August 31st, 2008 by Learning Systems
Let’s say you were traveling to France on vacation, or you want to learn French well enough to read it, because you like to read literature in its original language, or watch French films in French, or impress a French love interest by reciting some Rimbaud. You want to learn quickly, and you don’t have the time or spare cash to sign up at an academy. Besides, time is money. Enter the Coggno LMS.
Somewhere, a teacher creates a French course and uploads it to the Coggno LMS. S/he uploads various videos and uses the Video tool to incorporate French and English subtitles for you to choose. S/he formulates copious lessons with the Editor and Video tools, and questions with the Question Bank for quizzes. Maybe even review games!
Voilà: everything you need in one LMS.
August 31st, 2008 by Learning Systems
Asking someone to define “LMS” is akin to asking someone to define “irony” (remember the movie Reality Bites?): everyone basically knows what it is, but usually not exactly. In any case, e-businesses these days just know they want an LMS, because e-learning is gargantuan right now.
So what is it? It varies. It can consist of the following things, but doesn’t require all of them: a learning portal, an authoring system, a training records system, a way of managing skills, a virtual classroom. We could say, then, that an LMS comprises web technology used to plan, organize, and control learning process features, tools, and aspects, with the goal of implementing them.
An LMS can encompass all of these, but seldom does—which is okay, because it’s hardly ever necessary.
August 31st, 2008 by Learning Systems
I’ve discussed aesthetic in terms of the LMS itself, yes—which implies it would be static. Wouldn’t it be exciting, though, if you could personalize your homepage’s colors, add widgets, rate courses, suggest improvements to everything from the color grid to the courses, chat with people who are on at the same time, or even be able to access most of these things without having to log into the LMS itself?
Sometimes, even the thought of having to surf to a page and log into it before you can gain access to information makes one yawn. If at least some of it were right on your homepage each time you open your browser, you would both save time and energy and be sure to see the information even if you decided you didn’t want to log into the LMS.
August 31st, 2008 by Learning Systems
What is the first thing you do when you get a cell phone, choose a homepage, or move into an apartment? You pick wallpaper, links, decorations—you personalize, or customize, it. It makes you feel like there’s a connection; it makes you drawn to it. And if an LMS allows for personalization, learners are bound to return to it more often.
Imagine what it would be like if you could customize your LMS homepage: right away you would be able to learn about relevant new articles and posts via your RSS feed; your notes would be right where you wanted them, organized as best fits your style; you could position your courses in order of importance, chronology, etc.
These alterations might sound tangential, but they do aid in self-directed learning and help connect the learner to the LMS, making the learning experience more enjoyable.
August 31st, 2008 by Learning Systems
Aesthetic for an LMS is tricky: you want it to stand out, but you don’t want to overload your audience either; after all, the information within is what’s most valuable.
Color coding is a classic strategy. If students use it via colored pens, highlighters, and flags to help memorize information, why shouldn’t an LMS provide a corresponding system? Also, if the LMS is divided into tools, topics, etc., by colored tabs, maybe, they would be easier to find. Tabs should stand out from the page enough to make the LMS as conveniently navigable as possible.
Search buttons and section titles shouldn’t be obscured by bold graphics or, in turn, drab monochrome. If the information is a hassle to find, whatever educational merit there is will be wasted on learners who’ve given up out of frustration.
August 28th, 2008 by Learning Systems
You are an organization. You have chosen an LMS you are happy with, uploaded your existing training, and used Coggno’s various tools to help you formulate even more material. You have provided your learners with two ways to take advantage of this education: online and through instructor-led courses. Tracking online attendance is easy enough, but what about the latter?
There’s always the good ol’ taking roll routine or a sign-in sheet, whose data must subsequently be entered into the LMS for future reference. Another way would be to scan identification cards, if companies assign these to their employees. This information might be directly, electronically entered into the LMS, or manually. Yet another way would be to test learners online about the material that was taught in the class.
August 27th, 2008 by Learning Systems
What do you get when you combine a company with e-Learning Management Technologies and Healthcare Training Solutions with an e-Learning company focused nursing? A web-based learning management system that delivers healthcare training.
An easy-to-use learning management system can solve training issues in a snap. This is crucial, because the right training at your company can increase workplace morale and thus quality of work, which is especially elemental in the healthcare industry. Interactive, up-to-date content can be conveniently delivered through a learning management system, principally one that is web-based.
In addition, training aids in retention and recruitment, basic in healthcare, where you certainly don’t want high turnover rates.
And what can make this efficient and effective training method even more impressive is a learning management system that functions on a pay-per-use system, like Coggno.
August 27th, 2008 by Learning Systems
Many people forget to check on an imperative issue: the security of their online learning management system. The internet is brimming with threats of intrusion, viruses, worms, spyware, and numerous others. You can’t afford the risk of refraining from taking the necessary steps to make sure your system is fully protected.
Particularly with sensitive and classified information, such as proprietary company training or information, it is essential to ensure that your learning management system not only provides server-side software encryption, but also safeguards the user-side management interfaces.
So—does your learning management system provide SSL encryption? Where is your application hosted, in-house or externally? And how are you protecting it—with an anti-virus, anti-spyware software, data-encryption software, firewalls? All of these are great to have. And it really is better to be safe than sorry.
