The #1 Reason You Need a Learning Partner and Not Another LMS Vendor  | D2L

Choosing a learning management system can quickly become a technology exercise.

Features, integrations, reporting, automation, e-commerce and user experience all matter, but for associations, the bigger question is what happens after the platform has been selected.

Technology alone does not create a strong learning experience. The real value comes from how effectively the organisation can use that technology to support learners, improve programs, respond to changing needs and achieve its broader education goals.

That is where the difference between a technology vendor and a learning partner becomes important.

In this article, AFA Partner D2L explores why associations should look beyond platform capability when choosing an LMS, and consider the expertise, ongoing support, shared commitment to learning and long-term partnership that will help turn technology into meaningful outcomes.

When your organisation begins its search for a learning management system (LMS), you’ll likely enter the process with a built-out list of technical specifications. You might want a platform that can integrate with videoconferencing tools, enable e-commerce and boast a robust report-building engine (to name a few capabilities).

But is tech all that matters? Beyond the functionality of the system, what more does your organisation need?

To make your learning programs a success over the long term, you need more than a technology vendor. You need a partner that can work with you to understand what success looks like, where technology fits in and how you’re going to achieve your goals.

Follow along to learn four benefits of finding a learning partner (spoiler: the fourth one is a biggie).

Expertise: Vendors Vend and Partners … Well, Partner

There’s a key difference between a learning vendor and a learning partner. A vendor focuses on selling the platform. A partner concentrates on helping organisations create, deliver and grow learning programs.

When you choose to work with a learning partner, your organisation gains not only their assistance but also their valuable expertise. You become part of an established user community, receiving access to admin guides, best practices and other resources that help you shape superior learning experiences for more learners.

Margot Miller is a program manager for the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). When NSHSS began developing the Intern Readiness Certificate Program (IRCP), it started its search for a learning provider with industry experience:

Support: So Much More Than Skimming a Technical Doc

Support shouldn’t end after implementation.

There are always areas where your organisation’s learning programs could be optimised. To leave an LMS as is would waste the investment and ignore the platform’s capabilities. Tailoring an LMS to your organisation’s needs requires committed support.

Committed support should look less like a mystery number you’re told to call when things go wrong and more like a dedicated team that regularly collaborates with your organisation to enhance learning initiatives.

Let’s go back to Margot’s story about implementing the IRCP. After some searching, Margot’s team thought they found their LMS. But after getting started, support plummeted:

Put simply, a learning partner provides support for the long run.

Mission: Creating Impactful Experiences Together

You care deeply about learning; find a partner that does too.

Have you ever had a conversation with a stranger and felt like the two of you clicked, like when you discovered that Vivaldi’s lesser-known Lute Concerto in D Major is also their favorite song?

You’ll experience the same feeling when you collaborate with a partner that shares your organisation’s mission for learning (shared interest in Vivaldi not required).

If you choose to rely on a learning partner, you’ll find they’re on track with your goals (and maybe even a few steps ahead). Listen to Holly Doyle, eLearning program administrator at Sourcewell, as she shares the seamless experience of collaborating with a learning partner whose mission aligns perfectly with Sourcewell’s:

The right learning partner will share your organisation’s mission for education, making collaboration as seamless and rewarding as it is for Holly.

Success: The #1 Reason to Find a Learning Partner

Expertise, support and mission alignment are key motivations for working with a learning partner. However, the #1 reason is the crucial role a learning partner plays in the long-term success of your organisation.

A learning partner will leverage its expertise, provide dedicated support and share a commitment to education. This will help you effectively adopt, adapt and advance your educational programs. With a learning partner, you will experience success at every stage, from LMS implementation to program planning and growth.

It’s good to keep a list of cool features you’d like your LMS to offer, but remember: The true value lies in finding a partnership that empowers you to transform those features into meaningful learning experiences that align with your organisational goals.

Shaping the way your organisation learns isn’t a solo mission. Find a partner and transform learning - together.

For associations, an LMS can be a significant investment, not only financially, but in the time required to implement, integrate, manage and embed it across the organisation.

The value of that investment will ultimately depend on more than the functionality available on day one.

A strong learning partner should continue to help the organisation improve how the platform is used, strengthen the learner experience, respond to new opportunities and support the growth of the learning program over time.

For association leaders, there is a useful question to consider:

Are we selecting a technology platform, or are we selecting a partner that can help us achieve our learning strategy?

That distinction can change the procurement conversation.

Instead of focusing only on what the technology can do, consider the expertise behind it, the support available after implementation, how closely the provider understands your learning objectives and whether they are equipped to help the organisation evolve.

The objective should not simply be to implement an LMS successfully, it should be to create a learning environment that continues to deliver value for members and the organisation well beyond implementation.

A big thank you to AFA Partner D2L for sharing this perspective and continuing to contribute practical learning and technology insights to the association community.

Read their full article here.

About D2L

D2L supports associations and other organisations to create and deliver learning experiences through its Brightspace learning platform, supported by services, expertise and ongoing customer success. AFA is proud to have D2L as part of our partner community and to share their expertise with the broader association sector.