Many eLearning content developers have grown into their current state through evolution. You initially started by using stand-alone tools, such as Microsoft PowerPoint or other slide presentation tools to create your training courses. Then, you may have acquired other “add-on” tools and apps to enhance your authoring capabilities. At some point, the law of diminishing returns takes over: The more tools you add on, the less productive your team gets! Sadly though, sometimes it’s hard to notice that your existing eLearning authoring tools aren’t working for you. Signs that tell you that new tools are overdue You and your team have been using your existing eLearning authoring tools for several years now. Your team might feel very comfortable with the features and functionality they provide. And, because many of your authors and developers have become “experts” in using those tools, there might be a general feeling that there’s no need to change. And there lies the … [Read more...] about How to Tell If You Need to Start Looking for a New ELearning Authoring Tool
LMS
What Are The Best Authoring Tools for Developing Interactive ELearning Courses?
There’s no doubt that the future of learning is in eLearning. According to research, the market size has crossed $250 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach around $1 Trillion by 2027. The right tools Sure, you could probably pull off an eLearning course using Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Sides. You could use powerful imagery and create riveting handouts and course notes to supplement your slides. But will that be enough? Probably not! To really produce highly engaging, interactive eLearning content, you need some great course authoring tools to support you. Why? The “manual effort” involved in creating interactivity and spontaneity in eLearning content isn’t worth it! A tool makes it much easier to do that Most tools include huge libraries and archives of powerful supporting content, like icons, graphics, videos and images, that bring life to eLearning courses. Using stock images and icons in your courses is unprofessional, and doesn’t leave learners with a … [Read more...] about What Are The Best Authoring Tools for Developing Interactive ELearning Courses?
Training for Agility: Understanding the new paradigms in eLearning
Dell Technologies Inc, one of the largest technology manufactures in the world, said recently that “…around 85% of the jobs that today’s learners will be doing in 2030 haven’t been invented yet.”. The new world will be based on organizations “...becoming more agile and profitable”. This bold statement was made in a report titled “The Next Era of Human Machine Partnerships”. If this prediction is, in fact, true, it then introduces a brand-new paradigm for trainers and instructional designers alike: How do you train future workforces to embrace that leaner, more competitive, agile and profitable future? Agility in eLearning The challenge with future of workforces, as laid out in the report cited above, is that information and knowledge is expected to become redundant at a much faster pace than it is today. In the new paradigm, while employers have already mapped out a new business model, they won’t have a sizable enough trained workforce to implement their vision – unless they … [Read more...] about Training for Agility: Understanding the new paradigms in eLearning
Guide to ELearning Analytics: Judging eLearning success beyond grades and course completion rates
Typically, a project (regardless of which industry it originates in) is deemed “successful” if it ends well. Putting that in eLearning context then, a popular consensus among course developers and moderators is that the course is a success if: A higher number of learners sign up for it, compared to the previous iteration A larger number of learners have completed the course successfully The amount of revenue earned, per learner, steadily rises over time While these metrics point to some form of eLearning success, they are usually measured “after the fact” – i.e., once the course is over. Today, this traditional model of measuring eLearning is considered obsolete. With eLearning analytics, course providers are measuring courses in real time – from the time a learner signs up, until they finish the final evaluation, and at every stage in-between. ELearning Analytics 101 ELearning analytics is a data-driven model to evaluate and assess the success of a course. These … [Read more...] about Guide to ELearning Analytics: Judging eLearning success beyond grades and course completion rates
4 Localization Issues That Come Up When Translating ELearning Courses
In one of my previous posts, I discussed translating eLearning modules into other languages. Since then, I have completed a project that needed to be translated into Spanish. As I was working on my translation, I came across some localization issues, which I would like to share with other eLearning professionals responsible for translating their courses into other languages. Graphics and images – When you translate your course, keep in mind that in addition to linguistic differences, there are also social and cultural differences. When we deal with cultural differences, we should pay close attention to graphic and images, as they instill different feelings and reactions in people from other cultural backgrounds. Therefore, changing existing images to more neutral or culturally appropriate ones may be another responsibility of someone translating the course. Audio-visual Elements – If the course that you are trying to localize includes video, you may think that dubbing would do it, … [Read more...] about 4 Localization Issues That Come Up When Translating ELearning Courses
How To Select The Best LMS Provider
A decade or so ago, organizations, schools, colleges and universities had many options for commercial E-Learning development software products. However, because of mergers and acquisitions, and Learning Management Software (LMS) industry consolidations, the options for developing and hosting E-learning courses have declined. As a result, more and more, knowledge providers are looking for viable alternatives. If you are looking for commercial LMS providers, then some names for you to consider are: Blackboard http://www.blackboard.com Desire to Learn http://www.desire2learn.com Sumtotal http://www.sumtotalsystems.com/ Saba http://www.saba.com/us/ and eCollege http://www.ecollege.com/index.learn However, if you have budgetary constraints (as most organizations face today!), then perhaps you should look at some popular free and open source LMS solutions, including: ATutor http://www.atutor.ca/ Claroline http://www.claroline.net/ Dokeos http://www.dokeos.com/ … [Read more...] about How To Select The Best LMS Provider
