While choosing a Learning Management system (LMS) educational organizations face the critical choice to make – Cloud LMS or an installed solution? Depending on the exact nature of your business and what you expect from your LMS, there are a lot of considerations that will be made to come to the right choice.
Cloud-based learning management systems (LMS) are effectively hosted on the internet and are easily accessed by accessing the service provider site. Instead of installing the entire course design and software the instructional designers can upload user content, create as many courses as they want and interact with a host of new learners directly. This is possible thanks to secure LMS which gives designers the ability to store information on the cloud that can be accessed by approved users.
The important question is why has cloud LMS been late in terms of adoption?
The real answer to it is the myth surrounding the concept. Organizations believe that when you tag cloud-based systems in applications, it can suffer due to a lack of data security, and unreliable data access. This prevents them from signing off on a cloud-based Elearning platform.
The prime intention of our blog is to bust such myths and bring before you the best in this world.
What is Cloud LMS?
A cloud-based LMS as a solution does not require the installation of any specific hardware or software to access and use it. By merely logging, a cloud-based LMS will provide the organization and its learners to access the real benefits of cloud-based LMS solutions.
The article intends to focus attention on why a cloud-based LMS works as a best solution.
Must-have features of a cloud-based LMS
- When choosing a cloud-based LMS, one should ensure to doubt check the type of integration capability it has. This means that compliance with 3rd party applications might be required so that the current modules and courses can be put to use. A good UI will ensure that the workforce does not waste its time in trial and error.
- It is a need to create a questionnaire about your LMS while you take it to the provider. Your collaboration partner should have the necessary skills to build an LMS of your choice and can further simplify the training process.
- Since the very motive of having a cloud-based LMS is to personalize and customize, it is recommended to choose a cloud-based LMS provider that offers UI and online training content customization. It is also important to combine it with several gamification features like badges, quizzes, leaderboards so that the engagement factor is permanent.
- There should be flexibility in reporting and analytics that will help create courses for the future. So the cloud-based LMS you are planning to invest should have a strong reporting and analytics ecosystem.
Benefits of Cloud-based LMS
Low Startup costs
With cloud-based LMS, there is no software to be purchased. The initial cost of establishing cloud-based LMS also is pretty low. There is no need for any extra skill to install programs holistically across the learning organization. All you have to do is to sign-up with an LMS solutions provider and begin creating your course content. With cloud computing, the users do not have to buy any software or undertake any upgrading process which one has to do when software has been installed. This ensures users save not only their resources but the considerable time needed to undergo the entire process of software installation issues and debugging.
Easy to set-up and maintain
One of the most important benefits of a cloud-based LMS platform is that the setup and maintenance are rapid and convenient. As discussed there is no need to install any software and the LMS provider will automatically update the system to integrate new features and make it user-friendly on multiple browsers.
Enhanced accessibility options
Both learners and course creators enjoy the benefit of enhanced accessibility with cloud-based LMS as it gives them the ability to stay logged in from anywhere they want. They can easily access their accounts from their mobiles, tablets, phablets, or any device having a robust internet connection and continue wherever and whenever they want right from the point they left.
It is cost-efficient
Being cost-efficient is one of the biggest benefits and seal-the-deal point for decision-makers. Investing in a cloud-based LMS platform is essentially more cost-efficient compared to buying a Software as an eLearning option. You pay as per your use rather than having to splurge resources on those features that organizations don’t ever need. There is no need to pay any set-up fees and upgrades which is a part of cloud-based LMS at no extra cost. The costing is based on usage metrics like users or portals, so you pay only for actual usage of cloud LMS. This only points out to one fact that cloud-based LMS solutions are comparatively more cost-effective. Even from the long-term perspective, learning organizations do not have to pay anything additional for maintenance, support, and upkeep.
Faster implementation
Cloud-based LMS solutions do not have a complex and time-taking installation procedure. There are no detailed, lengthy, and sometimes unproductive meetings with project managers to discuss the installation and implementation of the system. In the case of Chapter247 be sure that with the portal ready, course and enrollments can get started right from the first day.
Easy-to-use
Web applications are everywhere and have become the necessary arm of any business application including LMS. This implies that a cloud-based LMS fulfills the more common choice for users making its adoption simpler. Due to the sense of familiarity, it makes it easy for learners to use. From the point the user logs in and accesses the dashboard from any device, falling back to static is out of the question.
Quicker configuration
Many educational enterprises require a highly-customized LMS solution which is why a high level of configuration works for them. These systems usually allow you to change colors, templates, turns features, and schemes. When you invest in a ready software, you will not be able to customize and also will realize that several of its applications are worthless for your purpose. A Cloud-based LMS is as configurable as you want it to be. It is also scalable which means that the addition and deletion of features as per the market demands are possible.
Mobile-friendly
Since this application is also mobile-friendly, it allows the user to use the software from anywhere on any device. The device with which you use your portal can also be used to access the LMS. We build cloud-based LMS with a responsive design that ensures the user interface responds according to the screen size.
Secure
Cloud-based applications have invited a greater sense of insecurity since its inception. But cloud-based LMS is built in a manner so that the organizations are confident of the entire process. Our cloud-based LMS solutions ensure secure code and process and we ensure that our solutions adhere to industry standards. We conduct timely independent tests with end-to-end encryption as the new norm. The infrastructure of such an LMS is highly scalable allowing educational institutions to add more users. Hence we create a system for you that will not just be a safer platform but also one that scales to match your growth.
Streamlining the training process
The most saleable point about cloud-based LMS is that it should be easy to use. This feature should be a part of process building right from the beginning till the core design is built. Hence design decisions should be made with utmost care. The process of developing and delivering content through a cloud-based LMS especially on the first day should be:
- Clearly defining learning objectives
- Creating content and uploading it based on the courses
- Enrolling learners and ensuring they complete the learning process
- Timely and accurate reports on course completion and performance
- Reverse feeding of the information in the course creation process
Choosing the right LMS solution
There is no doubt that cloud-based LMS solutions are dominating the eLearning industry. One of the greatest advantages of a cloud-based LMS is its low cost. The continuous orientation towards mobile learning and eLearning applications has forced businesses to upscale their LMS processes and become a part of the cloud.
The key to creating effective cloud-based LMS is right here with us. Our experts also believe that spending on ready-to-order software is not recommended as it will not meld well with your organization’s objectives. If you are planning to migrate to a cloud-based LMS then choosing the best LMS solution for it is just a click away.
Feel free to discuss the project with us.