We’re fortunate to work in a field that is rich in creativity and innovation. However, one of the challenges associated with innovation is keeping up with advances in how e-learning is designed and developed. Below are five Web-based technologies that are having a profound impact on how we design and develop e-learning.
SmartBuilder is a tool for creating immersive e-learning. It is innovative because it uses a rule-based approach to authoring. This tool can be valuable for those who need to create effective e-learning solutions, without having to be a graphic designer, multimedia expert or a Flash developer, and can be even more valuable in the hands of an instructional designer who creates Web-based training with short project timelines.
Tricia Luke at Qualcomm said SmartBuilder helped its development team work better, smarter and faster. “SmartBuilder met our need for reusing resources, collaborating and rapid development. It is quick to learn, easy to use and puts fun and creativity back into our everyday jobs.”
Unison is a rapid development tool that lets all types of designers work together. It is innovative, not only for its collaboration, but also because it has an innovative licensing structure. When resources are limited and user-based content management tool licenses are not within the budget, Unison’s flexible licensing options make them accessible.
Amber Larson at Adventist Healthcare said Unison has been an instrumental tool in the collaboration of experts and developers. “As our subject matter experts are also our clinical nurse specialists, educators, infection control practitioners and safety experts, their time is very valuable. This tool allows them to review, add, modify and update content with their peers in our various hospitals in an asynchronous manner. This tool has significantly contributed to our team’s productivity and allowed us to develop rich content for interactive e-learning to meet our quality needs and deliverables in a timely manner.”
Flypaper is a rapid content creation tool that allows developers to create or modify rich media content using premade models and content from an online community. It is innovative for its community but also for its ease of use. Developers don’t need to start from scratch and can develop low-cost, engaging content in-house. Flypaper makes rapid development tools easy to use and cost effective, and includes instructional design elements that are built into the program.
Tim McMahon, CEO at Catalyst Performance Learning, said his organization uses Flypaper as an alternative to a traditional learning management system. “Traditional learning management systems aren’t always practical for many organizations. Flypaper’s tracking capabilities, lower cost and flexibility make it a sound choice. Creating e-learning is simple and, because Flypaper hosts the content, the need for IT support is greatly reduced.”
Adobe AIR allows developers to build and deploy rich Internet applications to the desktop and Web, providing a consistent experience and performance support to the e-learner, who can be either online or offline. It is innovative for its platform and browser independence, its integration with familiar e-learning tools and its commenting and collaboration features. Adobe AIR has potential to engage learners interactively with content.
Thomas Pullen at international law firm Bryan Cave said, “We are excited about the possibilities Adobe AIR will provide us for portable training to ‘road warrior attorneys’ who work in occasionally connected environments.”
OnPoint CellCast is a tool for creating and distributing surveys, assessments and content to a mobile workforce. It lets learners complete their assignments using any cellular phone and also can deliver content using two-way text messaging, streaming audio and a mobile Web browser on a smart phone. When comparing this mobile learning solution to others, it represents a new approach and takes the level of interactivity, practical application and feedback to a new level.
Jon Wilhelm at Applied Industrial Technologies found that most mobile users prefer accessing lessons using their cell phones versus listening to podcasts. “The integrated assessments allowed managers to track, in great detail, who actually listened to the content, how long they listened and retention using an interactive assessment or open-ended survey.”
