Some professors and students have a hard time trying to schedule review sessions and conduct feedback sessions, especially in larger classes. LMS integrated classes allow these processes to be brought online and handled on a person-by-person basis. Scheduling tools allow students to book individual appointment times with professors even outside of school hours. Professors have easy access to data and reports on an individual student even if the class has more than 100 students. Typical LMS courses are designed with large class sizes in mind.
A particular selling point of LMS is that it is designed to encourage student-to-student interaction just as much as student-to-professor interaction. There are specific tools integrated into an LMS class, such as discussion boards and chat rooms, to accommodate peer reviews and group study. These tools also have relevant resources linked for easier access to reference material.
One of the main features of an LMS course is that all course material can be uploaded and downloaded in its interface. This allows professors to save time in making copies of multiple-page materials and simply upload them for students to view. This is particularly effective for classrooms with Internet access, as students can read the online content, follow along and take notes all within the LMS. Students can also submit their assignments electronically, complete with a time stamp and proper formatting for the professor's grading convenience.
More universities are starting to integrate LMS courses into their curriculum. However, full integration -- creating purely online classrooms -- is still a debatable issue. LMS courses still have their share of disadvantages, such as the technical level of skill required to interact with them, as well as the lack of a consistent support system. The learning curve in fully utilizing an LMS course remains high. As such, students and professors must carefully consider when it is applicable to use this technology.