Content Management Systems (CMS) and Learning Management Systems (LMS) are two different systems with different options. In order to deliver knowledge successfully as an online tutor, you have to choose the best fit for you and your goals. You can use a more passive system or a system where learners are actively involved. Read on and decide which is the appropriate choice for you.
Behind CMSs
A Course Management System (CMS) is a tool that you can use to manage all the information about your online training. It is a part of the entire Training Management System (TMS). A Course Management System allows you to upload all of the details of your online practice. Therefore, it is a useful tool that helps to track and schedule your activities. Additionally, you can integrate the system with your website. This is crucial when you offer a paid online course and want to guarantee secure online payment.
A CMS doesn’t require advanced technological knowledge if you decide to build your website from scratch. Therefore, it gives you the chance to create a more personalized user experience. By using a CMS you can assign different permissions to certain users – for viewing or editing your content.
Popular CMSs are:
- WordPress
- Tumblr
Both systems have different plugins and social integration possibilities. Using WordPress (WP) will give you the chance to choose from an endless amount of themes, some paid and others free. Moreover, most of the themes, plugins, and widgets are well supported and frequently updated. On the other hand, Tumblr may not be as advanced as WP, but is highly intuitive and user-friendly, and is considered the best platform when it comes to blog content.
Behind LMSs
An LMS is a flexible web-based solution for creating and managing online and blended learning services. An LMS is a platform for housing all types of e-learning courses. LMSs give you the opportunity to organize your knowledge base and to create and manage training sessions. Within an LMS (such as VEDAMO) you can easily create a quiz, prepare exams, perform assessments, or provide feedback for your online students to track your learning objectives. LMSs provide your audience with access to your materials at any time and on any device.
The great thing about LMSs is that you can integrate them into your virtual classroom. LMSs give you numerous opportunities to upgrade and therefore offer your online students a more profound and worthwhile educational experience.
- The best LMSs include the following features:
- Easy-to-use platforms
- Intuitive tools
- System records
- Compatibility with all types of educational providers and services
Key differences
Being an online tutor in a virtual classroom means that you have already chosen an LMS. However, there are future online tutors who are at the stage of creating their own content and may still be considering whether or not to offer an online course.
Course Management Systems and Learning Management Systems do very different jobs but are both a great addition to your training. The best option for you may be to find a Training Management System that comes with both a CMS and an LMS built in. Thus, you will combine the functionalities of both systems according to your specific goals and plans.
CMSs are a more passive application, mostly used to view different kinds of materials. On the other hand, LMSs are an application where learners are motivated to be active participants. Whichever you end up choosing, make sure it fits your objectives.
Benefits of CMSs
CMS’s super power: to store your training information in one place
CMSs give you the ability to upload everything you want into a single system. Therefore, they make it easier for you to track your training schedule, adjust content, and cooperate with other users. CMSs guarantee that you have only one current version of every single document, thus eliminating confusion and the duplication of content.
If you have a Course Management System as part of a Training Management System you should be able to integrate your TMS into your website. The benefit is that you will be able to upload all of your information without the need to transfer each document separately.
Every time you edit your TMS, it will automatically be pulled through to your website and your audience will always have access to the most recent information. Additionally, you can assign resources, instructors, and classrooms to your courses. This will help you make sure that you have completed everything related to your online training and its organizational phase.
Benefits of LMSs
LMS’s super power: to create the perfect online learning experience with ease
Creating the content of your online training still doesn’t mean that you are ready to deliver. An LMS is a great way to add new form to your training.
A Learning Management System is helpful for tracking your students’ progress as they make their way through your training. Being a dedicated online tutor means guiding your students through the course in order to complete it. LMSs give you the opportunity to continuously track their progress and upgrade your content. LMSs have a wide range of functionalities that can report useful data like:
- Number of online students
- Number of students who completed the training
- Time for the completion of your course
- Time needed to finish different modules
- Assessments and quiz results
LMSs can provide you with more than just statistical data regarding the performance of your online students. An LMS can help you find out how effective and successful your course was. Therefore, you can constantly make improvements to develop yourself as an online tutor and to provide additional value to your audience.
