With time, both educational institutions and business organizations are leveraging the benefits of online courses while reducing administrative costs and classroom rentals. Online courses not only allow the learners to proceed at their own pace but also helps them to set their own learning schedule and learn anywhere and anytime. They enable organizations to save time, money, and resources when training new hires, improving compliance or implementing programs on employee skill development.
Ensuring these savings requires an initial investment in an eLearning authoring tool. Using this tool, you can develop and implement online courses and train the staff for creating and administering the courses. It makes course creation and implementation user-friendly and efficient. Hence, you must understand a few things about your course requirements and eLearning authoring tools. This will help you make the right decision while selecting an appropriate eLearning authoring tool for your online courses.
eLearning Authoring Tool – An Understanding
An eLearning authoring tool is a software program that is used to create digital training content and convert it into an eLearning format. These tools allow you to add interactive elements like quizzes, videos, or drag and drop tasks into online courses that the end-users can consume using a SCORM LMS platform. Although a few eLearning authoring tools are challenging to use, their versatile nature allows you to create simulations and add gaming elements to your training content that makes training more engaging and immersive.
Points To Consider Before Investing in eLearning Authoring Tools
Before you invest in an eLearning authoring tool, you must look into your requirements regarding course customization of your training program, video elements that will help you to effectively narrate the story, the frequency of updating the content, the type of files that will work best, etc.
File Format To Deliver The Course
It is very crucial to select the appropriate file type while choosing an eLearning authoring tool and deliver the course. Preferably, choose a tool that supports online course modules in file formats that can be accessed through leading web browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, etc. and various operating systems like MAC and Windows.
The growing popularity of HTML5 file type for the delivery of online courses makes it an ideal choice. It supports various types of media and is also compatible with mobile devices. If you already have online courses in Flash, select an eLearning authoring tool that allows you to get output in HTML5, as Flash will be outdated by the end of this year and no longer be supported on most of the web browsers. HTML5 will give you mobile-friendly features that allow for easy content consumption on smartphones and other types of devices.
Media Elements
Saving money is possible only if you invest in those features that you need to develop your online course. For instance, a course developer may require animations and gamification, while another may require storytelling through audio/video/graphics. There are some eLearning authoring tools that allow you to embed online video content, eliminating the need for uploading and managing those yourself. If you want to use them, you should have clearly defined course objectives and your training content requirements. You can avoid unnecessary investments by knowing your learning objectives, the level of employee interaction, and the features you need to achieve them.
Final Thoughts
In addition to those mentioned above, it is always important to thoroughly research your service provider. Check if they have an eLearning authoring tool that fulfills the requirements of your courseware. With a few considerations listed here, we hope you make an informed decision while investing in an eLearning authoring tool.