Free Peer Reviewed Journal Articles on Lms in Education

April 19, 2022 Post a Comment

Abstruse

Purpose

This paper aims to derive criteria for a strategic selection of learning management organisation (LMS) afterward making an analysis of the feedback data collected from learners and academic counselors in open and altitude learning (ODL) to evaluate their perceptions. This analysis hints at the demand to implement a learning management system (LMS) in ODL. Selecting an appropriate LMS can prove to be a strategic arroyo for ODL in achieving cocky-reliance and competitiveness.

Pattern/methodology/approach

Inquiry pattern includes qualitative blueprint intended to discuss the features, advantages and attributes of different popular LMSs and compare them. In addition, the quantitative design (a questionnaire-based online feedback) to analyze the perceptions of the learners and bookish counselors in order to know their e-learning needs has also been used. Results have been exhibited in tabular/graphical formats for easy comprehension and enhanced agreement.

Findings

Findings of the study suggest that availability of plethora of LMSs in the market, which besides include open up source (OS) LMSs, makes the decision- making equally regards selection of an appropriate LMS strategically crucial requiring adequate consideration of every aspect such as cost, quality, usage, capacity, budget and nearly importantly priorities and objectives.

Research limitations/implications

This study will aid educational administrators and decision-makers in ODL for edifice a quality civilized life and empowered gild by removing the constraints related to financial problems, disabilities, fourth dimension, geographical atmospheric condition and many others in bringing education to the doorstep of every willing learner. The technical details of LMS, nonetheless, were intentionally kept simplified to reach the objective and provide like shooting fish in a barrel comprehensibility for the reader with petty technical background, which might be a limitation of this study.

Originality/value

This study highlights that ODL has tasted success with optimum exploitation of different technological advancements in its transformational trek from conventional learning to innovative e-learning and to the newest adaptive e-learning system. The huge potential of LMS, in providing learners and educators in ODL with an effective web-based learning system incorporating nearly all the academic activities, has attracted organizations for using it not merely for imparting education to learners simply also for providing advisable trainings to their human resources.

Keywords

Learning management arrangement (LMS)
Open and distance learning (ODL)
Open up source (Os)
Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Strategic approach
Technological advancements

Citation

Kant, North., Prasad, Yard.D. and Anjali, K. (2021), "Selecting an appropriate learning management organisation in open and altitude learning: a strategic approach", Asian Association of Open up Universities Journal, Vol. 16 No. one, pp. 79-97. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAOUJ-09-2020-0075

Publisher

Emerald Publishing Express

License

Published in the Asian Association of Open Universities Journal. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This commodity is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY four.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, interpret and create derivative works of this commodity (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may exist seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/iv.0/legalcode

one. Introduction

Advancements and innovations in technology accept afflicted different fields of our daily life including innovative methods adopted for education and trainings. Ramadhani et al. (2019) argue that adoption of appropriate technological advancements is found to exist immensely useful in making learning and teaching more dynamic in didactics. These arguments are farther supported by Abdurrahman et al. (2019) that information technology non only affects the human relationship betwixt educational instructors and learners only also the value of the education system arising from the improvised learning process. Having encountered numerous challenges and barriers, learners including lifelong learners have resorted to open and distance learning (ODL), which is known to have successfully harnessed technological advancements for providing them with enabling learning environments due to enhanced interactivity offering newer opportunities of education for the learners who have been facing various constraints in the conventional system of learning (Kant and Anjali, 2020; Nayak et al., 2020). In these situations, learning direction arrangement (LMS), by virtue of its huge perceived latent potentialities, has offered itself to exist exploited appropriately for the satisfaction of the educational needs of learners and instructors both.

An LMS contains an effective web-based learning organization of sharing study materials, making announcements, conducting evaluation and assessments, generating results, communicating interactively in synchronous and asynchronous ways amongst various other academic activities. In that location has been greater emphasis of implementing an LMS more particularly in developing countries in recent times, posit Bervell and Umar (2017), where majority of the educational institutions in general and higher educational institutions in particular have employed LMS to enhance delivery of didactics every bit the mediating technological platform between the educational instructors and learners bridging the gap between them in an ODL organization (Naveh et al., 2012). LMS, thus, is being used comprehensively by advanced educational institutions in imparting didactics to learners and besides providing trainings to bookish also as administrative homo resource (Alameen and Dhupia, 2019).

In ane such developing country Bharat, the onetime Altitude Education Council (now Distance Teaching Agency under the UGC in India,) had sensed the future needs a decade ago. It had started to make efforts to improve the quality of ODL programmes through an LMS using a technological platform for facilitating and supplementing educational programmes offered by ODL including professional person and vocational programmes in club to increase skills and competencies for improved prospects of employability. Emphasis was on implementing a LMS integrating the essential teaching elements of grade sessions, learning materials, virtual lab and cess/assignment in addition to the provisions of a framework to translate the contents into other major languages of India and provisions of calculation contents to the sessions by teaching staff (IGNOU, 2011).

Given that different LMSs have different set of advantages and disadvantages, selection of an appropriate LMS is of strategic significance for institutions. This paper, taking a cue from an analysis of the feedback information collected from learners and bookish counselors in ODL to evaluate their perceptions, aims to derive the criteria for strategic option of LMS to implement it in ODL. This paper volition facilitate the controlling for implementing an LMS in ODL as selecting an appropriate LMS tin can testify to be a strategic arroyo for ODL in achieving competitiveness. To that stop, the side by side section informs in cursory the changing landscapes of ODL contextualizing an Indian perspective. The consequent sections provide information about the materials and methods employed in this study and present an abridged account of the perceptions of ODL stakeholders, namely learners and academic counselors for an enhanced understanding of the groundwork of this study. Next is a section providing relevant data related to an LMS for an enhanced understanding. Finally, there is a section elaborating the selection of LMS in ODL as a strategic approach earlier culminating into the conclusions section. The findings will be useful for future researchers in getting suitable enquiry directions and also for the educational administrators and determination-makers engaged in the field of ODL system for building a quality civilized life and empowered society by removing the constraints related to financial bug, disabilities, time, geographical conditions and many others in bringing instruction to the doorstep of every willing learner more particularly in developing countries.

2. ODL: the changing landscape

COL (2020) highlights ODL is an educational innovation which has flourished immensely in previous several decades with the support of robust principles of pedagogy and immense power of technological innovations. McQuaide (2009) states it has successfully been combating constraints related to access, presenting itself equally a feasible culling of chapters building. Ural (2007) argues that ODL has emerged as a possible alternative of traditional system of learning, which has been struggling with plethora of issues in maintaining quality primarily due to overcrowded classrooms. Brown (2006) highlights that last few decades have witnessed ODL emerging phenomenally in the class of an effective mode of learning, inducing the shift in learning paradigm from "Teaching to Learning Facilitation to Facilitated and Supported Research". Across this trek starting from correspondence to the new and innovative forms, ODL has harnessed optimally the technological advancements to live up to the dynamically changing learning needs.

Leveraging the huge potential of ensuring presence of teachers and learners at the same time and infinite, ODL has been successful in maintaining the constancy of pedagogy learning process during whatsoever adverse circumstances such as floods, conflict, fires or any such event. Its unparalleled contributions have been duly acknowledged and applauded during the occurrence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-nineteen) pandemic when the ODL institutions remained functional even though other institutions remained closed (COL, 2020). The unique attributes of ODL have helped it to expand exponentially and attract learners greatly using the advantages of technological innovations to harness the benefits of globalization in the field of higher education, which likewise have exposed it to several accreditations, such equally collaborations, quality, digital dissever, equity and human being rights related challenges requiring proactive approaches from ODL to address them (Jung, 2005).

UNESCO (2002) reports that ODL, every bit a representative of the educational process with greater usage of teaching and communication, seeks support from the artificial print/electronic medium to span the gaps of time and infinite between learners and teachers. It considers technological innovations vital to enhance its effectiveness, underpinned past the development of sure role-specific competencies helpful in condign a better competitor than conventional mode of learning. Brenner (2007) and Kant (2020) lay accent on the transforming adequacy of the innovative technologies as regards the instructional delivery mechanism in ODL betwixt learners and instructors in imparting theoretical every bit well equally practical learning. Equally Tait (2018) and Nayak et al. (2020) fence, globalization, in the concurrently, requires ODL institutions to be prepare for competition non just from local but also overseas and institutions to cover advanced engineering for making the most of the strategic advantages of technological developments in guild to raise access and flexibility.

The countries in the Asia–Pacific region, having huge actively enrolled students in a number of mega universities, have been making efforts to harness the potential of ODL (Jung, 2005) in their bid to accomplish sustainable development (Siaciwena and Lubinda, 2008). COL (2020) demonstrates a roadmap for harnessing the capacity of ODL in developing countries (highlighting its huge contributions to the didactics sector as regards increasing access and quality, improving support for inclusion, reducing costs and carbon footprint) such as Republic of india. Republic of india has a much less Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education of merely 24.v% in the age group of xviii–23 years while some of the adult countries have reached 90% or more. Nevertheless, ODL in India currently has remarkable 12% of the total enrollments in higher teaching and promises to contribute significantly to the GER and education to the disadvantaged learners (MHRD, 2016).

While COL (2020) underscores the importance of ODL mentioning that it is serving the needs of more than than 4.4 million learners in the Commonwealth, the arguments of Wolcott (2003) also highlight the support that developing countries like India have secured from the growth of ODL for taking college teaching to the farthest parts of the country with the optimum use of engineering science in providing improve learning experience with higher flexibility, interactivity and self-reliance. COL (2020) lays emphasis on the urgent need to promote and implement technology-driven learning policies and strategies to deploy affordable technology giving due attention to the constraint of access to computers and Net connectivity, which are the biggest challenges in the style of ensuring concluding mile access. COL (2020), farther, underscores the urgent need to develop blended learning environments in line with the learners' needs and to embrace a suitable online learning system to reach expected learning outcomes.

three. Materials and method

In this report, a qualitative pattern has been practical to review the extant literature for the purpose of discussing the features, advantages and attributes of different pop LMSs and for comparing them, and so that the controlling for implementing an LMS in ODL could exist facilitated to ensure enabling an due east-learning surroundings through option of the best-suited LMS, as a strategic approach to achieve enhanced competitiveness. A quantitative design has also been applied for analyzing the data collected by IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) through a questionnaire-based online feedback using SPSS 21 for the statistical tests and descriptive analysis to analyze the perceptions of its learners (n = 51,801) and its academic counselors (north = 3,284).

4. Understanding the background through analyzing perceptions of ODL stakeholders

In India, the IGNOU equally an noon ODL institution has continuously been extending guidance to other institutions with similar objectives by its leadership in optimally utilizing technological advancements. Information technology has improved satisfaction of learners past appropriately realizing that ODL depends heavily on the learner-centric flexible approach for its recognition. This realization has provided the IGNOU with the leadership position among ODL institutions (IGNOU, 2020).

This study used the data collected through two separate questionnaire-based online feedbacks collected by the IGNOU to evaluate the attitude of its learners (n = 51,801) toward the usefulness of the provision of self learning fabric (SLM) in electronic media for mastering the content and of its bookish counselors (n = 3,284) toward the keenness of the learners to use the east-SLM for studying the form. The coefficient reliability of the questionnaire disseminated among learners was checked using Cronbach α, the value of which was essentially high (0.90). It hinted at the acceptable reliability of the questionnaire (Nunnally, 1978). The initial questions were related to the general contour of the learners followed past the question to know their attitude toward the usability of the provision of SLM in electronic media for mastering the content. The descriptive statistics of the full general profile of the respondent learners in terms of gender, employment condition, category and age groups (in years) are presented in Effigy 1.

Majority of the learners (49.17%: agree, and fourteen.27%: strongly agree totaling 63.44%) had favorable attitude toward the usability of the provision of SLM in electronic media for mastering the content whereas 25.86% were neutral. Even so, at that place were only few learners (viii.68%: disagree, and 2.02%: strongly disagree totaling 10.70%) who had negative attitude. The evaluation of the learners' responses suggests that the usability of the provision of SLM in electronic media for mastering the content was acceptable (Tabular array 1 and Figure ii).

The coefficient reliability of the second questionnaire related to the academic counselors ' feedback was checked using Cronbach α, in which the value was substantially loftier (0.84). It too hinted at the adequate reliability of the questionnaire (Nunnally, 1978). The initial questions were related to the general profile of the academic counselors followed past the question to know their attitude whether the learners are dandy to utilise the eastward-SLM for studying the course. The descriptive statistics of the general contour of the respondent the academic counselors in terms of gender, age groups (in years), category, total feel as bookish counselor in the IGNOU (number of years) and whether they have attended the orientation programmes conducted by the IGNOU are presented in Figure 3.

Majority of the academic counselors (51.98%: agree, and 20.04%: strongly agree totaling 72.02%) had favorable mental attitude that the learners are dandy to utilize the e-SLM for studying the grade whereas nineteen.31% were neutral. However, at that place were few bookish counselors (7.98%: disagree, and 0.lxx%: strongly disagree totaling viii.68%) who had negative attitude. The evaluation of the academic counselors' responses adequately suggests that the learners are smashing to utilize the due east-SLM for studying the course (Table ii and Effigy 4).

The assay of the feedback data received from learners and academic counselors helps in concluding that non only the learners but likewise the educators have favorable opinion for the e-learning. Since the Internet-based technological advancements, LMS has evolved as 1 of the most common e-learning technological platforms transforming the pedagogy delivery in ODL (Mohamedbhai, 2011) and adoption of an advisable eastward-learning organization invariably constituting an LMS would raise the usability of the provision of SLM in electronic media in the education learning procedure in ODL. Their attitudes hint at the possibility that using an LMS would raise their interest in the report reducing the challenges associated with a monotonous self-learning machinery making learning more interactive and meaningful mentoring their individualized learning based on the individual'south learning mode.

5. Learning management system (LMS)

The evolution of ODL is partly attributed to the technological advancements, and their contributions are reflected in different generations of delivery of pedagogy in an ODL organisation (Bervell and Arkorful, 2020). Teaching has continuously been undergoing fundamental transformation keeping footstep with the dynamic technological advancements. The continuous transformations have increased variety in the learners and their needs with higher demand for greater flexibility, interactivity and ease in learning anytime anywhere (Nayak et al., 2020). It is notable that the appearance of Cyberspace has offered plethora of teaching learning tools and applications to be used at different stages of teaching enhancing the instruction– learning process more than constructive and efficient (Cavus, 2015). Aoki (2012) argues that the current era of ODL is its fifth generation, which is based on the intelligent flexible learning model using the interactivity of Internet, having migrated from the third generation, which used information and communication technology (ICT) effectively for the get-go time to incorporate interactivity in distance learning to be accepted as an era of open and distance learning, and along generation which used Internet for online delivery of content.

Introduction and continuous increase in the usage of LMS in the new century have transformed the delivery mechanism of education non only in an ODL system merely likewise the conventional face-to-face based altitude pedagogy, which have leveraged the mediating technological capabilities of LMS in the relations of educational instructors and learners (Bervell and Arkorful, 2020). Mohamedbhai (2011) too argues that with the advancements in the Internet-based technologies, LMS has evolved as one of the about common technological platforms, which have transformed the teaching delivery in altitude pedagogy system.

Lonn and Teasley (2009) define LMS equally a web-based system, which facilitates learners and instructors in sharing learning materials and assignments, and communicating online. Its quality and scales can be assessed by expenditure incurred on software, its update and support mechanism. The LMS contains facilitating mechanisms for registration, class/participants statistics, scheduling, assessments, examinations, grades, synchronous and asynchronous communications and materials, such equally interactive applications, contents, documents, papers, sound and video files, supporting teaching– learning procedure and further enhancing their sustainability and reusability.

Karagöz et al. (2017) emphasize the need for its user-friendliness, and Chao and Chen (2009) enumerate quality of eastward-learning platform, materials, synchronous learning, learning records and self-learning every bit the primary choice criteria of LMS. Further, Chao and Chen (2009) underscore the usability of e-learning, which invariably constitutes an LMS, in ODL in increasing the multiple advantages and culling learning opportunities for learners in getting educational activity without facing the constraint of space and time more specially in an asynchronous fashion at the same time, as well saving costs for ODL institutions. Further, Dzandu and Tang (2015) remind that these learners also include workers and learners in remote areas who, despite willing to get educational activity, do non have access to a conventional classroom learning organization, thanks to plethora of constraints. Bervell and Arkorful (2020) find that several factors and facilitating atmospheric condition such as voluntariness of use and actual use beliefs are abundantly showcased in the contemporary studies every bit enablers for LMS usage in real world. Karagöz et al. (2017) and Shee and Wang (2008) highlight its emergence as a new means of facilitating learning which has been encouraged, not simply academia but too industry , for making commensurate investments in its adoption.

The LMS preserves the logs of the users such equally system administrators, form coordinators, instructors, learners and guests and of system besides (Karagöz et al., 2017). Cavus (2015), Fojtik (2015) and Lonn and Teasley (2009) contend in favor of preparation of suitable learning materials for ODL learners using technology to eliminate the misconception among new or prospective learners that ODL is harder than conventional face-to-face learning (Fojtik, 2015). Karagöz et al. (2017) argue in favor of the greater usability of LMS as a learning tool in ODL underscoring its increased use in a number of universities globally. Muñoz et al. (2015) too hint at its huge potentialities in introducing advanced features to improve educational activity learning experience, contributing finally toward improvised bookish outcomes.

The LMS tin broadly exist categorized into two groups, i.east. costless open source (Os) LMS and commercial proprietary LMS, put forth by Karagöz et al. (2017). Information technology is notable that Chao and Chen (2009) in their written report have highlighted the significance of license costs, learning flexibility, security and market share as the main factors for decision-making as regards selection of LMS. Here, Karagöz et al. (2017) consider LMS equally the solution of plethora of issues related to ODL, and Os which, as Cavus and Zabadi (2014) inform, is the software source code readily bachelor to whatsoever user free of cost for extension and modification as per needs; therefore, OS LMS is not similar to the priced commercial proprietary LMS being sold in the market place. Since Os LMSs are bachelor in the market with different strengths and weaknesses (Capterra, 2020), it becomes strategically significant to be adequately informed about them.

6. Strategic selection of advisable LMS in ODL

Discussions so far lay accent on the demand to ensure inclusive and sustainable development, leveraging the greater access, equality, quality and expansion related potentialities of an ODL system. Bordoloi (2018) argues that higher ease and condolement of ODL institutions with technological developments can strengthen college education arrangement in developing countries by improving adequacy of providing learners with affordable didactics at their doorstep without compromising quality. The accent of Noorani (2014) is on the urgent requirement for every organization to keep itself on continuous lookout for newer tools, services and approaches for the purpose of securing competitiveness. Technological innovations such equally LMS possess immense disrupting potentialities with lasting furnishings on ODL. Kant (2019) emphasizes that, with the increased contest in the ODL environment, instructors in ODL must possess cardinal characteristics such every bit possession of fundamental technological skills and ease in using tech-tools and pedagogical practices in line with greater meaningful learner-centered learning, in addition to subject knowledge. Kant (2019) as well emphasizes the need for them to make continuous efforts to raise capabilities of combining tangible and intangible resource, then that they could remain competitive and useful in an educational arena witnessing continuously increasing institutions with similar objectives in a liberalized, privatized and globalized world.

Using a commercial LMS requires huge investments for an system (Alameen and Dhupia, 2019) more particularly in the ODL system, which has already incurred huge expenditure on fixed assets (Kant, 2020). Option of such an OS LMS which has potentials to offer convenient tool integration by virtue of possessing similar features of a commercial LMS tin can be helpful for an institution in saving expenditure on e-learning implementation. These discussions on different OS LMSs can assist conclusion-makers in ODL in implementing an LMS in order to embrace adaptive e-learning transitioning from conventional e-learning. The analysis of the feedback of the learners and academic counselors also supports this. Alameen and Dhupia (2019), highlighting that license price is more important than other factors, consider selection of the advisable OS LMS with the best tools is a strategically important decision for its successful implementation. Focusing on the pregnant criteria as regards their usability and features, the upshot of an endeavor to search relevant OS LMSs is presented in Table 3.

To a higher place comparing of OS LMSs, based on meaning criteria with respect to their relevant usability and features in ODL, provides a off-white idea for selection of an advisable LMS. The decision-makers in ODL can make the all-time selection based on the meaning features, learning processes and characteristics of the LMS tools depending upon their objectives and priorities. The other relevant details, which might be useful for them, are likewise provided in Table four.

While "Brand My LMS" is the only LMS located in Bharat and the latest amongst them, it is notable that some of these Os LMSs, for e.g. "Moodle" the oldest among all of them, have been adopted by multiple institutions including universities. As Alameen and Dhupia (2019) study, they have been researched upon substantially, have offered a developer's experience sharing forum in order to address associated problems by providing ready solutions and also have used innovations profusely providing thereby sufficient guidance to the new project developers, Alameen and Dhupia (2019) further inform that suitable OS LMSs offering diversity of preferable customizing plug-ins in addition to the facility to program new plug-ins and provide the users with the sophisticated secured internal and external communication environs comprising discussion forums, real-time chats and exchange of files and other attachments. Such Os LMSs make use of highly secured authentication tools for user access authentication in using the resource, single login authentication and message broadcasting of authentication.

The model proposed by Alameen and Dhupia (2019), based on the IEEE LTSA model demonstrating teacher–learner interaction with the system, mainly consists of learner, teacher and adaptation modules. Alameen and Dhupia (2019) highlight the model of LMS having two stores, i.e. stores of learning resources containing tutorials, tools, experiments, etc. and stores of learner records containing learners' general information along with their past details and present working behavior. Further, they inform about the presence of 4 processing entities, i.e. learned entity comprising individual learner or group of learners belonging to a specific category, 2d entity teacher and the organization coach responsible for tracking their learning preference the learning material and the guidance (due east.g. learning style and learning strategy), which tin can subsequently be modified with the help of using LMS implementing individualized learning, the third entity delivery interacting with the organisation coach to become the learning resource and distribute the material to the users in the LMS and the along entity evaluation, which undertakes learners beliefs analysis and performance evaluation to be saved in the stores of learners record for future reference (Alameen and Dhupia, 2019).

Renowned researchers in the field of strategic management such every bit Barney (1991); Bharadwaj (2000), Peteraf (1993) and Porter (1980, 1985) have stressed that organizations tend to accomplish favorable results and ultimately competitiveness by exploiting agile execution of suitable strategy of improving efficiency and effectiveness and amend utilization of resources including assets, capabilities, processes, attributes, information and knowledge primarily. Barney (2001) further emphasized the need of the possession of skills, capabilities and methods to apply resource to outcompete rivals. Kant (2019) points out the need for ODL for making strategic efforts to achieve competitiveness with the optimum uses of resource, cadre competencies, ICT and differentiated learning experiences. Competitiveness can be attained by ODL with the assistance of configuration and acceptable harnessing of resources helping learners become education anywhere anytime, providing them with suitable culling of learning and securing support from advancements in the field of ICT and multimedia (Faridi and Ouseph, 2014; Kant, 2020). Therefore, Bone LMS can exist of great advantage for ODL facing acute competition from the growing number of institutions with similar objectives in the liberalized, privatized and globalized world (Kant, 2020).

Using advisable LMS past an ODL institution tin raise learners' satisfaction, which tin can also help it in alluring more than new learners. Cavanaugh (2005) rightly puts information technology that these satisfied learners with positive perception can help ODL institutions better future performance achieving enhanced image of a progressive institution. COL (2020) also emphasizes that ODL institutions must make efforts for remaining connected with teachers and learners regularly with the use of advancements in applied science in line with the dynamic transformations in the learning environment and opportunities. The foregoing discussions highlight that selection of an suitable Bone LMS in ODL needs to be based on its efficiency in terms of enhancing the learning experience in general and e-learning experience in item of learners and teachers both.

Karagöz et al. (2017) fence that new opportunities have been opened for ODL by the transformed technological environment. They consider LMS equally the well-nigh important actor of the Internet-based ODL bringing the learners and the educators on the same platform for educational activity and permitting them to undertake variety of educational activities such as delivery of instructional materials, assignments and evaluations. Karagöz et al. (2017) further add that an LMS can be used by educational institutions and other organizations for the purpose of education to learners as well as training of the employees. LMS therefore needs to be selected in line with their objectives as each of them possesses different learning processes and characteristics. Alameen and Dhupia (2019) posit that decision-makers take different priorities and thus their best choice vary depending upon the priority for license cost, flexibility, security and market share of LMS. They conclude that with the priority for license costs and flexibility, Bone LMS becomes the best choice. However, with the priority for security and market share, commercial LMS becomes the best pick for the institutions. Emerging technological innovations are expected to disrupt educational environment past digitally transforming social as well as educational perspectives (Lévy et al., 2018). The shift of organizational attention in recent times toward technological innovations is emphasized by Weerawardena and Mavondo (2011). Barney (1991) and Hitt et al. (2001) fence that intangible resource are accorded higher strategic significance than tangible resources, and the LMS constitutes one such intangible resource. In these circumstances, the ODL system must explore the potentialities of OS LMS as a strategic intangible resource in its quest of competitive advantage without ignoring the associated challenges and weaknesses which could benefit one and all in the ODL arrangement.

7. Decision

In that location is a need for the ODL system to adapt faster than their conventional counterparts as information technology serves the educational needs of more varied learners. Its huge contributions in previous 5 decades have been highlighted past COL (2020) in providing quality instruction–learning, harnessing optimally the basket of technological advancements which open plethora of newer possibilities if the solutions are developed past their customization according to specific contexts. Bone LMS implementation tin can not just be cost constructive if selected in ODL appropriately only tin add differentiation to the system also. This study finds that the greater advantages of using the LMS by ODL institutions can offer huge advantages and benefits not only for learners and teachers but also for the ODL system by virtue of its unique features and attributes. Learners and bookish counselors in ODL also have shown positive opinions equally regards use of adaptive east-learning such every bit LMS in ODL. Using an appropriate LMS effectively and efficiently might influence the success of ODL helping it to achieve sustained competitiveness in the educational market place and in strengthening the pillars of pedagogy–learning procedure by new ways of thinking to accomplish high skills, GER and sustainable development goals.

This paper finds the availability of plethora of Bone LMSs in the market. Selection of the best suitable LMS for whatsoever ODL institution, therefore, is a strategically crucial stride, which requires perfect understanding of the features, facilities and characteristics required in line with institutional objectives. This study, on the basis of the comparing of the pop Bone LMSs, demonstrates its usefulness for decision-makers in selecting the best suited LMS for ODL institutions, emphasizing that suitable Os LMS in ODL tin can not only be cost-constructive due to Os just can also offer all the important features required for the implementation of an adaptive learning environment in ODL. With the back up of advisable OS LMS, ODL can enhance learning opportunities and experiences for its learners suffering from fiscal, geographical, inability, connectivity related constraints. Selecting an appropriate Os LMS can be considered to be an of import pregnant approach in ODL as it not just can provide price leadership but differentiate helping to achieve competitiveness. This study eliminates the disadvantages arising from the inadequacies of relevant studies explaining the strategic contributions of OS LMS in ODL. Nonetheless, the study suffered limitation that the technical details of LMS were intentionally kept simplified for easy comprehensibility for the readers with little technical groundwork.

Vitso et al. (2017) argue that selection of appropriate technology is vital in attaining competitiveness and hence strategically significant. LMS, which has emerged in contempo times profusely leveraging technological advancements, tin revolutionize the ODL system by developing a more than learner-centric ecosystem through multiple imbedded features and advantages (Kant, 2020). Selecting an advisable OS LMS can enhance the strategic potentialities for an ODL institution. Information technology can help the teaching–learning process in ODL in maintaining quality of the performance, which in plough can help in eliminating negative notion with respect to ODL amidst unlike stakeholders. With the unique attributes and advantages, the perfectly selected Os LMS aligned with the institutional priorities and objective can offer huge potentialities equally a strategically important intangible resource for ODL. Nonetheless, in order to harness the untapped potentials and leverage the benefits of Bone LMS, ODL institutions need to organize frequent trainings for stakeholders to upgrade necessary skills and improve their quality, without ignoring the importance of consistency and standards. Despite the element of cost effectiveness in the acquisition of Bone LMSs, the requirement of suitably trained personnel for managing information technology is besides emphasized in the findings. Keeping in view that use of LMS for enhancing education has continuously increased, comeback in LMSs for making them easy to utilize in the learning procedure may attract more users toward LMS in ODL. It is pertinent to mention that for ensuring its efficiency and effectiveness, advisable system management is required for constant monitoring, updating and planning keeping in view all the technical, training, toll and learning pedagogical aspects in a holistic manner aligned with the electric current infrastructure, policies and teaching–learning practices. Use of OS LMS in ODL, therefore, can provide an constructive and efficient learning solution containing new learning opportunities for its varied learners in the changing digital mural of the developing countries. ODL institutions need to strategically select advisable Bone LMSs as affordable solutions for enhancing learning experiences of their varied learners, and then that the LMS, as a powerful tool with wider credence in the educational arena, can be used for facilitating greater learning opportunities through more agile collaborative interactions and participations.

Figures

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Effigy 2

Usability of the provision of SLM in electronic media for mastering the content

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