LXP and LMS, what are the differences?
LXP means Learning Experience Platform. Sometimes the abbreviation LEP is used. Just as LMS (Learning Management System) LXP is an online learning platform. Both systems differ quite a bit in how the learning takes place.
Brief recap: What’s an LMS again?
By using an LMS you manage learning within an organization. The LMS offers the study material of the organization in a structured way. It’s a catalogue as such with available online courses. The LMS also gives the management a clear insight in the activities of the users and the progress is easily monitored.
Every user of an LMS has their own account, with which they can follow assigned online courses. The learning route is discussed and aligned with the supervisor or HR. In short, an excellent way to make training employees easier, also because LMS gives clear insight in the progress and results.
And what’s an LXP?
An LXP offers a personalized, social, online learning experience for users (often employees of big organizations). It helps users to discover their learning possibilities and offers ways to improve these. An LXP has advanced possibilities to discover relevant content, much more than an LMS offers this.
The organization determines the learning offer in an LMS. In an LXP the student is the focal point. As a user you determine what you want to learn and where you want to retrieve your knowledge from. There’s content available for every learning moment and every learning need. The learning activities are very diverse, from small overview (micro-) modules to infographics, blogs and vlogs, podcasts and links to articles. By integrating other platforms such as YouTube, Google Service, social media channels, the learning experience is expanded almost limitlessly.
The modules are inviting for they’re focused on interaction. The subjects are short and accessible, and game elements can be used. The content is offered through intuitive interface which is based on preferences and interactions of the user. Compare it to streaming services such as Netflix or Spotify which provide suggestions based on your watching- and listening behaviour.
The platform also provides course recommendations based on data that are analyzed from various sources, for example the company systems linked to the LXP. Everything is focused on helping the user with their learning experience.
Microlearnings and social learning
The LXP is very dynamic and focused on the individual user. The content is offered in short (sub)topics. Depending on the knowledge need of that moment, the user selects one of these topics. The selection of subjects or certain types of information of the user helps the LXP to offer better information over time which aligns perfectly with the knowledge need.
The knowledge can easily be shared with colleagues. This stimulates learning from each other on the work floor. This is nice because people always prefer to learn form other people in the end.
Is LXP the ‘next step’ in e-learning?
This is expected. In our fast changing world individual, flexible learning possibilities are essential for the success of an organization. Traditional learning systems give too much limitations in that respect. Personalized learning content and ‘learning on demand’ become more and more important and LXP creates the perfect base for that.
LMS focuses more on traditional ‘learning’, and LXP focuses more on the knowledge exchange. A Learning Experience Platform offers the next step in ‘on demand’ responsivity, interaction and personalization which the average user expects of a learning environment.
Summarized an LMS helps companies organizing and managing the learning needs of the employees by making the learning content available for users and by monitoring and managing the use of this content.
An LXP functions more as a knowledge provider which offers users a personal learning experience. An LMS helps employees finding relevant content in offered learnings. An LXP helps users to discover more through a wide variety of sources and media.
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