What is a learning management system (LMS)?
A learning management system (LMS) is a software platform that helps organizations create, manage, deliver, and track educational and training content. In the UK, an LMS is referred to as a virtual learning environment (VLE). Think of it as the digital home for learning—a place where all your courses, resources, and learner interactions come together in one spot.
For colleges and universities, businesses, and government agencies, an LMS makes it possible to deliver flexible, scalable, and data-driven learning experiences. Whether it’s supporting a university’s online programs, helping teachers run blended classrooms, training employees at scale, or keeping government staff up to date on compliance, the right LMS helps institutions achieve more with less effort.
According to Fortune Business Insights, the global LMS/VLE market was valued at $18.26 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $47.47 billion by 2030, driven by hybrid learning and corporate training demand.
What can an LMS do?
A good learning management system should cover all the essentials that educators, trainers, and learners rely on every day, including:
Course creation and content management
An LMS makes it easy for instructors and trainers to build and manage courses. They can upload videos, documents, interactive modules, and more, all organized in a way that’s simple for learners to follow. Reusable templates keep courses consistent and save time for faculty. In addition, a modern LMS supports AI-powered assistants that recommend content, generate quiz questions, and suggest learning pathways based on course goals.
Time-saving insight: Instructors using Blackboard’s AI Design Assistant report significantly reducing their course development time, freeing them to focus more on student engagement and learning outcomes.
Enrollment and learner management
No more juggling spreadsheets. An LMS automates registration, manages roles and permissions, and makes it simple to track who’s in which course. When integrated with a Student Information System (SIS) like Anthology Student, rosters and records update automatically. This eliminates manual errors and ensures accurate reporting across departments.
Engagement and communication tools
Learning isn’t just about content, it’s also about connection. Discussion boards, group workspaces, real-time messaging, and video conferencing tools all help learners stay engaged and connected with their instructors and peers. Some learning management systems even support gamification, badges, and progress tracking to motivate learners.
The 2024 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report found that 94% of employees said they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development, a clear sign that LMS-enabled training can improve retention on the corporate/enterprise side of things.
Assessments and grading
From quick quizzes to complex projects, an LMS helps instructors create assessments and provide feedback. Auto-grading saves time, while rubrics and inline comments help learners understand how they’re doing. Gradebooks update instantly, giving both students and teachers a clear picture of progress. More advanced systems also allow for peer review and adaptive testing, where the system adjusts difficulty based on learner performance.
Insights and reporting
Data is one of a learning management system’s biggest strengths. Dashboards show who’s excelling, who needs extra help, and how courses are performing overall. Leaders can use this information to improve programs, meet accreditation requirements, and support student success. When paired with Anthology Illuminate, higher education institutions gain a powerful, unified view of performance across the entire learning ecosystem.
Why use an LMS?
For higher education
An LMS brings structure and consistency to online and blended learning. It helps faculty save time with AI tools, supports accessibility for all learners, and gives administrators the data they need to make smart decisions. Students benefit from having everything in one place, including assignments, grades, resources, and communication.
In higher education, LMS platforms also play a role in accreditation and compliance, ensuring that institutions can demonstrate student engagement and learning outcomes.
For businesses and government
For businesses, an enterprise learning management system ensures training is consistent and scalable. Onboarding, compliance, and professional development become easier to deliver and track. Analytics reveal skill gaps and measure impact, while personalized learning paths boost employee engagement and retention. For government agencies, an LMS provides a secure environment for specialized training, certification, and continuing education.
Built for compliance: Blackboard complies with FERPA, GDPR, and other global privacy frameworks, ensuring your institution’s data is protected every step of the way.
Research from IBM has highlighted the significant ROI of investing in employee training. One often-cited finding is that well-designed training programs can deliver a strong return on investment, with measurable productivity gains. While exact ROI percentages vary across studies and industries, IBM’s research consistently emphasizes the link between training investments and improved business performance. For additional context, see IBM’s research on the value of training and skills development.
Real-world learning management system uses
Higher education
Colleges and universities use LMS platforms to deliver courses in flexible formats. Instructors upload lectures and assignments, students collaborate on projects, and AI tools help faculty design courses more efficiently. An LMS also supports online programs for lifelong learners, alumni engagement, and microcredentialing.
Business training
Companies use learning management systems to onboard new hires, roll out product training, and run compliance courses. Microlearning modules and personalized pathways make training more effective and easier to fit into busy schedules. HR leaders track completion rates and skills development to align learning with organizational goals.
According to the Association for Talent Development, companies with comprehensive training programs enjoy 218% higher income per employee than those without structured training—demonstrating the ROI of LMS-driven workforce development.
Government
Agencies use an LMS to deliver secure, scalable training on policies, certifications, and continuing education. These platforms help maintain compliance while supporting workforce development. Integration with credentialing systems ensures accurate record-keeping for certifications and mandatory training.
Four Types of LMS platforms
LMS in the cloud
Cloud-based learning management systems are hosted online and accessed through a web browser, making them available to learners and instructors anytime, anywhere. Institutions that adopt a cloud LMS benefit from rapid deployment, minimal infrastructure costs, and seamless updates managed by the provider. Scalability is another key advantage; whether supporting a handful of courses or tens of thousands of users, the platform can grow with institutional needs. This model is particularly appealing for colleges and universities seeking flexibility without the IT burden of maintaining servers.
On-premise systems
An on-premise LMS is installed directly on an institution’s own servers and managed by in-house IT teams. This requires more resources and ongoing maintenance, as well as a higher upfront investment and responsibility for upgrades, backups, and patches.
Open-source platforms
Open-source LMS platforms are community-driven solutions that provide for customization. Since the source code is openly available, institutions with extensive IT resources can tailor the platform to their exact requirements, whether that’s creating new plug-ins, adjusting workflows, or developing integrations. While many open-source LMS options are free to use, the costs come in the form of staffing, hosting, and support.
Enterprise-scale LMS
Enterprise LMS platforms are designed to support large, complex organizations such as global corporations, multi-campus universities, or extensive government training programs. These systems go beyond basic course delivery to include advanced capabilities like automation, multi-language support, AI-driven analytics, compliance tracking, and integration with enterprise software such as HR and ERP systems. Their strength lies in handling high volumes of users while delivering a consistent, secure, and localized learning experience at scale.
Five LMS features that often matter most
Learn anywhere, anytime
A modern LMS must be mobile-first, enabling learners to engage with content on laptops, tablets, or smartphones. With students and professionals often learning in different locations and time zones, this flexibility is critical. Features such as responsive design and offline access mean that even learners in low-connectivity areas can download materials and continue progressing without interruption.
AI that saves time
Artificial intelligence is transforming how instructors design and manage courses. AI-powered LMS tools can recommend course content, automatically generate practice questions, and even help grade assignments. For learners, AI enables adaptive learning paths, ensuring each student receives personalized recommendations and timely feedback. Anthology’s Blackboard with AI Design Assistant is a strong example, helping faculty streamline course creation while maintaining academic rigor.
Works well with others
Open-source LMS platforms are community-driven solutions that provide for customization. No LMS can exist in a vacuum. Seamless integration with other campus or enterprise systems, such as student information systems (SIS), CRMs, HR platforms, and collaboration tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, is a must-have feature. In higher education, for instance, integration with Anthology Reach ensures student support, admissions, and advising teams maintain complete visibility into the learner lifecycle. This interconnectedness reduces silos and helps institutions deliver a more cohesive learning experience.
Accessibility for all
Inclusivity is a non-negotiable in education. An LMS should support a wide range of accessibility features, screen reader compatibility, alternative text for images, closed captions for videos, and adjustable interfaces. Anthology Ally goes further by automatically checking and improving the accessibility of course content, while also giving students access to alternative formats such as audio files or translated text. Institutions that prioritize accessibility not only comply with regulations but also ensure every learner can thrive.
Data you can trust
With increasing concerns around data privacy and cybersecurity, institutions must have confidence in their LMS. A reliable platform will comply with global standards such as FERPA, HIPAA, and GDPR, while also implementing encryption, multifactor authentication, and regular security audits. Protecting sensitive student and institutional data isn’t just about compliance, it’s about maintaining trust and safeguarding the learning experience.
How to choose the right LMS
Fit for your goals
Make sure the LMS fits with your institution’s goals and the way you teach. Whether it’s boosting student success, delivering workforce training, or improving engagement, the LMS should support your mission.
Involve your team
Get input from leaders, IT staff, faculty, and instructional designers. The more perspectives included, the better the chance of finding a platform that works for everyone.
Look at the full cost
Consider the total investment—licenses, training, support, and long-term upkeep. Cloud systems often cost less up front, while on-premise systems may need more resources over time. Be sure to factor in hidden costs like downtime, upgrades, and user support.
Support that has your back
Choose a vendor known for great customer support. Onboarding, training resources, and an active user community can make a huge difference in adoption and success.
Blackboard: The modern LMS built for today
Anthology Blackboard, part of the Anthology suite of EdTech solutions, is trusted by institutions worldwide to power digital learning.
AI Design Assistant
This tool helps instructors build courses faster by suggesting content, organizing materials, and generating assessments. Faculty save hours each week, giving them more time to connect with students.
Flexible for any learning model
Blackboard supports in-person, online, and hybrid classes. With mobile access and collaboration tools, it makes learning consistent no matter where it happens.
Part of a connected ecosystem
Blackboard integrates seamlessly with Anthology Student, Anthology Reach, and Anthology Illuminate, offering a complete view of the learner journey and eliminating silos.
Built-in accessibility
With Anthology Ally, Blackboard ensures content is accessible to everyone, automatically checking and improving materials to meet accessibility standards.
Used by institutions in 70+ countries: Blackboard powers digital learning experiences across the globe—proven, trusted, and scalable.
Where LMS technology is headed
Ethical AI
The future of learning management systems lies in AI that saves time and supports instructors without replacing their expertise. Expect tools that are transparent, secure, and focused on real teaching and learning.
Immersive experiences
Virtual and augmented reality, gamified environments, and simulations will continue to expand how learners engage with content, especially in fields like healthcare and engineering.
Smarter analytics
Advanced data tools will help institutions identify at-risk learners earlier and personalize support, improving retention and outcomes. EDUCAUSE’s 2024 Analytics Landscape Study highlights growing adoption of analytics to drive student success.
Bite-sized learning
Microlearning and stackable credentials will become even more important as learners seek flexible, career-focused education.
FAQs about LMS platforms
Q: How is an LMS different from a student information system (SIS)?
A: An LMS manages learning and engagement, while an SIS handles records, registration, and administration. Together, they create a complete picture of the learner experience.
Q: Do you need an LMS for in-person learning?
A: Yes. An LMS supports traditional classrooms by providing resources, gradebooks, and communication tools in one place.
Q: Is a cloud-based LMS secure?
A: Leading providers use top-level security practices like encryption and multi-factor authentication, and they comply with global standards like FERPA and GDPR.
Q: How long does setup take?
A: It depends on the institution, but with strong vendor support, many go live in weeks or a few months.
Q: Can an LMS handle continuing education and certifications?
A: Absolutely. Learning management systems are ideal for professional development, microcredentials, and lifelong learning.
Learn more or schedule a demo
Whether you’re rethinking how you deliver learning or evaluating your current system, Anthology can help.
- Explore an LMS free trial to see how it supports modern teaching and learning with AI, accessibility, and deep integration.
- Request an LMS demo today and discover how we help institutions thrive through the power of a connected ecosystem.