The Essential Guide to Elearning Authoring Tools
With elearning becoming more and more commonplace in the business world, it’s important to understand what kind of authoring tools are available to make that learning experience as seamless as possible.
There are plenty of choices out there, from simpler tools to extremely complex programs, and choosing the right one for your needs can be challenging.
In this guide, we’ll explore some of the most popular elearning authoring tools on the market today and give you all the information you need to choose the right one for your business!
What are authoring tools?
Elearning authoring tools are special software applications built specifically for
creating digital training. A good e-learning authoring tool should provide a variety of different ways to create content and put it together.
For example, some e-learning authoring tools allow you to build courses using drag-and-drop functionality and others offer point-and-click functionality for a more hands on approach.
Some e-learning authoring tools are meant only for single developers, while others can be used by entire teams or even an entire organization. And not all authoring tools are made equal - so choosing one that's a good fit for your needs is important.
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Factors to consider when choosing an elearning authoring tool
When choosing an elearning authoring tool, you'll have many questions to consider. These questions include the following:
What type of learner am I targeting?
How many course designers will I need access to?
What kind of interactive elements do I want?
How much do I want users to be able to customize?
What types of interaction capabilities does it have?
Is there pre-built interactivity like quizzes, audio narration and animations, or polls?
Can these customizations be easily changed if necessary?
Is there a marketplace where I can get customized templates without having to pay extra for them?
Is there a mobile app for iOS and Android devices that allows me to review my work on my phone or tablet (or both)?
Does it offer advanced analytics so we know who interacted with which element at what time throughout their learning experience?
What are my options if our customer base changes over time?
How much money do you have to spend on your authoring tool
The existing skill set in-house
Other factors specific to your organization, depending on what type of LMS or SCORM tool you already have installed and how those pieces will integrate with an authoring tool like Camtasia or Captivate.
The right e-learning authoring tool will give you everything you need for your particular project in terms of features and functionality at a price that fits within your budget. These essential questions will help guide you along as you look into purchasing one.
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E-Learning: Who uses authoring tools?
If you’re wondering who uses authoring tools, a better question might be, Who doesn’t? Because of their intuitive design and ease of use, many eLearning designers favor authoring tools over PowerPoint or other multimedia software when it comes time to build courses.
But just because everyone is using them doesn’t mean you should take them for granted. After all, not all authoring tools are created equal. In some cases, even experienced eLearning professionals struggle with choosing between various products due to overlapping functions and pricing models--be sure you understand exactly what suits your needs before making a purchase decision.
Don't feel tied down to only using one product; many companies offer multiple options that allow users access across multiple channels while still retaining control over individual projects within certain limits.
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What are the types of elearning authoring tools
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Standalone Authoring Tools
These are programs that you download to your computer (like Windows Movie Maker) or apps that you can get from an app store (such as iMovie). The good thing about standalone authoring tools is that they're inexpensive.
Some don't even require you to have any special skills. Most do have functionality for adding graphics, audio, video clips, and other bells and whistles though. As far as ease of use goes, some are easier than others.
The downside? Standalone tools aren't scalable enough if you want something
really complicated. And while most will let you export high-quality files, there isn't much room for customization—you're pretty much stuck with what they give you.
PowerPoint-based Authoring Tools
PowerPoint is still one of the most widely used authoring tools. Although it was not created specifically for creating e-learning courses, there are many pre-built templates that help speed up your development process such as adding quizzes, embedded videos and more.
It’s suitable for all levels of users as well; from someone just getting started with building eLearning modules to experienced professionals who have used its applications for years.
PowerPoint integrates well with other Microsoft products too which makes sharing easier across different platforms like SharePoint. So you will get better collaboration if your organization uses these platforms.
PowerPoint presentations have a very familiar interface to trainers who have been
creating instructional materials on regular classroom presentations or even
those who may be converting a classroom presentation into an online version.
Using PowerPoint, you can create engaging video clips with pre-designed
animations, add quiz questions to check learner comprehension in real time and more. The only drawback is that you need to export your PowerPoint presentation into another software to convert it into an interactive eLearning course.
Cloud-based authoring Tools
This type of tool is easy to use as it allows you to create, manage and deliver your content without requiring any software installation. However, many cloud-based tools are not suited for creating high-quality courses.
You will have limited functionality with these tools, along with lots of restrictions, monthly fees or limits on course size. But if all you need is a few simple course modules, using one of these services might be worth your time and money.
Highly-specialized authoring tools
There are many different pieces of software that are designed for creating specific types of interactive learning. By far, you’ll want to focus on those that allow you to create games, quizzes, or simulations.
These programs tend to be a bit more complex than others (and they all have steep price tags), but you can’t beat them for ease-of-use when it comes to designing interactive courses.
What these programs also allow you to do is easily upload your content (text, images, sound bites) into templates created by developers like yourself.
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Is there any overlap between LMS and authoring tool users?
It’s hard to talk about elearning authoring tools without talking about ELeaerning Platforms.
In fact, there’s a lot of overlap between their user bases.
Learning management systems like TheLearning LAB have more robust reporting capabilities and some people find it easier to share assets with others inside their company than they do by uploading them into an authoring tool alone.
But if what you really need is just an easy way to create instructional materials and display them in various formats then an authoring tool may work better.
That said, if what you’re looking for is more of a digital canvas that can help you design your own courses from scratch then an LMS probably makes more sense.
So before making any decisions—before picking up even one piece of software—make sure you know exactly what type of platform will work best given your needs as well as any relevant budget constraints.