Do you want to sell courses online, but don’t know which software to use? Fortunately, over the years there has been a strong evolution of learning management systems (LMS), the e-learning platforms to deliver online courses.
The main choice falls between an open source platform, such as Moodle, and a proprietary platform, such as VITECO‘s e-Logos. Although open source platforms seem more convenient at first glance, in this article we will analyse 3 benefits and 3 drawbacks of both types of solutions. Let’s get started!
Table of contents
What is the Moodle platform?
Moodle is an open source platform for online course delivery, which at first glance may seem convenient for those who want to run their courses for free. Since 2002, it has been the most widely used LMS platform in the world, thanks to a large community that continues to support users.
Characteristics
Moodle offers the possibility of:
- insert content, sections, topics and sub-topics;
- add learning materials such as text files, presentations, videos, audio and pictures; create interactive quizzes;
- messaging with users or groups of users;
- create a course calendar.
WARNING: all these activities are not trackable in their original format. In fact, Moodle does not allow detailed tracking of users activities within courses without first converting them into SCORM format.
Moreover, Moodle requires advanced technical skills and dedicated resources for implementation and maintenance. The flexibility and customisation inherent in Moodle on the one hand may appear to be advantages, but on the other hand they translate into complications, especially when it comes to correctly configuring the system to maintain its security and reliability.
Moodle, therefore, presents itself as a platform that is not suitable for those looking for a simple and immediate solution.
Example
Let’s consider a company that decides to use Moodle for the training of its employees. Moodle, being an open source platform, is free and offers numerous functionalities, but the company needs to track in detail the activity of employees within the training modules.
Moodle, in its basic version, does not offer this possibility. In order to get precise tracking (such as time spent on each page, quizzes completed, etc.), it’s necessary to convert teaching materials into SCORM format.
This operation, if entrusted to professionals, can cost hundreds of euros per course. If the company has a large catalogue of courses to deliver, as you can imagine, the costs quickly rise.
Alternatively, by paying a monthly subscription to a proprietary LMS platform, such as VITECO‘s e-Logos, the company could avoid converting modules into SCORM format. e-Logos, in particular, allows detailed tracking of trainees’ activities by simply uploading files directly to the platform.
By doing so, you will save both time and money, while still getting all the monitoring and reporting functionalities you need to effectively manage corporate training.
What is VITECO's e-Logos platform?
VITECO’s e-Logos platform is a proprietary LMS designed to facilitate the creation, management and sale of online courses. Unlike open source solutions, such as Moodle, e-Logos offers a user-friendly interface, dedicated technical support and a set of integrated functionalities for complete course management. With e-Logos, there is no need to worry about technical updates or security, as everything is managed by the VITECO team. This is no small matter, allowing educators and trainers to focus on creating high-quality content and interacting with users.
What are the features of open source software? 3 benefits and 3 drawbacks
Open source software, such as Moodle, offer benefits that make them a popular choice for many organisations and individuals. Among these, we certainly highlight:
1. Gratuity
There are no licence fees for using the platform.
2. Flexibility
Possibility to customise the software according to specific needs.
3. Community support
A large community of users and developers offers support and shares solutions.
But open source software also has disadvantages that it’s important to consider, such as:
1. High maintenance costs
Managing and updating the platform requires advanced technical skills.
2. Non-dedicated support
Technical support depends on the community, which may be less reliable and responsive than a dedicated service.
3. Security issues
Open source platforms can be more vulnerable to security problems if they are not properly managed.
Integrating add-on solutions into open source software
Relying on an open source platform such as Moodle may entail various limitations in terms of functionality and maintenance. These shortcomings can be overcome with additional solutions offered by specialised providers.
How to convert online courses into SCORM format
In order to monitor activities in relation to a video, Moodle requires the conversion of that video into SCORM format, in which case one can rely on companies such as HT Apps for the conversion. Let’s make it clear that Moodle, as well as other open source LMSs, allows you to upload video courses for free but not to have all the necessary statistics to verify that users have actually followed the course, unless you convert the video into SCORM format.
With VITECO’s e-Logos, on the other hand, it is sufficient to upload your own video, without the need for additional conversions, to monitor all user activity. It’s an aspect not to be underestimated that makes content management much simpler and cheaper.
External tools to enhance Moodle
Another solution proposed by HT Apps is ULOI (Universal Learning Object Integrator), a tool that allows third-party software, 2D and 3D games and mobile apps to be monitored. ULOI also integrates with Moodle, as it’s able to convert metrics into SCORM or xAPI already within the LMS.
Using solutions such as ULOI within Moodle can, therefore, prove to be a great way to make the educational experience more complete.
In short, the best solutions for delivering and selling online courses
In this article, we have analysed the best solutions for delivering and selling online courses with proprietary and open source LMSs. In summary, we can list 3 solutions:
- proprietary LMS platform, such as VITECO's e-Logos: it’s comprehensive, customisable and user friendly;
- open source platform combined with the services of companies such as HT Apps, which can take care of the conversion of files into SCORM format to effectively monitor the activities of trainees;
- open source LMS platform with the integration of external tools such as ULOI, which allows the training experience to be enriched with additional functionality and advanced monitoring tools.
Contact our experts for a free consultation
If, after reading this article, you would like to start selling online courses or change your LMS, contact us on WhatsApp, call 0957463250 or fill in the form below to send us an e-mail.
Experts from VITECO and HT Apps, both companies in the JO Group cluster, are on hand to help you configure the right platform for you.