Delivering a great online learning experience requires three main components: effective faculty enablement and training, great-looking courses and course content, and a reliable, cost-effective learning management system. The actual LMS is just a small part of an effective teaching and learning program.
Higher education responded to COVID well, ensuring continuity of education for millions of learners. That effort has resulted in increased learner expectations for online learning, both in availability and quality of online courses.
Institutions that prioritize investment in faculty training and enablement, effective instructional design, and great-looking course content will see significant returns in terms of learner outcomes and satisfaction.
Invest Time & Resources in Faculty
The dollars spent on learning management software are just a fraction of your investment. Colleges and universities must also consider the time it takes to onboard faculty and staff into a new system. Staff must know how to use the software properly to take advantage of its features to create engaging and effective online courses. When choosing your LMS, see if the platform offers training sessions about its functionality for instructors. Investing the time to train staff on how to use a new system upfront will save many headaches down the road.
Additionally, designate a person or team within your institution who is the go-to for your online learning platform. This person will be an extremely valuable resource because they can help keep faculty and staff in the loop about updates coming to the program, troubleshoot issues they may experience, and be a liaison between the LMS and the college and university.
Brad Koch is the vice president of higher education and strategy at Open LMS.
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