only the classroom, and to the internet. This way, learning becomes more effective and more student-centred.
7. Eases Course Creation and Digitization of Learning Materials.
Seeing as they are working with automated systems, they can achieve more with the help of the machines at their beck and call. Most new Learning Management Systems have some sort of Artificial Intelligence system built into them. As a result of this, it is easier to create lessons and save time.
For example, the speech-to-text feature of certain virtual keyboards can afford a teacher the luxury of speaking, while the AI system types out what he is saying for him. This way, he can get more done in a shorter amount of time.
8. Eases Workspace Collaboration.
Learning management systems can be very handy in making collaborations easier. Meaning that, resources can be shared among colleagues easily, and this can be done across districts and physical locations.
9. Parents and Guardians are not left behind
Some LMSes also included the possibility of involving parents/guardians as they can view the progress of their children/words. This way, they can have first-hand knowledge of what is happening with their children in school, and discover the best ways to help out with. This is much better than the traditional system in which the parent has to wait till the end of the semester to see his child’s report card and may not be able to intervene in the child’s progress in time.
10. Tracks Employees and Learner’s Progress
A learning management system is very vital in the corporate scene, as it allows companies make the most of their human resources by tracking the development and progress of their workers. It is also a very vital tool for companies as it reduces the cost of learning but increases the productivity of the learning process.
Read more: Benefits of LMS for eLearning | Learning Management Systems
Looking at Learning Management Systems for Schools and Businesses in Nigeria
There are a lot of learning management systems and e-learning platforms for schools and businesses in Nigeria. Before we talk about them, it is very vital we talk about what an establishment needs to consider before they choose a learning management platform to use for themselves. Here are a few of them.
Consider reading these also:
Selecting an LMS for Your School or Business
In the article “10 things you need to know when selecting a learning management system”, published in the e-learning industry platform, it is quite easy to select a learning management system for schools and businesses. Where the work comes in is in knowing what LMS is good for your institution, and in making the smartest decisions.
Here are things you must think of if you do not want your efforts to be wasted.
1. Understand the objectives of your establishment.
Why does your organization exist in the first place? When you answer this, you will be able to know what e-learning platform is best suited for your objectives. This is necessary because e-learning platforms for schools are a bit different from e-learning platforms created solely for businesses.
2. What are the learning needs of the Users of the LMS software?
This is where you want to ask yourself why you need the learning management system in the first place. What this LMS will be used for determines the kind of LMS you will incorporate into your system. If your LMs is just for administering lectures, it will have functionalities that are different from an LMS that is used for that and for collecting data and surveys from people.
3. Look out for an LMS that is user-friendly.
At this stage, you want to find out what devices the people who will access your platforms are working with, and ensure that your e-learning programs are optimized to work well on those platforms.
4. Mobile Learning.
If your e-learning platform is restricted to desktops alone, you may not be able to reach out to people with mobile phones. This way, you may lose out on a lot of things and people that could have accessed your platforms. Ensure that your e-learning platforms are optimized for use on the mobile phones, because many more people use them to access the internet.
5. Consider your budget.
When setting up an e-learning platform for your organization, ensure you go for a platform that is within your budget, but that is durable. It does not make sense that you would go for a platform that you are not financially equipped to utilize. At this point, look out for the subscription fees, lifetime subscription fees, how much others will have to pay in order to be able to access the platform, etc.
6. Integrations.
There is a high possibility that the people who would want to access your e-learning platform will want to do so, even as they work on other platforms at the same time. You have to be sure that they would not have a bad experience as they try to switch between platforms.
There are still a lot of other factors to consider, but be sure to brainstorm and come up with the peculiarities your learning management system needs. This will support your decision.
Best Learning Management Systems for Schools and Businesses in Nigeria
1. Gopius LMS
Gopius LMS is by far the best Learning Management System for schools and businesses in Nigeria. It combines the learning and training features and tools in a way that is user-centric, and result-oriented.
Gopius is a tool that is used across all levels of the Nigerian educational sector, as it is vital for primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions. It incorporates almost all the tools needed to ensure that the virtual learning experience is seamless.
Gopius LMS allows businesses to easily train and onboard employees and customers seamlessly.
Gopius is usually preferred over some other LMSs because of these reasons.
- Fully-customizable feature that allows you bring in all the characters of yours organization.
- Easy platform and course management by administrators, instructors and learner in the schools and businesses.
- Everything done on this platform is save in the cloud. Hence, it is difficult to lose data.
- Instructors can teach or train their learners or employees in real-time virtual classes. This is made possible via the conferencing feature of the platform.
- It is highly optimized with the end user in mind. There are not a lot of confusing features in it.
REQUEST A DEMO AND TRY GOPIUS LMS FOR FREE NOW!!!
2. The Makau Polaris e-Learning Management System
Designed in Lagos, the Makau Polaris LMS is a system that is corporate-inclined. This implies that it was created with corporate bodies and businesses in mind. The LMS is a premium product, and the businesses have to subscribe before they can be able to access the platform.
3. Wizitup
This is a peculiar LMS that is designed with both online and offline functionalities. It is a cloud-based system which can be tweaked to deliver it’s content even offline. This offline access is granted through mobile apps, pre-downloaded courses and programs and through other means.
This resource is free, and can be used by primary and secondary institutions alike.
4. Teach me
TeachMe is arguably one of the most-used learning platforms in Nigeria. It is easy-to-use, cost-effective and offers access to a wide range of programs. On this platform, anyone who has knowledge on specific matters can put up his knowledge in form of a course. After he does that, he can sell the course to people across the country, in exchange for money.
5. TutorNG
This is another very helpful e-learning platform with major operations in Nigeria. It seeks to attend to those who are interested in learning what is not taught in the traditional classroom.
TutorNG connects the student with a series of courses and trainings from various tutors. This allows them to have access to more knowledge.
6. Educe
Educe is an online learning platform that is known for its ability to combine resourceful learning management systems. The Educe group has two major learning management systems in its name; Rapid learning and Schoolket.
Rapid learning supports the usual course development and hosting procedures while Schoolket is considered to be a template for building LMSs for secondary schools in Nigeria. The Educe platform has a lot of other helpful tools embedded in it.
How to set up your e-learning platform as a School or Business owner in Nigeria
Successfully setting up learning management systems for your schools or businesses is not a walk in the park. As a matter of fact, the process will determine whether or not the platform can be incorporated into your administrative system.
Investing your funds into acquiring a great e-learning software is vital, but reaping the benefits of doing this is dependent on how successful the installation process goes.
For this reason, it is important you approach this step with caution. More preferably, outsource the installation of your e-learning platform to Online Learning Service Providers that well-trained and equipped for it.
Here are a few steps that should get you started on the right track;
1. Put into perspective all that has been said in earlier parts of this document.
2. Consider the best option for your school/business in terms of purpose and cost.
3. If possible, purchase these software from the manufacturers, or from trusted third-party LMS vendors.
4. Set it up accurately.
Some of these software programs come with a guide to help you set them up properly. However, if you must embark on the process of launching/installation by yourself, be sure you take time to go through the guide.
This will help you understand how it is done, and how you are to go about it.
Most of these platforms have installation details that are peculiar to them. Follow through the instructions carefully and you’ll be on your way to having a fully-functioning e-learning system I your school/business.
Thank you for reading our post on Learning Management Systems for schools and businesses.
For technical support, or for installation of these e-learning systems, please reach out to us by sending a mail to info@gopius.com. We will ensure your Learning Management System is properly installed, and offer you guidance on future events.
Learning Resources
- Learning Management System – Wikipedia
- Top Learning Management System (LMS) Statistics For 2020 You Need To Know [Infographic]
- 10 Things You Need To Know When Choosing A Learning Management System
