How to Solve for e-Learning? Searching for an Optimal Edtech Solution with Opigno LMS
To anyone who has ever organized any event for more than 50 people, there's no need to explain why traditional, in-person training, especially in corporate settings, is so inefficient money-, time-, and effort-wise. Moreover, unlike formal education focused on systematic in-depth learning, workplace training usually offers sporadic ad-hoc sessions, which significantly impacts learning outcomes.
At the same time, the role of education has never been higher. Everything is accelerating: the world is changing faster, new technologies emerge quicker and quicker, and we produce more and more knowledge that can turn obsolete in the blink of an eye. To address this new reality, the whole concept of education needs revision, as its main goal now is to continuously arm people with adequate skills and tools to navigate the ever-changing circumstances and face unfamiliar challenges.
Online learning was deemed to save the day by instantly cutting organizational costs, allowing people to learn at a comfortable pace without disrupting the workflow, and enabling organizations to finally provide employees with prolonged and, most importantly, coherent training. And it did, proving to be much more efficient. For example, IBM saved $200 million on employee training by switching to e-learning and improved the training quality on top of that.
Yet, finding and implementing a learning management system (LMS) for online learning has been and still is a challenge in and of itself. Axel Minck, founder and CEO of Connect-i, shared his insight into the past and present issues of edtech illustrated by Opigno LMS — a platform developed by the Connect-i team that has been at the forefront of edtech evolution since 2013.
The LMS Landscape Before the 2010s
For the longest time, organizations that wanted to launch e-learning had two options:
- Building a learning platform themselves, which required an experienced developer team, several months of development, and significant investments.
- Buying proprietary solutions that were inflexible, non-transparent, and with no long "shelf life" guarantee but could be rolled out quickly.
Both options offered platforms that were a major step up from sporadic, intensive classroom lectures, but they were nowhere near perfect.
Usually, these were clunky systems installed from some physical medium, e.g., CDs. They digitized content, but courses were mostly limited to basic text and quizzes. Updating content meant the headache of re-issuing and redistributing CDs. And what's worse, LMSs were typically accessible from only a single machine.
As computers evolved into everyday tools instead of high-value commodities, internet access grew explosively, and more people became accustomed to the ease of digital tools, the expectations for LMSs shifted, too.
Training content lying dormant on a work PC no longer made sense when it could be accessed online, anytime, and from any device. It wasn't enough to digitize content; LMSs needed to be easily updated and support various media formats.
This demand led to the rise of web-based all-in-one LMSs that made course management, content delivery and updates, and learner tracking seamless. These systems revolutionized e-learning, turning a clunky, resource-intensive process into a smooth, integrated experience.
The Connect-i team saw the demand and started working on Opigno LMS — the first comprehensive open-source LMS powered by Drupal, which came out in 2013.
The 2010s: From Convenience to Effectiveness
The emergence of all-in-one LMSs like Opigno that supported content authoring, course management, and learner management changed the game. They solved the most pressing issue of e-learning at the time — how to ditch dusty classrooms for a ready-to-use, fully-fledged online learning hub without blowing time and money — and became a hit. For example, over 8,000 organizations implemented Opigno worldwide three years after the first release.
However, once the memories of sporadic classroom instructions faded away and people got used to having all the knowledge at their fingertips at all times, it became apparent that it was not enough.
An average training course at the time was a PowerPoint presentation that couldn't compare with quality, interactive, in-person instruction with timely, substantive feedback from an instructor. A new challenge arose — how to make online learning as engaging and effective as systematic in-person education. So, over the last decade, the edtech industry was busy turning what was essentially a library of curated content into a well-rounded learning experience. This shift has shaped the evolution of Opigno LMS as well.
The Opigno developers could follow the best practices guided by direct customer feedback to keep the LMS current and adaptable. Here is just a portion of the functional and design improvements Opigno LMS had over the decade:
User experience: An LMS competes for a user's attention with many robust entertainment apps and platforms, and it would lose every time if the user experience were subpar. The Connect-i team ensured that new versions of Opigno work fast and smoothly and have a clean and intuitive user interface.
Gamification: Integrating gamification elements, such as badges, points, and leaderboards, not only motivates learners to take courses, complete assignments, and achieve learning milestones but also adds an element of fun and competition to the learning process.
Personalized learning paths: Learners can follow customized learning paths, focusing on areas where they need improvement and progressing at their own pace.
Analytics and reporting: Robust analytics and reporting tools provide data-driven insights into learner progress that help organizations refine their training programs for better results.
Social learning: The biggest part of Opigno's development revolves around social learning communities within the platform. Learners can collaborate with peers, instructors, and experts through discussion forums, chat rooms, and messaging systems. These social spaces foster interaction, knowledge sharing, teamwork, and peer-to-peer support, creating a sense of belonging and engagement.
With modern LMSs, organizations can now offer not a training courses hub but an academy, a coherent and well-structured learning environment, complete with essential tools for course management, progress tracking, and assessment, so that learners can engage in interactive activities that closely resemble in-person instruction.
But as you can guess, we are still far from our endgame.
Choosing an Ultimate e-Learning Platform in the 2020s: A Pivot to Smart Solutions
Edtech is now one of the fastest-growing industries, with hundreds of billions of investment dollars and thousands of solutions on the market. To stand out from the competition, vendors must innovate, so rest assured, if there's any tech advancement, it will be utilized almost immediately. And that's what makes the edtech industry exciting and promising.
Several years ago, AR/VR was all hype, and as soon as VR headsets became affordable, a new chapter of immersive learning approaches began. The current biggest disruptor is, obviously, AI due to recent breakthroughs in generative models. So, shortly, we can expect a surge in Learning Experience Platforms (LXP) that can plan, build, and optimize individual learning paths on the go based on the user's progress and feedback, generate new content, assess learner's text and voice submissions, etc.
However, innovative doesn't automatically mean fitting or future-proof. Adopting new technologies without understanding their applicability and value can lead to wasted resources, complexity, and a disjointed user experience. If you are shopping for an e-learning platform, here is what to look for to ensure that an LMS remains relevant and adaptable in the face of rapid technological change:
Modularity: A modular architecture allows one to seamlessly integrate new features and technologies so that you don't need to overhaul the LMS completely to take it up a notch. For example, augment one's Opigno LMS instance with AI-driven features.
Scalability: A future-proof LMS must accommodate a growing user base and increasing data volumes without performance degradation.
Mobile-first approach: As smartphones become a go-to device for more tasks and activities, an LMS should innately support mobile learning with bite-sized content and provide the same functionality and ease of use on mobile devices as on a desktop.
Seamless integration: A unified digital ecosystem is the basis for learning and administrative efficiency, as it streamlines data flow, reduces redundancy, and ensures consistent, up-to-date information across platforms.
Data analytics: Robust analytics enable organizations to make data-driven decisions and maximize their learning resources. This is crucial for staying ahead of the curve.
Collaborative learning: Efficient knowledge sharing is instrumental in equipping people with tools to face the challenges of our fast-changing world. An e-learning platform that fosters social learning will help you achieve your training goals even if it cannot keep pace with all the tech fads.
The edtech world stands on the verge of disruption, so choosing a future-proof LMS is a strategic decision. Embrace innovation and make sure you don't settle down for less while maintaining a clear focus on what truly matters: effective and engaging education.
