Why Learning Management Systems are Failing Employers

There are over 700 Learning management systems (LMS) being used globally, but unfortunately, they fall short on many key points for business and organisations. LMS is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of educational courses or training programmes. As well as being used in higher education, they are often utilised within organisations to deliver workplace training and staff learning. As such, LMS apps such as Blackboard, Moodle and Canvas are a sought-after means of online upskilling. However, LMS applications can set you back around $30,000 – $100,000, which is a significant amount for any SME. Not only that, once you have the application, you are responsible for the maintenance of the software. This is an extra burden to your IT department who will resent the extra time and responsibility, and if you’re a small business, this is precious time taken away from you and your work. Setting up your LMS also presents a number of challenges.The authoring tools for an LMS can be complex, expensive and take time to learn, especially if you are designing your own programmes. In creating your modules, you often only have a default selection of designs to choose from. Which means that you won’t be able to have ready-made training modules that showcase and reflect your organisation’s outlook and culture. Fortunately, there is a cost-effective and easily adaptable alternative, that was created right here in New Zealand. Modlettes is an online learning platform that makes peer-to-peer online learning easy for businesses and helps them save $1,000s in staff-training costs. As Modlettes is a cloud-based web site hosted by Amazon Web Services (same service used by Netflix), Modlettes are maintained so that you don’t need to use up your time and resources running it. You can have your Modlettes modules on your own exclusive and secure channel and storage costs are inexpensive, with the same benefits being available across all their pricing plans. The authoring system is designed to be used by non-technical people and can be easily tailored to reflect your organisation’s environment and culture. An example of this is when I had a new employee start here and on his 3^rd day, I needed him to make a series of Modlettes modules for a client. He knew nothing about Modlettes or how to make online learning modules. Nevertheless, within a couple of hours he was easily able to pick up what needed to be done and have the modules completed quickly to the client’s satisfaction. One more feature that Modlettes have over traditional LMS is that most LMS have quizzes with their modules that test your knowledge and comprehension of the materials provided. With most LMS you only have the one standard multi-choice answer quiz. Modlettes have 3 types of quiz: learning, testing and free-text so that you can better track their progress. Take a look at www.modlettes.com today