In today's globally competitive world, corporations are buying into learning management systems as they are flexible and in a position to support organisational growth by meeting the needs of an ever-changing environment. In the education sector, LMS is being embraced more since it allows institutions to access quality education.
Aside from organisations adopting a bring your own device (BYOD) culture, learning institutions are also leveraging e-learning as it is innovative and cost saving. Corporates utilise LMS to train and educate employees without worrying about the expenses that come with traditional training methods. Thanks to the bring your own device policy, as well as, the increasing compatibility between mobile devices and MLS solutions, employees access training material directly on their mobile devices.
Not to forget the compatibility of LMS with portable devices. It is no secret that more and more people spend more time on their smartphones than they do on laptops. E-learning programmes can now be accessed through smartphones. This encourages adoption in institutions and corporations. SMEs and enterprises have also not been left behind as there is a lot to learn due to the fast-changing technological advancements.
Cost is another critical factor that drives the rapid adoption of e-learning globally. With the help of LMS, e-learning programmes are readily available online. The programmes are not only affordable, but you can be sure of gaining quality education and training. A lot of time and effort has been put in to ensure e-learning programmes add value. All in all, both commercial and academic adoption of e-learning has greatly impacted the rapid growth of the LMS market.
Even though e-learning has been widely adopted, developing countries still face several challenges. The ever-evolving delivery system has limited access for individuals without the right software. That said, the penetration of e-learning in developing countries is quite impressive thus far. This is especially true for the education domain since more universities and higher learning institutions are utilising e-learning programmes in fields like engineering and architecture. The following are challenges faced by developing counties as about e-learning and LMS;
Since the advent of e-learning in Europe and America, most of the programmes are not aligned with other continents needs. For example, there is a need to create e-learning programs for the African continent. There is a need to incorporate perspectives of different communities, even overseas, for the curricula to be relevant. Course modifications are necessary to ensure individuals using e-learning programs get value for their time.
Internet penetration is quite poor, especially for most sub-Saharan countries. Since offline learning is limited when it comes to e-learning, many African countries miss out due to the unreliable internet connection.
English is still the dominant language for e-learning programmes. Even though there is a big percentage of the world's population that's fluent in English, there is still a significant part of the population that is left out.
Despite the challenges, LMS has and still provides solutions that ensure developing counties benefit from e-learning programmes. Aside from the labs and programmes being set up to improve internet connectivity, ground-backed initiatives are coming up about e-learning. LMS provides a reliable platform to ensure mobile technology penetration in developing countries is for more learning opportunities.
Both corporate and academic enterprises are leveraging LMS to enable training and learning. Aside from Europe and America, Africa and Asia are also rapidly adopting LMS for e-learning programmes.
