A compilation of commonly used eLearning authoring tools. What's your take?
When I use it..., Simple/short screen capture with audio
What I like about it, Quick free way to get screen captures., Simple to use, focused only on one thing
What I like about it, Quick free way to get screen captures., Simple to use, focused only on one thing
When I use it..., Rapid eLearning, Expo loops, Branching & Scenario learning, quizzes, sales / marketing demos, online references
What I like about it..., Ease of use, Flash-based output, I can convert PPT, extensible - can include lots of file types together, excellent support team, forums
What I don't like about it..., Engage loading times, No player for embedded movies, Publishing times are slow, can't output to one file, can't place objects on top of an embedded flash movie.
When I use it...
What I like...
What i don't like...
When I use it...
What I like...
What I don't like...
Software simulations
Performance-based assessment
Rapid eLearning
"Poor man's Flash" - easy way to create some basic animations
Software and applications demonstrations
Ease of use
Speedy demos, sims, assessments
Integration with other Adobe tools
Screen recording (software demos)
Easy to create interactive software sims
easy image edit for software simulations
publishes fairly quickly
Good for non-training professionals new to eLearning development
Record audio as your walk through demonstration and then go back and edit audio later. Easy on-the-fly demos that can be polished and re-purposed.
Buggy, some unclear documentation
No way to track any variables, Actually, version 4 has variable capability, but it's the first one that does.
Output always looks like "captivate", It has a problem with font aliasing: fonts on transparent captions look either ulgy or not aliased.
can't publish to various size outputs, Yes You can. Their are multiple output size options
Can't handle complex learning scenarios that require multiple branching pathways and multiple ways to navigate between pages, This is also not true. Although Captivate is not a master of branched scenarios, V4 takes a great step in that direction
Difficult to support constructivist learning
Too lightweight a program for experienced learning professionals used to the flexibility of Authorware or Toolbook
Forces eLearning into a timeline/page turner metaphor, Not true either. Allows for decisions to be made by the learner.
Can't (or i don't know how to) add a template for an entire presentation. Have t format each item in each slide manually., You can create templates as well
Rapid eLearning
Demonstrate on-screen processes
Creating Recruiting Video
New node
Very accurate recordings
Outputs to lots of different formats
Editor is fairly full-featured
Easy to Use/Intuitive
has a Mac version
Preset callout boxes look hokey - agree!
A few minor head-scratchers in the Editor
can't overlay graphics very easily
hard to make click-throughs
Rapid eLearning
Custom interactions
Animated characters
Custom buttons & navigation
New node
Flexibility
Unlimited possibilities
New node
You have to be a programmer
ActionScript learning curve
Drawing tools still need work
Takes a long time to self-teach. JavaScript headaches for newbies. Tears, sometimes, too.
New node
New node
New node
Rapid eLearning
New node
New node
New node
Rapid eLearning
Branching & Scenario based learning
New node
Able to incorporate JavaScript
Book, Chapter, Page metaphor structure
New node
So many fields to fill out!
HTML output
Huge learning curve
Friendly interface for beginners, but once you start using advanced features, the user interface is limiting.
Output looks, well, sort of 1992ish
Rapid e-Learning
Web-based collaborative development
XML driven templates rather than embedded text
Ability to externalize assets
Good SCORM export
Source code available for customization (if you have a flash developer)
Web interface can be slow
Previewing can be complicated (often requires cache-clearing)
Provided templates are kind of clunky
when I need to create drag & drop activities and keep a solid style (easily) throughout several screens
ease of use, web-access, interactivity of elearning modules
per user costs are hard on a tight budget
When I need to convert an existing Word document into a set of HTML pages and add some interactivity like quizzes etc.
Ease of use, allows quick conversion of Word documents.
Doesn't add flash based content.
When I want to create a navigateable set of HTML pages that can include quiz questions and some other basic interactivity.
Free, simple to use,
Open source
can export to a range of formats (SCORM, HTML)
Doesn't add flash based content, no way (that I know of) to import content from elsewhere.
problematic to inlcude larger screenshots
When I want to create HTML content with some animation and interactivity.
Free, powerful.
Difficult to learn, has scripting language, documentation is in Russian, and really is a dog of a thing to learn for a newbie.
Rapid elearning projects
When I don't have time (or the need) to start from scratch and specify how a module should work
When I know the content will need to be kept up-to-date by someone else (a non-programmer)
Ease of use, Easy to add questions and interactions, Built in design templates and themes mean I don't have to be a designer to produce professional-looking modules
Exports to web just like it's authored (WYSIWYG)
I can easily add Articulate Engage and Adobe Captivate content
Speeds review process, Integrates with online review which speeds our review cycles (MySeminar Review)
Exports to SCORM 1.2, CD, web, script, etc
Not ideal for heavy video and sound (but what web pages really are?), I tend to use native Flash if I'm building modules with a lot of video and audio
New node
New node
EXPENSIVE license
Sims are image based; meaning sim maintenance can be a pain when systems change.
Difficult/Impossible to pass interaction data out of sim to LMS for analytics.
New node
To get away from dire, conventional e-learning
Any discovery-based learning
When the audience suits a 3D game approach
I control design and production, I explore, produce, iterate
Easy to produce stunning, challenging game-based content
A bit version 1'ish (even though it's v3)
Can be clumsy to do things a conventional package does easily
Rapid e-learning
Product training
Create assessments, exams, surveys
When developing content with team
When content needs to be maintained by customers
Seperates design from content
Easy integration of (Flash) plugins
Various methods of publications (SCORM, HTML, CD-ROM) directly available
Content is stored on server
Client application is fast
Easy integration of voice overs, video files, screencasts
True WYSIWYG editor even previews questions and interactions
Only Windows client available
Requires (internet) connection to the server
As a replacement for Authorware
For a visual, icon-based authoring environment
Branching, multiple scenario learning that Captivate can not support
Need Flash output for eLearning
Need a full range of eLearning functionality
Quick development project
Uses a logic metaphor, flowline; easier to use than a timeline
Supports high complex interactivity
Supports variables, uses learning objects
FREE (open-source)
Icons similar to Authorware
SCORM, can author content for a LMS
Easily combine all types of media without programming
Premade templates for use as examples
Not unnecessarily complex and overbuilt
Quick publish/preview process
Motion is not built in (but can be done in Flash)
Video must be converted to Flash before importing
support questions not organized well to search through.
When a training team needs to develop work instructions or interactive software simulations for ERP training
Develop a help site and help documentation for end-users
When I need to create end-user training exercises and job aids for SAP users
For managing a team of content developers or have SMEs review training materials
Developing assessments and converting PowerPoint to linear e-learning
When content management and change control is needed for hundreds of training documents
Single-step capture of screen actions that publish in multiple formats including playback movies, job aids, exercises, work instructions, cue cards, etc . . ., I explore, produce, iterate
Electronic workflow, review, and approval features with built-in e-mail notification
Good change control features for controlled/regulated/restricted content
Authoring, Admin, Publishing, and Reviewer roles, New node
Much more accurate than Captivate for screen captures, recognizes names of buttons, icons, and functions while recording in SAP
Good support site
Expensive unless used to support a large number of end-users
Audio files must be imported, can't record audio directly into content
Faculty can narrate existing PPTs and save to publish to .zip file which I then upload to Blackboard or Connect Pro
SCORM tools
Easy for faculty to acclimate to it because it is familiar, a PPT plug-in.
Create quick screen shots
Create short screencast
It's free
It's simple
It does what it says on the tin.
Limited output format (esp video)
Sound quality not brilliant
You think Firefly is expensive???
