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Expectations From eLearning Authoring Tools

Sushil Kokate  |  June 30, 2010  |  eLearning Development, Rapid eLearning

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Expectations From eLearning Authoring Tools I came across this mind map by Cammy Bean which covers nearly all the tools available for creating/authoring eLearning content. She tries to find answers to three simple questions regarding each tools mentioned in the mind map –

– When do I use it?
– What do I like about it?
– What do I not like about it?

eLearning Authoring Tools

For many tools, the answers are as expected. Again, the fact surfaces that not all tools are perfect but each tends to be targeted for specific use cases. The mind map can help learning professionals choose the right authoring tool for  their requirements and expectations.

I’ve been  wandering around the web to find the right authoring tool for  specific use cases. While searching I realized that many learning professionals often confuse between their requirements and the specific features offered by the chosen tool. For example, a feature that lets users  “import” existing PowerPoint presentations into the authoring tool is different from authoring and publishing eLearning content from within  PowerPoint (using a plug-in toolbar). While some try doing freeform authoring through a template-based authoring tool. However, both methods have different workflows and properties.

Here are some features that eLearning professionals generally expect from authoring tools –

  • They should have an intuitive interface – preferably WYSIWYG – allowing easy authoring and simple functionality.
  • Should be easy to control and manage graphic styles across course to enforce style guidelines and branding.
  • Localization processes using the tool should be easy and fast.
  • Should be able to import/export content (like PPT, DOC, or simple HTML), and allow for edits after import.
  • Should be able to import external Flash SWF as well as audio and video in variety of popular formats.
  • Standard and customizable compliance. (SCORM 1.2, 2004, AICC)
  • Should be able to publish course in various formats. (web, LMS, CD-ROM)
  • Functionality of some kind for offline tracking if courses are not being delivered from any LMS.
  • Ability to capture reviewer notes in context to the pages – one useful feature of collaborative authoring.

One more feature which is not required in most cases but would be much of help to advanced authors – is some way to extend/customize tool functionality through programming. For example, for a course published through Articulate, if I’d wanted SCORM tracking with a different behavior, I might be able to achieve that using the SDK provided by Articulate.

Please note, I haven’t considered full-fledged development tools like Adobe Flash, for which some amount of technical proficiency is required.

What other features/functions you would expect from the eLearning authoring tools you would be or are using?

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Comments ( 5 comments )

  1. Brian Miller July 2, 2010 at 7:52 pm

    What I find interesting but not surprising is that you do not have in your list of requirements: Able to address multiple instructional strategies or something like that. What do you think that application of learning theory and instructional science are not really that important or seemed to be looked over in the search for the better elearning tool?

  2. Krishnan July 6, 2010 at 11:16 pm

    Hey..Nice collection. Introduces me to many new tools which I am not aware of. Thanks for your efforts.
     

  3. Jim Bennett July 16, 2010 at 9:36 pm

    Very interesting article – thank you.  We are currently assessing how we are providing online course delivery as well as in-class electronic course management. One area we  are investigating is the option to author courses outside of our LMS, to help us avoid some of the ugly product dependencies that can entail.  I am curious if others out there are are also looking at this, and what successes/challenges have resulted.

  4. szkoła 2.0 July 28, 2010 at 11:15 am

    It would be great to have some eLearning tools that are compatible with touch screens (iPad or sth). MindMeister has this feature I think and I hope there will be more.

  5. Pingback: Expectations From eLearning Authoring Tools | Upside Learning Blog | Sarantis' Blog

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