How to Choose a Learning Management System Presenter: Mehdi Roudaki

Agenda What is a Learning Management System Benefits of LMS Types of LMS Features of LMS Major Criteria for Selecting a LMS Steps in LMS Selection Key Questions to Answer Evaluation of Some LMSs Request for proposal

E-Learning Components: 1.Content 1.Services 1.Infrastructure/Tools

Infrastructure/Tools Infrastructure and learning management tools include the learning environment and administrative tools used by the training manager. The learning environment and training management tools are commonly referred t as the “Learning Management System,” or LMS.

Software that: Registers learners Online catalogue and schedule Delivers online courses Tracks courses Online assessment Tracks scores Records data from learners Management reports Bookmarks activities What is a Learning Management System?

Why do we need to manage the Learning culture? To meet the Objectives To ensure that the Right People get the Right Development To provide improved Management Information

Benefits of LMS Availability - 24/7 Accessibility - home and office Just in Time Training (JITT) Guaranteed Quality of Training Enhanced Student Motivation

Benefits of LMS - Cont. Constant monitoring Management Information readily available Cost effective Training - can measure the ROI Opportunity to resell Training Testing and Assessment - linked to business objectives

Types of LMS Classroom Based Training Distance Learning On-line Training

Who provides LMS? Course developers: –Sometimes designed to support the vendor’s own content –Can provide better integration between content and LMS LMS vendors: –Almost all designed with open standards Custom Solutions: –Have one built for you by a systems integration form Build Your Own

Some Major Vendors DigitalThink SABA Docent Pathlore Isopia Thinq Learnframe Lotus Learning Space TrainerSoft

LMS Facts As LMS functionality has grown, so has the marketplace 140+ LMS Solutions on the Market 16,500 LMS Implementations (Worldwide) – 118 customers per vendor Extremely Fragmented Industry

LMS Facts (Cont.) No System has more than a 4% Market Share Some of them occupy defined niches in the market While others try to be all things to all people.

Selecting a learning management infrastructure is one of the most strategic e-Learning decisions that companies will make. By first determining what needs to be managed, it’s much easier to find a system that responds to those needs. Selection?

–registration –personal development –planning –assignment of courses –launch of courses –tracking of performance –testing and assessment –monitoring –routing of students to the right materials –course completion –management reports - tailor to what you want –certification –dialogue with tutors –feedback Features of LMS Provides individuals and groups with:

A Typical Learning Management System (LMS) Feature Set Online grade book Grade reporting tool (i.e. to allow students to view grades) Quiz/Survey development tool Course website backup, download, & upload facilities Student account administration tools Student group administration tools Grader account administration tools Student access tracking (i.e. how many news articles have they posted/read, which pages have they accessed) Faculty Tool Set Course Website Development and Management

Faculty Tool Set Course Website Development and Management (Cont.) Webpage access tracking (i.e. how many students have accessed a page, when did each student access the page) Web-based file management Page counters Course website glossary building tool Course website indexing system Course announcements and calendar administration tool A Typical Learning Management System (LMS) Feature Set

Student self-evaluations Student accounts for webpage publishing Group work areas for collaborative webpage publishing Course content annotation facility and bookmarks Web-based and discussion groups Real-time chat rooms Real-time white boards Individual grade and progress status reports Grade distribution status report (i.e. how many students got 90 and above, etc.) Students Tool Set A Typical Learning Management System (LMS) Feature Set

Course website creation, duplication, and deletion Course website backups Course website downloading and uploading Course website statistics –number of students enrolled in a course –file space used by a course website –number of hits on a course website –first and last access date Course website student account administration –Batch student account initialization and deletion –Batch course restoring Administrator Tool Set A Typical Learning Management System (LMS) Feature Set

Major Criteria for Selecting a LMS Known Requirements Unknown Future Requirements Implement ability Supportability Cost

Implement ability Components Implement ability is made up of the following components: –Vendor background –Software maturity –Technology maturity –Modifications –Third party implementer considerations –Implementation assistance from LMS vendor –Quality –Documentation –Training

The best LMS system? # of learners? How geographically disperse? Using 3 rd party e-learning libraries? Tests/Exams? Multi-Lingual Interface? Competency Management? Compliancy Issues? Hosted or Locally Installed? Cost?

Steps in LMS Selection Determining Goals and requirements (*) Researching LMS Vendors –Generate List of Critical Needs (10-20 only) (*) –Generate Full List of Needs and Prioritize (*) Narrowing Down Potential Vendors Create and Send RFP’s to qualified candidates Preparing your Company for Change

Steps in LMS Selection (Cont.) Grade Responses Conducting Final Vendor Presentations and Selecting a Vendor Negotiating the LMS Contract and Getting Ready for Implementation

Define Your Objectives Business Objectives –Increase course completions by X% –Increase sales by X% –Increase employee retention by X% –Decrease training costs by X% Training Objectives –Provide recommended learning plans –Improve access to training resources

Common Requirements Various content sources –AICC/SCORM compliant content –Synchronous content (with scheduling) –Off-line materials Scalability –Growth of the user population over time

Common Requirements (cont.) Availability/Reliability –How often does the system go down Custom Reporting –You may have reporting needs that are not addressed by an off-the-shelf package Skills & Competencies

Implementation Options: Site Installed Traditional software model You supply the hardware, networking, IT support, database, user support Advantages –Some IT departments prefer “behind-the- firewall” solutions –You might get a more customized solution

Implementation Options: Site Installed (Cont.) Disadvantages –More coordination among departments –Maintenance and support staffing is ongoing –Deployment times can be longer that with outsourced solutions (months longer!)

Implementation Options: Outsourced The developer of the application uses a partner to host the system for you Advantages –No need to procure any hardware or software –Expenditures can be extended over time (you may need to “buy” the software up front)

Implementation Options: Outsourced (Cont.) Disadvantages –Reliability and performance will be the same as though you had installed the software on your own systems –You may need to coordinate the hand-off from the LMS developer

Implementation Options : ASP The application and hosting are provided by a single vendor The application is designed to support many customers

Implementation Options : ASP (Cont.) Advantages –Single-vendor solution means no confusion about where to turn for service –You can get up and running faster than with other solutions –Application is built for availability and reliability –May also be provided with other services (e.g. courseware development) Disadvantages –You may need to live with fewer features

Costs for the total project Cost Breakdown for 10,000 user project with a total cost of $3.8M 1%Development tools 1%Content and data conversion 3%Misc software, consulting, travel, training, etc. 4%Network bandwidth 8%Deployment, test, and integration staff 16% Servers and networking hardware 16% Learning Management System 52% Content Development Source:

Produce a Business Plan Reduce high-level business and training goals to a feature list Business Plan should include –Feature List (RFP for vendors) –Project Objectives –ROI (Return on Investment) –Timelines for Implementation and Milestones –Itemization of Costs (one-time and ongoing) –Required Resources (e.g staff, systems)

Project Management Installing an LMS is an IT project Recommend someone with project mgmt skills

Vendor Considerations Remember that LMS is only part of the solution so look for a complete solution –Off-the-shelf courseware integration –Content development –Course delivery system –Project management Completion Rates are critical

Vendor Considerations: Develop your project in phases LMS do lots of things –Classroom instruction –Skills Management –Integrate courseware from various vendors –Integrate delivery technologies –Management Reporting Neither you or your vendor can do all this at once so implement in phases

LMS Functionality Async training for A specific project with User tracking Integrate Legacy Courseware Competency Management ILT/Events Scheduling Product Phases IIIIIIIV Implementation Example Vendor Considerations: Develop your project in phases

 What is the need for the LMS?  How will you measure success?  What is your potential ROI?  Who is the target audience?  What initial pilot groups can provide an early win? Key Questions to Answer(1):

 Who are your project stakeholders and what are their expectations? Who will be the key sponsor of this project??  What are your functional and non-functional requirements for the LMS? Key Questions to Answer(2):

 What are the key user roles and their functional requirements?  What are your technical requirements?  Who manage the LMS within your organization?  What are the phases for LMS implementation?  Who will be on your LMS Selection Project Team? Key Questions to Answer(3):

RFP I. Background II. Scope of Work Target Audience Content Deliverables III. Working Relationship IV. Vendor Response V. Evaluation Criteria Performance Capability Cost Completeness and Quality of Bid Response

Learning Management Systems Active Learner Resource Development Corporation AtrainES Syntrio Certification Impact Channelwave Software Conductor - Training Administration Software Sage Corporation CorporateHorizon/ HorizonCentral Boniva Software

Learning Management Systems DigitalThink DigitalThink Docent Enterprise Docent Edge Interactive Edge Interactive Education Director Results Direct Elementk.Com Element K

Learning Management Systems Enterprise Learning Management Services Edcor ETrax Learning Management System Integrated Performance Systems FlexTraining OnLine Development Geo Learning Management System GeoLearning.com gForce Central gForce Systems

Learning Management Systems GoTrain.net GoTrain.net, LLC Headlight LMS Headlight How To Master Learning Management System InfoSource icCampus icGlobal.com ILMS ISOPIA Interactive Network

Learning Management Systems Ingenium Click2learn.com IntraLearn IntraLearn Software Corporation IntranetU ATC KnowBase KnowBase Networks KP2000 KnowledgePlanet

Learning Management Systems FlexTraining Software OnLine Development Intellinex Learning Development System Intellinex LLC Learning Community eSocrates.com Learning Engine LearningVista GlobalLearningSystems

Learning Management Systems Librix Performance Management System LIBRIX Learning Maaya Maaya Manager’s Edge Mentergy OnTrack For Training DKSystems Pathlore Learning Management System Pathlore

Learning Management Systems PC Compliance RMS Systems, Inc Pinnacle Learning Manager LearnFrame Plateau Enterprise Learning Management System Plateau Systems, Ltd PROFIS Interlynx Multimedia Quest System Custom Solutions Knowledge Anywhere

Learning Management Systems Saba Learning Enterprise SABA SIGAL Technomedia Training Strategic Interactive Strategic Interactive Syberworks TBK Tracker Platte Canyon Multimedia Software Corporation

Learning Management Systems Teamscape Learning Portal Teamscape TEDS TEDS The Learning Manager Worldwide Interactive Network Thinktanx Viviance TopClass WBT Systems

Learning Management Systems Total Knowledge Management System Generation21 TrainingDepartment.com TrainingDepartment.com TrainingOffice Novasys Corporation Training Partner Geometrix Data Systems Inc THINQ TrainingServer LMS THINQ Learning Solutions

Learning Management Systems Training Wizard Gyrus Systems Traccess TTG VCampus VCampus Virtual Training Assistant RISC WBT Manager Integrity eLearning

Learning Management Systems WebMentor Enterprise Server Avilar Technologies WebTrain WebTrain Services Pty Ltd YnotManage YnotLearn

Free Learning Management Systems.LRN MOODLE Fle3 Edventure LON-CAPA Direct-ed Kwel

Evaluation of Some LMSs BlackBoard –System –License (Commercial) –Technology –Content Management –Search –Personalization –Event Notification –Future Development

Evaluation of Some LMSs Learning Engine –System –License (Commercial, Free for Non-Profit Organizations) –Technology –Content Management –Search –Personalization –Event Notification –Future Development

Evaluation of Some LMSs WebCT –System –License (Commercial) –Technology –Content Management –Search –Personalization –Event Notification –Future Development

Evaluation of Some LMSs Fle3 –System –License (Free and Open Source) –Technology –Content Management –Search –Personalization –Event Notification –Future Development

Evaluation of Some LMSs Moodle –System –License (Free and Open Source) –Technology –Content Management –Search –Personalization –Event Notification –Future Development

Summary ASP deployment is rapidly becoming the desired form of deployment Let your business and training objectives drive your decision LMS is not the total solution Tracking of user progress should be one of your goals

References

How to Choose a Learning Management System Presenter: Mehdi Roudaki

مرکز تحقيقات آموزش های مجازی دانشگاه بين المللي چابهار