Looking for a good eLearning platform for non-profit volunteer orientation?

E-learning Platforms Forum
1

I’m volunteering with a non-profit that does orientation for a ton of volunteers each year. We’re thinking about moving our orientation online to help track completion and verify that people have gone through it. The catch is we need something affordable—ideally under $500 a year. We’re expecting maybe up to 500 users, but most will just be one-time learners. I’ve checked out a few options like TalentLMS, but the costs get pretty high with all those users. I also looked at SquareSpace Courses, but they don’t have quizzes or progress tracking. Moodle seems like it might be too complex for our needs since we don’t have a dedicated staff person to manage it. I’ve heard Thinkific might be decent, but I’m not super familiar with it. Any suggestions for low-cost LMS options that fit our needs?

2

Have you considered Google Classroom? It could be a good fit since it’s free for basic use.

3

Bright said:
Have you considered Google Classroom? It could be a good fit since it’s free for basic use.

I was thinking about Google Classroom too, but I heard everyone needs a Gmail account. Is that true?

4

@Austin
Yeah, everyone needs Gmail for Google Classroom. If your volunteers don’t have Gmail accounts, that could be a hassle.

5

What features are you looking for besides being budget-friendly? Do you want quizzes or certificates?

6

Asa said:
What features are you looking for besides being budget-friendly? Do you want quizzes or certificates?

Good point, we definitely need quizzes and completion tracking, maybe even certificates for volunteers.

7

You might want to check out Rumie. They focus on non-profits and have an LMS that could work for you.

8

Axelle said:
You might want to check out Rumie. They focus on non-profits and have an LMS that could work for you.

I’ll look into Rumie. Do you know if they offer any tracking features?

9

@Austin
Yes, they do have tracking options. It’s designed for organizations like yours.

10

If Google Classroom isn’t an option, have you thought about using LMS plugins for WordPress? They can be pretty user-friendly.

11

Anik said:
If Google Classroom isn’t an option, have you thought about using LMS plugins for WordPress? They can be pretty user-friendly.

I hadn’t considered that. Do you have any specific plugins in mind?

12

@Austin
WPLMS is a solid choice. I’ve used it for courses with lots of users and it’s pretty easy to manage.

13

You could also try out Thinkific since they offer a free trial. It might be worth testing to see if it meets your needs.

14

Adi said:
You could also try out Thinkific since they offer a free trial. It might be worth testing to see if it meets your needs.

That sounds like a good idea. I’ll definitely give Thinkific a shot to see how it works.