Students prefer eLearning to traditional learning to acquire knowledge at their own pace. Likewise, eLearning helps working professionals acquire new skills and hone existing skills after working hours. However, students and working professionals consume eLearning content in multiple formats.
Some learners prefer reading articles, blogs, journals, and eBooks, while some listen to podcasts or watch educational videos. Hence, multi-format digital learning content creation is one of the major prerequisites for the successful implementation of eLearning.
Leading eLearning authoring tools help enterprises and educational institutions curtail eLearning content creation time and costs. They enable trainers and instructors to create multi-format content without writing any code. At the same time, instructors can use the tools to save time and effort by curating and repurposing content.
While implementing eLearning, an organization can choose from a wide range of eLearning content authoring software. Decision-makers must compare different categories of tools and solutions to choose software that reduces the time and resources required to produce eLearning content in multiple formats.
Overview of 7 Categories of eLearning Authoring Tools
Open Source Tools
Open-source eLearning authoring tools are used widely by small businesses and startups. An organization can customize open-source tools according to its precise needs without any restrictions. Most of these tools enable trainers to produce responsive eLearning content. Learners can access the content seamlessly using computers or mobile devices.
The complex user interface (UI) of the software makes it challenging for trainers to produce or update content in a short amount of time. Also, open-source tools often lack advanced features provided by premium tools. Hence, free editions of licensed tools are more popular with educators than open-source tools.
On-Premise Tools
On-premise eLearning authoring tools are hosted on an organization’s onsite IT infrastructure. Additionally, each content creator must install the software on his device. Most on-premise content authoring tools come with advanced features. They accelerate content creation by providing prebuilt and customizable templates.
However, trainers need some time to use these desktop-based tools effectively. These tools do not enable them to create eLearning content on the go. That is why; most organizations these days prefer cloud-based tools to on-premise tools to enable instructors to produce eLearning content anytime and anywhere.
Cloud-based Tools
Most organizations these days implement cloud-based eLearning authoring tools to curtail costs. As the software runs in the cloud, an organization is not required to build and maintain onsite IT infrastructure. Furthermore, the provider helps educators implement, customize, integrate, and manage the software without deploying in-house IT professionals.
Instructors and trainers can use these cloud-based tools to produce content on the go. Also, these tools enable content creators to collaborate regardless of current locations. Leading cloud-based tools simplify eLearning content creation by featuring drag-and-drop editors and providing templates. Also, an organization can integrate them with eLearning tools using application programming interfaces.
Content Curation Tools
Many organizations these days replace eLearning content authoring tools with content curation tools. This category of tools curates relevant content from reliable sources and reputable brands. New-age content curation tools further curate and share high-quality content with learners using intelligence technologies.
Hence, it becomes easier for organizations to run online courses or training programs without developing fresh content. However, an organization has to focus extensively on checking the quality and relevance of the curated content. Additionally, it must deliver high-quality content to learners by eliminating challenges like plagiarism and lack of context.
Video Design Tools
As highlighted by several studies, students and working professionals spend most of their digital media time watching videos. The massive popularity of video content makes many organizations deliver educational and instructional videos to learners. This category of eLearning authoring tools facilitates the production of various types of educational videos.
Leading video design tools enable trainers to create animated videos from scratch. Also, trainers can use the software to create animated videos by repurposing articles, blogs, presentations, and slideshows. At the same time, an instructor has the option to embed images and upload audio.
The templates and styling options provided by the software help instructors make educational videos more engaging and compelling. Some of these tools are available as online video makers and editors, while trainers can use specific tools to produce eLearning videos offline.
Screen Recording Tools
This form of eLearning authoring tools is popular with enterprises that run multiple employee training programs. As the name indicates, the software captures and records what is happening and what is being displayed on a computer screen. Hence, corporate trainers use screen recording tools to produce educational videos by recording webinars, live training sessions, and software tutorials.
The video content created using these tools helps employees understand steps in a complex process and gain on-the-job training. However, instructors have to edit and refine the screen recordings to convert them into engaging educational videos. Also, they can create and share eLearning content in limited video formats.
Artificial Intelligence Tools
Generative AI has completely changed the way eLearning content is produced and optimized. Organizations these days leverage conversational chatbots like ChatGPT to produce AI-generated content without human intervention. Likewise, AI-powered tools enable instructors to produce images, infographics, and videos on various concepts and topics.
Also, there are a slew of AI-driven content creation tools that come with features to simplify eLearning content development. They produce multi-format content by repurposing existing content like articles, blogs, and case studies. Many organizations leverage AI-powered tools to reduce eLearning content creation time and costs. However, they ensure information accuracy by getting the AI-generated content reviewed and refined by instructors and trainers.
Conclusion
While discussing different categories of eLearning authoring tools, we must keep in mind that new-age eLearning tools accelerate digital learning content creation in several ways. Most learning management systems (LMSs) come with built-in content authoring tools. Also, leading LMS systems meet content requirements by featuring complimentary digital library software.
Likewise, learning experience platforms (LXPs) curate high-quality content from multiple sources using intelligence technologies. Hence, it becomes easier for organizations to deliver relevant content to each learner without investing in eLearning authoring tools. Every organization must consider the content creation options provided by eLearning tools while evaluating third-party content authoring tools.
