Choosing a Learning Management System Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative Peter Berking and Shane Gallagher [email protected] [email protected] 4 November 2016 Version 8.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Choosing a Learning Management System ADL Instructional Design Team Table of Contents 1. Purpose and scope of this paper ............................................................................... 7 2. Overview ....................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 What is an LMS? ................................................................................................................. 7 2.2 How widely are LMSs used? ............................................................................................ 10 2.3 What are the benefits of using an LMS? .......................................................................... 10 2.4 Types of general learning goals managed by LMSs ........................................................ 12 2.5 Who uses LMSs and why? ............................................................................................... 13 2.6 The importance of choosing the right LMS ...................................................................... 15 3. Categories of systems to deliver and manage learning ....................................... 15 3.1 General-purpose LMSs ..................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Specialized LMSs ............................................................................................................. 16 3.3 Learning content management systems (LCMSs) ........................................................... 17 3.4 Course management systems (CrMSs) ........................................................................... 19 3.5 Virtual learning environments (VLEs) ............................................................................... 21 3.6 Mobile learning LMSs ....................................................................................................... 22 4. Special features and issues to consider ................................................................ 25 4.1 Enterprise system integration ........................................................................................... 25 4.2 LMS skins and templates.................................................................................................. 26 4.3 Programming language and platform dependencies ....................................................... 26 4.4 Pricing models .................................................................................................................. 27 4.5 Return on investment (ROI) .............................................................................................. 29 4.6 Open-source or freeware solutions .................................................................................. 29 4.7 Government off-the-shelf (GOTS) solutions ..................................................................... 32 4.8 Offline content provisioning and player capability ............................................................ 32 4.9 Security considerations for LMSs ..................................................................................... 34 4.10 Hosting options ................................................................................................................. 35 4.11 Multiple LMS providers ..................................................................................................... 38 4.12 The cross domain issue .................................................................................................... 38 4.13 Special requirements for U.S. DoD .................................................................................. 39 4.14 System environments ....................................................................................................... 40 4.15 Standards support............................................................................................................. 40 4.15.1 SCORM ................................................................................................................................. 40 Choosing an LMS.docx page 3 of 141 2015 CC: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International Choosing a Learning Management System ADL Instructional Design Team 4.15.2 Section 508 ........................................................................................................................... 43 4.15.3 Aviation Industry CBT Consortium (AICC) ............................................................................ 43 4.15.4 Standards for metadata......................................................................................................... 43 4.15.5 Learning Tools Interoperability™ (LTI) ................................................................................. 44 ® 4.15.6 Common Cartridge .............................................................................................................. 44 ® 4.15.7 QTI ....................................................................................................................................... 44 4.15.8 ADL Total Learning Architecture (TLA), including xAPI ........................................................ 44 4.16 Internal assessment authoring ......................................................................................... 45 4.17 Internationalization ............................................................................................................ 46 4.18 Instantiation for individual business units ......................................................................... 46 4.19 LMS sharing ...................................................................................................................... 47 4.20 The path of least resistance ............................................................................................. 47 4.21 Aligning staff and processes to system capabilities ......................................................... 47 4.22 Planning for operation and governance of your LMS....................................................... 48 4.23 Data migration ................................................................................................................... 49 4.24 System load and bandwidth to the users ......................................................................... 50 5. List of possible requirements for an LMS .............................................................. 50 5.1 Registration and enrollment functions and workflow ........................................................ 51 5.2 Notifications, messages, and annotations ........................................................................ 52 5.3 Batch administration workflow .......................................................................................... 53 5.4 Prerequisite handling ........................................................................................................ 53 5.5 Content importing and configuration ................................................................................ 54 5.6 System access and security ............................................................................................. 54 5.7 Permissions and roles ...................................................................................................... 56 5.8 System performance ......................................................................................................... 57 5.9 Course catalog database .................................................................................................. 58 5.10 Interface customization ..................................................................................................... 59 5.11 Standards and language support ..................................................................................... 59 5.12 Training infrastructure and performance analysis ............................................................ 60 5.13 Learning object management ........................................................................................... 60 5.14 Delivery architecture ......................................................................................................... 60 5.15 Cost ................................................................................................................................... 62 5.16 Assessment authoring and delivery ................................................................................. 63 5.17 Mentoring, coaching, and other developmental scenarios .............................................. 65 5.18 Collaboration and communication options ....................................................................... 65 5.19 Competency management and development/learning plans........................................... 68 Choosing an LMS.docx page 4 of 141 2015 CC: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International Choosing a Learning Management System ADL Instructional Design Team 5.20 Learner tracking ................................................................................................................ 69 5.21 Certificates, forms, polls, and surveys .............................................................................. 70 5.22 Interfaces with external systems and