Top 5 Strategies to Improve Your Learning Management System for Optimal Training Results

Want to know how to optimize your training platform and make the most of your investment?

You've come to the right place. This article is designed as a guide for those who understand the value of a robust LMS but are seeking ways to elevate its impact. Whether you're a seasoned Learning and Development professional, a corporate trainer, or an HR manager tasked with employee upskilling, the strategies outlined here will help you transform your LMS into a dynamic and powerful tool for learning.

1. Regularly Update and Refresh Course Content

By regularly updating and refreshing course content, you not only ensure that your training is relevant and effective but demonstrate a commitment to the ongoing professional development of your Learners. Here are a few top ways to identify areas for content updates. We suggest putting a re-occurring calendar reminder to check for these sections at least twice a year! 

• Learner Feedback: Implement a system for collecting and analyzing feedback from your learners. Their insights can be invaluable in identifying which areas of your courses need refreshing.
• Industry Trends and Changes: Stay informed about the latest developments in your industry. Subscribing to relevant journals, attending industry conferences, and joining professional groups can help you keep your content aligned with current trends.
• Performance Analytics: Utilize your LMS’s analytics tools to track learner performance. If you notice a pattern of learners struggling in specific areas, it could indicate that the material in those sections needs to be updated.
• Consult with Subject Matter Experts: Regularly engage with industry experts to ensure that your content reflects the latest best practices and innovations.
• Regular Content Audits: Schedule periodic audits of your course materials. This systematic review process helps ensure all content is accurate, relevant, and engaging.
• Competitor Analysis: Keep an eye on what your competitors are doing. If they offer training on a new topic or technology, it might be something you need to incorporate as well.

2. Demand a Two-Way Relationship

What do we mean by this? Too often, companies think of training as sitting in a conference chair or playing a video. Make sure your Learners are engaged with dynamic and interactive components! 

eLearning increases retention rates by 25% to 60%, largely due to interactive elements that make learning more engaging and memorable.

Study by the Research Institute of America

The inclusion of interactive elements caters to various learning styles, whether visual, auditory, or kinesthetic, and keeps learners motivated and focused. People generally remember 90% of what they do, as compared to only 10% of what they read, which underscores the importance of interactive learning in enhancing knowledge retention. Make sure your training program has at least three of the following elements:

• Interactive Quizzes and Assessments: Quizzes aren’t just tools for evaluation but also for engagement. They provide immediate feedback, helping learners understand and retain information more effectively.
• Gamification Elements: Elements like badges, leaderboards, and points can gamify the learning experience, making it more fun and competitive.
• Virtual Reality: These cutting-edge technologies create immersive learning experiences, ideal for hands-on training scenarios like equipment operation or medical procedures. Knowledge Anywhere provides over 60 off-the-shelf VR courses which practically guarantee employee engagement. Try it for free today!
• Interactive Infographics and Diagrams: These tools can turn complex information into easy-to-understand visuals that learners can interact with.
• Videos and Animations: Incorporating short, informative videos or animations can break the monotony of text-heavy content. They provide visual explanations that can be easier to understand and remember.
• Simulations and Scenario-Based Learning: They allow Learners to practice real-world applications of their knowledge in a controlled, risk-free environment.
• Podcasts and Audio Clips: For auditory Learners, integrating podcasts or audio explanations can be an effective way to diversify the learning content.
• Social Media Integration: These platforms encourage Learners to discuss, collaborate, and share ideas, further enriching the learning experience. And if they earn certificates, it's a great way for them to share their achievements seamlessly while showing off your program and advancing their own career.

3. Give Them A Clear Path Forward

Personalized learning paths represent a shift from the one-size-fits-all approach to a more tailored educational journey. This strategy involves creating unique learning experiences that cater to the individual needs, skills, and interests of each learner. Personalized Learning Paths can include curated content based on job roles, career aspirations, or skill levels and allow Learners to focus on what’s most relevant to them, making learning more efficient and effective.

According to LinkedIn’s 2018 Workforce Learning Report highlights, 58% of employees prefer to learn at their own pace, and 49% prefer to learn at the point of need. By giving Learners a simple way to identify what's needed of them and give them the flexibility to choose how and when to train. 

4. Keep An Eye Out

Staying up-to-date with LMS features and trends pays off and is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of your program, and there are numerous resources to help you do so:

• Training Provider Resources: Leverage the resources offered by your LMS provider. Many providers share regular updates, webinars, and insights into the latest trends and best practices in eLearning. They often have a wealth of resources, including case studies, articles, newsletters, videos, and whitepapers that can provide valuable insights.
• Industry Conferences and Webinars: Attend eLearning conferences, seminars, and webinars. These events are great opportunities to learn about the latest trends, network with peers, and see what leading companies are doing with their LMS platforms... and lots of them are free!
• Online Courses and Certifications: Consider enrolling in online courses or obtaining certifications in eLearning and LMS management. This can help you stay knowledgeable and skilled in using the latest LMS features and teaching methodologies.
• Subscribe to Industry Publications: Follow eLearning magazines, journals, and online forums. Publications like eLearning Industry, Learning Solutions Magazine, and Training Industry are great sources for the latest news and developments in the field.
• Online Social Networking: Join online communities and forums where eLearning professionals share insights and experiences. LinkedIn groups, Reddit communities, and specialized eLearning forums can be excellent platforms for exchanging ideas and staying updated.

This proactive approach not only benefits learners but also positions your organization as a forward-thinking leader in corporate training and development.

5. Use Data To Its Full Potential 

Learning Management Systems (LMS) are not just platforms for delivering content; they are also powerful tools for collecting a wide range of data. This data can include:

• User Engagement Metrics: Time spent on each course, pages visited, and session durations.
• Assessment Data: Scores from quizzes and exams, including detailed question-by-question analytics.
• Progress Tracking: Completion rates of courses and individual modules, including time to completion.
• Feedback and Survey Responses: Learner feedback on courses, instructors, and the overall learning experience.
• Discussion and Interaction Data: Participation in forums, message boards, and other interactive elements.

By analyzing this data, educators and trainers can gain a comprehensive understanding of learner behaviors, preferences, and performance, which is essential for creating effective learning environments.

To learn more about how to leverage LMS analytics and metrics, download our free guide, Make the Most of Your LMS Data. 

Techniques for Effective Data Interpretation

Effective data interpretation involves more than just looking at numbers; it requires understanding the context and drawing meaningful conclusions. Techniques include:

1. Trend Analysis: Looking at data over time to identify patterns and trends.
2. Comparative Analysis: Comparing data across different courses, departments, or learner groups.
3. Segmentation: Breaking down data into specific groups for more targeted analysis.

Establish Feedback Mechanisms

Instructors and content creators can use LMS data as a feedback loop to continuously improve training materials. By effectively utilizing LMS data, organizations can enhance their training programs, making them more engaging, relevant, and effective. This data-driven approach ensures that learning experiences are continuously evolving and improving, aligning with the learners' needs and organizational goals.

Examples of what to look for:

• If data shows low engagement with a particular video or text, it may indicate a need for more dynamic or relevant content.
• If a majority of Learners fail an Assessment, revisit the wording of your question or the clarity of your course regarding that section of the test. If there is a significant drop in numbers between those completing the course and those passing the final certification, this gap might highlight a disconnect between the course content and the assessment standards.
• If Learners frequently return to specific sections or resources, it could signify that the material is either particularly useful or unclear and needs more explanation.
• Analyze how much time Learners are spending on each module. Unusually quick completion might indicate the content is too easy or not engaging, whereas taking too long might suggest it’s too difficult.
• Look for common themes in Learner feedback in course ratings or survey results. For instance, multiple comments about a lack of practical examples or real-life applications could indicate a need for more hands-on learning opportunities.
• Compare performance on assessments before and after the training with pre-tests and final tests. Lack of improvement could indicate ineffectiveness in certain areas of the training program.
• Monitor how often supplementary materials (like external readings or resources) are accessed. Low usage might mean these resources are not aligned with Learner interests or course objectives.
• Look for differences in how various groups (like departments or job levels) perform or engage with the training. This can highlight specific needs or preferences of different Learner demographics.

Conclusion

By implementing these strategies, organizations can ensure that their training programs are not only current and engaging but also closely aligned with the unique needs and preferences of their Learners. If you ever want an expert in the Learning and Development field, reach out to Knowledge Anywhere!

We'll answer any specific questions you have about the world of online corporate training, including LMSs, training platform migration services, course libraries, custom course development, VR training, and more. We even offer free 1:1 personalized consultations, where we can improve your training program together.