The use of remote learning has increased so much so that now most college and university students in the U.S. take at least some classes online. Add the popularity of online degrees, microcredentials, and massive open online courses (MOOCs) and it is no wonder that most educational (and corporate) organizations now include online and eLearning courses as part of their training regime.
Selecting the right eLearning authoring tool is crucial for quickly creating effective, engaging and professional-looking online courses and in this article we provide a checklist of items to consider before committing to an eLearning authoring tool.
What are eLearning authoring tools?
eLearning authoring tools are software applications or platforms that allow educators, instructional designers, and content creators to develop, design, and publish online courses, eLearning modules, microlearning and interactive assessments. Key features and functions of eLearning authoring tools include:
- Content creation including text, images, and interactive elements like quizzes.
- Interactive elements like clickable buttons, drag-and-drop activities, and branching scenarios.
- Multimedia integration like support for videos, animations, and audio.
- Pre-designed templates that simplify the course development process.
- Configurable branding to match the branding and style of the publishing organization.
- SCORM and xAPI compatibility for integration with Learning Management Systems (LMS).
- Collaboration tools to allow multiple team members to work on a project simultaneously.
- Publishing options including web-based courses, SCORM packages, PDFs, and more.
- Security to protect the integrity of the content and user data.
11 Tips on How to Create Great Online or eLearning Courses!
Steps for selecting an eLearning authoring tool
Today content creators have many options for content creation tools. Examples of eLearning authoring software solutions include LEAi, Articulate Storyline, and Lectora and the best choice depends on the type of content you want to create and budget. Here are 11 items to consider before deciding:
Define your needs and goals – First determine the objectives of your eLearning program. This includes your target audience and the type of content you will need to meet their learning preferences. Also consider how you will measure success (i.e., KPIs) of your eLearning program.
Evaluate full content creation capabilities – Evaluate the tool’s ability to support various content types, such as text, images, videos, audio, and interactive elements like quizzes and simulations. Also ask about multimedia integration, content templates and configurable branding. Once you have the full list of features, ask yourself whether the quality of the content matches the expectations and needs of your learners.
Consider content inputs – Look at what type of content can be imported into the tool. If your subject-matter expert content is in Word files or HTML pages and your eLearning authoring tool only supports presentations, you will find that you won’t get the full value from the tool.
Consider content output – Beyond eLearning courses, does the tool support other learning modes like content for presentations, videos and microlearning? Additional options extend the usability of the content authoring tool.
Evaluate ease of use – Whether you have a budding training department or a full roster of in-house instructional designers, the authoring tool should match the theoretical and technical proficiency of your team. Opt for a demo trial so your team can take the time to try the potential tool.
Consider course and program scalability – Don’t just consider the number, length and complexity of courses that can be created. Also evaluate how existing courses can be updated as your program grows, and the content evolves. Finally, inquire about the development roadmap and whether upcoming features align with your future needs.
Verify LMS compatibility – Almost all eLearning authoring tools support learning standards like SCORM and xAPI that enable them to export their content for upload to a learning management system (LMS). However, it is worth checking whether your preferred solution will integrate with your specific LMS. If you are not using one, explore whether the eLearning authoring tool will support your eLearning distribution strategy.
Dig into collaboration capabilities – Like LMS compatibility, many eLearning authoring tools have collaboration tools. However, inquire how feedback is incorporated into the eLearning course. Ask if there is a limit on the number of contributors, do they all need licenses and how feedback is incorporated into the course.
Evaluate support and training options – Check what kind of customer support, including technical assistance and training resources, is available.
Investigate cost and licensing – Compare the pricing models (per-user, subscription, multi-year commitments, one-time purchase) and ensure it fits your budget. Whenever possible, take advantage of demos and free trials to get hands-on experience and experience with your content before making a commitment.
Read user reviews and recommendations – Get feedback from peers or online communities to learn about real-world experiences with the eLearning course authoring tool.
Final tips before selecting an eLearning authoring tool
Often existing training staff are hesitant to break their existing workflows by introducing a new tool. This mentality can prevent training departments from meeting the needs of the organization and puts them at risk. When evaluating the pros and cons, discern whether the tool is not able to deliver on a specific functionality or whether a potential user just prefers their existing way of doing things.
Another tip is looking at the overall ROI of a tool. If creating the first draft of the content now takes 5 minutes rather than 3 hours, what is the savings and potential revenue to the department and organization? If you can now create 10 interactive questions for quizzes in 2 minutes rather than 1 hour, how does that increase the effectiveness and engagement of your eLearning courses? The answers to these kinds of questions will help you derive the ROI for your technology choice.
LEAi – eLearning authoring tool for growing programs
LEAi is an AI-enabled training content creation tool that is used by training departments to create eLearning, presentations for instructor-led training, videos scripts and more.
You don’t have to be a L&D (learning and development) specialist to use LEAi. Our tool is also used by product, HR and sales enablement teams to convert existing content into training content – in minutes. To see how much time and money you can save with LEAi, try our training content creation calculator to see how it compares with traditional learning creation methods.
Better yet, ask for a demo. We will show you how LEAi works with your content and how it can meet your specific requirements and constraints.
