In today’s digital-first world, delivering learning experiences online has become essential. It meets the needs of digitally native learners who are seeking flexible, career-aligned experiences and educators who want tools that make it easier to create world-class content, foster engagement and support students. Those online learning experiences also give higher education institutions access to tools that remove administrative burdens and provide them ready access to insights that demonstrate the impact of their programmes and build resilience; thus, they’re prepared to adapt to disruption and change.
In recent years, India has made significant efforts towards encouraging more widespread adoption of online education. The National Education Policy 2020, while being clear that action must be taken to close the digital divide, explicitly highlights the importance of leveraging the advantages of online learning technologies.
Fundamental to this transformation is the learning management system (LMS), a tool that enables the creation, distribution and management of educational content.
In this article, we’ll explore what an LMS is and the key features to look for when choosing one.
| If you’re an Indian institution aiming to launch a fully online university and offer courses digitally, you must either use the government’s SWAYAM platform or select a compliant alternative. This document outlines the specific provisions and parameters required by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and explains how D2L Brightspace meets and exceeds those compliance standards. View the infographic here. |
LMS Definition
An LMS is a digital platform that helps deliver, manage and track your educational courses. It acts as a central hub for both educators and students—making it easy to create, distribute and assess course content—and turns learning into an engaging, interactive experience.
Key Features of an LMS
Content Authoring
LMS platforms include tools for creating learning content, but the features and functionalities can vary. Some may offer content uploads of specific file formats, such as DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF, TXT or RTF. Others may support a broader variety of elements, including videos, interactive simulations and entire course packages.
When comparing content authoring experiences, consider whether the LMS allows you to:
- create custom content using native content builders and HTML templates
- upload all your existing assets, including videos and assessments
- use artificial intelligence (AI) to make content creation easier and faster
- connect seamlessly with the other technologies your institution uses, including file-sharing platforms and external learning activities
- organise the curriculum, learning materials and evaluations into learning pathways
- incorporate collaborative and gamified elements to keep students engaged
- support the latest international standards for online learning, including SCORM, AICC, IMS and Tin Can/xAPI
- customise templates to give students and educators a cohesive experience that reflects your institution’s brand
| TIP: Some vendors will offer in-house services to help you improve course content, cement consistent experiences across modalities, and build custom elements and templates. Learn more here. |
The Ultimate Guide to Instructional Design
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User Management
This is an important component because it helps ensure that the right people have access to the right tools, content and materials at the right time.
An LMS can help your higher education institution:
- create and manage users, as individuals and as part of learning groups
- view activity analytics to understand how students are using the platform
- allow for role-based authentication so you can control and monitor access
- integrate with other tools in your technology ecosystem to further streamline user management
An LMS can also integrate with the other tools in your institution’s technology ecosystem to further streamline user management.
Personalisation
Personalising education can help your institution cater to different learning styles, improve course quality and student outcomes, and enhance the long-term success of your programmes An LMS can support personalised learning by:
- creating suggested learning paths, allowing educators to set criteria for progression and making it easier for learners to explore relevant content
- enabling competency-based approaches that allow students to move quickly through material they already know and spend more time in areas they’re less familiar with
- tailoring homepage feeds, notifications and nudges that keep students informed about the projects and priorities most relevant to them
- supporting multiple languages, so that students can interact with the platform in their preferred language
Competency-Based Education
Competency-based education (CBE) can help higher education institutions deliver learning experiences that help students develop practical, provable competencies and skills that encourage critical thinking, lifelong learning and community. It does this by focusing on learning outcomes rather than time spent in class. This means that while some people may advance through content more quickly, others will need to spend more time on the material to truly understand it.
An LMS can support CBE by giving institutions and educators the ability to:
- create, add and edit content aligned to outcomes
- personalise the experience to suit each student
- provide a variety of assessment and feedback options
- promote engagement using gamification
The Complete Guide to Competency-Based Education
CBE is helping higher education institutions deliver learning experiences that translate to practical, provable outcomes and true skill mastery.
Collaboration and Communication
Social learning plays an important role in making education more effective and engaging for students. It can help improve knowledge acquisition and retention, build social skills, and foster better relationships between peers and educators.
An LMS can foster interaction between students and educators in a number of ways, including through:
- group discussions
- peer feedback
- in-platform messaging
- showcasing assignments and examples
- polls
- whiteboards
Some platforms also integrate with videoconferencing tools, which can allow for live virtual classes and real-time collaboration.
Discussions are phenomenal tools, yet their effectiveness hinges on proper structuring. They should allow learners to share their experiences and delve into topics that captivate their interest—or, at the very least, permit the conversation to take diverse and unexpected paths.Lynsey Duncan senior instructional designer, D2L
Assessments
Assessment tools such as quizzes, assignments and exams help evaluate student progress. When looking at different assessment experiences, consider:
- the types of quizzing each platform supports—from multiple choice, true or false, and fill-in-the-blanks to written responses, arithmetic and more
- how rubrics support educators in providing timely and meaningful feedback to students about assessment expectations and subsequent performance
- the ease of setting up differing access requirements, allowing educators to support individual students who might need more time or resources to complete a given assignment
| TIP: Not every assessment needs to be graded. In-course knowledge checks can be a great tool for helping students assess their knowledge and build confidence as they’re learning. |
Analytics
Learning data and analytics can be powerful tools in helping institutions understand the impact their programmes are having. LMS platforms can provide reporting functions to track a range of metrics such as adoption, engagement, completion and performance that that can support institutions to:
- improve engagement and retention
- identify at-risk students, allowing for intervention when beneficial
- monitor instructor effectiveness
- boost the reliability of assessments
- measure the effectiveness of course offerings
- share the impact of your programmes with a wider audience
When comparing functionalities, consider both the report-building capabilities a platform offers and the library of standardised templates it provides. This will help your institution customise its reporting according to its unique needs and streamline its processes by using pre-built reports and dashboards.
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From visualising levels of engagement within a course to pinpointing people who may be struggling, data can inform powerful learning analytics and impact overall outcomes and performance.
Flexibility and Inclusivity
The needs and expectations of modern learners have changed. Not only are they more comfortable using technology, but also their educational journeys have become more complex. Graduating no longer means someone’s education is complete. Lifelong learning—as described by the CHED as the ongoing, voluntary and self-motivated pursuit of learning, whether for personal or professional reasons—is becoming the new normal.
An LMS can support the needs of modern students by helping institutions provide:
- mobile and offline access, so students can participate in learning on any device and from anywhere
- short, micro-credential courses that give students access to rapid, verifiable skill development to further their careers
- courses that reflect real industry needs, with content-authoring tools that accelerate the sharing of new information
| TIP: Another important factor to consider is the growing impact of natural events like extreme storms and rain. Even for students in urban locations who might typically have consistent access to reliable internet and other infrastructure, weather-related issues can hinder a person’s ability to access learning if an LMS is unable to support them. |
Accessibility
An LMS should be designed with accessibility top of mind to ensure that everyone—including students with disabilities—can navigate and interact with the content. Some of the features and capabilities to look for include:
- compatibility with assistive devices such as screen readers, screen magnifiers and speech input
- compliance with accessibility standards, including global frameworks like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
- the ability to make materials accessible by adding closed captions to videos and enabling text-to-speech for text
| TIP: Be on the lookout for platforms that offer a built-in accessibility checker. The feature makes it easy to improve the usability of your courses by automatically detecting common accessibility issues such as missing alt text, inadequate colour contrast, improper use of headings and more. |
Accessible Education: The Complete Guide
Explore what accessible education is, find out how to make education accessible, and see examples of accessibility in education.
Artificial Intelligence
Around the world, AI is transforming higher education at a rapid pace. Southeast Asia is no exception. When used strategically, AI can support the work educators do by streamlining administrative tasks, providing personalised feedback and support, enhancing accessibility and more.
An LMS can help institutions use AI to:
- personalise learning paths and assessments
- generate, modify and enhance content
- automate grading and feedback
- identify and support students through targeted interventions
- answer common questions with AI-powered chatbots
- provide real-time closed captioning, translations and more
- streamline manual tasks like enrolment
- monitor engagement and performance trends
AI isn’t going to replace educators. They play essential roles in creating nurturing learning environments and fostering the development of in-demand durable and interpersonal skills such as critical thinking, communication, problem-solving and relationship building. Instead, AI is emerging as a tool that can help institutions and educators deliver great learning experiences more efficiently, easily and scalably.
Security and Privacy
Security is critical, especially when handling sensitive student information. LMS platforms can help your institution keep data safe and secure in several ways, including:
- supporting single sign-on (SSO) to centralise authentication management
- implementing robust data encryption practices
- regularly backing up data and retaining it for the necessary length of time
- following and keeping up to date with ISO requirements and standards
- giving you control over how your data is used
Measures like these help not only keep student data safe and secure, but also restore services more rapidly in the event of a disruption.
Benefits of Using an LMS
Efficiency
Using an LMS enables higher education institutions to streamline many administrative tasks, including enrolment, grading and reporting. This can help save time, reduce errors and make education scalable, so institutions can reach large or distributed audiences.
Engagement
Personalised learning paths contribute to a more engaging experience, while interactive and collaborative features keep students motivated.
Accessibility
Delivering learning through an LMS can help students access content anytime, anywhere, using any device. While this is valuable for all students, it’s especially beneficial for remote students with limited internet access and adult students seeking lifelong learning opportunities.
Consistency
An LMS ensures that all students receive the same quality of instruction—regardless of their location, age, educational or professional experience, or socioeconomic status.
Choosing the Right LMS
When selecting the right LMS for your institution, here are some key considerations:
- Ease of use: Is the interface intuitive for both students and administrators?
- AI: Will the platform give your institution access to AI-powered tools and features?
- Scalability: Can the platform grow with your organisation?
- Customisation: Does it allow for branding and tailored learning paths?
- Security: Do enterprise-grade security features provide maximum reliability?
- Support and training: What kind of induction and customer support are available?
- Compliance: Does it help you meet industry-specific regulations or standards?
A well-chosen LMS can transform how your institution delivers learning—making it more efficient, engaging and accessible. It’s a foundational tool for success in the digital age.
FAQs
What is an LMS?
An LMS is a digital platform that helps deliver, manage and track your educational courses by consolidating course content, assessment and communication in a single location.
What is D2L Brightspace?
Brightspace is a leading LMS that provides schools, higher education institutions and organisations with an accessible online platform to organise and update learning materials, gather data-driven insights on student progress and develop outcome-based assessments.
Why should I get an LMS?
An LMS is essential for keeping up with the dynamic needs of students and delivering high-quality, engaging learning that gives your institution a competitive edge.
How do I choose an LMS?
Choosing an LMS starts with talking to your teachers, faculty, staff and employees to understand their needs. From there, use an evaluation guide to walk you through the key criteria to use when assessing LMS options. Download this Complete LMS Evaluation Guide to get started.