The Basics of a Learning Management System  

July 13, 2022
Women Attending an Online Class

What is LMS? 

Learning Management Systems are more than just support for schools. They are the best option to plan, administer, and track training for businesses, employees, clients, and partners. Until recently, hearing the phrase “training” recalled images of a classroom filled with bored employees listening to a lecture. And when we think of “Corporate Training,” we think of a major conference or a one-day workshop. Technology has put that image in the past.  

Online Class

A brief history of LMS. 

Sidney L. Pressey invented the first teaching machine in 1924, which included a range of diverse types of practical exercises and question formats. Professor M.E. Zerte of the University of Alberta turned this into a problem-solving machine that could compare issues and solutions nine years later.  

This was “multimedia” in the sense that it used a variety of media types to reach students and give training. Telephone, radio, television, audio, and videotapes would later be added to written materials.  

Learning Management System Platform

Control Data Corporation developed the Plato Learning Management System (PLM) in the 1970s, which was the first networked learning system. 

Computer-Managed Instruction (CMI), Integrated Learning Systems (ILS), Computer-based Instruction (CBI), Computer-assisted Instruction (CAI), and computer-assisted learning (CAL) all are terms used to describe the use of computers in education. One of the first Internet-based Learning Management System (LMS) was First Class by SoftArc, which was adopted by the United Kingdom’s Open University to deliver online learning across Europe in the 1990s and 2000s.  

EKKO, Norway’s NKI Distance Education Network’s first fully featured LMS was created and delivered in 1991. Three years later, the NB Learning Network in New Brunswick, Canada unveiled a comparable DOS-based Teaching System aimed solely at business students. 

How it works? 

Teachers can use an LMS to design and integrate course materials, express learning goals, align content and assessments, track students’ progress in class, and create tailored examinations. Learning objectives can be communicated and learning timetables can be organized using an LMS. One advantage of this educational platform is that it provides learners with immediate access to materials and tools, as well as the ability to automate assessment. It can also reach out to marginalized people in unique and far-reaching settings. Customizable elements, such as assessment and tracking, are implemented into such systems. Learners may view their progress on a regular basis, and instructors can monitor and communicate the effectiveness of their lessons. One of the most key features of a learning management system is the ability to streamline communication between students and teachers. 

When choosing an LMS for your educational program, take these various points into consideration: 

  • Ease of use for Instructors, Students, and Administrators. 
  • Automated assessments. 
  • Flexibility to adjust to class and program size. 
  • Access to course materials, videos, and live classes. 
  • Accessibility across devices. 
  • Easy communication between all parties. 

A solid LMS can help your program be available to students anywhere, and easily enable learning to continue under any circumstances.

COLLEAR is a cost-effective teaching and learning solution that gives administrators the tools they need to organize and manage educational programs while also providing teachers and students with an interactive platform that includes courses and materials. 

Contact us today for a free demo.