As online learning begins to gain traction globally, India is no exception. The online education market size in India is expected to grow by USD 14.33 billion by 2024, amplifying the need for innovation in learning management systems (LMS).
Delivering boring lectures is not enough to keep students invested in virtual lessons. LMS brings classroom-style learning online, without leaving behind the engaging human touch. The role of LMS in active learning is to foster new ways to encourage, stimulate and ignite curiosity in students during the online learning process. New methods such as gamification, tracking systems and communicative systems are created to improve the eLearning experience.
Track engagement levels and progress
Students generally turn off their video or microphone during online lectures, which leaves educators blind to track their progress. Educators can use an LMS platform to perform random polls or open up a chat room for questions during lessons. This opens up avenues for class participation and educators will be able to keep tabs on the engagement level of individual students.
Outside of learning hours, educators can utilise tracking functions in their lesson planning. Low engagement levels are a form of feedback. Educators will have a better understanding of the topics that require a change in approach, or which students require more attention. Without progress tracking, certain aspects of teaching can get lost in virtual translation.
Gamification of content
Gamification implements game-like elements into course materials and allows students to interact with their studies in a fun manner, leading to more engagement and better information retention. Some gamification techniques include scores, levels, leaderboards and badges.
The Social Sciences and Humanities Open found that students in India like to track their own progress – 75.9% of students believe that a short quiz at the end of the class improves the effectiveness of their learning. Instant feedback is provided through gamification, making students aware of how they are doing and where they need to improve. With leaderboards and other ranking functions, gamification in quizzes can act as a motivating factor for students, pushing them to stay engaged in lessons.
By using game-style levelling up to denote achievements, students will develop an inclination to learning, similar to the gratification gamers face. This happens because dopamine is released when they receive a reward and students want to experience that feeling again.
Dive into a world of content
One of the perks of online learning is the unlimited resources that can be provided over the Internet. Diversifying content types by including both audio and visual formats caters to different learning styles and gives students the freedom to choose formats that are convenient for them. LMS platforms also provide the flexibility of interesting additional resources to be included in the lesson plan. If the generic recorded lecture is the only material available, it can lead to boredom and learning is stalled.
Around-the-clock communication and collaboration
Traditional classroom learning only occurs during ‘regular school hours’, which might not be optimal for every student’s schedule. LMS platforms are equipped with chat room features that give students for around-the-clock access to tutors and learning materials, allowing them to learn at their own pace. Discussion boards also offer students the opportunity to collaborate with their peers on the learning materials.
Through different tools, open-ended communication among educators and learners is no longer limited to lesson time. Students have the flexibility to learn at their suitable time and educators have more time to address the concerns of each student in greater detail. Together with enhanced peer-to-peer interaction, this can lead to a greater comprehension of learning materials and ultimately, better results.
Increasing engagement with LMS is about bridging the gap between offline and virtual lessons with tools that replace the aspects of real-life teaching. An intuitive solution-based platform such as the Brightspace LMS can improve engagement and provide a better educational experience for educators and learners alike. Implementing LMS in educational institutes across India is essential to maintain the standards of education, but a quality LMS can even surpass expectations.
