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The difficulty of this question is choosing only two as so many aspects are important. We have found that the most important criteria for our institution is the ability of the LMS to integrate with other systems. An LMS that is able to communicate with the admissions software and the student management system will save hours of work in addition to money. When the LMS does not integrate well with the other systems, it not only requires the faculty, registrar and others to do double work taking information from one system and putting it into the other, it causes a breakdown in the communication between departments that is so important to the student experience and ultimately, student retention.
The second criteria is the multimedia functionality of the LMS. We have a number of synchronous events each week including live lectures, workshops and chat sessions. We have to have an LMS system that allows for that level of interation with the students.
The two most important selection criteria for a LMS woud be: Cost and Functionality.
Will the LMS deliver what we pay for and will it be friendly (easy for both parties i.e students and instructors and at the same time functional.
The two most important aspects of a LMS to consider are:
1. Is there a cost break that will make it a feasible plan for our enrollment count; and
2. Will it contain all of the tools that our students will need to gain the most amount of knowledge that we can offer them, i.e. gradebook, dropbox for assignments, etc.
1. The friendliness to the student. Studentstoday are very "visual' and need to have access to a number of applications.
2. A system that is able to provide the student with all the material we need to.
I think there are two broad criteria that should be used to help determine the right LMS for an institution.
The first is student features. What features are available that provide the students with the most educational and rewarding experience. What features will give your students the advantage when it comes to learning and retention and creativity?
Once all the appropriate features are chosen, then cost must be taken into consideration. This should never be your deciding factor. A budget should be followed, but the decision must be made for what is best for the student's educational experience. 'A Happy Student Stays'. The more engaging and educational a student's experience is with an institution the better.
Cost is always a big factor but from an instructor's perspective, the LMS should be easy to use for the student. If the student struggles with navigating through the LMS, you have lost the student due to frustration.
Students learn today through interactive tools and the LMS needs to have the bells and whistles that engages the students.
My opinion is that the cost is one of the most important selection criteria for choosing a course management system.
Another one is the flexibility - for the instructors and the students.
I think the two most important selection criteria for choosing a course management system for our institution are: functionality and cost.
Functionality - will the LMS do what we need it to do?
Cost - can our institution afford the LMS?
Ease of use and comprehensiveness are the most important factors. If the program doesn't convey the course material in full and work well with staff and students, cost savings are irrelevant.
What operating systems can your CMS run on?
How much would you expect this to cost?
The 'correct' answers would depend, I imagine, on your requirements and resources
The importance in selection of the CMS is two fold; the schools side and the students side. Therefore, i would say that at this time on the schools side the most important criteria selection would be cost since this is a start-up for us and then on the students side it would be ease of use. This should be an easy system to support the most effective learning to a student base that is non-majority computer savvy.
1. Ease of use for students, instructors, and administrators.
2. Cost of system, we are new to the online arena and cost is an important factor.
3. Support for students, instructors, and administrators is also important.
I am researching what our accreditating body has to say about which LMS we choose. Has anyone had any feedback from their accreditating body concerning which LMS to choose?
For any institution the cost of the LMS is an important part of the decision making process, however, the learning and teaching tools available in the LMS are equally or more important.
The Learning Management System need to be easy to use for both faculty and students, have the teaching tools use by the faculty and have the learning tools necessary for student achieve success.
flexiblity for users: students and teachers, and scaleability- be able ot handle load.
First would be the ease of use. Second would be the ability to track and measure each students' progress.
Ease of Use and cost, for sure.
I would also look into how the same platform(s) is being used by competitors and what type of experience they've had, good or bad.