When it comes to choosing the right eLearning platform, there are a plethora of choices to pick from. The online tutoring software you choose is really significant as the quality of your eLearning strategy greatly depends on technology and the solution you select.

Today, many businesses are increasingly using eLearning platforms for corporate learning and other purposes. If you are comparing open source options with other types of eLearning platforms, you must learn about what makes an open-source eLearning platform the best choice for your organization.

What is an open-source eLearning platform?

The core of any open-source software is a broad global community of developers who constantly upgrade the software to make improvements and fix the errors if any. And, anyone is permitted to use the source code and reuse the software.

What you have to understand is that an open-source eLearning platform is not necessarily free- it can be free or premium. What makes an eLearning solution open source is the availability of source code for all.The real key to eLearning open source is that the open-source software adapts quickly to modify itself with the evolving technical environment of online learning trends and technology.

Clearly, open-source eLearning platforms have a lot to offer, especially in the way of convenience for the user. If you are running your eLearning platform as a serious business. Here are some of the benefits of an open-source online learning platform that will help you set up for long term business success.

Highly customizable

eLearning courses can be designed according to the unique requirements of your business even according to specific departmental needs. From navigation to UI, the customization entirely depends on you and you have full control over the content without the basic features being altered.

Secure and safe

Being open-source, thousands of developers take care of security releases, bug fixes, etc. So that features and upgrades happen constantly making your eLearning platform stable and secure. An open-source LMS facilitates customer information ported into the platform to help students and compliance is maintained constantly according to the business policies.

Flexibility

As the business owner, you can choose the features you need and build these when you require it. You can coordinate with the solution providers to develop the system according to your requirement if you cannot develop it in-house.

Access to expertise

You can leverage the broad amount of experience available when using open source eLearning platforms that are used by millions of users across the globe.

Why should you use the eLearning open-source platform?

There are always advantages and disadvantages when you are making a choice about the eLearning platform and people have different opinions about open source software is best for them. As you have browsed through the benefits here are more reasons why you need to consider open-source eLearning platforms.

You have control over the content

When you use a hosted eLearning software, you started designing your courses using the tools available at the time. But what if the software suddenly chooses to discontinue any of the features you have been constantly using? It can happen.

Once a tool you use frequently is taken often, the type of content creation becomes unavailable making it difficult for you. However, with open source eLearning platforms, you have control over your courses and you are no longer at the mercy of the platform you are willing to support.

You can maintain brand integrity

While a hosted LMS offers templates for educators to use as they upload their online course resources. This might save a lot of design work, but it lacks branding features. You will be limited by what the hosted platform offers and the customization would be restricted like playing with fonts and colors.

Whereas an open-source software helps to maintain brand integrity. As it is open-source and accessible to a wide audience base, it contains a broader range of themes. Therefore, if you are committed to creating your branding, you can customize the theme. When you eCourses looks different and unique, it helps to set yourself ahead of the competition

You can build a community

When you run your eLearning courses on a hosted platform, your students are necessarily your own. If you choose to leave the platform, you cannot easily port the user data to your own platform.

However, with an open-source platform, you will have more control over the data you collect from your students and you can also ensure that the gathered data is handled securely and used to build an active community.

Development capabilities can be monitored and controlled

Customizing your courses is not just about customizing the look of, it’s also about the features and tools you use to deliver your courses to students. If you want to create some new course features for your learners taking advantage of a new tool or a teaching style?

However, in an open-source eLearning website, our development team has full access to the source code which helps you to create the features you require to make the most out of your online courses.

Open-source software doesn’t impose many restrictions, allowing you to explore more with creating your courses.

You can prioritize updates

While hosted eLearning platforms release new features every time, they do that on their own schedule not based on your requirements. Many users have to place a request to have it on the list and get developed. Whereas in an open-source platform, the production of updates follows the priorities of users.

You either have to create the updates yourself or have to find a plug that does it for you, but the entire process and timing are under your control. You never have to wait for a new feature to get released.

Wrapping it up!

Choosing an eLearning open source platform is not for everyone. If you want your eLearning platform to be custom-built according to your specific needs, the open-source options make a flexible solution. You will have to adapt with constant updates, but if you can be flexible, you can reap the benefits of new features and upgrades that will help to enhance the learning system.

You as an online educator an eLearning business will benefit from a vast user base, meaning that you will end up having an eLearning system that is customizable according to your specifications.

Author Bio : Kathy Alameda

I’m working as leading experts on building and implementing the learning strategies. I have led learning & performance improvement projects form last few years.