TL;DR
The best LMS is more than a platform. It’s a partner that supports accessibility, innovation, and student success for the long term.
Selecting a learning management system (LMS) has never been more consequential or more complex.
Not long ago, LMS evaluations were often driven by feature comparisons, pricing models, and technical requirements. Today, institutions face a different reality. The LMS sits at the center of teaching, learning, accessibility, analytics, student engagement and increasingly, AI innovation. As expectations evolve, so too must the way institutions evaluate technology.
During a recent webinar hosted by Robyn Hammontree, VP Academic Partnerships at D2L, experts from Texas Christian University (TCU) and MIT xPRO explored how LMS selection has changed and what institutions should prioritize when planning for the future. Featured speakers included:
- Dr. M. Francyne Huckaby, Associate Provost of Faculty Affairs and Executive Director of the Koehler Center, Texas Christian University
- Dr. Melissa Clayton, Assistant Director of Learning Technologies & Online Education, Texas Christian University
- Dr. Luke Hobson, Assistant Director of Instructional Design for MIT xPRO and Instructor for the University of Miami’s School of Education and Human Development
Throughout the discussion, one theme emerged repeatedly: LMS selection is as much about finding the right partner as it is about finding the right technology.
The LMS is no longer just a course management tool
One recurring theme throughout the discussion was how dramatically the role of the LMS has expanded. As Dr. Clayton shared, “the learning management system has really evolved from a place where grades or performance are recorded to a place where learning is actually taking place.”
Interactive tools, multimedia experiences, and integrated learning activities have transformed what institutions expect from their platforms.
This evolution has accelerated since the pandemic. Dr. Huckaby noted that before COVID-19, LMS usage varied significantly across faculty. Today, every course at TCU maintains a presence within the LMS, and institutional processes increasingly rely on it.
The result is that digital and physical learning environments are no longer separate. The LMS has become a central part of the educational experience, supporting everything from course delivery and communication to assessment, accessibility and student success.
User experience has become a critical evaluation factor
Audience polling conducted during the webinar revealed that one of the most difficult aspects of evaluating an LMS is assessing the quality of the user experience. Participants also identified firsthand testing as one of the most important factors in building confidence during the evaluation process.
This reflects a broader shift in higher education.
Today’s students interact daily with highly intuitive digital experiences. They expect the same ease of use, personalization, and interactivity from their educational tools. Faculty expectations have evolved as well, particularly as demand grows for richer learning experiences and more efficient course development workflows.
As Dr. Luke Hobson explained, many LMS platforms were once viewed primarily as content repositories. Today, institutions are asking a different question: how can the LMS actively enhance learning?
Why institutions should evaluate partners, not just platforms
Perhaps the most important insight from the discussion came from TCU’s recent LMS review process.
Rather than focusing solely on software capabilities, the institution evaluated what it would mean to enter into a long-term relationship with a provider. Dr. Clayton described the difference simply: a vendor sells a product, while a partnership is built on teamwork and shared vision.
Throughout the evaluation process, TCU sought answers to questions that extended well beyond feature functionality:
- Does the provider understand our institutional goals?
- Do their priorities align with ours?
- Are they responsive to feedback?
- Do they demonstrate a genuine commitment to customer success?
- Is their roadmap aligned with the future of teaching and learning?
For institutions evaluating an LMS today, these questions may matter just as much as technical requirements.
What TCU learned from its LMS evaluation process
TCU’s evaluation process was intentionally broad and collaborative.
The university hosted multiple vendor sessions, offered faculty access to month-long sandbox environments, facilitated office hours, gathered survey data, and collected feedback from both faculty and students. Importantly, participation opportunities were available both synchronously and asynchronously, ensuring more stakeholders could contribute to the process.
This extensive engagement surfaced valuable perspectives from across campus and ultimately helped inform the institution’s final recommendation.
For Dr. Clayton, the biggest lesson learned was the importance of including as many voices as possible.
“Make the effort and take the time to include as many faculty and student voices in the experience as you can,” she advised.
AI is reshaping expectations for learning technology
No conversation about educational technology would be complete without discussing AI.
For TCU, AI wasn’t viewed as a standalone consideration. Instead, it became part of a broader conversation about how institutions prepare students for the future while preserving the human elements that make learning meaningful.
Dr. Huckaby emphasized that institutions are increasingly seeking technologies that help students engage with AI responsibly and critically, while also providing faculty with meaningful choices about how and when those tools are used.
The panelists repeatedly returned to a common principle: AI should enhance teaching and learning, not automate educational decision-making. Human oversight, transparency, and flexibility remain essential.
Accessibility should be built in, not bolted on
Another major consideration in modern LMS selection is accessibility.
The panel discussed how AI-assisted course creation can help reduce barriers by supporting tasks such as generating content structures, suggesting alternative text for images, and improving content organization. However, they stressed that accessibility is most effective when built directly into content creation workflows rather than added later as a remediation exercise.
For many institutions, this represents an opportunity to simultaneously improve efficiency and expand access for learners.
Questions every institution should ask during LMS selection
As LMS platforms continue to evolve, institutions may benefit from moving beyond checklist-driven evaluations and adopting a more strategic approach.
The panel’s recommendations included:
- Prioritize learning outcomes before technology features
- Include faculty, students, administrators, and instructional designers in the evaluation process
- Provide opportunities for hands-on testing
- Evaluate the provider’s vision, roadmap, and long-term stability
- Consider how AI, accessibility, and learning analytics align with institutional goals
- Assess not only the product, but the partnership behind it
Ultimately, the technologies institutions choose today will help shape what teaching and learning look like tomorrow.
As the panelists emphasized, choosing an LMS is about more than features. Download D2L’s Higher Education LMS Evaluation Guide to get more expert insights for evaluating both the platform and the partnership behind it.
