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LMS is a Learning Management System. It is an ecosystem for maintaining the education process. The system provides an environment for teachers, students, and administrators to run and control the educational process and analyse and optimise it. To develop an effective LMS platform, you need to:
Open-source LMS system
It is a free product that can be optimised and customised to your requirements. A developer can add features and change the logic and processes. To develop a necessary product from an open-source system and to maintain it after that, you need a skilled technician.
Main advantages: free of charge, flexible.
Main disadvantage: poor support of the initial product, lack of improvements.
Commercial LMS system
It is developed, supported, and owned by a developer. Commercial system costs money. It can be customised (changed or added) on request and only by the developer.
Main advantages: LMS may have exclusive features and good timely support.
Main disadvantage: expensive, more flexible than free open-source solutions.
Installed or hosted LMS
The system is installed and maintained in your facilities. The system uses your servers to store user data. Such a solution features a high level of security and can be customised according to the needs of your project.
Main advantages: high security, adaptivity.
Main disadvantage: system requires an in-house expert for administration and maintenance and server equipment.
Cloud LMS
The SaaS learning management system is hosted on the cloud and is maintained by the developer or vendor. Such a cloud solution offers many pricing plans with different available features. It is where its customisation opportunities end.
Main advantages: cheap solution, pay-as-you-use format.
Main disadvantage: poor flexibility.
Integrated LMS
This learning management system can be integrated with third-party software to expand its functionality. It can be compatible with HR tools, emails, calendars, success trackers, and social networks.
Main advantages: extra flexibility.
Main disadvantage: lower security as third-party apps get access to user data.
As you see, there are many types of LMS systems available. However, the optimum one is a custom solution as it is developed considering the project’s specific requirements. The code of the customisable solution is created so it can be changed with a low risk of other bugs.
A custom LMS opens opportunities for the adjustment of the system to the needs of your project. As experience shows, the top necessary options for an effective LMS system are as follows:
Permissions for system users. The feature ensures security. It enables administrators to limit user rights and access to certain parts and functions of the system.
User management. The administrators must group users, manage groups, restrict groups or provide them special rights and access.
Data analytics. The system should enable students, tutors, and administrators to analyse success, progress, and efficiency data. It is vital to make a list of metrics and add necessary options for tracking.
Knowledge testing and assessing tools. An efficient LMS system must provide teachers with knowledge and progress assessment tools.
Centralised storage of learning materials. It should be a database of all learning resources and reference materials that are available in a user-friendly way. It would be better if learning materials were optimised for simple comprehension.
Notification system. Each user must be timely notified about changes and events in the account: new materials, tests or courses, deadlines, feedback, etc.
Lesson and course management. This tool enables a user to create a course, systematise lessons, add new and remove unnecessary ones.
Offline learning option. This feature allows students to download learning materials from the system and study when offline.
This is only part of the checklist of required options for effective LMS system development. After developing an idea and concept and creating a prototype or MVP, you will only learn which features and options need to be added to the list.
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