Authoring Tools

By Bruno
 CONTENT

• INTRODUCTION
– DEFINITIONS
• PRINCIPLE USES
• WHY AUTHORING TOOL
• EE’S APPLICATION OF AUTHORING TOOLS
• MAKING A CHOICE
– IMPORTANT FEATURES TO BE CONSIDERED
– QUICK COMPARISM
• RECOMMENDATION
• REFERENCES
 INTRODUCTION
DEFINITIONS

• An authoring tool is a software package which

Wikipedia developers use to create and package content
deliverable to end users.

• Software that allows (usually non-programmer)

Business users to create their own courseware, web
dictionary.com page, or multimedia applications and
the associated navigating tools
 PRINCIPLE USES

• commonly used to create e-learning modules.

– In conformity to some international standard, such as SCORM (Shareable Content Object Reference
Model) or AICC (Aviation Industry CBT Committee). (wikipedia)

• Some game Development

 WHY AUTHORING TOOL

Realizing a Greater ROI on Educational Materials

Material are ready for multiple use

Having the Most Optimized, State-of-the-Industry Content

Because of authoring tools, Instructional activities and development of
eLearning modules can be directly created by the person who is most
qualified to design such a curriculum, instead of the person who knew
how to program computer software.

Convenience and low delivery cost

• save time, effort (for developers) and training budget.
• E-Leaning solutions can be developed for multiple
platforms – desktops, pc, smartphones and tablets.
• Access learning anytime, anywhere.
 WHY AUTHORING TOOL cont’d
Compatibility with the web
• Built in features of current authoring tools are ready for Web
delivery.
• Ready for Mobile (on the go learning) and Desktop browsers.
• HTML5 support – provides greater interactivity and appeal for the
learners.

They come with comprehensive features and

broad data integration.
Existing material like content, images and graphics can be
used as-is.
The interactivities include simple ones like transitions,
illustrations, scrolling panels and so on.
Higher level interactivities like Drag and Drop, Surveys and
Text/Data entry fields can also be created as per the needs of
the client and users.

Compact
E-courses are also very lightweight. Thus they take up very little space
and bandwidth at the learners’ device.
 WHY AUTHORING TOOL cont’d

Offline accessibility
Courses can also be made downloadable and printable.

Industry standards compliance

Authoring tools are compliant to industry standards -
SCORM and AICC. This ensures that user progress can be
easily tracked on the LMS where the e-courses reside.

Multi device accessibility

• Accesses the e-courses through multiple devices (online,
offline or mobile), does not affect learner’s progress is
tracking.
EE’S APPLICATION OF AUTHORING TOOLS

• New product offering (content and consulting

solution) target: all sectors
• existing content - Re-authoring / Course introductions
• Development of content for our web based solutions,
(EE managed websites)
• Onboarding materials (presentations) – In house
• In-house short courses
 MAKING A CHOICE
IMPORTANT FEATURES TO BE CONSIDERED
User interface - Learning object Will it create modules
Intuitive user repository and/or other from PowerPoint,
interface for both tools to help manage Word, or other
designers and collaborative standard software
learners authoring. being used?

creating process - Logical

SCORM/AICC
process of creating a course
conformance? Tin Can
or module. Does it use a
API integration? Will it
design model that designers
allow you to go outside
are comfortable with?
of SCORM if necessary?

Integration - Templates - Multi-media – video, audio, animation,

Will it work Inclusion of avatars. Does it have built-in tools for
well with your standard templates these or do you need external tools? Are
LMS? and ability to these tools easy to use – what are your
create your own. preferences or standards?

Collaboration - Individual desk- Ability to publish to Screen capture –

top or web-based collaborative a variety of formats still and video for
tool? If collaborative, does it including HTML, software
support the kinds of XML, Flash, HTML5, simulations
collaboration you want? etc.
 • .

MAKING A CHOICE Cont’d

Can you import from Is the look and feel of the output
Ability to create social or export to other customizable – themes, styles, colours,
simulations as well as authoring platforms branding, etc. so it fits with your
software simulations. that others may be HR/learning portal and LMS?
using?

Does it provide for flexible Can you control the

Can learners
navigation by learners – course personalize path the learner takes
outline, table of contents, glossary, the look and or leave it completely
FAQ, ability to jump anywhere in feel? open? You may want to
the “course”? make that choice

Branching – based Adaptive – will it lead learners

Is there a print
both on learner through a quicker path or to an
and save
choice and results enhancement module if they do
capability for
on tests well on tests or to remediation if
learners?
they don’t do so well?

Interactivity – a. Tests and questions b.

Simulations i. Computer screen simulations ii.
Other simulations c. Games d. Social
interaction i. Can I contact someone if I have
questions? ii. Discussion groups. Practice
 MAKING A CHOICE Cont’d
Tests – a. Questions drawn from a bank Kind of feedback on tests – score on whole test,
b. Questions randomized c. Distractors response with correct answer on each question,
randomized d. Set number of tries e. Timed tests no feedback, chances to retake quizzes – the
f. Multiple response g. Multiple choice option to choose among these.
h. Transformation - students are asked to re-write
sentences, etc. using different (or modified forms of)
given words. i. Cloze/gap-filling/fill in the blank - a
portion of text with certain words removed, where How are tests scored? –
the student is asked to replace the missing words learner self-assessment?
j. Error correction k. True/False l. Matching Does the score go on
m. Drag and drop n. Hot spot o. Completion/fill-in- learner’s record? Can you
the-blank (with or without explicit choices)
make that choice?
p. Ranking q. Likert scale r. Mathematical
Add on(s) - Are
calculation questions with variable inputs. Numerical
answer s. Short answer t. Essay with instructor there add-on
notification (Can the system partially mark the Can learners take modules for
response? For example: spelling, grammar, key word the course offline? additional
– although there are programs that do this for capabilities
résumés, I am not aware of any quiz creation tools when you need
that do this.) them?

Performance support – is it Mobile learning – does it provide Does it

“chunkable” into small tools for this? Not just HTML5 output provide for
objects that can be retrieved but guidelines and templates for different
by learners at the point of adapting to the small screen of most languages?
need. mobile gadgets.
 Quick comparison of features
QUICK
COMPARISM
 RECOMENDATION

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 REFERENCES
• Ashley Landman. (March 13, 2014). HOW CAN AUTHORING TOOLS BENEFIT YOUR COMPANY. Available:
http://elearningmind.com/authoring-tools-benefit-company/. Last accessed 2nd Oct 2014.
• Christopher Pappas. (2014). 11 Tips to Choose the Best eLearning Authoring Tool. Available: http://elearningindustry.com/11-
tips-to-choose-the-best-elearning-authoring-tool. Last accessed 22nd Oct 2014.
• Elearnity. (January 2014). An Independent Analyst Perspective into the Authoring Tools Market. Available:
http://www.elearnity.com/downloads/9-grid/9gridauthoring201401.pdf. Last accessed 24 Oct 2014.
• E-learning 24/7 blog - the truth and realities of e-learning, ‘Authoring tools trend’, web log post, September 2013, viewed
30th October 2014, http://elearninfo247.com/2013/09/12/authoring-tool-trends/
• Florian Mehm, Christian Reuter, Stefan Göbel, Ralf Steinmetz. (September 2012). Future Trends in Game Authoring
Tools. Future Trends in Game Authoring Tools. 1 (1), 536-541.
• Joe Ganci . (OCTOBER 12, 2011). Seven Top Authoring Tools.Available:
http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/768/seven-top-authoring-tools. Last accessed 2nd Oct 2014.
• Wikipedia. (20 October 2014). AUTHORING TOOLS . Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoring_system. Last accessed
22nd Oct 2014.