Online training development software

As a company grows, implementing online training development software for rapid eLearning purposes can play a big role in the onboarding of new team members. Online training development tools are copious to come by. Finding the right eLearning authoring software and figuring out best practices can become overwhelming.

Not all companies require a team dedicated to managing eLearning software and authoring tools. An open source learning management system or free online course development software would require a developer and coordinator, but generally, with eLearning, just having someone in HR assigned as an administrator is enough. The right online course development plan in place will guarantee smooth sailing.

What is authoring software?

In its simplest form, authoring software helps users create media content. Authoring software is also commonly referred to as an authoring system. Consider a field such as education. An authoring system allows instructors that have no prior knowledge of coding to develop an interactive and engaging program for learning. Authoring software has three components: content organization, control of content delivery, and different type of assessment. Each aspect of the authoring software allows instructors to structure content, set the pace of content delivery to users, and assess learning outcomes.

What are authoring tools for online training development software?

Products or tools such as Google Docs, Adobe Premier, and Microsoft PowerPoint are all examples of authoring tools—they are tools that allow users to create digital content. However, when it comes to the world of education and learning, authoring tools are the software that instructors specifically use to create eLearning and digital content. Authoring software or a content authoring tool allows teachers to customize courses and create engaging content for learning in a much more engaging and meaningful context than a Google Doc.

Why use authoring tools for online training development software?

Creating content with code requires a particular set of software development skills—and it can be costly because these skills are in high demand. An authoring tool can help users and companies without programming experience create engaging learning content. Authoring software allows any employee to create training modules, but its primary benefit is to develop learning content more quickly. With authoring software, companies can spend more time analyzing data and evaluating learning outcomes, instead of wasting time designing and coding content. Thoughtful content creation can take hours but with an authoring tool, creating eLearning information could take just a few minutes

Finding the right authoring tool

There is a wide array of authoring software, and selecting the tool that best fits a company’s needs can be challenging. Here are a few ideas or questions companies might want to consider when choosing a content authoring tool for eLearning software:

• Does the company have existing content? If the company has already invested in content, rapid authoring tools or formats such as SCORM will allow the company to reuse content.
• Will the company create many assessments? eLearning software can be limited in its ability to develop assessments. Authoring tools can allow the instructor to develop more complex assessment, or even interactive practice scenarios.
• How does the company want to deliver content? Does the company plan to print lessons or provide ebooks for users? It might be essential to find authoring software that allows the company to deploy content in multiple forms across print and digital mediums.

eLearning solutions features for effective training

The top training and development companies have great software with a myriad of features and functions. But more isn’t always merrier. Below we’ve listed a few of the most important features and functions necessary for businesses using eLearning software:

Content

Being restricted with the use of certain training authoring software in learning materials is a bummer. What if you have a really great video you need to share with the team? If your eLearning software can’t read that video, then you’re at a stand-still.

Today, we’re learning from a variety of media. It only makes sense that your e-learning software and authoring tools keep up. The ability to incorporate images, text, video, and even GIFs is simply the modern standard. Find a good platform when creating training modules. Powerpoint is a start, and often top-of-mind, but not the most efficient platform anymore. When creating content, keep in mind these two things on how to develop online training modules:

• How to make training modules – Incorporate content that you know your company loves to share. Partner text with videos or GIFs in your online training software that reinforce the point made. Keep each lesson under 15 minutes, and ask for feedback at the end.
• Distribution – How to design training modules starts with knowing your audience. As a creator, you have to use language your audience will understand while also being articulate. Online training should be distributed in a timely manner; give your learners plenty of time to learn and review before a due date. It’s smart to maintain training throughout the year. Ongoing training is a great way to keep learners up-to-date and not overwhelm them with bulk learning.

Mobility

In regards to standards, the best software for eLearning has a learning platform that is mobile and enables teachers and learners to assign and accomplish learning from anywhere the internet is available, on any device.

When learners have mobile access, that means they can learn in their best setting. We often see the flipped classroom approach in eLearning; The learners learn on their own time and exemplify what they’ve learned during training time.

Control

As an administrator, you need rapid eLearning authoring tools with quick-link capabilities so that you don’t have to send out lessons to the entire company by typing a ton of emails in the address bar and attaching untrackable documents. Lessonly is an eLearning software that makes assigning as simple as sending a link — not attachments.

Furthermore, being an administrator doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be the creator. Anyone should be allowed to create eLearning lessons to share with their department. Administrators simply have to grant access.

Organizing eLearning courses can be chaotic, especially if you already have a myriad of content fleshed out. Where do you put it all? You’ll want your software to be able to distinguish courses from lessons and help you label each one in an intuitive way.

Tracking

 It doesn’t do any good for the company if administrators are putting all this effort into training without knowing if anyone is actually learning. The best training and development companies have tracking and data delivery. Quizzing and feedback features in eLearning software can let you know who needs assistance in learning and who is excelling. This way, you’re not flying blindly. You should be able to not only see who has read the training materials, but also see how well learners retained the content.

Learners should be able to track their own progress and review any questions they miss in quizzing features. As far as quizzing goes, we highly recommend incorporating questions throughout a lesson and at the end of a lesson as opposed to just at the end of a lesson or course.

Easy to update

Have you ever heard of anything keeping you from learning? Some eLearning software has limits to the amount of content you can build. If you’re creating frivolous learning content, maybe the restriction is a good thing, but ‘frivolous’ learning is practically an oxymoron.

Updating information should be just as easy, if not easier, than adding information into an eLearning system. As a business grows, it’s often when processes change or new standards have to be added and met.

Train and develop your employees faster

Lessonly by Seismic gives frontline teams the means to utilize eLearning to its highest potential. We take the learning process and make it seamless and flexible. Want to learn more about our training and development software? Click here to get a demo.