Learn How An Association LMS Can Help Improve Continuing Education Offerings
Continuing education (CE) is in high demand nowadays with the surge in learning technology innovations. In fact, 60% of members say associations are their number one source for CE.
Providing educational resources that allow your association’s members to advance their own careers is a great way to convey the value of association membership, positioning your organization ahead of the competition. As members that complete CE often experience higher success in their respective fields, with increased engagement and credibility, it’s a huge benefit to members looking to advance their careers.
Staying ahead of the curve with CE offerings is one way to increase member satisfaction. Continue reading to explore the state of CE right now, as well as our top tip to improve your association’s CE offerings.
Continuing Education And Current Events
There’s no ignoring one major challenge facing associations and society as a whole right now: the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has wreaked havoc across the globe, with health and economic impacts that are likely to be long-lasting. In the world of associations, where we’ve seen these effects is in the events industry, conferences, and trade shows, continuing education events have been either canceled or indefinitely postponed for the near future. This means that associations are no longer able to provide those experiences and that value to members.
This is a worst-case scenario for many associations whose value is built on the experiences they provide. In response, many associations are pivoting to virtual events—whether conferences, educational events, or even networking events.
For the purposes of this article, we’re going to focus specifically on educational association events. In taking these events digital, associations have to find ways to distribute educational resources, facilitate speakers and live Q&As, and potentially even conduct assessments all through virtual means.
The easiest way to do this, and improve your association’s CE offerings in the long-term, is by implementing an association Learning Management System (LMS).
Implement An Association LMS
If you’re looking for an easy way to provide effective continuing education to your members, an association LMS is the solution. Association LMSs allow organizations to deliver useful content at a member’s own convenience. Webinars, conferences, seminars, and other content can be easily accessed and consumed at any time. And, as an association must keep track of members’ CE credits and records, an LMS provides tools to make this very manageable.
With an association LMS, vendors develop solutions that tailor to the specific CE needs of each member-based organization. Members are able to take courses that are relevant and applicable to their daily activities, which maximizes efficiency and learner value. These learners should want to continue their education, and an association LMS makes this easily achievable.
In order to improve CE offerings, an association must prioritize collaboration and communication. An association LMS is easily navigable and accessible, making it easy to talk, foster workplace relationships, and learn together. All employees are working toward the common goal of professional development, so collaboration is key in every successful company.
Beyond the above evergreen benefits of incorporating an association LMS, there is one more key reason why this technology can be beneficial during this time: it’s fully digital. These systems allow your association to continue providing needed continuing education experiences to members through the COVID-19 pandemic. You’re able to emulate the in-person training experience with webinars and other video resources, social learning opportunities, and even gamification elements for a dose of healthy competition.
When much of association membership (and life overall) feels disrupted on a day-to-day basis, providing consistent experiences to members is one of the most valuable things your association can do. While continuing education may not represent the entirety of your association’s offerings, it’s a great place to start.
Conclusion
There are many options when it comes to software for associations. Your association is responsible for creating engaging opportunities and continuing educations courses to help your members grow, and making the most of the available resources is key.
eLearning is on the rise. In order to improve your association’s CE offerings, implementing an association LMS should be a key consideration.
