Moodle™ v/s Schoology
Moodle and Schoology share one aim- to Empower Learning with Technology.
Comparing two mammoth learning platforms, we will see which LMS performs best in the test of usability, interface and features.
For the Admin
Expenses
- Moodle is an Open Source software with no initial costs. However, the setup and maintenance of a Moodle site does incur an investment
- Schoology has a Basic Plan which is free with plenty of features and an Enterprise Plan which has advanced features along with the basic ones
Hosting
- Moodle can be hosted On-premises as well on a Cloud called as MoodleCloud
- Schoology can only be hosted as a Cloud-based solution
Adaptability
- Moodle, with its modular framework, can be used for schools, educational institutes as well as businesses.
- Schoology states three different plans clearly- K-12, Higher Ed and Corporate. Out of the three, the K-12 and Higher Ed plans are free of cost for institutes all over the world.
For the Teacher
Performance Analysis
- In Moodle, performance analysis is done using various free and paid plugins. Certain themes like Edwiser RemUI also provide Quiz Analytics to the teacher and admin roles.
- Schoology has an in-built Performance analyser which lets you assess student performances in a given course.
Collaboration and Integration
- Moodle is compatible with almost all third-party applications. It also has collaborative tools like Forum and InstantChat.
- Schoology has a collaboration tool to share resources, experiences, common practices and tips and tricks on how to use Schoology.
Content Development
- Moodle has an elaborate course creating tool with multiple functionalities.
- With dynamic management features and an easy-to-use course builder, Schoology is at par with Moodle.
For the Student
Interface
- Moodle lacks a bit in providing a friendly interface to users but covers that up with interesting user-centric themes like RemUI.
- Schoology has a simple, clean user interface.
Mobile Apps
- Moodle has a widely used Moodle App which has been encouraged extensively in the latest version, Moodle 3.4.
- Schoology’s app has amazing features for students and teachers to operate and learn on the go.
Community Support
- Moodle has a loyal community where Moodlers answer, analyse, discuss and troubleshoot on the forum.
- Schoology, too, has a global learning community that has an extensive database of queries related to Schoology.
My Conclusion
Schoology is tough contender to Moodle as it provides almost all the same features as Moodle, at almost the same prices. Except for the premium plan, Schoology is also free of cost but is not Open Source like the latter.
The advantage with Open Source is that there is always an alternate solution to every problem. If not, then a solution is made available at the soonest. Schoology is an all-round learning management software which takes care of all your eLearning needs. On the other hand, Moodle is a constantly evolving software, willing to venture where no other LMS has.
The Final Verdict
For institutes and companies that do not wish to change their learning system for a good few years, Schoology is the best option.
For organisations that do not mind evolving and reinventing along with the LMS, there is nothing better than Moodle.
In terms of usability, interface and features, no LMS is a clear winner because both of these are equally doing a good job of creating globally valuable solutions for eLearning.
If you wish any other LMSs compared, write to us in the comments below!
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