WordPress and the LMS universe

In the past 2 years, the e-Learning market has been exploding. Online Learning Management Systems (LMS) have become very popular, to build e-learning platforms.

They not only offer text based content, quizzes, assignment management, course evaluation, social features, but also allow the integration of video, audio and other linked content.  Many support SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model), allowing the exchange of learning content and results.

THE LMS UNIVERSE

Over the past few years, I have been helping clients to build or transform their e-learning platforms.  Sometimes its better to build a customized LMS solution from scratch :), than tweak or customize an offered solution. It all depends on the features you want to see integrated and on the budget available ;)

In this article I want to share current solutions offered for WordPress.

I will divide them into themes and plugins for now. In the future I plan do some feature comparison as well :

• Theme based or Standalone Plugin (standalone might be preferred)
• Course functionality (course, units, quizzes sections …)
• Course linking / Course Groups / Exclusive courses
• Course categories
• Course Evaluation
• Course curriculum
• Course timeline
• Course reviews & ratings
• Course Stats
• Free courses
• Variable pricing
• Course notes / Comments
• Course Admin area
• Course Frontend creation
• Assignment functionality
• Certificates
• Messaging
• Custom Email Templates
• Course Events
• BuddyPress Integration
• BBPress Integration
• WooCommerce integration
• Import & Export functionality
• Login
• Student profiles
• Instructor frontend interface

PLUGINS

These are standalone plugins, that provide LMS functionality and integrate into your WordPress themes. Ease of integration and options differ.

1. LearnDash
2. Sensei
3. LearnPress  (new – 2015)
4. WP Courseware
5. LifterLMS
6. Namaste! LMS
7. CoursePress

THEMES

These themes mostly dependent on one of the plugins above or offer only a simple subset of LMS functionality.

1. eLearning WP (new – 2015 / LearnPress)
2. Derrick
3. Guru
4. Academy
5. LMS
6. Clever Course
7. LMS Press
8. EduLMS
9. Skillfully
10. iKnow
11. University
12. Invent
13. Sensei themes
14. Clever Course

THEME & PLUGIN

Integrated solutions,  that are supposed to offer a tight integration of WordPress, theme and its own plugins.

1. WPLMS (started the revolution at Envato)
   One thing that sets WPLMS apart from many of the above is the frontend interface. So instructor tasks happen on the frontend not in the WP Admin. Also when it comes to assignments, WPLMS is currently the best solution. Even if the assignment management is not yet perfect, its better than what many of the other solutions offer.

Enjoy coding …