Distinguishing Between Good And The Best eLearning Software
Technology is changing by the day. We used to be delivering distance lessons via CDs and DVDs, but now those methods are outdated. You might think that a certain authoring tool is the best option, but could it be outdated, too?
Personally, I’ve used a few authoring tools to create my lessons. The differences are subtle but important.
What’s Good And What’s The Best eLearning Software?
When searching for an authoring tool, your choice depends on several factors. But there are a few things you’ll definitely be looking for:
- Ease of use
I found that the tools that deliver the best results are not necessarily the easiest ones to use. I would say that the tool should still be easy, given your level of technical expertise. So if you’re a beginner, you’ll have a different perception of good eLearning software when compared to an advanced developer. - Features
Does the program support translation? If you need such a feature, you’ll be searching for software that provides it. - Speed
How quickly and effectively can you deliver a course when using a particular tool? - Budget
How much money are you willing to spend on (or rather invest in) course development?
So good software would be easy to use for your technical level, as it would provide the features you need, it would be affordable enough, and it would enable you to quickly create a magnificent course.
What’s The Best eLearning Software Then?
The alternative that provides all these and manages to surprise you with additional advantages. That’s the main difference.
What Types Of eLearning Software Are There?
In addition to the features we covered above, it’s also important to pay attention to the type of software you need.
- Authoring tools are best for course authors who don’t have programming or coding skills. This is the type of software that most educators use when trying to share their knowledge online. It’s the type of software I use.
- Content Management Systems are aimed at tracking and managing corporate information. They are great for training courses for large organizations.
- Learning Management Systems are aimed at managing your courses. They track the performance of your users. The analytics will show you how many hits a specific aspect of the course got, so you’ll get an idea on how to improve its appeal. The best LMSs are usually quite expensive. Docebo, for example, offers a scalable pricing model that can reach up to $6K per year.
- Learning Content Management Systems are a blend of the two previous categories. They enable you to create content, track user behavior, and cover basic administrative tasks. They are a bit complicated to use, but they cover all your needs from creation to delivery.
So What Could Be The Best Course Authoring Software For You?
Course authoring software is a topic I can cover from personal experience. Since I don’t have programming and coding skills, I’m after the easy-to-use tools that still enable me to create great courses. I’m already relying on a cheap paper writing service for content writing and editing purposes. So being able to save money on creation makes me more effective and productive. I can provide more courses for my audience.
If you ask me, these are some of the best course authoring tools I’ve tried:
- Elucidat
The thing I love the most about this tool is speed. And effectiveness. There are lots of templates to choose from, so although I use them, the courses still look creative and unique. No coding at all. It’s a cloud-based tool where an entire team can collaborate. Since I collaborate with content writers and editors, I’m able to bring the entire team on a single platform. Elucidat has a great support system. The representatives easily recognize the issues we’re dealing with and know how to guide me through the solution. There’s a Layout Designer feature that seemed intimidating for me at first. But it still doesn’t require coding, so I played around with it and loved the effects. I’m able to deliver pretty cool courses that are personalized and involve some gamification and polling. The analytics are also a nice touch. I’m able to see how the course performs, so I make updates now and then.
- Lectora Inspire
For educators who’ve been using authoring tools for quite some time, Lectora Inspire is a familiar name. It’s one of the first eLearning authoring tools that enabled us to deliver knowledge online. And it’s still one of the best ones I’ve tried. This is a desktop tool for Windows, and that’s probably the greatest reason why I chose to use Elucidat – I didn’t want extra weight on my computer. But good news: Lectora Online, a cloud version of the software, recently became available. Lectora Inspire does require some learning and adjustments from your part. But it’s a very powerful tool with great interaction templates for you to base the course on. It took me some time and practice to get confident with the features, but I can’t neglect the fact that this is one of the most flexible tools that deliver unique-looking courses. It’s great for creating all kinds of courses, including employee training. If you don’t know how to use a particular feature, you can rely on the extensive how-to library. The support section at the site is priceless.
Remember: The Best Tool Is An Individual Choice
So what are good eLearning tools? The ones that provide various features to help you design cool courses. What’s the best eLearning tool? The one that works perfectly for your needs. My advice would be to shop around. Most tools offer trial versions that you can use before making a commitment. So don’t rush, and try different options before you settle for a single authoring tool.