Amy Pouncy

EDTC 6996
Outcome

1|Pouncy
The focus for my EDTC6300 course, was sharing the implementation of the Learning

Management System (LMS). This implementation shows my growth in the Educational

Technology Leadership. I worked for a wholesale retail diamond company. It is known for

having the world’s most perfectly cut diamond. Each year new product and items are developed

and sold to our retailers in the stores. However, the key to a profitable company is selling the

product. To sell the product, the retailers must want to sell the product. They must be

comfortable communicating to the clients that visit their stores on what it means to have the

world’s most perfectly cut diamond and how to confidently sell our products and diamonds.

With only two trainers and 349 locations that carry the brand in the US, there is a need for

reaching our retailers faster with learning content to help them become knowledgeable and more

confident to present our brand first when working with customers that enter their stores. I was

hired to help the organization identify new technology, learning systems and strategies to meet

the need of our retailers.

What is a Learning Management System? “A Learning Management system is a software that

enables companies and educational institutions to create and manage lessons, courses, quizzes

and other training materials. A learning management system also aids the organization deliver

training materials and lessons to employees, students or partners” (Ismail). “A unique Learning

Management System is also created in such organizations to organize and streamline learning

activities” (Ilyas, 2017 pg. 85)

Learning Management Systems are now common in most businesses and organizations. They are

used as a platform to provide training, a record of management, and reporting for organizations.

Learning Management Systems are used differently in organizations. While other companies use

2|Pouncy
LMS as a full suite of services for their organizations. Some organizations and companies are

playing catch-up to meet the different learning needs of their organization.

Before I was hired, the Learning Management System was purchased. The leadership thought it

would be a great tool however, without an understanding of how to use the LMS, the system was

installed incorrectly and the business lost confidence in the system and trust in the ability of the

Learning Management System being a solution for their learning needs. They felt they were sold

a lemon and it was a not worth the time to have retailers us the system.

Stepping into the role, my goal was to lead the team in reimplementation of the Learning

Management System, regain the buy-in from leadership, introduce learning tools and resources

to the organization and retailers that will improve the engagement and increase the sales of our

product. With so many LMS software out there, I had to understand how the system is currently

works, fix the issues, and present the new and updated changes to leadership.

After conducting an initial analysis, research and learning now to administration side of this

LMS, from meeting with the LMS software company, and people who were a part of the initial

installation, I realized there were a lot of things that were not completed or implemented

correctly.

My first task was redesigning the API system. This allowed the system to sync the learner’s

information correctly, so we are able to accurately account for the learners in the system, the

courses they have completed and allow us to push learning content to them correctly. With the

correct API applied we were also able to run reporting that will allow leadership to see the

impact of learning and how the retailers are using the learning tools we design and develop on

the LMS.

3|Pouncy
Once the API was complete, next I had to gain buy-in from leadership on the power of the

Learning Management System. “The main objective of any LMS is to direct and monitor any

individual or organizational training and integrate it with business strategies of the organization

leading to strategic benefits like productivity, performance and eventually, profitability” (Ilyas,

2017 pg. 86).

This meeting was an opportunity to show leadership how the tools and resources on the Learning

Management System will help to support the business and how they can see the results of

learning and how it can help increase sales. A meeting was held, and I led the leadership team

through a presentation on how the LMS works and how we can create learning program to reach

the retailers just in time with new content and learning. I presented new tools and resources on

LMS that can be utilized by the leadership team and the retailers in their stores. I was able to

show the power of the LMS and how the tools and resources on the system will help to provide

just in time learning to our retailers and a space to share ideas and resources with others on a

continued basics.

Once buy-in on the LMS was approved from leadership next, I had to develop a plan to

communicate and train the external retailers on how to use the LMS and gain their buy-in to use

the system. To do this, first, I conducted a focus groups with some of our top retailers to

understand their learning needs and introduce the LMS. “Mobile phones seem the best device to

use in the learning of high student ownership, however requiring them in a course would deprive

some people” (Al-Fhad, 2009 pg. 4). This quote is helpful in furthering researching to find out if

we are providing enough ways for people to access LMS content. This could be a reason why

engagement is low. Do we develop LMS and training with only desktop or laptop use and not

include mobile devices? I reviewed how to view content and the resources and learning tools

4|Pouncy
 that are available to them using mobile, tablet and laptop and desktops. After viewing the site, I

discuss what else they would like to see and what we can do differently. I shared with them the

ideas of implementation to other retailers and listened to the challenges they think I will face

implementing the LMS with other retailers. They were their excitement to be able to access and

receive notifications from the LMS on their mobile devices and being able to view learning

content and resources on them.

Next, I had to develop a communication plan for our retailers. The plan included incentives

completing courses on the LMS and updating content like their pictures and joining groups.

Communication was sent via email, newsletters, and push notifications from the LMS.

An action plan for continuous improvement was also created to understand how participants are

interacting on the LMS and to help us understand why retailers my not want to use the LMS or

complete some of eLearning courses. Based on the results I will act accordingly to improve.

Action Plan for Continuous Improvement

Week Item Action Results of Action How often Based on

Week 1 Launch Program Send email communication to
partners.
Monitor Enrollments and course
completions
Week 1 - 3 Review bounce back email Review email bounce back and
compile list of wrong emails
Week 2 - 4 Follow-up with Territory Resend list of emails received
managers on bounce back from territory managers to
emails partners.
Week 2 - 10 Check-in on enrollments Send email reminders to
partners who have not enrolled
in the program.
Week 2 – Course report Run report for course
weekly completion; send emails to
participants who have started
courses to remind them to
complete them.
Weekly Review completion report Monitor completion report and
continue to send out surveys to
participants if they did not
5|Pouncy complete a training course to
find out why and take action as
needed.
Results of Actions
Review results of email Monthly
communication and create
new plan to address the
issues
Compile list of wrong
emails and send to Weekly until error is fixed
Territory managers to
review.
Monitor to see if emails are
correct and updated from Weekly until the error is
the new list provided. fixed
Monitor list to see if Weekly until we have
participants have enrolled 100%.
on the site
Review the list to see if Monitor weekly
participants have
completed the course.
Review responses on
survey emails on why they Compile survey results
have not completed the monthly and meet to
training and adjust update discuss if changes need to
courses if needed. made to the courses and
make changes if needed.
With changes in LMS and how they continued to being used, it is important to stay up to date

with trends and latest resources and tools to continue to provide my organization with

information that will help us to improve and stay on trend with learning. Each year I attend

technology learning conferences, to stay up to date on the latest trends and what’s coming in

learning and development. I also attend monthly calls with different tech learning organizations

to learn more about difference ways to integrate learning and technology in the organization.

References
Ilyas, M. (2017). Making of a Corporate University Model: Transition from Traditional Training
to Learning Management System. 1-6. Retrieved from www.iiste.org
Ozturana, M. & Kutlu, B. (2010) Employee satisfaction of corporate e-training programs.
Retrieved from www.sciencedirect.com
Ismail, K., & Ismail, K. (2017, November 13). What is a Learning Management System.
Retrieved June 24, 2019, from https://www.cmswire.com/digital-workplace/what-is-a-learning-
management-system/
Al-Fahad, Dr. F. N. (2009). Students' Attitudes and Perceptions Towards the Effectiveness of
Mobile Learning in King Saud University, Saudi Arabia 1-9. Retrieved from
http://www.tojet.net/articles/v8i2/8210.pdf

6|Pouncy