Educators, corporate L&D leaders, and platform decision-makers need to evaluate and choose specific platforms and tools for e-learning. Integrating a video platform with a Learning Management System (LMS) can enhance online learning. Studies show that incorporating video into learning materials improves comprehension and knowledge retention.
Why does video integration quality matter?
Benefits of an LMS are many – but it still lacks something
An LMS helps you to organize learning material into courses. You can assign modules to learners, set deadlines, and track progress. LMS features include the ability to generate reports and interact with learners. However, your LMS isn’t designed to manage videos.
Why you need to use videos
Today, the use of videos can enhance every type of e-learning. Workplace learning with videos is common. Interactive videos can turn employees from passive learners into active ones.
Live streaming and interactive webinars help to create a more engaging learning environment. On-demand video content offers convenient and flexible learning.
Why uploading videos directly to your LMS is a bad idea
If you try to upload videos directly to your LMS, you will experience problems. Video files are large and take up plenty of storage space. You may experience bandwidth and delivery issues. This can result in slow loading times, buffering, and a poor user experience. If the quality of live streaming isn’t up to the mark, learners are likely to drop off.
Video LMS integration
A good LMS isn’t complete without video content but if video integration isn’t seamless, it can derail learner engagement. Video LMS Integration ensures your video content is hosted securely with many other added benefits such as the opportunity to customize your video player and use advanced analytics.
Key LMS-video features: embed, track, secure, and scale
An effective e-learning platform can offer the best of an LMS and a video hosting platform. Some key features you need to look out for are seamless video embedding and the ability to track learner engagement. Security is essential and scalability is also important, especially if your user base keeps growing. When you integrate your LIMS with a private video hosting platform, you can experience the following benefits.
- Embed individual videos and even entire playlists directly into your LMS. An employee video portal can integrate seamlessly and give employees easy access to videos. It can contain many different types of well-organized video content and provide an environment where teams can collaborate.
- Track key metrics such as views, completion rates, and time learners spend watching. Monitor the progress of individual learners and identify areas where they may need more support. Analyze the performance of individual videos to see which ones perform best and which ones need improvement.
- Secure video content prevents unauthorized access. Security measures may include encryption, multi-factor authentication, Single Sign-On (SSO), and domain lock. Protecting learner information is important and you need to comply with strict regulations. Implementing user roles and permissions can help you control who can access specific videos.
- Scalability ensures the ability to handle a large number of users without any difficulties. It also makes handling a large video library possible.
SCORM/xAPI compatibility
Some technical requirements are necessary to make video LMS integration possible. One of these is SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model). It is a well-known standard for e-learning that defines a set of rules on how to package and communicate learning content like videos. The Cincopa e-learning video platform provides seamless LMS integration with SCORM and xAPI support.
SCORM ensures that your LMS and video hosting platform work from the same code guidelines. They can connect and work together. If you have MP4 videos, you can convert them to SCORM video packages.
You can use SCORM validation tools to assess whether a SCORM package adheres to the necessary standards. They will check for issues like incorrect file structures or missing metadata. This ensures your videos will work seamlessly on any other SCORM-compliant platform.
An LMS can track learner progress, scores, and time spent on SCORM courses. This offers valuable data for evaluating and improving courses. Tracking can happen within an LMS but the ability to track learning outside of the LMS is limited.
The Experience API (xAPI) is a newer and more flexible alternative. It can track learning beyond a traditional LMS and collect data from various sources. This offers even deeper insights into learner interactions.
The role of analytics in improving learning paths
Analytics extract meaningful insights from learner data. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can process and analyze huge data sets quickly. Learner analytics and learning outcomes are related. Data insights can help to support learner success. It can lead to better decision-making and improvements in course content and learner outcomes.
Personalized learning experiences
Analytics offer insights into learner performance, progress, and preferences. You can then offer learning paths that suit their individual needs and learning styles. Personalizing learning paths enhances their engagement and motivation.
Identify gaps in learning
Performance data, engagement metrics, and learner feedback can help you to identify gaps in learning. You may see areas of low engagement on video heatmaps or incorrect answers in quizzes. Struggling learners may need more support and supplementary materials. Offering coursework and materials suited to the strengths and weaknesses of students offers more engagement and understanding.
Improve courses
When you understand course performance, you can make more informed decisions about content and delivery. Video analytics allow you to understand which videos offer the most engagement. A successful video module may have high completion rates and positive feedback.
A video module with low engagement and drop-off may be too complex or too long. You could break the content down into smaller units and focus on a single skill or concept in each one. You could also make a video more interactive by adding elements such as branching scenarios, quizzes, and surveys.
Continuous feedback and improvements
Analytics in e-learning can offer real-time feedback so learners can understand how they’re progressing. Video messaging provides another way of giving and receiving feedback in online learning. In traditional learning, learners often have to wait a long time before they receive feedback. Immediate feedback can help to create a continuous cycle of improvement as learning is more self-directed
Early alert for at-risk learners
Predictive analytics can anticipate potential issues before they arise. Not all learners learn at the same speed. Log-in frequency, time spent on tasks, and low assessment scores can be signs that a learner is struggling. Identifying at-risk learners early on allows you to proactively offer interventions and support. Retention strategies based on learner needs can reduce drop-out rates.
Integration checklist for choosing a video hosting solution
Here are some of the features you need to consider if you want to choose the right video hosting solution for your LMS.
- Encryption protocols protect video content from piracy. For example, CIncopa uses advanced encryption standards (AES) to make the platform secure end-to-end. This tokenized security method offers a buffer between browsers and servers to deliver videos securely.
- Adaptive bitrate streaming can change the quality of a video automatically according to the network of the user.
- A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a distributed network of servers that delivers video content to users from servers located closest to them.
- Custom controls and branding of your video player are important as this improves the learner experience. You can choose which controls you want to show users, segment videos into chapters, and much more.
- Video APIs help you to automate many tasks. You can manage your videos and automate their upload with their help.
- Dynamic Watermarking adds another layer of security. A text overlay on a video consists of the user’s I.D., name, email address, or IP.
- Access controls can help to restrict certain IPs, stream content in a certain geolocation, or even set a time expiry date for video access.
- Video analytics can help you track how learners interact with your content and give you insights into their behavior so you can make improvements.
Conclusion
Integrating an LMS and a video hosting platform helps to ensure a frictionless learner experience. On the Cincopa home page, you can find out more about what the platform has to offer for a fully optimized video learning experience. Sign up for a free trial and explore the seamless LMS integration, strong security measures, and advanced analytics.
