Tuesday, June 30, 2020

20 Best Learning Management System (LMS) WordPress Themes (Free & Premium)

20 Best Learning Management System (LMS) WordPress Themes (Free & Premium)

Online education continues to gain popularity among diverse segments of the population. Not only does it offer the convenience of learning from anywhere or at any time, it also provides an endless variety of subject matter. Learners can study to earn a formal degree, advance their career or pursue a hobby.

Online education continues to gain popularity

If you’re looking to build your own online course, you have number of terrific options that don’t require technical expertise. Through the use of a Learning Management System (LMS) and compatible theme, you’ll have the ability to put together course materials (including text and video), allow students to sign up, test their knowledge, and even award a certificate of completion.

Today, we’ll introduce you to some of the best LMS WordPress themes available on ThemeForest. These top-quality themes cover a variety of use cases and will help you get your online education website off to a fast start.

Best LMS WordPress Themes on Themeforest

Themeforest, part of the Envato Market marketplaces, has thousands of premium WordPress themes, including a whole host of education and LMS WordPress themes. Take a look today and see if one fits your own online learning project!

Best LMS WordPress Themes on Themeforest
Browse the best Learning Management System WordPress themes on Envato Market

Top LMS WordPress Themes

Now that you know the benefits of running an online education site, let’s take a look at some of the outstanding WordPress LMS themes we just mentioned. Each one has something unique to offer and you’re sure to find one that matches your needs.

1. WPLMS Learning Management System for WordPress, Education Theme

WPLMS has been built for a wide range of uses and includes everything you need to run an enterprise-grade education site. Sell your courses, award certificates, and enable learning on the go through an additional mobile app. 

The WordPress Learning Management System theme also works in conjunction with the popular BuddyPress and WooCommerce plugins, for social and eCommerce functionality.

WPLMS Learning Management System for WordPress Education Theme
WPLMS Learning Management System for WordPress, Education Theme

2. Education WordPress Theme – Masterstudy

Built for use with its free LMS companion plugin, Masterstudy offers tons of flexibility. Choose from 10+ unique demos to get the exact look and layout you need. 

The Learning Management System Wordpress theme supports live streaming of lessons, content dripping, a gradebook and compatibility with BuddyPress. You’ll also find the ability for multiple instructors and custom quizzes.

Education WordPress Theme Masterstudy
Education WordPress Theme – Masterstudy

3. DotLife | Coach Online Courses WordPress

DotLife is a great choice for individuals looking to build and sell their own online courses. This WordPress learning management system theme caters to life coaches, consultants, teachers and more. 

Lots of demo sites are included, as is the ability to create courses with rich media content. Students can check their progress and take quizzes to reinforce their knowledge in this complete Learning WordPress theme.

DotLife Coach Online Courses WordPress
DotLife | Coach Online Courses WordPress

4. LMS WordPress Theme

A clean and colorful LMS website template, this focuses on customization and ease of use. Your students will be able to register using their social media accounts and can also rate courses. Communication is also a key feature, as a private messaging system can be added via BuddyPress.

LMS WordPress Theme
LMS WordPress Theme

5. Colead | Coaching & Online Courses WordPress Theme

Use Colead in tandem with the free LearnPress LMS plugin to create a full-featured online education platform. The Learning Management WordPress theme leans towards individual educators, trainers, etc. and includes extras such as an events manager, timelines and some exciting visual effects.

Colead Coaching Online Courses WordPress Theme
Colead | Coaching & Online Courses WordPress Theme

6. University - Education, Event and Course Theme

By itself, University enables you to create and manage courses. But it’s also compatible with LearnDash, a full-on LMS plugin for WordPress that will take things to the next level. 

Also included is an event management feature (you can even sell tickets via WooCommerce), comment integration with Facebook and Disqus, along with plenty of attractive demo sites. Overall, one of the best LMS WordPress we've got.

University - Education Event and Course Theme
University - Education, Event and Course Theme

7. Clever Course - Education / LMS

Clever Course can be used to sell both online and offline courses. Students can register and pay using a number of available payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe and Authorize.net. 

The Learning Management WordPress theme supports multiple instructors and you can even pay them commissions. Courses are fully-featured and include quizzes, a student dashboard and curriculum listings.

Clever Course - Education LMS learning management system wordpress theme
Clever Course - Education / LMS

8. Education Center | LMS Online University & School Courses Studying WordPress Theme

Geared towards educational institutions, Education Center can be combined with the LearnDash plugin to create a full-fledged LMS. The look and layout are flexible as it includes a number of demo sites, prebuilt pages and a selection of color schemes (though you can also create your own). 

 In addition, you’ll find tons of custom shortcodes, widgets and a rating/review system in this Learning Management System Wordpress theme.

Education Center LMS Online University School Courses Studying WordPress Theme
Education Center | LMS Online University & School Courses Studying WordPress Theme

9. Guru | LMS, Sensei WordPress

Guru pairs up with the free Sensei LMS plugin to help you build online courses beautifully. Not only that, but you can also create custom quizzes, allow students to register on your website and keep tabs on progress with course analytics. 

Other goodies in this LMS website template include mega-menu navigation, multiple blog and portfolio types, and support for WooCommerce.

Guru LMS Sensei WordPress
Guru | LMS, Sensei WordPress

10. Academy - Learning Management Theme

With Academy, you’ll find everything you need to start your own online course. Sell your courses via WooCommerce and award certificates of completion to students. There are also a number of helpful options, such as the ability to assign lesson perquisites and a quiz system. This is a very complete WordPress Learning Management System theme.

Academy - Learning Management Theme
Academy - Learning Management Theme

11. eSmarts - Education & LMS Theme

eSmarts comes complete with a WordPress LMS plugin so you can start building your education site right away. 

The WordPress LMS theme supports WooCommerce for selling your courses, along with bbPress to add helpful forums for students and teachers. With nine demo sites, you’ll be sure to find a design that fits your needs.

eSmarts - Education LMS Theme
eSmarts - Education & LMS Theme

12. Talemy - LMS Education WordPress Theme

If you’re looking to leverage the LearnDash plugin for LMS functionality, Talemy may be the theme for you. It fully integrates with LearnDash 3.0 and supports the new high-end features this version brings to the table. 

The WordPress Learning Management System template also includes plenty of customization options, along with an AJAX-powered login and registration system.

Talemy - LMS Education WordPress Theme
Talemy - LMS Education WordPress Theme

13. WizeEdu - Education LMS Courses and Events

WizeEdu has been built to work with the LearnPress plugin, allowing you to quickly put together an attractive and powerful website. 

Among the theme’s many slick features is the ability to filter courses via an isotope script. Its smooth, instantaneous transitions will surely impress your prospective students. You’ll also find lots of custom templates, scrolling effects and more in this Learning WordPress theme.

WizeEdu - Education LMS Courses and Events
WizeEdu - Education LMS Courses and Events

14. Univero | Education LMS & Courses WordPress Theme

Univero is a highly-customizable WordPress theme you can use to create, manage and sell online courses. LMS functionality is included, complete with powerful course administration options. Other awesome features in this LMS website template include mega menus, a variety of layouts and templates, along with a collection of custom widgets.

Univero Education LMS Courses WordPress Theme
Univero | Education LMS & Courses WordPress Theme

15. Educon - WordPress Education Theme with LMS compatibility

Optimized for use with the Tutor LMS plugin, Educon brings drag-and-drop ease to online course creation. There are also functions for building custom quizzes, course monetization and awarding certificates to your students. 

Even better, the WordPress Learning Management System theme is optimized for the Gutenberg block editor – so you know it’s future-friendly.

Educon - WordPress Education Theme with LMS compatibility
Educon - WordPress Education Theme with LMS compatibility

5 Free WordPress LMS Themes to Download in 2020

I hope you've liked the selection of the best LMS WordPress themes to get from Themeforest, our single purchase marketplace. You won't regret buying a premium theme that's professional and fully customizable. 

But don't worry if you can't spend on a premium WordPress Learning Management System theme. There are some other ways to create a good website. I’ll show you some cool free Learning WordPress themes.

But wait! Don’t forget to check our WordPress Learning Management System templates and the other amazing free WordPress themes on Themeforest, which change every month. 

1. Education Free WordPress LMS Theme

This is a nice WordPress Learning Management System for free and packed with a ton of useful features. It's a simple, clean and responsive template specially designed for universities, schools, colleges or other educational institutions. The free Learning WordPress theme has many customization options so you can tailor the theme to your needs.

Education Free WordPress LMS Theme
Education Free WordPress LMS Theme

2. Library Books Free WordPress LMS Theme

This free Learning WordPress theme was designed to cater to teachers, educators, authors, publishers, online book stores or ebook libraries. The WordPress Learning Management System theme is responsive and customizable, perfect for your LMS project.

3. University Zone Free WordPress LMS Theme

Take a look at this cool free LMS website template.  This Learning Management System Wordpress theme features an elegant, attractive and mobile-friendly design to help you create an appealing website for educational institutions. The free LMS WordPress theme is SEO and performance optimized , so that's a great option for you.

University Zone Free WordPress LMS Theme
University Zone Free WordPress LMS Theme

4. Uni Education Free WordPress LMS Theme

This free Learning Management WordPress theme features a clean and elegant design, perfect for educational institutions. The free LMS website template is fast, extremely light-weight, search engine friendly and very easy to use and customize.

5. VW Education Academy Free WordPress LMS Theme

To close this section, we've got this free WordPress Learning Management System theme. It's a youthful, robust and feature-full academic WordPress theme that will make learning and teaching a pleasant and fun experience for both teachers and students. It is an ideal Learning Management WordPress theme for all types of teaching and educational websites. 

VW Education Academy Free WordPress LMS Theme
VW Education Academy Free WordPress LMS Theme

Top Reasons to Create an Online Education Website

1. Share Your Expertise

Do you have vast knowledge of a particular subject? Online courses are a great way to share what you know. Whether you’re a top programmer or a real estate expert, you can create a forum to help others learn.

2. Train Team Members

Ensuring that your team understands policies and procedures is vitally important. With an online educational portal, you can share this information with colleagues around the world. Plus, it’s easy to make changes to your courses as your business evolves.

3. Supplement In-Person Courses

If you teach in a traditional classroom setting, having an online supplemental course can be invaluable to students. You might use it as a resource where they can review previous lessons, take online-only quizzes or as a tool to improve communication.

4. Build a Recurring Revenue Stream

Utilizing an LMS website template won’t limit you in terms of content. And many offer integrations with popular payment gateways. This means that you’ll be able to continually add new courses and entice learners to stick around for the long haul.

student offering help to another

5 Quick Tips for Building and Running an LMS

1. The LMS and Theme are Separate Components

WordPress themes exist to handle the look and layout of your website. But when it comes to heavy functionality, plugins are best suited for the task. That’s why you’ll notice many of the themes above mention a specific LMS plugin, such as LearnPress or Sensei. In most cases, you’ll need both a theme and plugin to create and manage online courses.

Sensei LMS plugin for WordPress
Sensei LMS plugin for WordPress

2. Offer a Detailed Syllabus

It’s worth remembering that potential students who are interested in your course are making an investment in themselves. But before they spend their time and money, they’ll want to know what’s in it for them. Adding a detailed syllabus of what your courses have to offer can help them make the right decision.

3. Consider Payment Options

If you plan to sell access to your courses, you’ll want to work with an LMS and payment gateway that fit your needs. For example, recurring subscriptions may not be universally supported. Therefore, it pays to do some research beforehand so you’re in the know.

4. Use Rich Media

To keep your students engaged, be sure to include lots of multimedia. Elements such as videos and infographics will help to explain concepts and serve as a helpful reference later on.

5. Communicate

A great aspect of many of the featured themes above is their compatibility with both BuddyPress and bbPress. These plugins work in tandem to add social media-like features to your website, including user profiles and forums. It’s a great way to stay in touch with your students and develop strong relationships.

Discover More Learning Management WordPress Themes and Resources

I hope you've found the tips useful and you feel encouraged to create an awesome WordPress Learning Management System website. Now, let me share some more LMS WordPress themes and useful resources, so you can get more inspiration.

Learn More About WordPress

We know WordPress can seem intimidating if you're just starting to use this awesome platform. But don't worry, here I have some resources that might help you with your WordPress website.

Additionally, you can check our fantastic course: A Beginner’s Guide to Using WordPress

The Power and Flexibility of a WordPress LMS

The beauty of WordPress is its ability to enable powerful functionality with just a few clicks. By pairing one of the themes above with an LMS plugin, you’ll have a great head start on your online education website. That means you can keep your focus on creating compelling content.

Looking for more options? Be sure to check out the huge selection of Learning Management System Wordpress themes available at ThemeForest, and don't forget to check out the additional resources for education, LMS, and coaching WordPress themes above.



The Simplest Android App: Hello World

The Simplest Android App: Hello World

Learning to code Android apps is a great decision. It's fun and it's an in-demand skill for the tech industry. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to build the simplest Android App: Hello World. It's a great place to start making Android apps.

Prerequisites for Creating a Hello World App

Before you get started with this tutorial, you should have:

  • A basic understanding of object-oriented programming and the Java programming language.
  • A computer running Windows or Linux, or a Mac running macOS. 

Install Android Studio

Android Studio is the official integrated development environment for native Android app development. It comes with all the tools necessary for developing apps such as a powerful code editor, debugger, testing support, and performance tools . It also comes with a Gradle-based build system, fast emulators, code templates, and much more.

Android Studio is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms, and you can download it from here.

Proceed to download the appropriate Android Studio distribution file and install it according to your operating system. 

Windows

  1. For a .exe file (recommended), double-click to launch it.
  2. For a .zip file, unpack the ZIP and copy the android-studio folder into your Program Files folder. Open the android-studio/bin folder and launch the .exe file.
  3. Follow the setup wizard guide to complete the installation. 

Linux

  1. Unpack the .zip file you downloaded to /usr/local for your user profile, or /opt for shared users.
  2. To launch Android Studio, open a terminal, go to the android-studio/bin directory, and run studio.sh.
  3. Choose whether to import previous Android Studio settings or not, and then click OK.
  4. Follow the setup wizard guide to complete the installation. 

Android Studio Install for Mac

  1. Launch the Android Studio DMG file.
  2. Drag and drop Android Studio into the Applications folder, and then launch Android Studio.
  3. Select whether to import previous Android Studio settings and then click OK.
  4. Follow the setup wizard guide to complete the installation. 

Hello World Android Application

First, a peek at what we'll be building. The completed Android hello world application will look like this:

completed hello world app

To create this simplest Android app, just follow along with the steps in this tutorial.

Create the App Project

Launch Android Studio, and you should see a welcome page, as shown below. 

Android homepage

In the welcome page above, click Start a new Android Studio project. The next window presents the activities page, as shown below.

Android activities

Create a Hello World Activity

Android Studio provides activity templates to help you get started. For the Hello World project, choose Empty Activity and click Next.

An activity is a crucial component of any Android app. It provides a screen with which users can interact to perform activities, such as dial the phone, take a photo, or send a message. Each Activity has a window in which to draw its user interface. The window typically fills the screen, but it may be smaller than the screen and float on top of other windows.

You can learn more about Activities and many other topics in Android development in the Android From Scratch series.

Configure the Hello World Project Details

We'll finish creating the project by configuring some details about its name, location and which API version it uses.

configure android project
  • Change the name of the application.
  • Change the default Project location to your preferred directory or just leave it the default location.
  • On the minimum API level, Ensure that API 15: Android 4.0.3 IceCreamSandwich is set as the Minimum SDK: this ensures that your application runs on almost all devices.

Click Finish.

The Gradle Build System

Each time you create a new application, Android Studio creates a folder for your projects and builds the project with its Gradle system. The Gradle process may take a few moments. Gradle is Android's build system, which is responsible for the compilation, testing, and deployment of code. It makes it possible for the app to run on the device.

Explaining the Files in an Android App Project

Whenever you start a new project, Android Studio creates the necessary folder structure and files for that app. Let's look at the different files involved in an Android app project.

project overview
The manifests Folder

The manifests folder contains the AndroidManifest.xml file. The manifest file describes essential information about your application. 

The java Folder

This folder contains the Java source code files. As you can see from the editor window above, the MainActivity.java file contains the Java source code for the app's main Activity.

The res Folder

This folder includes all non-code resources, such as:

  • layouts: Layouts are XML files that define the architecture for the UI in an Activity or a component of a UI. For example, in our application, the activity_main.xml file corresponds to the main Activity.
  • values: Contains the color, style, and string XML files for the application.
  • drawable: This is a catch-all for a graphics that can be drawn to the screen, eg. images.
  • build.gradle: This is an auto-generated file which contains information on details of the app such as the SDK version, build tools version, application ID, and more.

Coding the Hello World App

Now that you have a general view of the project structure let's describe the most critical component files that constitute the hello world application. 

The Default Main Activity

The main activity is the first screen that will appear when you launch your app.

Each Activity represents a screen of the Android app's user interface. Each Activity has a Java (or Kotlin) implementation file and a XML layout file.

The Default Main Activity Java Code

Below is the default Java code generated by the application for the main activity.

You don't need to understand this code fully. A lot of it is boilerplate and will be the same for any app. The code defines a MainActivity class and with the onCreate method defines what happens when the Activity is created. In this case, it simply initializes the view of the Activity with the layout from the activity_main layout file.

The Default Layout XML File

XML files are used for layouts. The main Activity layout XML file is found in the project's /app/src/main/res/layout directory. Layout files are named after what they represent. For example, the Hello World application has one layout, which is the  activity_main.xml named after the main Activity.

Here is the default activity_main.xml layout. It contains one text view element, with the text Hello World!

Changing the Activity Layout

As you can see, we don't need to change much to complete our Hello World app, but we'll make a small change so that the text stands out better—we'll change the text colour and font size.

The Strings File

The strings.xml file provides text strings for your application. For example, a default strings file looks like this: 

If you want to change your app name, you can do it here.

Running the Application

Connect your Android device to your computer with a USB cable. The right connection type should show up as connected as a media device.

You'll also need developer options enabled on your device. If this is not already enabled, follow these steps (this will work on most Android devices:

  • Open up the Settings menu on your Android phone and scroll to the bottom. 
  • Tap About phone and scroll down again until you see the Build number option
  • Tap the Build number multiple times. Soon you should see a pop-up that reads something similar to You are five taps away from being a developer.
  • Keep tapping until the pop-up says you're a developer. 
  • Go back to the main Settings > System > Advanced. Developer options should be the second-last option. Turn the Developer options on.

In Android Studio's navigate to the top menu, select Run 'app'. Android Studio will show a dialog where you can choose what device to run your Android app. Choose your connected device and click the OK button.

The Hello World application should now be running on your phone. From here, you can make modify your app to whatever you want and add more features.

hello world app

Conclusion

In this tutorial, I showed you how to install Android Studio and create your first app: Hello World, the simplest Android app. After following this tutorial to create your first Android app, you are on your way to a promising career in developing apps!

To learn more about Android programming, check out some of our other Android tuorials here on Envato Tuts+.