Hello everyone,
I’m currently developing an long interactive e-learning course using articulate storyline that will feature talking head videos, interactive quizes along with textual content. I’m at a crossroads about where to host the course: using an LMS platform or my own website.
My target audience encompasses both freshers and industry professionals. While I’ve read about the potential downsides of hosting on my website, I noticed that all of my competitors are doing just that.
However, I must admit, I’m not very tech-savvy, and will have to hire a web developer, but before that I’m seeking advice.
1.Is hosting the course on my own website really as unsafe or complicated as some sources suggest? 2. What are the main disadvantages I should be aware of?
3. What would be the task and cost involved to get the course running smoothly with around 20 students logging at a time.
I’m eager to hear your experiences and insights on this matter. Any advice or guidance would be immensely appreciated.
Thank you in advance!
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Are you tracking the individuals taking the course? What about their scores, how much time was spent on screens, how they answered questions. Does content unlock if they pass/fail? Do they need to take content in a particular order? Does it need to bookmark where they left off and let them resume? What about email notifications, reminders, downloadable certificates… These are all things an LMS will usually do by default (assuming you are publishing the material using a standard like SCORM). Are you going to build all that functionality into your website?
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You are right LMS platform would be a better option. Thanks
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Look into Moodle. It’s a widely used, free, open source LMS that you can host yourself. https://www.moodle.org
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Thanks. But then why are others hosting it on their website. What would be its benefits
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Here’s why most wouldn’t host on their own website:
Technical Maintenance: You’ll be responsible for updates, security patches, and fixing any technical issues that arise.
Scalability: As your user base grows, you might need to upgrade your hosting solution to handle more traffic and data.
Cost: Initial setup costs can be high, and there are ongoing costs for hosting, maintenance, and potential upgrades.
User Experience: Creating a seamless and engaging user interface requires expertise and testing.
That being said, it costs less and is centralized to technology you own. For most people in general, I’d say an LMS is best, so you don’t have to worry about updating the technology and staying on top of system updates
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Did you look into LearnDash? It’s a WordPress plugin specifically designed to add LMS functionality. That might enable you to set the course up yourself, without any tech help.