Choosing the right Learning Management System for your online course can be difficult. This article will explore some of the factors to consider when selecting an LMS and provide you with an overview of how the different options available stack up against each other.
1. Consider your Student Needs
It’s essential to consider your students’ needs when you’re choosing a Learning Management System. What are the learning preferences of your target demographic? How many courses do they need, and at what level will they be taught (basic, intermediate, advanced)? Do any of them require special accommodations for disabilities or language barriers?
2. Check Online Reviews
It would be best if you checked what other users are saying about the Learning Management System. If they have a terrible experience with their account, it is possible that they are also not going to enjoy their time using the software.
Recently, the Kajabi Vs. The teachable debate has been hitting the headlines. Kajabi is a popular Learning Management System that many people use to run their online courses. Still, Teachable has been gaining popularity lately because of the cost and ease of creating an account. Being a Kajabi alternative, Teachable might be worth a try. However, Kajabi is an all-in-one platform, which many people prefer to use. Also, a popular new alternative is to build a coaching app with a platform like Passion.io (review) that lets you create an easy way of reaching your clients through a drag-and-drop interface.
There is also a Kajabi Vs. WordPress discussion going on, and while some of the features might be similar or even better in WP, Kajabi has more support and tutorials available for those just starting with their online course business venture. WP can still be an option if you want to do blogging and other tasks related to running your site instead of focusing all of your attention just on courses.
3. Consider the Cost
How much are you willing to spend? How much money do you have available to spend on your online course?
If the cost is a significant parameter, we recommend that you go with a cheap or free LMS.
There are many platforms out there that offer free LMSs.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more premium service, we would recommend going with one of the paid plans from Udemy or Skillshare.
Another factor to consider is how much money your school will be spending on it. If you are working in an institution and need a platform that can scale up, so everyone at your organization has access to it, Coursera’s enterprise plan may suit best for this requirement.
4. Consider Features Available
What are the core features of an LMS that you need for your course?
Do they come with other helpful features, such as analytics and reporting tools or e-commerce functionality to sell courses online?
Is there a mobile app so students can get access to their smartphones or tablets while offline? (If not, don’t worry! You can provide the links to download the content manually.)
How does it work across devices – is it responsive enough to work well on desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones simultaneously without requiring any technical know-how from the learner?
Are you looking for a free LMS with premium features or the other way around? (If so, it’s helpful to know that some providers charge by license type.) Does your school have any preferences about which software they want their courses on?
Another thing you may wish to consider when choosing an LMS is what learning technology assets and expertise a company offers. If you already have in-house people who can handle this work, why not save yourself time and money by getting an LMS from someone else who has those skill sets? On the flip side: if all of these considerations make things start looking more complicated than they need to be, then why not take advantage of a free trial or demo from one of the providers on this list?
5. Consider the Ease-of-Use
An ideal LMS should be easy to use and user-friendly. If the CMS is not up to these criteria, learners will have difficulty navigating through it – which means you’ll need a lot of time for technical support on your end.
If an LMS has complicated navigation or too many features that don’t work well together, the system can quickly become unusable by instructors and learners alike. In addition, if there are bugs in any part of the software (navigation, content creation), they could lead to problems such as:
- Inability to learn new material due to confusion about how things work;
- Loss of productivity because teachers spend too much time fixing issues instead of creating lessons or giving feedback;
- Frustration with the system leads to high turnover rates and staff burnout.
Choosing the perfect LMS software for your online course can be confusing. As mentioned in this piece, there are many different features to account for when looking at what LMS will best suit your needs as an online educator. By reading this article, you will make a more informed decision about which LMS would best serve your needs.
