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As discussed in our previous post about the steps involved in choosing a learning experience platform or learning management system (LMS), the marketplace offers many off-the-shelf LMS options. This makes it seem as if the best option will be apparent once you and your organization have determined your needs. But it’s usually not quite so straightforward. An LMS that seems perfectly fine initially may not help you reach all of your goals, and it’s helpful to take a look at why that could happen.

If you’ve read our previous post explaining learning experience platforms — also known as learning management systems (LMSs) — and how to choose one, you already know that there are numerous systems and that they differ in major ways. You also know the pitfalls you might find as you navigate various systems, as well as the advantages they may offer.

Think of the last time you learned something online. Whether you took a required course for a degree or professional development, or you explored topics such as creative arts or finance for fun, you were taking part in our now-ubiquitous option to study almost anything from the comfort of home.

As noted in part 1, competency-based learning is an educational pedagogy that functions like a car’s navigation system. When you’re going on a road trip, you enter your destination into the GPS and see what routes you can take; similarly, in this pedagogy, there are many ways to get where you want to go. Any person can reach the desired point if they’re willing to put in the work and if they’re supported in the right ways.

When you’re planning a road trip, you know that the journey itself is part of the experience, wherever your destination. You want to get where you need to go, of course, but usually multiple routes will lead you there. So there’s no need to stress if you end up taking a few detours.