What are the alternatives for an LMS?
The LMS market is quickly growing as more and more businesses are using it for distance learning training courses and corporate learning. Studies show that the LMS market could grow up to $8 billion this year. It was estimated in 2015 that by 2018 the LMS market would grow 23.17 percent, jumping from a $2.65 billion market to $7.8 billion one. Although LMS’s popularity is growing, the system can hard to use and falls short in many ways.
Some Challenges Related to Traditional LMS’s / Online Learning Platforms
Boring User Experience
- Online learners need to be engaged in order to get the most out of the Learning Management System. They need interactivity and immersion to truly connect with the subject matter.
- Unfortunately, some LMS solutions don't support these dynamic course elements, and this leads to learner boredom and frustration.
- If participants are not stimulated during their online learning journey - this affects their knowledge retention and course completion rates.
Lack of Interaction and Reinforcement
- Lack of human interaction or personalized communication can hinder the training.
- LMS platforms fail to reinforce the tasks throughout the course. Each lesson is separate from one another where each task should be reinforced throughout the entire training. Initial LMS’s do not create a narrative for the training program.
Inadequate Tracking And Reporting Features
- This LMS pitfall affects online learners and e-Learning pros, alike. Online learners aren't able to track their own progress and identify personal gaps, while eLearning professionals can't gauge their effectiveness in their course design or monitor the online learner’s performance.
- As a result, inadequate reporting and tracking features have a negative impact on every aspect of the eLearning experience. Nobody gets the measurable data they need to make meaningful changes or pinpoint training pain points.
Unpersonalized
- Every student is different and no student learns the same way. LMS platforms fail to customize their teaching to fit each student. They do not create a blended learning experience with various elements of learning.
- It is difficult for each student to set their own, clear goals when the course is not unique to them. If participants feel the online course is very generic - it may create a lack of interest.
Solving the Flaws of LMS's
About 73% of companies use a form of LMS to train their employees. With that number being so high, it is important to solve the many flaws associated with it. Most students using a LMS are busy with other aspects of their life, so it is important for the training to reduce the intimidation factor and not be time consuming. Micro-learning is hugely beneficial - this includes breaking the training into missions and smaller parts which will make it more accessible and less challenging for students who are also working. This form of learning also provides a quick sense of achievement, which keeps the learner stimulated. It is also important to build strong outputs for communication in order to make the experience as stress-free as possible. It is also essential that the technology is unique to each individual as each student learns in different ways and needs help with certain things.
How myQuest can Help Make Your LMS More Interactive
According to Analyst Josh Bersin, the learning management system (lms) marketplace is over $3 billion in size and includes hundreds of platforms to help companies manage all aspects of their learning and development, such as employee training, customer training and online courses. As the market keeps moving forward, it is important the online training platforms move forward with it as well. myQuest offers so many features to maximize online training results. A blended learning approach is best!
- Community Feature
myQuest’s community feature is essential for the social learning training as it allows for the training to be as traditional as possible. This feature allows students and trainers to interact with each other making a community for everyone in the training, decreasing the feeling of isolation. Students can ask questions, share stories, upload pictures, and confide in their peers.
- Push Notifications
myQuest’s push notifications feature is a simple way to effectively communicate with students. Instructors can send automated messages to all their students and send personalized messages to each student with reminders, pictures, or videos specific to them and their training. It is also an easy way for students to talk with their instructor if they have a problem, question, or some feedback. Reaching people on their mobile phones nowadays is the most effective way to reach them.
- 1:1 Coaching
The myQuest platform offers 1:1 coaching, which makes the training unique to each student and their learning habits. The My Journal feature is a place where the instructor can see how the student is progressing and what their thoughts and concerns are in each mission and level. This is an easy way for the trainer to offer personalized advice to each trainee during their online learning journey.
- Gamification
The gamification tool on myQuest’s online learning platform is a key feature since it engages students in their tasks and course content, which makes it more interactive. With every game, students get points and can redeem them for a prize. The majority of learners want eLearning training programs to be more game-based -- “80 percent of students claimed that eLearning would be more productive if it were more game-oriented.”