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Today we will introduce you to three of the most commonly used terms and what lies behind them.
Learning Management System (LMS)
Learning management systems (LMS), also called distance learning platforms, are a set of interactive online services for creating, presenting, managing, and using learning content, with functions for tracking, analyzing, and reporting achieved results.
LMSs automate the process of conducting distance learning and are a preferred tool for achieving the educational goals of various types of institutions and organizations.
What can you use distance learning platforms for?
Distance learning platforms offer countless possibilities, regardless of the field of application.
Whether you are an educational institution, a private company, or a government organization, you can benefit from the advantages of this type of software. Besides creating and conducting distance learning, learning management systems can also be used for:
• Importing training materials.
• Creating training materials (including tests and exercises).
• Assigning tasks (individual or group).
• Managing and using interactive e-learning courses.
• Keeping records and reports.
• Issuing certificates.
• Assigning roles and permissions.
• Tracking learners' educational progress.
• And more.
Tools for creating e-learning
A wide variety of tools for creating e-learning courses are available on the market. Some of the most widely used are:
Articulate Storyline
Articulate Studio
Adobe Captivate
Trivantis Lektora
ISpring Suite
The listed programs have many common functionalities, including:
• HTML5 support;
• the ability to create animations and visualization on desktop and mobile devices;
• an available library of ready-made characters;
• an option to create interactive tests – with predefined or customized interactions;
• PowerPoint compatibility;
• SCORM/AICC compatibility;
• the ability to export to Microsoft Word;
• audio/video recording.
Of course, some of them are better developed – with a larger number of ready-to-use themes, templates, characters, and functionalities, such as exporting courses in PDF format, integration with YouTube, etc..
When choosing such a tool, we advise you to take into account two essential factors:
• the complexity of the training you will create – how advanced the interactions need to be, whether or not you will use characters, animations, etc.;
• whether you will integrate the training into an LMS – if yes, you must choose a tool compatible with the standards used by the platform (SCORM, AICC).
SCORM
In order for the training material you have created to be used in an LMS, it must meet certain standards. The most widely used is the SCORM standard.
It is a set of technical standards, specifications, and recommendations for creating software products for e-learning (distance learning platforms, tools for creating e-learning courses). Put in simpler terms – these are the rules that programmers must follow in order to create an e-learning product that can work with another e-learning product.
The main goal of the standard is to make it possible to create accessible, compatible, and reusable digital content. SCORM is a technical standard and has nothing to do with pedagogical principles.
