As mentioned earlier in the article, there are more than 1000 LMS systems that are being currently used by organizations around the world. Some of them are more suited for corporate organizations while others are better for LMS benefits in the academic environment. Following are some of the LMS systems that we consider best for students.
- Blackboard
Blackboard is the most popular LMS with 28 percent of institutions and 37 percent of enrollments. Blackboard is known for its remarkable analytics and reporting features and this LMS is best used for K-12 and higher education. Known for its content creation, better content management, student engagement, and online classroom capabilities.
The advanced features of Blackboard Learn include gamification and e-commerce tools. Blackboard Learn is a great space for students as it allows them to build elaborate portfolios and makes interaction easier by allowing students to schedule meetings and discussions.
Along with an activity stream that organizes content in terms of the required attention, Blackboard Learn also has an in-built calendar thus making planning and organization easier for the students. Blackboard offers a free trial for new customers but otherwise charges an annual fee of $2500.
- Google Classroom
Google Classroom is part of Google’s education apps. This LMS is great for course creation and for creating a virtual classroom and connecting to students in real-time. With Google Classroom you can use Google’s collaborative tools and other Google apps like Google Drive for storage and Google Docs to do and submit assignments. Google Classroom is compatible with all devices including computers, tablets, and mobile phones.
The best part about Google Classroom is that it is free to use with 100 MB of storage. Moreover, there is no limit to the number of users that you can add. However, if you want to increase your storage limit and have access to some additional features you can buy G-Suite for education at $48 per year.
- Moodle
If you are looking for flexibility and affordability in one place, Moodle is the LMS software for you. According to Phil Hill's most recent report (Fall 2017), 87 percent of institutions and 91 percent of student enrollments rely upon either Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, or D2L Brightspace.
Moodle uses predictive analytics to monitor the learning process of the students. Like Blackboard Learn, Moodle also has a built-in calendar. The flexibility of the design and layout allows the organization to create better user experiences with the LMS. Moodle also offers collaboration tools like a messaging feature which makes communication easier.
- Quizlet
Quizlet is a very basic and easy-to-use LMS. The LMS is specifically designed to facilitate language learning. Quizlet is used by the K-12 schools in the USA to aid the students in the process of note-taking and memorization. Quizlet uses blended learning tools to assign online work and to track student progress. The popular features of Quizlet include quizzes and flashcards. Quizlet offers the students the ability to switch between different study modes.
Quizlet is also considered a great tool for mobile learning as it is compatible with mobiles as well as computers. As far as the pricing is concerned, Quizlet is available for only $35.88 per year. You can have access to the additional features of Quizlet for $47.88 per year. According to a CNBC report, half of all U.S. high school students use Quizlet. In fact, the enormous popularity and rich learning communities associated with the platform have even expanded its use among students pursuing higher education.
- Canvas
Canvas is also a popular LMS software, accounting for 21 percent of institutions (up from 17 the previous year) and 27 percent of enrollments. While Canvas is better suited for academic learning management, it also has a corporate version called Bridge which can be used for employee training. Canvas is most famous for providing tools that make the learning process easier and increase the learner engagement of online learners.
Along with some great course creation tools, Canvas also allows some powerful integrations to take the learning programs to the next level. Talking of the next level, Canvas allows the students to communicate with the instructors via video messages.
Canvas offers a free plan but the problem with that is it only offers up to 500 MB of storage per program. To increase the amount of storage allowed and reap the full benefits of its advanced features you will have to buy a paid subscription at $22.50 per year.
- Mindflash
This LMS can be used to reach students studying anywhere in the world. It offers an intuitive learning system and is great for introducing initial courses. One of the great things about Mindflash is that it also has features that support working-from-home for business employees.
Mindflash lets you create dynamic courses and offers features like SCORM and Perfect Conversion. With the Perfect Conversion feature, you can easily import courses or do new content development. As far as the pricing plan is concerned, Mindflash is considered one of the pricier options when it comes to LMS software.
Just the starting price of Mindflash is $3500 per year, which can be an LMS disadvantage for cost if your team or class is small and you need basic tools. This is the price for the standard plan, the price will increase if you move to premium or enterprise plans.
