LMS definition - simple, clear and unambiguous?

The age of digitization with increasing competitive pressure, products that require explanation, high expectations from both customers and your own employees, as well as strict and binding legal requirements, the complexity of the topics and the large number of stakeholders often affected are usually not possible without the appropriate software support deal with. In the area of ​​corporate learning, learning management systems therefore still represent the central infrastructure for the organization and administration of learning in companies. However, the search for a suitable system often proves to be difficult, not least because it is suitable for the numerous software solutions there is no uniform nomenclature. It is not uncommon for software manufacturers not to be interested in a clear clarification. Therefore, the term LMS is often used in a similarly misleading context as the term 'claustrophobia' in connection with confined spaces. But what exactly is an LMS?

Wikipedia, which is explicitly NOT considered a scientific source, provides the following definitions as an introduction:

“A learning platform or learning management system (LMS) is a complex content management system that is used to provide learning content and organize learning processes. The task of a web-based learning environment is to enable communication between learners and teachers. It acts as an interface between the education provider and the learner. This does not include educational content that is offered on the Internet, such as the usual web presences or portals. The advantages of a learning platform are relief in teaching, the regulation of the flow of information, simplification of learning and taking on numerous administrative tasks. "
Learning platform, the better LMS?
However, a learning platform is often any type of portal that presents learning content, perhaps just training catalogs. The same applies to in-house social media applications, collaboration tools, such as webinar software (virtual classroom). With such a hard-wearing term it is worth asking carefully to avoid misunderstandings. It is clear that a social media application or a virtual classroom do not have an overarching, coordinating role in the overall system, but are important learning formats when required. These can be integrated as components (subsystems) or linked to the LMS via interfaces.

In the market, the term learning platform and look strictly theme-related, commercial portals, the company un offer depending certain standardized learning content. This can be content for individual interest groups. This heterogeneous market offers a multitude of offers, which vary greatly in quality and topicality, for learning z. B. Safety regulations, preparation for driving license and IHK exams. These are independent business models, similar to a lending library. They have nothing to do with a learning management system in the true sense of the word, as they are not really integrated into the company's process and learning landscape.

Continuous trend: blended learning
Why is blended learning addressed in the characterization for LMS? The reason for this can simply be found in history: The hype of the noughties about Web 2.0 and the enthusiasm for WBTs and elearning, which was then traded as a cheap panacea for training challenges of all kinds, has subsided. Elearning has not replaced the face-to-face training that was predominant at the time. The prognosis that informal learning will not replace other forms of training should be realistic. Rather, more balanced, individual learning paths and media and formats that are optimized for target groups and objects can be expected in the future, in short with multi-layered, more complex learning scenarios. Learning management systems are essential for this.

All Inclusive LMS?
Have all learning management systems really integrated a tool for creating learning content, as suggested in the definition of Wikipedia and, above all, does this make sense? When it comes to the subject of an integrated authoring tool or a tool for creating learning content, the same objections arise as with support for blended learning concepts and collaboration tools. It is true that the in-house production of learning units now plays an important role in training strategies, especially in the context of companies, but LMS with integrated authoring systems tend to represent a minority.

The need of companies for authoring tools is extremely different. On the one hand, there are companies that cope wonderfully with standardized electronic content and thus train relatively inexpensively. Another group sees no need at all for elearning products because either the topic is not mapped electronically, the training philosophy opposes it, or the target group is not reached.

Other companies that operate internationally and that use elearning formats may be tied to certain forms of presentation or work permanently with an internal or external agency, so that an authoring tool integrated in the LMS is available but not used.

When does an authoring tool integrated into the LMS make sense?
Ultimately, of course, there is also a group of interested parties for whom the functions of an integrated authoring tool are of great importance. However, if an LMS has integrated an authoring tool or a test generator, the question arises as to whether the functions offered are really sufficient so that learning content can be created for a wide variety of purposes and target groups. Particularly with a view to future developments, the suitability of an integrated solution should be carefully and individually checked. With regard to the future, no LMS manufacturer can guarantee that its authoring tool is flexible enough to support future media formats.

If the topic of the authoring tool is an important criterion in the selection, it can also make sense to opt for a separate, external authoring tool and choose an LMS that plays out the respective formats independently. Modern learning management systems can integrate the products of a wide variety of authoring tools, typically WBTs, regardless of the manufacturer and make them available to the learner. It is relevant for the learner that any additional programs such as a media player or a pdf reader are available in order to be able to start, read or edit the content on the elearning platform or in the employee portal. For the learner, it hardly matters on which drive or which server area the product of the authoring tool is physically located. The learning management system knows the correct path in the system landscape and manages the call authorizations according to the specifications. This can e.g. B. be required qualifications (test results), a certain time window or a certain role in the company.

An integrated authoring tool is therefore usually not a decisive factor in the purchase decision. Other factors such as flexibility and future security are typically given higher weighting. Ultimately, this means that authoring tools are not part of the basic functions of an LMS. This is also the result of a comparative study by Brandon Hall, which deals with learning management systems:

" It usually does not include its own authoring capabilities; instead it focuses on managing courses created from a variety of sources ”(Hall, 2001, p. 533).