David is the director of a newly ASQA-registered training organisation, PQRS Training. To meet compliance requirements and automate their business processes, David and his team have decided to invest in a system to handle basic functions like student, course and financial management. David has an idea of what his organisation needs, but in his research he comes across a sea of education software options that all seem relevant to his organisation. Does he need a student management system or would a training management system be better? Both have AVETMISS-reporting capabilities, so what is a learning management system and would he possibly require LMS functions in the future?

Are you like David in the above scenario, faced with so many choices that it becomes difficult to choose? Or are you a more seasoned player, looking to replace an existing system that can’t keep up with the growth and expansion of your business?

No matter what your situation is, when making an informed decision about a potential management system it is important to understand the differences between an SMS, LMS or TMS before you dive into the product melee. Many people assume they’re all one and the same, just under different names – this is not true. While they may boast multifunctional capabilities that seem similar, each system is unique and serves a targeted purpose that may or may not be pertinent to your training business needs. This is made even more confusing with the proliferation of all sorts business software like business information systems, knowledge management systems, document management systems and database management systems.

Student Management System (SMS)

An SMS – sometimes referred to as a student information system or student info system (SIS); student information management system (SIMS); or student record system (SRS), essentially manages all the day-to-day operations of a training organisation. SMS capabilities typically include:

  • Managing enquiries from prospective students
  • Processing student admissions
  • Enrolling new students and storing teaching option choices
  • Handling examinations, assessments, marks/grades and academic progression
  • Maintaining records of absences and attendance
  • Tracking the award of credit or qualifications and graduations

Once upon a time, most small RTOs could scrape by without the help of an SMS, relying instead on custom-built spreadsheets and Microsoft Access databases – a cost-efficient but time-consuming approach. However, with the release of AQTF standards in 2010 stipulating that RTOs must have a management system capable of providing AVETMISS-compliant data, the SMS has quickly become the go-to option for organisations in need of simple automated functions like the ones listed above.

Learning Management System (LMS)

An LMS serves as an online portal for classrooms, performing administrative functions for the educators and allowing students to view their assignments, grades and learning materials. This particular system is ideal for organisations offering e-learning courses. Some LMS products are capable of delivering complete courses.

Key features of an LMS include:

  • Student registration and administration
  • Training event management (i.e. scheduling, tracking and WBT delivery)
  • Curriculum and certification management
  • Skills and competencies management
  • Reporting
  • Training record management
  • Courseware authoring

When used for corporate/enterprise training, an LMS might include additional features to satisfy specific requirements, such as:

  • Automatic enrolment and reminders for mandatory courses
  • Options for manager access, such as to approve materials or participation in a course
  • Integration with HR systems for tracking employment eligibility, performance goals and similar corporate data
  • Control over access and class grouping according to a number of fields, such as geography or levels of security clearance

The LMS is a comparatively young innovation, but demand is expected to grow. Recent technological trends and business demands favour the production of collaborative, web-based applications that are designed with the user in mind.

Training Management System (TMS)

A TMS is where all the student and administrative data is housed – it enables you to schedule, track and report client training, licensing and certifications. This system is particularly useful for businesses that do in-house training or that otherwise need to automate a greater number of tasks than most student management systems are capable of handling.

Some standard features of a TMS might include:

  •   Contact management (e.g. current clients, potential clients, RTO staff etc.)
  •   Course Management
  •   The ability to create and deploy course and non-course-related surveys
  •   A Learner Portal
  •   Finance Management
  •   Compliance Reporting

Once you’ve determined which type of system would best suit your organisation, you can start building a list of potential products and service providers. Be sure not to rush. As you move through the stages of the buying process, set aside enough time for careful consideration to make sure your final decision is the right one.

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