Since the dramatic boom in 2020, the demand for online courses has been on the up and up. Now, everyone from post-grads to lifelong learners is signing up to expand their skill set or find a new hobby.

And thanks to the amazing features of learning management systems (LMS), almost any form of learning can now be taught online.

While features are almost the same in every LMS, why don’t they see equal conversion, user acquisition, and customer retention for their company? 

There might be a few reasons behind this, but guess which is the most crucial one?

–– Bad user experience. 

No matter how good your LMS system is or how advanced the features are, it all comes down to whether users can effortlessly navigate through them. If they can’t, all your efforts will always go in vain. 

That’s why we’ll talk about how you can improve the LMS user experience for your users. Keep reading to learn about the best practices and what you need to do. 

Importance of Improved LMS User Experience

improving your Learning Management System (LMS) user experience is important for making students and teachers more efficient and comfortable. 

A well-designed LMS can attract students, make navigation easier, and ensure users can quickly find the necessary tools. 

By putting user experience first, you can get the most out of your LMS, leading to better learning results and higher user satisfaction rates.

Here are a few reasons why you should not overlook the importance of improved LMS user experience:

Increased Engagement ????

An easy-to-use and appealing interface makes people want to engage with your LMS more often, as they find navigating through the content, quizzes, and settings easier. 

Better Accessibility ????

Less complicated browsing and well organized content make it easier for everyone to access educational materials from your website easily. 

Higher Retention Rates ????

If users have a good experience, they are more likely to keep using your LMS. As a result, the number of people who drop out will decrease. As a bonus, you might even see a rise in students brought in by existing users. 

Improved Efficiency ⚡

Streamlined methods and resources that are easy to get to save time for both students and teachers, letting them focus more on the lessons themselves.

Better Learning Outcomes ????

When users can easily connect with the LMS, they are more likely to really engage with the material, which helps them understand and remember it better.

Best Practices for Improved LMS User Experience

So now that you’re aware of all the reasons to improve user experience in your online course, it’s time to learn about the best practices. We’ve compiled a list of the best practices to help you make positive and impactful changes to your LMS. 

1. Social Login

When did you last enter your username and password anywhere to log in to any website? 

If you’re having a hard time remembering when, you’re not alone.  

More and more people are getting used to one click social logins. Social login streamlines the login process by allowing users to sign in using their existing social media accounts. 

This generation of users wants social login features everywhere, including their LMS accounts. 

Simplifying the registration process can lead to higher enrollment rates and more engagement for your LMS. 

2. Gamification

Who doesn’t love a bit of competition? Especially while learning something new. And that psychology works really well in order to create engagement among your users. But what exactly is LMS gamification?

Well, simply, it’s adding elements to your LMS so your users get a sense of achievement as they pass each stage or complete a lesson. These elements can be points, badges, leaderboards, etc. 

This approach can lead to improved retention and a more enjoyable learning experience. 

3. Progress Tracking

Climbing a hill is easier when you can look back and see how far you've come – and the same applies to completing a course! 

You must provide progress-tracking facilities to encourage users to learn more from your LMS site. Visual indicators such as progress bars, completion percentages, and milestones can be some of the most efficient ways to track progress. 

This transparency boosts confidence and encourages continued effort towards completing the course.

4. Mobile-Friendliness

.Give your students the opportunity to chip away at their module at the bus stop, in a queue, at the salon, or anywhere that’s away from their desk with a mobile-responsive design. 

Over 70% of LMS users are more interested in learning from their mobile devices than from their computers. 

So, it’s safe to assume that a large portion of your user base is also accessing your platform from mobile devices. 

Having a mobile-responsive design is essential to accommodate their expectation. 

To keep the mobile users coming back to your LMS, you must ensure a fantastic experience for them.If your users feel comfortable navigating through your LMS regardless of what device they are using, you will automatically become their go-to choice. 

5. Use of White Space

The importance of white space in any form of design or written content is hard to overestimate. 

White space can increase readability and lessen the cognitive load significantly. And since your users are primarily learners and spend quite a bit of time on the web pages, you must ensure proper white spacing. 

It’ll help to declutter the interface and allow your users to focus on the content without feeling overwhelmed. 

Overall, proper use of white space will make your LMS content look visually appealing and make navigation easier for the users. 

6. Personalized Resource Hub

Giving each one of your LMS members a personalized experience is the cherry on the cake . 

But when it comes to LMS user experience, personalization doesn’t mean addressing them by name and remembering their birthdays – it’s about carving out space for them to easily access materials and lessons. 

For example, you could create a post for each member that only they can access. From there give them easy access to videos, key resources, shortcuts to lessons, anything that will make their navigation easier.

7. Interactive Content 

In this world of short attention spans, you have no option but to be interactive with your content. While you may be full of ideas, what if your LMS is your ultimate obstacle?

You want to develop interactive content like quizzes, videos, etc. But the LMS you use doesn’t support all forms of content. 

You’ll start losing users gradually as they’ll get bored of your content and move to somewhere else where more interactive content is offered. 

Improve LMS User Experience with WishList Member

Now that you know the best practices of improving LMS user experience, it’s time to start implementing them.

Though it’s not exactly rocket science, we understand if you feel overwhelmed about how to get started. 

That’s why we have an easy solution for you – a solution that can not only help you implement the best practices but also make your job easier. Now, what’s that solution? 

WishList Member

It is the ultimate customizable WordPress LMS plugin with extended features for running a membership website. Unlike most other learning management systems, this one doesn’t limit you to a few common features. 

Rather, it has the exact features to attract new users to your business and keep them engaged with an interactive user experience. 

One Tap Social Media Login for Easier Access 

This feature is as simple as it sounds, but most LMSs don’t have it yet. But the wait is over for WishList Member users. 

WishList Member allows you to set up social login via the following social media accounts: Google, Facebook, Twitter, and WordPress.

It makes coming back to your platform effortless for your members, keeping their experience frictionless from the very start. 

Intuitive Course Builder

All WishList Member plans include access to the CourseCure Courses add-on. This add-on enables you to create unlimited courses with an intuitive builder.

Break your course into easily digestible lessons and modules, and use WordPress's Gutenberg editor to add videos and interactive elements into each lesson.

Room for Gamification to Create More Engagement

As long as you make your users feel that learning is fun, they’ll keep coming back to your website. And with WishList Member, there are excellent scopes for LMS gamification. 

Let’s start with none other than the most engaging points and badges add-ons. With these add-ons, your users can earn points upon completing actions on your course such as finishing a lesson, module, or completing a quiz. You can also award points for engagement across your site such as commenting in a forum or leaving a comment.

To give your students a more visual and tangible sense of achievement by awarding badges. You can set up badges for joining a level, completing a course, earning a certain number of points, and more!

Badges and points give your users a sense of accomplishment and keeps them coming back for more. As a result, your overall retention rate goes up. 

Progress Tracking Feature to Keep Users in the Loop 

When learning something, it's essential to keep track of progress. WishList Member lets your users do this effortlessly.

As your learners complete lessons, they'll get an overview of their progress within both the module and the overall course. Best of all, this requires zero setup on your part – it's built right into every course built with WishList Member.

Here you can see the Course Progress bar for a birds eye view of overall progress…

and here you can see the Module Progress bar visible from within each lesson…

Optimized for All Devices

WishList Member makes all of your content easily accessible regardless of what devices your users are using. The main differentiator that makes this LMS more user-friendly is the enhanced customizing feature. 

That’s where WishList Member is on another level. WishList Member Courses and Quizzes are fully mobile-responsive.

Since you can customize almost everything with the help of built-in integration, you don’t need to follow any specific rules strictly. You can better cater to all sorts of audiences according to their likings. 

Create Private, Personalized Pages for Each Student

Remember that personalized resource hub we mentioned earlier? WishList Member's Trigger and Actions feature you can automatically create a pay–per-post specially for each learner as they sign up for membership on your site!

First create a pay-per-post to serve as a template, filled with relevant resources for your course and each membership level.

You could, for example, embed an appointment booking form with JotForm for VIP members, include exclusive downloadable content tailored to their membership level.

The possibilities are limitless. Just think about how you can leverage this unique feature to create a standout user experience for your learners.

Integration Facilities to Take Advantage of Other Tools 

No one is the best at everything, but when you the option to get help from the bests as well, you are unstoppable. WishList Members have this psychology behind and guess how many tools they have integration with? 

Over 80 in-built integrations + 1000s more possibilities with Zapier. 

Yes, you saw the number right. And the things you can do with such integration facilities are unimaginable. 

You want to set up an easier payment method? Well, you have over 20 options to choose from. 
What about sending emails? 20+ providers to choose from. 

Last but not least, 27 other tools have also been added to the integration pipeline including:

• Divi and Elementor page builder plugins
• Easy Affiliate program plugin
• MonsterInsights analytics plugin
• EasyWebinar
• Slack
• And more.

All this just so you don’t have to look elsewhere while using WishList Member. It truly is the all-in-one solution for your LMS needs and beyond. 

Start Improving Your LMS User Experience Today 

When you ensure a better LMS user experience, you’re not doing the users a favor, you’re doing your brand a favor as well. The better user experience you can provide, the more people you’ll be able to retain. 

By implementing best practices such as social login, gamification, progress tracking, interactive content, etc., you can create a more engaging, accessible, and efficient learning environment. 

If you are having difficulties exploring various features due to the LMS you use, maybe it’s time to upgrade to a new one. An LMS that is easy to migrate into and has all the features you need can be an excellent choice. 

Given its features, WishList Member can be an excellent option for you. Its integration capabilities will be the cherry on top for ensuring the ultimate LMS experience for your users. Find the best WishList Member plan for you and get started today.

Got any tips or ideas on how to improve LMS user experience? We'd love to hear them. Share them with the WishList Member community in the comments section below.

And don't forget to follow us on  Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn for more expert advice and tips to maximize your online course’s potential.

As education shifts towards student-centered models, we've seen how giving students the wheel to drive their own progress really keeps them locked in and eager.

Speaking of driving one's own progress, let's talk about self-monitoring tools – they're more than just nifty gadgets in our tech toolkit. They genuinely empower students to own their learning paths, giving them the clarity to spot both their wins and their hurdles.

In addition to supporting students to take responsibility for their learning, they also enhance their ability to assess their own progress and challenges.

In today's blog, we'll explore how educators and course creators use self-monitoring tools within their platforms.

By the end of this post, you'll understand how these tools empower learners and boost engagement and course completion rates. Let's get started.

The Benefits of Student Self-Tracking

Here’s the scoop: students who monitor their own progress tend to absorb information better and enjoy the learning process more. This satisfaction can lead to a virtuous cycle where happy students are more dedicated, driving them to complete their courses at a higher rate.

When students can see their progress in real-time, their motivation skyrockets. As a result, the learning process is far more rewarding and effective because they're setting the pace and meeting their goals.

Let's unpack why letting students track their own progress really changes the game in learning.

1. Boosts Engagement and Motivation

When students keep tabs on their own progress, it sparks a significant boost in their engagement. Rather than just going through the motions, they're actively participating and pushing themselves forward.

It's about making each student feel like they’re steering their own ship – a surefire way to keep their motivation high.

2. Enhances Learning Outcomes and Satisfaction

Self-monitoring also plays a big role in improving how well students grasp and retain what they're learning. It gives them a chance to reflect on what they've learned, identify gaps, and take control of their education.

The result? They don't just learn better – they feel better about their learning experiences, too.

3. Increases Engagement

Engaging with the course material becomes more interactive and dynamic. Instead of being passive recipients of information, they're actively engaging with their learning journey, which can lead to deeper understanding and retention of material.

Incorporate quizzes that your students can use to test their understanding as they progress. To really kick engagement up a gear, you might also include incorporating gamification features like points and badges.

4. Fosters Independence

By tracking their own progress, students learn to take responsibility for their learning. This self-management skill is critical both academically and, perhaps more significantly, in personal and professional areas of life.

To promote self-directed learning, provide students with resources, such as video content, supplemental readings, and external research sites, for resource navigation.

5. Improves Time Management

Students can better manage their time by knowing exactly what they have accomplished and what they need to focus on next. This helps prevent cramming and last-minute stress, promoting a more balanced approach to studying.

Break the course into clearly defined milestones with estimated times for completion and schedule periodic self-check-ins for students to review their progress and adjust their study habits and schedules as necessary.

6. Reduces Anxiety

Knowing where they stand in their coursework can reduce anxiety and uncertainty for students, giving them a clearer focus and a more structured learning path.

Use clear and consistent indicators that show students their progress in real-time. This might include progress bars, completion percentages, or a checklist of tasks.

7. Driving Higher Course Completion Rates

And here’s something every educator loves to see: higher completion rates. When students monitor their progress, they can see the finish line, making it all the more reachable.

Each completed step builds momentum, keeping them on track and moving towards their goal.

These benefits collectively contribute to a more fulfilling and effective educational experience, enabling students to maximize their potential and achieve better outcomes.

How to Leverage WishList Member Courses' Tracking Features

WishList Member Courses has a standout component that enables students to get a clear idea of their completion rate –The User Tracks Progress feature.

The User Tracks Progress feature in WishList Member Courses is at the heart of this functionality. It allows students to mark lessons or entire courses as complete, giving them a satisfying visual cue of their achievements as they move through the material.

Visual Clues: WishList Member provides a dashboard that’s both informative and encouraging. It displays completed sections with clear markers and shows upcoming lessons, helping students easily see where they've been and where they're headed next.

Here's the module progress bar that students that's visible to students as they're completing a lesson:

And here's the course progress bar that lets students track how much of the course they've completed overall:

With straightforward indicators and progress bars, students can quickly see the percentage of content they’ve completed. This real-time feedback is crucial for motivating students to keep going, especially in self-paced courses where direct teacher encouragement might be sporadic.

By incorporating these visual elements, WishList Member Courses makes the learning process both engaging and transparent. Students can gauge their progress at a glance, making learning more intuitive and less of a chore. This visibility is key in motivating students to keep pushing forward, knowing exactly how much they have achieved and what lies ahead.

How to Set Up Student Progress Tracking for Your Online Course

Integrating the WishList Member Courses WordPress LMS plugin into your educational setup is all about creating a seamless experience for you and your students.

Here’s how you can get started and help your students make the most of the progress tracking features.

1. Set Up Your Course: First, ensure your course content is uploaded and organized in WishList Member Courses. Define your modules, lessons, and any assessments or checkpoints.
   
2. Enable Progress Tracking: Make sure the User Tracks Progress feature is enabled. This can typically be done in the course settings, where you can specify what counts as progress – be it completing a lesson, passing a quiz, or contributing to a forum.
   
   This will allow students to manually mark each lesson or module as complete, giving them a clear pathway and milestones.
   
3. Educate Your Students: Show your students how to use the progress tracking feature. A quick tutorial at the beginning of the course explaining how to mark lessons as complete can make a big difference. Consider creating a simple video or a visual guide that walks them through the process.
   
4. Monitoring and Support: Keep an eye on student progress through the admin panel. This enables you to offer support and encouragement at key points in their learning journey, particularly where you notice a student may be struggling or stalling.

How Students Can Mark and Track Their Progress

Students can actively engage with their learning journey by marking each completed lesson or module. Here's how it typically works:

• Marking Completion: After finishing a lesson, students can click a “Mark as Complete” button at the bottom of the page. Once this button has been checked it will show as “Complete”.
• Viewing Progress: Students can view their overall progress on their course dashboard. This area usually shows a progress bar or a percentage that updates in real time as they complete parts of the course.
• Reflecting on Learning: Encourage students to regularly check their progress dashboard. It’s a good practice not just for tracking how much they’ve done, but also for reflecting on what they’ve learned and planning what to tackle next.

Module Progress

Tracking progress at the module level is key to giving students a clear sense of achievement as they advance through your course.

In WishList Member Courses, each module is set up to visually display completed tasks. As students finish each lesson within a module, they manually mark it as complete.

The system then calculates the percentage of the module completed based on these inputs. This allows students to easily see how much of the module they've covered and how much remains, encouraging them to keep pushing forward.

Course Progress

Course progress tracking operates on a broader scale, providing a bird's-eye view of a student’s journey through the entire course. It aggregates the completion data from each module to give an overall progress percentage.

For instance, if a course has five modules and a student completes two out of five, the course progress will show 40% complete. This overall view helps students set long-term goals and understand their progress in relation to the entire course.

How to Keep Students On Your Course Through Effective Progress Tracking

Keeping students engaged is crucial, and effective progress tracking is a great tool to help make this happen. Here are some practical tips and strategies to encourage students to regularly check and update their progress, and to get actively involved in their own learning journey.

Tips for Regular Progress Checks

• Scheduled Reminders: Set up automatic reminders that prompt students to check their progress at regular intervals. Whether it’s a quick email or a notification from your learning management system, a little nudge can go a long way.
• Visible Progress Bars: Make sure progress tracking is highly visible and accessible within the course interface. A progress bar at the top of the course dashboard can give students a quick snapshot of where they stand.
• Celebrate Milestones: Recognize and celebrate when students reach key points in their coursework. This could be through digital badges, certificates, or even public acknowledgment in online forums.

Strategies to Involve Students Actively

• Self-Reflection Prompts: Incorporate prompts for self-reflection at the end of each module. Ask students what they learned, what they found challenging, and how they plan to apply their new knowledge. This can help integrate progress tracking with deeper learning.
• Peer Discussions: Encourage students to discuss their progress with peers in discussion groups or study forums. This peer interaction can foster a sense of community and motivate students to keep up with their coursework.
• Goal Adjustment Sessions: Offer opportunities for students to adjust their learning goals based on their progress reports. This could be done through one-on-one coaching sessions or during regular class reviews.

In addition to tracking students' progress, these tips and strategies can help them engage deeply with their learning, making their educational experience more rewarding and efficient.

Conclusion: Empower Students, Transform Learning

As we've seen, empowering students to track their own progress is more than a nice-to-have – it's a powerful tool that enhances motivation, improves learning outcomes, and reduces anxiety. By letting students see their journey, we help them manage their education more effectively and foster a growing learning environment that values independence and personal development.

Why it Matters: When students take charge of tracking their own progress, they're more engaged and invested in the learning process. This autonomy leads to higher satisfaction and better overall results, from increased course completion rates to deeper understanding and retention of the course material.

Encouragement for Educators

If you're an educator or course creator, integrating progress tracking tools like those provided by WishList Member Courses can significantly impact your students' learning experiences. These tools are designed to make learning visible and manageable, encouraging students to stay committed and enthusiastic about their studies.

Interested in taking your course offerings to the next level? Dive into WishList Member Courses, a robust WordPress LMS Plugin that brings these benefits to your educational programs. Implementing this tool can transform how you teach and how your students learn.

Explore WishList Member today and see how your educational offerings can thrive with the right tools in place.

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