e-Learning Blog

The learning management system is called "LMS" (Learning Management System). LMS is an IT tool that centrally manages e-learning materials and learning progress. It mainly has the following functions.

These features allow educational institutions and companies to provide an efficient learning environment. However, there are also some drawbacks to LMS. Below are some of them.

Implementation and Operational Costs

There are initial setup costs for preparing a server for the LMS, as well as operational costs for running the server. It is also necessary to consider the creation of manuals, customization, and training.

Complexity

LMS has many features, so learning is necessary to master it. It is required to have a dedicated person in charge to some extent.

Technical Issues

There may be issues with the system in the LMS. There is a possibility that learning may be interrupted.

It is necessary to consider these points while contemplating the implementation of the LMS.

Not every learning scenario requires the implementation of an LMS. Here, we will introduce three cases where an LMS is particularly recommended.

Case 1: A large-scale case with tens of thousands of participants

At a certain university, approximately 85,000 students receiving instruction via correspondence were submitting their assignments by mail. This incurred a lot of time and mailing costs. Additionally, there is a possibility of sending to the wrong address, resulting in the submissions not reaching the students. It is also necessary to manage separately who was mailed and who submitted the assignments. Implementing an LMS in such large-scale cases, where the number of students exceeds tens of thousands, has many advantages.

How will the process change with LMS? For example, teachers place assignments in specific locations on the LMS. Learners access the LMS and download the assignments given to them. Once the assignments are completed, they upload them to the designated location on the LMS. Teachers evaluate the uploaded assignments. Teachers can check a list of who has submitted the assignments. They can also send reminder emails to only those learners who have not submitted. With LMS, significant savings in time and costs can be achieved.

Case 2: Certification Examination Case

There are many certification exams that certify specific qualifications. In order to have many people obtain qualifications, it is necessary to establish as many exam venues as possible. If there are only exam venues in Tokyo and Osaka, candidates will incur significant travel expenses. On the other hand, for those conducting the exams, increasing the number of exam venues will also lead to higher operational costs. In cases of certification exams like these, implementing an LMS has many advantages.

How will the process change with LMS? In a certain certification exam, there are two components: a presentation and a written test. First, the presentation is conducted via an online meeting system from the LMS. Two examiners watch the presentation, conduct a Q&A session, and register the evaluation sheet in the LMS. Next, the examiners use the assignment feature of the LMS to create questions for the candidates to answer. The examiners review the answers and determine the pass or fail status, notifying the administration via the LMS messaging feature. After that, the administration informs the candidates of their results through the LMS messaging feature.

By converting certification exams to an online format, participants can take the exam at home without having to travel to a testing location. Additionally, the reviewing side no longer needs to set up multiple testing venues. Furthermore, evaluation sheets and assignments can be centrally managed, making internal sharing easier.

Case 3: Providing information to educational and medical institutions

Teachers, doctors, nurses, and others in educational and medical institutions are busy every day. In this context, they must learn various technologies that are advancing daily. To provide information for this purpose, we publish materials and books, and conduct seminars and study sessions. Particularly in the case of seminars and study sessions, one must go to a specific place at a specific time. Participating in such events can be quite challenging amidst their busy schedules. In such cases, implementing an LMS offers many advantages.

How will the process change with LMS? In a certain academic society, they utilize LMS to provide new information and hold seminars for their members. Members can learn at their own pace without being constrained by time or location. Additionally, seminars using online conferencing systems allow participation from any location. Furthermore, LMS enables tracking the number of participants for each course and seminar, allowing for adjustments to the content based on participation levels, striving to make it more accessible to a larger audience.

While we introduced specific implementation effects in the recommended cases for the introduction of a learning management system, we will explain the implementation effects of the learning management system in a broader context, particularly in comparison to face-to-face group training. Additionally, we have divided the perspectives into those of the learners and the administrators.

◆Benefits for Learners

・Your learning achievements will be recorded
Since the distribution of materials and participation in courses are basically managed by the LMS, all individual learning histories and grades are recorded on servers, etc. The recorded data can be accessed by instructors and administrators who have the appropriate permissions.

・Learn at your own pace anytime, anywhere
Unlike group training sessions with set dates and locations, you can learn anytime and anywhere as long as you have a mobile device and an internet connection. The ability to learn freely at your own pace is a significant advantage. The ease of learning also contributes to the "habitualization of learning."

・You can review as many times as you want
Group training is only for that day, and it ends when the time is up. Even if you have the text in hand, the opportunity to be "taught" is only once. On the other hand, by using an LMS, you can take the course repeatedly, allowing for thorough repetition until you understand.

◆Benefits for Administrators

・Can provide uniform education to a large number of learners
In group training, the number of participants is limited per session. Additionally, even when using the same text, there can be variations in the quality of education depending on the instructor. By using an LMS, you can deliver exactly the same educational content regardless of the number of participants.

・Can be realized at a lower cost compared to group training
A company that implemented an LMS conducted a cost estimate, and it was found that if the educational program started using the LMS were conducted as group training, it would cost about four times more than using the LMS.

・The methods for procuring teaching materials will become diverse
The methods for procuring teaching materials used on the LMS include: ① purchasing off-the-shelf products, ② creating custom-made materials, ③ customizing off-the-shelf products, and ④ producing in-house (often referred to as in-house production). By combining these options, it becomes easier to achieve originality and pursue an ideal educational program.

Here, we would like to introduce a recommended learning management system. It is "Moodle."
Moodle is a free, open-source learning management system. It is widely used not only in educational settings but also in companies and various organizations.

For Schools and Organizations

Moodle Implementation and Operation Guide

Domestic Achievements
No.1

Benefit 1: No licensing fees, cost advantages

There is no license fee to use Moodle. It can be used for free. On the other hand, SaaS-based LMS requires a license fee. If the license fee is 100 yen per person per month, the cost for 1,000 people for one year would be 1.2 million yen. In the case of Moodle, you can always obtain the latest Moodle application for free from the official site. Just because it is free does not mean that its quality is inferior compared to other LMS. It has all the necessary features. There are no restrictions on the number of users, so it can be used by 100 people or 100,000 people.

Benefit 2: Leverage a large and active community

There is a large and active community of developers and contributors. They are continuously working on improving and enhancing the software. In the "Beginner's Question Forum," you can ask questions about things you don't understand while using it, and you will receive answers. Additionally, in the "Site Security Forum," information is exchanged on how to operate Moodle sites securely. Anyone can collaborate for the development of Moodle.

Benefit 3: Security

Regarding security, the developers of Moodle monitor the source code, detect bugs, and make prompt fixes through established processes as part of a continuous effort to reduce vulnerabilities. If any security concerns arise, security alerts are posted online, and registered users receive email alerts. Information is shared promptly.

Benefit 4: Customization is possible to change and expand according to our unique educational system

Moodle is open source, allowing you to develop and integrate the features you want. Additionally, over 2,200 plugins, known as extension modules, are available for free from Moodle.org (as of June 2024). By utilizing these, you can create an e-learning environment tailored to your unique educational system.

Benefit 5: You can build in a unique environment

Since we handle highly confidential e-learning materials, there are cases where we want to create our own LMS environment and manage all the data ourselves. When we want to use materials that are confidential, Moodle is ideal for employee training. It is also possible to build an LMS in an on-premises environment within the company and not connect it to the internet.

The installation of Moodle is free, but you must prepare your own server environment for installation. Additionally, you will need to apply security patches and perform version upgrades on your own. If you cannot prepare these on your own, we recommend using an official Moodle partner in Japan. Official Moodle partners contribute a portion of their revenue to the development and operation of Moodle.

E-learning is an innovative learning method born from the fusion of advancements in digital technology and the field of education. In the 2000s, the use of LMS supporting e-learning expanded further, becoming utilized in various educational settings.

At the same time, our company, Human Science Co., Ltd., has been involved in the creation of educational materials since the early days of e-learning in Japan, building over 20 years of experience. We hope that the correct know-how based on our extensive achievements will be useful for your business. We provide various e-learning solutions, including LMS implementation, educational material production, and multilingualization of materials. Please feel free to consult with us.

＞ Moodle Implementation Support and Operation
＞ e-Learning Material Production
＞ e-Learning Material Translation (Multilingual Support, Localization)