Lost in the LMS
The True Cost of Disorganized Online Classrooms
As someone who is forever passionate about the quality of classrooms, I’ve come to realize that improving education isn't just about the curriculum—it’s about the entire experience. From how our faculty interacts with students to how they write prompts to how the Learning Management System (LMS) is structured--- everything matters.
But too often we see schools leave the design of the online classroom entirely in the hands of faculty or rely on generic LMS-provided templates. And while this might seem like a logical approach, it creates a patchwork of inconsistent experiences from course to course. This is particularly evident in how content is uploaded to the LMS. Some courses use the modules tab to organize content by weeks, some courses utilize the syllabus to host all the weekly readings and assignments, and others utilize the discussion board as a makeshift repository.
The result? Confusion and loss of time for students. When students need to search for classroom content there is a real cost. They are losing time that could be spent studying or engaging with course materials. IMO, we are communicating that we do not respect our student’s time when we take this approach.
Imagine a school full of different physical classrooms for each course. When you arrive at one course you find classroom desks arranged neatly in rows, and when you arrive at the next, there are chairs scattered around the room, and when you arrive at the third, there are no seats at all. The classroom materials are piled in different places--- the counters, the floor, in file folders. There’s no predictable layout. You waste your valuable time trying to figure out where to sit and where the materials are.
Does this chaos tell our students that we respect their time? Does this type of experience align with our vision for good student experiences? But most importantly, how do we fix this?
Here are some helpful ways to start working towards a consistent LMS.
1. Create a Standardized LMS Template
A standardized template ensures that each digital classroom has a consistent structure, which makes it easy for students to navigate. With every class, they will know where to find an overview of the week, how to locate their weekly readings and activities, and where to upload assignments. It is the same from course to course, which will eliminate the confusion and minimize the time it takes for a student to orient themselves to a course.
Now, you might say “we have a standardized LMS template” --- check! But I would ask how long it’s been since you designed that template. If you’re using D2L and you’re still using what I call “the toilet paper view”, which is one long-running list each week, consider updating your template to include modules or play around with the New Learning Experience style.
This type of template should be unique to your students as well. If you have a high number of students who have not taken online courses, you will want to design an LMS template with minimal clicks and easy navigation. Have fun with this and get stakeholder opinions-- add you’re your school logo to banners, use buttons instead of links, and find places where your LMS can improve the student experience instead of complicating it.
2. Set Clear Guidelines for LMS Use
Beyond templates, schools need to set clear guidelines for how different elements of the LMS should be used. For example, discussion forums should be used strictly for classroom interaction between peers and faculty— they are not repositories for files. These guidelines create uniformity in how students engage with their online classrooms and help reduce cognitive overload.
As you create these guidelines, consider defining the purpose of each LMS function and then maybe some “dos and don’ts”. Using our discussion forum example, the guideline might look something like this:
LMS Feature: Discussion Forum
Purpose: Facilitate peer-to-peer and faculty-student interaction only.
Do's: Encourage meaningful academic discussions and participation.
Don’ts: Avoid using forums for file storage or assignment dropboxes.
3. Bring in Instructional Designers to Enhance the Digital Classroom
Investing in instructional design support will always be a good investment. Instructional designers are experts in creating engaging and functional digital classrooms that enhance the student experience. They can work alongside faculty, program directors, and deans to ensure the LMS is a streamlined space where students can easily access what they need.
Instructional designers are superheroes of the online learning space. They can pull analytics on your current LMS to see where students are spending most of their time, they can design module navigations that reduce cognitive load, and they are equipped to ensure all content within the LMS is accessible according to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
In the end, the design of the LMS isn’t just about organizing content—it’s about impacting the student experience in meaningful ways. A thoughtfully designed LMS protects students' most valuable asset: their time. And when students can navigate their online classrooms with ease, they’re able to focus on what truly matters—the learning. Conversely, a disorganized LMS sends a clear message that we undervalue their time and effort.
Universities must remember that every minute spent searching for content or figuring out an inconsistent interface detracts from the learning experience and can alter students' overall perception of the institution. A well-structured LMS isn’t just an operational necessity; it’s an essential part of building trust with students, enhancing their academic success, and ultimately shaping how they interact with their education. By prioritizing a clean, consistent, and intuitive digital learning environment, we demonstrate our commitment to supporting students in every way possible—from the coursework itself to the very tools they use to access it.
But what does this look like in practice? How do we ensure that our LMS is functional while enhancing the student experience? And more importantly, how do we design systems that respect and protect our students’ time, allowing them to focus on what really matters—their learning?
These are the questions we’re tackling, and I’d love for you to be part of the conversation. Sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on the latest strategies in curriculum design, LMS optimization, and more. Let's work together to create learning spaces that truly work for students.