e-Learning Blog

A 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.

Through these functions, educational institutions and companies can provide an efficient learning environment. However, there are also some drawbacks to LMS. We will introduce them below.

Implementation and Operation Costs

Initial setup costs are required to prepare the server for LMS, as well as operating costs for managing the server. Considerations such as manual creation, customization, and training are also necessary.

Complexity

LMS has many features, so learning is necessary to master it. To some extent, it is necessary to have a dedicated specialist.

Technical Issues

There may be system issues on LMS. There is a possibility that learning may be interrupted.

It is necessary to consider these points when considering the introduction of LMS.

Not all learning scenes require the introduction of an LMS. Here are three cases where an LMS is particularly recommended.

【Case 1】Large-scale case with tens of thousands of participants

At one university, they were sending out approximately 85,000 submissions for distance learning via mail. This incurs a lot of time and postage costs. Additionally, there is a possibility of sending to the wrong address and not reaching the students. It is also necessary to manage who the submissions were sent to and who submitted them in a separate file. There are many benefits to implementing an LMS in cases where there are tens of thousands of students.

How does the process change with LMS? For example, the teacher places assignments in a specific location on the LMS. Students access the LMS and download their assigned assignments. Once completed, they upload the assignments to a designated location on the LMS. The teacher then evaluates the uploaded assignments and can check a list of who has submitted their assignments. They can also send reminder emails to students who have not submitted their assignments. With LMS, time and cost can be significantly reduced.

【Case 2】Case of Certification Exams

There are many certification exams to certify specific qualifications. In order to have many people obtain qualifications, it is necessary to have as many exam venues as possible. If there are only exam venues in Tokyo and Osaka, participants will need a lot of travel expenses. On the other hand, if the number of exam venues increases, the cost for operation will also increase for the exam administrators. In such cases where certification exams are conducted, there are many benefits to introducing an LMS.

How will the process change with LMS? In one certification exam, two tests are conducted: a presentation and a written exam. First, the presentation is conducted through an online conference system on LMS. Two examiners will watch the presentation and conduct a Q&A session, then register the evaluation sheet on LMS. Next, the examiners will use the task function on LMS to create questions and have the examinee answer them. The examiners will check the answers and use the message function on LMS to inform the secretariat of the pass or fail decision. Afterwards, the secretariat will use the message function on LMS to inform the examinee of the pass or fail result.

By digitizing certification exams like this, students are able to take the exam from their own homes without having to travel to a testing center. Additionally, there is no longer a need for the examiners to set up multiple testing locations. Furthermore, evaluation sheets and assignments can be centrally managed, making internal sharing easier.

【Case 3】Case of providing information to educational and medical institutions

Teachers, doctors, nurses, and other professionals in educational and medical institutions are busy every day. In the midst of this, they must learn various new technologies. To provide this information, publications and books are published, and seminars and study sessions are held. In particular, for seminars and study sessions, one must go to a designated location at a designated time. It can be difficult to participate in such events while being busy. In such cases, there are many benefits to introducing an LMS.

How does the process change with LMS? In one society, using LMS, we provide new information and hold seminars for members of the society. Members can learn at their own pace without time or location constraints. In addition, with online conference systems, you can participate regardless of location. Furthermore, with LMS, you can understand the number of students per course and the number of participants per seminar, so we strive to review the content of materials and seminars based on the participation status and make them more accessible to more people.

We have introduced specific introduction effects even in recommended cases of learning management system introduction, but we will explain the introduction effects of learning management system in a wider range, especially compared to face-to-face group training. In addition, we have divided it into the perspectives of both learners and administrators.

◆Benefits for Learners

・Learning achievements will be recorded
Course materials and attendance are generally managed through LMS, so individual learning history and grades are all recorded on servers, etc. The recorded data can be accessed by instructors and administrators with access rights.

・You can learn at your own pace anytime, anywhere
Unlike group training with set dates and locations, as long as you have a mobile device and internet connection, you can learn anytime, anywhere. The ability to learn freely at your own pace is a major advantage. It also leads to the habit of "habitual learning" as it is easy to learn.

・You can review as many times as you want
In-person training ends on the day of the session, and once the time is up, it's over. Even if you have the text materials, the opportunity to be taught is only once. On the other hand, with LMS, you can repeat the course multiple times, allowing you to thoroughly review and learn until you understand.

◆Benefits for Administrators

・Can provide homogeneous education to a large number of learners
In group training, the number of participants per session is limited. Also, even with the same text, there may be variations in the "quality of education" depending on the instructor. With LMS, the same educational content can be delivered regardless of the number of participants.

・Can be achieved at a lower cost compared to group training
A company that introduced LMS conducted a trial calculation, and the result showed that if the company were to conduct their education program using group training instead of LMS, it would cost about four times more.

・Diverse methods for obtaining teaching materials
The methods for obtaining teaching materials to be used on LMS include purchasing ready-made products, ordering custom-made products, customizing ready-made products, and producing them in-house (often referred to as in-house production). By combining these methods, it is possible to easily add originality and pursue the ideal educational program.

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

For Schools and Organizations

Moodle Implementation and Operation Guide

Domestic Results
No.1

Benefit 1: No license fees required, cost benefits available

There is no license fee to use Moodle. It can be used for free. On the other hand, SaaS type 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. With Moodle, you can always get the latest application for free from the official website. Just because it's free doesn't mean it's inferior to other LMS. It has all the necessary functions. There is no limit on the number of users, so it can be used by 100 people or even 10,000 people.

Benefits 2: Utilizing a Large and Active Community

There is a large and active community of developers and contributors. We are continuously working on improving and enhancing the software. In the "Beginner's Question Forum", you can ask questions and receive answers if you are unsure about something. In addition, the "Site Security Forum" is a place for exchanging information on how to safely operate a Moodle site. Anyone can collaborate to contribute to the development of Moodle.

Benefit 3: Security

When it comes to security, Moodle developers monitor the source code, detect bugs, and quickly fix them through established processes to reduce vulnerabilities. If any security concerns arise, security alerts will be posted online and email alerts will be sent to registered users. Information is shared immediately.

Benefits 4: Customization and expansion (customization) possible according to our unique education system

Moodle allows you to develop and incorporate your desired features as the source code is publicly available. In addition, over 2,200 extensions called plugins are provided free of charge from Moodle.org (as of June 2024). By utilizing these, you can create an e-learning environment that fits your unique educational system.

Benefits 5: You can build your own environment

If you handle highly confidential e-learning materials, there may be cases where you want to create your own LMS environment and manage all data by yourself. Moodle is ideal when you want to use materials that are confidential to outsiders for employee education. It is also possible to use LMS by building it in-house and not connecting it to the internet.

Installing Moodle is free, but you will need to prepare a separate server environment to install it. Additionally, you will also need to apply security patches and perform version upgrades on your own. If you are unable to do so, we recommend using a certified Moodle partner in Japan. These partners contribute a portion of their profits towards the development and operation of Moodle.

e-learning, an innovative learning method born from the fusion of digital technology and the field of education. In the 2000s, the use of LMS to support e-learning expanded even further, and it is now utilized in various educational settings.

At the same time, our company, Human Science Co., Ltd., has been involved in creating educational materials since the early days of e-learning in Japan, and has built a track record of over 20 years. We hope that you can make use of our rich experience and correct know-how in your business. We offer various solutions for e-learning, such as LMS implementation, course development, and multilingual support. Please feel free to consult with us.

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