Learning Content Management Systems
The growth of the Internet enabled the development of large, Web-based, generic e-learning content libraries that eliminated the need for CD-ROMs/paper manuals as resource materials, and a classroom format of teaching. Soon, learning management systems grew, enabling the planning and tracking of learning needs and accomplishments of individuals and launch a library of generic e-learning courses.
The Learning content management systems, or LCMS, are the new and improved version of the traditional course management systems initially developed for higher education. These systems enable the experts, even the ones without technological expertise, to create and deliver e-learning courses, and analyze and measure the responses rapidly. LCMS applications offer a way to deliver internally created proprietary knowledge to the individual learners without being prohibitively expensive. They can also provide a way of certifying and tracking the progress of individual learners, who may need specific knowledge for specific needs like professional licensing, or quality assurance.
An LCMS offers the additional benefit of direct measurement as well as reporting of results of an e-learning performance enabling better accountability, direct performance links and results. An effective LCMS also has the flexibility to incorporate the differences in styles of incorporating and disseminating information and provide different types of materials, individual learning methods, and time schedules.
An LCMS has the ability to create new content, build general templates, import documents such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint easily, and import existing training material from other systems. It can provide tools for effective content management such as strong metadata and taxonomy schema; it has version control, ability to import and export content, and content archiving. It can include workflow management enabling multiple experts and instructional designers to access content and manage approval. It can track participants, provide support for learning and create assessments without needing extra tools.
An LCMS also allows for easy retrieval of content for reuse, is able to support formal learning initiatives, supporting blended learning initiatives and multiple delivery modes like handheld devices, PDF files, PowerPoint, Flash and so on. An LCMS has built in performance support tools like peer group knowledge sharing, an important part of the learning process. It may also include tools to export courses to E-learning industry standards like SCORM, AICC, QTI, IMS and such.