Are there different kinds of LMS?

In Part 1 of this series, we discussed the changing nature and role of the Learning Management System and how today’s LMS systems are multi-functional offering a lot more than just the management of e-learning. This observation leads inevitably to the question of what exactly is it that an LMS can offer in terms of the strategic and operational management of Learning and Development?

…Not all LMS Systems were built to do the same job

Before looking into the detail, however, we need to ask the question of whether all LMS's do the same job. So far, we have assumed there is just one ‘type’ of Learning Management System and have talked, primarily, in terms of systems used by organisations concerned with the development of their own staff within the workplace. However, it would be a mistake to view the LMS market as homogenous.

Academic vs. Workplace vs. Commercial LMS’s

Alongside workplace LMS’s, the majority of LMS installations are within academic institutions such as Schools, Colleges and Universities. Plus there is a third, rapidly growing, group of LMS users made up of commercial organisations selling training and learning support services directly to consumers.

Whilst much of the required functionality may be the same, there are recognisable differences in both features and architecture between LMS’s primarily targeted at each of these three sectors.

So what are the differences – surely all LMS’s perform, basically, the same job?

To illustrate where differences in architecture may occur between Academic and Workplace LMS’s you need to look no further than the fundamental definition of what a ‘course’ is. Typically, in an academic setting, a course (e.g. Introduction to Philosophy) is a series of lectures or classes that take place over an academic period which may be a term, part of a term or even a whole academic year. Each ‘class’ has academic learning content made up of reading assignments, lectures, self-study tasks and may well be punctuated by some form of test and, probably, an assignment to consolidate the learning within that section of the course.

Contrast that with a workplace view of a ‘course’ which is much more likely to be a single event taking place over a day, a week or even just a couple of hours (e.g. Introduction to Health and Safety at Work). True, the course may be broken down into a number of ‘modules’ each with a quiz or test to check learning but, until recently, each module, or the course as a whole, was less likely to have an assessed assignment attached to it.

Put the commercial LMS into the equation and you see another view. Here a ‘course’ is, fundamentally, a billable unit. It may follow the academic or workplace course structure with modules or lessons, but the main requirement is to provide a chargeable course with a ‘pass/fail’ assessment at the end that may lead to certification which, itself, could be chargeable.

Isn’t this just semantics?

It is certainly true that, although the terminology may differ, the basic underlying course structure of the three types of LMS described has, at least, some commonality. Essentially, you have a course which is subdivided into units (modules or classes), each unit may or may not have some pre-reading, a test and an assignment. There is an end-of-course exam or test that results in a pass/fail score and possibly a certificate. - OK, you might need some extra billing functionality for Commercial LMS’s but, surely, even these LMS’s aren’t that different?

...But who are the learners?

Another area where perhaps bigger differences can occur is when you consider who the learners are. An academic LMS provides services for registered students and requires access to the student database. It may also provide several categories of users – lecturers, heads of department, administrators etc. Again, the workplace LMS may use different titles, but will have similar requirements replacing the student database with the employee database. However, a commercial LMS depends on external ‘customers’ registering and using the services. Companies using a workplace LMS may also require their customers, dealers or agents to be included in the learner population and this raises issues over data capture, protection plus additional concerns over security.

And what is tracked and monitored?

All LMS's are concerned with tracking completion of course elements, but, if regulatory compliance is important in the workplace, a certificate, once issued, may only be valid for a given period of time. It is unlikely an academic learner would be asked to take the same course again every couple of years.

A workplace LMS may require a competency assessment before assigning a learner to a course - to check if they need the training at all; an unlikely scenario in the academic world which may be much more concerned with relative test scores and graded assessment of assignments. And there are differences in approach in other areas too.

In Conclusion

Whilst most LMS’s present themselves as general purpose management systems and do a reasonable job in the three different markets discussed in this article - beware! When you get to the implementation of an LMS, the product's roots begin to show. Selecting the right product means understanding your requirements – and your target learners - in detail. Trying to fit the wrong LMS to your situation after the event can be frustrating and expensive.

About the author: John Cooper is co-founder of Profile Learning Solutions, a consultancy specialising in the application of advanced technology to learning and organisational development.