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Choosing an eLearning Authoring ToolFor your Organization

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Dr. Allen Partridge

Sr. Technology Evangelist, eLearning

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Choosing an eLearning Authoring Tool

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Fun, Fun, Fun!

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Maybe not.

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Today’s session is designed to expedite your journey from perspiration to inspiration

4Fantastic Article for Guidance from ADL Co-lab : http://1.usa.gov/1DBxkU3

Ru

les • No

Products

• No Slant

Definitio

ns • Tools

• Types

• Technology

• Authors

Eva

lua

tio

n • Process

• Trends

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Definitions - Tools

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• Tools that facilitate the preparation and planning of learning materials.

• Storyboarding

• Concept mapping

• Project planning

Planning

• Standalone Learning Modules

• Performance Support

• Practice (Simulation)

• Blended support

Developing

• Learning Management Systems

• Learning Content Management Systems

• Mobile Friendly

• Browser Ready

• Stand Alone

Deployment

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Definitions - Types

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• Soft skills simulation

• Self Paced Courses

• Application Simulation

• Digital Performance Support

Asynchronous

• Virtual Classrooms

• Virtual Worlds

Synchronous

• Flipped Classrooms

• Any blend of synch and asynch

Blended

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Definitions - Technology

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Output Formats

EXE MP4 HTML5 Print PDF

MobilityResponsive

DesignGestures

Location (GPS)

High Resolution

DPI

Device Detection

Media File Formats

Image Audio VideoAnimatio

nDocumen

tWeb

Data Standards

SCORM AICC xAPI Others 508 / ADA Unicode

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Easy to Use vs. Easy to Learn

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Easy to Use

Easy to Learn

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Definitions - Authors

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• Instructional Designers

• Trainers

• eLearning Developers

• Multi-media Developers

• Subject Matter Experts

• Compliance Officers

• Maintainers

Course Authors

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Evaluation - Process

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• Technical

• Budgetary

• Pedagogical

• Personnel

Determine your needs

• Use a spreadsheet to track / compare features in each

• Compare Available Tools

• Elements Identified as Needs

Develop a Comparison Matrix

• Include Developers if Custom is an option

• Request Live Demos

• Smoke test the content in your own environment

Contact Leading Vendors

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Comparison Matrix Approaches - Considerations

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• A requirements comparison is more important than a feature comparison

Requirements may not equal Features

• Consider weighting requirements to add importance to areas that are higher priority

• Consider weighting product fulfillment of the requirement

Not all features are equal

• Most online comparison charts are actually being promoted by a vendor

• Decide the priorities yourself, and decide how well a tool does something yourself.

Don’t fall for marketing comparisons

Great examples on p 71-73 of ADL Co-lab Report: http://1.usa.gov/1DBxkU3

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Evaluation - Trends

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• Video

• Mobility

• Social Learning

• Gamification

• Immersion

Separating Fad from Future

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Still Hungry for more?

Check out these resources for more training in Adobe Captivate

• Blog: http://blogs.adobe.com/presenter/

• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/adobepresenter/

• AdobeTV: http://tv.adobe.com/channel/e-learning/

• Adobe EDEX: http://edex.adobe.com/

• Adobe KnowHow: http://www.adobeknowhow.com/

• More eSeminars: http://adobe.ly/1qqQ2FX

• Email me: allenp@adobe.com

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