– Blogue –

In-person training vs. LMS

With the advancement of the digital world, it is common to hear about LMS and its benefits. Many companies are opting for this option for training their employees. Nevertheless, in-person training has not lost its place! If you are looking for training to improve your skills and competitiveness, you are probably wondering which of these two types of learning would be more appropriate.

What is the difference between them? Which one is more effective? This article was written to guide you in your choice of training.

In-person training vs e-learning, what is the difference?

In-person training can be referred to as traditional training like classroom training. This is a form of learning where we go to a real room with a trainer and other apprentices. It gives us the opportunity to interact with people who share our interest and learn from their experiences. When carefully implemented, in-person training also provides a great support for learners and covers several advantages. What about the LMS or e-learning?

The term LMS or Learning Management System refers to online training platforms. As the name implies, it is a space where individuals access in order to follow learning programs. This place can be called a “virtual classroom”. To put it simply, an LMS is a tool used in e-learning. It can be used by university students, college students, but it can also be useful in other fields such as hotel business, hospital and even mining and manufacturing businesses! Many companies, in fact, use it to train their workers.

In general an online training program can be done as follows:

  • the client discusses his or her objectives and expectations
  • a trainer builds content tailored to the client’s needs
  • content can come in many forms including written files, videos, PowerPoint animations, etc.
  • These files are sent to the participants or broadcast live
  • the participants interact with their trainer via video conference or by sending messages
  • review session is provided to each individual
  • at the end of the course, participants take a test or exams to evaluate their skills

Choosing a method based on its advantages and disadvantages

It is essential to weigh the pros and cons before making a choice. In the case of a business, choosing a training course can be very costly since productivity depends on it.

In-person training: pros and cons

  • It enhances the sense of community: this type of training allows for physical contact, which improves exchanges between participants, but also interaction with the trainer. Therefore, it becomes easier and faster for participants to get answers to misunderstandings.
  • The costs that are considerably higher: consider, for example, the expenses related to the travel of workers and especially when it comes to a company whose employees are located in different places. Also think about the printing of documents, hours invested by employees, etc.

LMS: pros and cons

  • Participants retain lessons more easily: thanks to the LMS, participants have access to the program at any time. If they feel the need to review a lesson, for example, they can easily do so during a lunch break, in a waiting room, or otherwise.
  • The ability to work at one’s own pace: it’s sometimes difficult to have to adjust to the pace of other students when our living conditions and schedules differ! The LMS frees participants from this challenge since now everyone can learn at their own pace. The courses, in fact, are available at any time and anywhere as long as one is connected!
  • A reduction in training-related expenses: this form of learning no longer requires travel expenses for the trainer or for the participants! Also, it avoids expenses related to the purchase of training materials and the vacancy hours will be significantly reduced.
  • The need for self-discipline: many students and workers admit that they dread online training due to lack of autonomy and self-discipline. Yet this can be controlled by empowering participants. For example, the trainer can assign program-related objectives to each worker. This way, the worker can strive for self-discipline! There are also practical tips designed to correct this type of problem.

Top 10 online training platforms

  • PAELO: This is a platform that offers great interaction between the client, their workers and the trainer. The advantage is that it provides access to the employer so that he or she can perform a follow-up of the progress of the apprentices. The only drawback is that it is still limited to the mining and manufacturing sector.
  • Adobe Captivate Prime: it supports various file formats. Also, the trainer to meet the need of each user groups the users according to their location. This is important as the offer can be used by an audience from different countries.
  • Docebo: the biggest advantages presented by this platform are the opportunity to create quizzes and the existence of a useful function for e-commerce. Also, it gives the possibility to manage training content through Artificial Intelligence. However, some users find the UI cumbersome.
  • iSpring LMS: it is a platform that has the advantage of being able to use the program with the Zoom application for video conferencing. Also, it offers a powerful toolkit for designing your courses. Nevertheless, iSpring LMS does not seem to offer any discussion forum.
  • Talent LMS: it provides many tools available to users including quizzes, videos, and even supports PowerPoint content! The digital application allows for a mix of online and directed learning. Some features however are only provided if the user pays a considerably high fee.
  • SAP Litmos: the platform offers a more flexible use and the client has the possibility to create quizzes and contents by inserting texts and videos. In addition, it has mobile application that allows use at any time. Like PAELO, SAP Litmos also uses virtual reality (VR) in its learning. However, with a limited budget, it is difficult to access the course library.
  • Easy LMS: it contains several features and allows users to build exams in order to test the knowledge level of participants.
  • Canvas LMS: this one also provides a great opportunity for the trainer to monitor the progress of the participants. The features are diverse including voice recording, video recording, etc.
  • Spot LMS: this is an app that offers great interaction and ease of learning! In fact, by using virtual reality, participants can easily immerse themselves in the field being studied.
  • LearnUpon: The platform has an incredibly welcoming interface! On top of that, it is appreciated for the interaction it offers. Understanding the documents though, can seem difficult and several features are too expensive.