What makes a Learning Management System good?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nCreating a customized system can be a challenging task and, without proper planning, a simple project can turn into a major headache. After helping several schools design and build custom systems, here are the four things I recommend considering when designing or adopting a Learning Management System (LMS).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
4 design tips for better online learning with a Learning Management System (LMS)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Focus on data, for both instructors and students.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are obsessed with data these days, and for good reason: it is relatively easy to obtain if you know what you are looking for. While you will not be able to identify everything that will be useful in advance, take a step back and assess what you expect to learn. Make a list of the information you need and a list of the things you would like to have. For example, do you need to know the average grades of students in History? How about attendance rates during the month of December?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knowing what you are looking for in advance helps you determine which specific information you will need to obtain from your users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Design for usability: make it \u201cpleasant\u201d to use<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you know what you need users to tell you, you must make it easy for them to do so. Design each component of your LMS with usability in mind. Create a hierarchy of actions you need users to perform, ranking them from essential to non-essential, and use prominent buttons, obvious links, and clear text to direct people to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, take advantage of what is already available. Things such as social login, video streaming, shared calendars, message boards, and forms are common on the web, and users immediately know what to do with them. Draw inspiration from Google, Facebook, Microsoft Word, and others to learn common themes in web interfaces and replicate them. Your users will thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For an excellent reference on designing user-friendly interfaces, I recommend Stephen Krug\u2019s book \u201cDon\u2019t Make Me Think.\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plan for mobile devices from the start<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
As of 2020, there are more than 14 billion mobile devices in use worldwide, a figure expected to rise to nearly 17 billion by 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, more than half of web traffic is mobile, which means teachers, students, parents, and staff are very likely to need to use the LMS on a mobile device. To optimize their experience, adopt a mobile-first design approach. Instead of building a full standard website and then trimming features or reducing functionality for a mobile version, start by focusing solely on how your LMS looks and functions on mobile devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ask yourself: what are the primary tasks that teachers, students, parents, and administrators need to perform? What information and tasks must be accessible at all times? How does information appear on small screens? How do you interact with the information?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is always easier to add complexity for a desktop experience, but designing with mobile devices in mind ensures a smooth experience for users, wherever they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Design curriculum and instruction with your LMS\u2019s strengths in mind<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each platform is different and there is no single perfect approach to building an LMS. Some work well as assessment software, while others handle video better. Some are visual, while others load quickly, are text-based, and use frequent lesson and page uploads to guide the student through the material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whatever your approach, design what and how students learn in cooperation with the strengths and capabilities of the LMS rather than designing digital lessons and units first and then adapting them to what the LMS can do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although customization options can be exciting, taking the time to consider these four things will help you build the system that meets your needs so you can focus on what matters most: delivering an excellent education to students.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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