Why SaaS is a Great Model for an LMS

There has been an evolution in the way learning management systems are deployed and maintained. In the beginning, most systems were deployed as code onto one’s own server. This required a tremendous amount of time to implement, troubleshoot and maintain. Ongoing technical headaches were encountered by the very people who were trying to use the system: the instructors. In addition, course providers had to worry about server outages which were usually fixed by their own IT guys, creating even more down time. I speak as if this all occurred in the past; in some dinosaur age of eLearning. The fact is that many such systems are still in operation today, despite the advent of SaaS.

So, what is SaaS? It is an acronym for ‘Software as a Service’. With a SaaS model software is provided and hosted by the developer or a third party vendor. You are simply given a user interface to interact with the system, store files and manipulate databases. This is an easier method than self hosting third party software. If you’re looking for an LMS, you probably don’t intend on creating a stand alone LMS IT department. Unfortunately this is what many course administrators have been forced to do with traditional LMS deployment. Predictions indicate a mass migration from do-it-yourself LMS approaches to SaaS models in the near future. SaaS allows course administrators to focus on what they do best: imparting knowledge. The old Chrysler adage says, ‘Do one thing, and do it well’. You are an educator. If you venture into the land of LMS hosting are you really able to accomplish your first priority of teaching to the best of your ability; or are you distracted by becoming your own tech support?

LMS providers offering SaaS models help ease the burden of maintenance and implementation of your online learning. Here’s the ironic part: A SaaS model will probably lower downtime and the overall cost of eLearning. SaaS tech support staff typically knows the software in and out and can quickly solve an issue. That means less time offline and no full time salaries for your in-house LMS support. How can you go wrong? It’s easy to see why SaaS is the LMS deployment strategy of the future. RealCourse LMS offers such a system at an unbelievable value. RealCourse LMS software has integrated features seldom found in other eLearning platforms. In addition, custom features and add-ons can be quickly and easily implemented by RealCourse developers.

Using LMS Reports to Evaluate a Course

Poor student performance may indicate a fault in your course not in the student's ability to learn. The basic methodology in training is to go from simple to complex, the known to the unknown. This idea must be implemented whenever course content is developed. Whether in a classroom setting or on an LMS. eLearning should be approached almost the same as in-person training. In fact, an online course provider should be even more cautious to avoid leading the student into uncharted territory before that student has been given a thorough ‘known to unknown’ transition. This is because eLearning students cannot provide real time feedback to their instructor, whether through dazed facial expressions or direct questions.

So after you develop a course with this in mind, how do you determine if it worked? Through student reports. The first few quizzes in a course can be very indicative of that course’s ability to communicate knowledge to the student. Or dare I say, the instructors ability to convey knowledge. The primal instructor instinct is to point a finger at the student. But wait, maybe most of your students failed the first quiz. I had a business statistics instructor who believed torture was the best form of education. He would take us from the unknown to the bizarre. I think he enjoyed the dazed look on our faces and actually took pride in bewildering his students. Of course, we all did miserable on the exams. The top student had a final grade of 2.5. Then, on the last day, he bumped our grades up so that the majority of us passed. You see, he knew that student performance was indicitive of his effectiveness as an instructor. In order to save his own class he had to make the numbers look normal.

By using student report functions in LMS platforms such as RealCourse LMS, we can avoid such situations early on. Remember that, with a new course, the first grades are yours. For more information about RealCourse Learning Management System, or to schedule a demo visit our website at RealCourse.com or email info@realcourse.com.