Associations frequently use learning management systems (LMS) to deliver continuing education content to members.
Depending on your association’s industry, an LMS can provide state and/or board-required certifications, maintenance credits, or other training needs. In addition to satisfying your learners’ industry requirements, a learning management system should offer career advancement opportunities.
An effective LMS will integrate with your association management system (AMS,) allowing learners to easily find and consume content while sharing valuable member data with your staff.
A learning management system’s ability to generate non-dues revenue for your association should also play a vital role in your selection.
What is a learning management system (LMS) for associations?
An association LMS is software used for creating, managing, and delivering eLearning content. LMS platforms are also used as a communication tool with learners and to track their continuing education performance. Y
our staff can create courses with the help of native learning management system tools like quizzes, links, or uploaded SCORM-compliant requirements.
What types of associations use LMS, you ask? While any association can and should utilize a learning management system, the most common industries include legal, healthcare, higher education, and trade associations.
Shopping for an LMS might bring you to sites like ReviewMyLMS, which offers helpful videos and resources on finding the best learning management system for your association.
What is an example of a learning management system (LMS)?
Any type of organization can use an LMS. Businesses use them to foster ongoing training and continuing education for their employees, members, and schools use them to manage e-learning.
A learning management system is an effective tool to create, deliver, and manage continuing education content. Here are some top benefits to consider in an LMS:
- Course tracking and advanced analytics
- User-friendly for staff and learners
- Caters to different learning methods
- Engaging and interactive courses
- Makes learning fun and engaging
- Offers branding and personalization
- High-quality software support
- Cost-effective learning resource
How can a learning management system (LMS) help your association?
Your association can leverage learning management software to create a dynamic continuing education program. An LMS is crucial in providing valuable training opportunities and driving non-dues revenue.
Here are two key ways:
- Members want to learn
According to the latest Association Trends research, 51% of members prioritize certifications/credentials and ongoing training opportunities. When it comes to professional education and training, association members turn most to their employer or professional organization – even more than when this same question was asked in 2021. Between those top sources, more members rate the quality of professional education and training from their professional organization as “excellent” than those of their employer (50% versus 38%). - Drive non-dues revenue
Momentive Software research found that 68% of association professionals rated non-dues revenue as a top strategic priority. Leveraging an LMS is an easy way for your association to increase revenue opportunities.
Why should your association integrate a learning management system (LMS) with association management software (AMS)?
Your association can greatly benefit from integrating its LMS with its AMS. Here are three reasons you should consider integrating your LMS and AMS platforms:
- Single sign-on
An efficient integration should allow your learners to seamlessly access both your LMS and AMS platforms without multiple logins, preventing password fatigue and a poor user experience. Once logged in, your AMS can provide basic information about your learners that is then used to personalize their experience within the LMS. - Continuing education credit tracking
Once a learner meets all the LMS course requirements and successfully submits for credit, you can request that the LMS sends completion data back to the AMS. This feature ensures your AMS has a comprehensive member profile and transcript. It also allows you to incorporate all credit data into your AMS reporting. - Product sync and shopping cart
Integrated shopping allows learners to purchase multiple items from the AMS and LMS through one checkout experience. Take it one step further by enabling a catalog or product integration, which automatically syncs the products, description and credit, without the need for double entry, taking the burden off your staff.
4 tips to find the right learning management system (LMS) for your association
Now that you understand the benefits of an LMS for your association, it’s time to find the right system. Here are four steps to get started:
1. Identify your association’s needs and goals
Begin by understanding your organization’s key goals for your LMS by asking these questions:
- Who are your learners? Are they tech-savvy professionals or members who may need more user-friendly interfaces?
- What kind of content will you deliver? (For example, webinars, self-paced courses, interactive modules.)
- Do you need to offer certifications, and are there any compliance requirements?
- How do you want to engage your learners? (For example, through gamification, social learning features.)
- What metrics and reports are essential for your organization?
2. Consider your key LMS features
As your association seeks the best platform to meet your continuing education needs, look for these features and functionality:
- User-friendly interface to ensure the platform is intuitive and accessible to all members and learners.
- Course management tools to simplify the creation, organization, and delivery of courses for your staff.
- Mobile compatibility to support learning on the go, as many members may prefer mobile access.
- Assessment and certification tools to track learner progress and achievements.
- Customization and branding tools to customize the LMS to reflect your association’s branding, ultimately enhancing the learning experience.
- Social learning tools to enable peer interaction and collaboration, enhancing the learning experience.
- Analytics and reporting tools to measure learner progress, course effectiveness, and ROI.
3. Think about your costs
As you decide which LMS is best for your association, you’ll want to determine how the platform will work with your association’s technology budget.
Consider these key factors:
- Cost structure
Begin by understanding the initial investment required for your new technology. You’ll also need to consider ongoing costs like subscription fees, maintenance costs, or upgrade expenses. - Value for money
Evaluate how your new LMS will deliver value in terms of increased member engagement, retention, and educational outcomes. Additionally, be aware of potential hidden costs, like those for additional users, extra storage, or premium support services.
4. Vendor support and reputation
When finding the perfect LMS, you’ll also want to consider your vendor’s reputation and the level of customer support they provide. Think about these factors to find the right LMS vendor for your association:
- Customer support
Look for an LMS vendor that offers robust customer support, including training and troubleshooting. - Community and resources
Does your LMS vendor offer access to user communities, tutorials, and webinars? These services can prove invaluable. - Reviews and testimonials
As you search for an LMS vendor look at research reviews and testimonials from other associations. - Vendor track record
You can also consider evaluating your LMS vendor’s track record in terms of their reliability, updates, and innovation.
What are the top association learning management systems (LMS)?
When it comes to offering an intuitive, easy-to-use LMS that integrates with a robust AMS system, one provider stands above the rest: Freestone LMS.
Freestone is continually highlighted as a top LMS for associations, ensuring organizations deliver interactive and impactful learning courses as part of a comprehensive continuing education program. Freestone LMS makes it easy to create credentialing and certification programs to help learners advance their careers and help your association achieve revenue goals.
