eLearning

Streamline Workflow And Improve ROI: 9 LMS Features For eLearning Freelancers

admin — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 17:32:20 +0000

Streamline Workflow And Improve ROI: 9 LMS Features For eLearning Freelancers admin Sun, 03/06/2022 - 00:32

The Best LMS Features To Boost ROI And Streamline Workflow

eLearning freelancers have a lot to think about when investing in a new Learning Management System. It’s not just the price point or finding a UI that aligns with their team’s talents. They must also consider the needs of their clients, both present and future. Which features will they require to implement effective online training programs for their in-house staff? Their objectives and yours must be fulfilled using the same tool. So, which LMS features should you add to your list in order to boost ROI and streamline your work practices?

9 Top LMS Features For eLearning Freelancers

1. Custom Reports

Many LMS platforms feature basic out-of-the-box reports. However, custom reports help you track metrics that are relevant to your business and the client’s online training needs. The LMS for freelancers should also have report scheduling and automated reports to simplify the process. For example, you can set up weekly reports for clients who want to measure specific online training objectives.

2. Authoring Tool

A built-in authoring tool cuts costs, ensures compatibility, and streamlines your workflow. Instead of investing in a third-party tool, an LMS for freelancers is equipped with assets, templates, and design functions. The complete package. You don’t have to worry about formatting issues and you can repurpose existing assets to reduce costs. Plus, the built-in templates allow you to maintain consistency and quickly update content.

3. Calendar

It’s important to keep tabs on your current projects and ensure that collaborators are in the loop. A calendar helps you monitor ongoing development tasks, due dates, and milestones. But you can also use this functionality to update learners and prepare them for what lies ahead. For instance, the organization can keep employees apprised of scheduled activities and important certification deadlines. There should also be a user/group assignment function so that it is possible to indicate who has access to which calendars.

4. Online Mobile

One of the most crucial LMS features for modern learners. Online mobile enables you to deliver content on any device. Making it easy to deploy JIT resources so that organizations can quickly address gaps. Some platforms even support downloadable content that learners can access anytime, anywhere. Then the system automatically syncs their progress when they reconnect.

5. Multilingual

Clients need to be able to accommodate their diverse learning audience. Which means that your LMS must have multilingual support so that everyone can access content in their native language. This also makes it easier if you plan to collaborate with other eLearning professionals from the far reaches of the globe.

6. Certificate Management

The organizations who hire you for their projects need to hold their learners accountable. Especially if you develop compliance content. Even if you plan to sell the course outright, certifications allow you to offer individual training units that are highly marketable. So, look for an LMS for freelancers with certificate management features and advanced reporting to measure performance and progress. This includes printable reports, automatic renewals, and reminders.

7. Reusable Content

This is a two-fold feature that can improve ROI and streamline workflow for eLearning freelancers. Firstly, the LMS should have built-in assets you can use to enrich your content without going over budget. Such as themes or cut-out characters. Which usually goes hand-in-hand with built-in authoring. Secondly, the tool should make it easy to repurpose content you already have thanks to simplified integration and data migration.

8. Shopping Cart

If you plan to sell your course, you need shopping cart functionality to take care of the eCommerce. This includes secure payment gateways, course catalogs, and possibly even an online marketplace where you can promote your product and reach a broader audience. Some other features to look for are discount codes, free sneak previews, and subscriptions.

9. Tests Engine

There must be a way to track how learners are faring, where they need to improve and identify gaps in the training strategy. A tests engine gives you the chance to develop assessments that evaluate learner progress and measure success based on the client’s requirements. They can pre-assess learners to set the benchmark, then follow up with a period of evaluations to gauge progress. You should be able to set score with pass/fail parameters, customize the layout, and provide immediate feedback.

Tip To Choose The Best LMS Features For eLearning Freelancers

Online reviews and ratings give you a starting point. But trying the LMS for yourself through a free trial or demo offers a whole new perspective. Many vendors offer free test drives so that you can determine if the system lives up to your expectations. You’re able to see if the tool is scalable, flexible, and user-friendly. You can also test out the support services, which is a vital feature if you are a one-person team. You need to be able to quickly learn how the system works and familiarize yourself with the features from day one. Thus, experienced tech support can help you get off the ground running instead of losing precious time and resources overcoming a sizable learning curve.

Conclusion

This list is a great starting point but there are, undoubtedly, more LMS features your team needs to tackle work tasks. Get their input before beginning your search and evaluate your business reports. Which features do clients look for? Is there a trend when it comes to the content they require or LMS applications? The goal is to find a tool that improves client satisfaction and makes life easier for your development team. Even if that team is just you… flying solo and wearing many eLearning hats.

Source: elearningindustry

Category

Business Technology

7 Best Practices To Streamline eLearning Production

admin — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 17:26:37 +0000

7 Best Practices To Streamline eLearning Production admin Sun, 03/06/2022 - 00:26

How To Streamline eLearning Production

To create the best eLearning courses for your learners it's imperative that you take advantage of collaborative technology. After all, the latest advances in this field have made it possible for people to collaborate with others who are thousands of miles away, using completely different types of devices. Of course, if you want to reap the benefits of collaborative technology in the eLearning industry, you need to know how to use it correctly. Use the right tools for the job and these tips will streamline eLearning course production.

1. Use Collaborative Technology

You now have access to numerous collaborative tools and that's definitely a good thing, because such tools make it easier than ever to communicate with someone on the other side of the country or even the world, all from a laptop, smartphone, or tablet. Traditional barriers to communication -distance and the use of different devices- have fallen.

Productivity has improved, because these collaborative tools eliminate communication issues. People can communicate with each other with a smartphone or tablet, and they can share, edit, ask and answer questions, and take notes on documents in the virtual space.

As long as you choose an authoring tool that lets you and everyone else easily share feedback, there's no need to send large files over email or leave feedback in word documents. This is especially helpful as you create and edit eLearning courses with your team; you'll appreciate the ability to make notes on specific parts of the eLearning course.

2. Empower All Team Members To Create Learning For Their Colleagues

Employees who have access to the right authoring tools have the ability to work on projects anywhere, anytime, improving their productivity while creating eLearning content.

For example, think about the Subject Matter Experts on your team that don't necessarily have the technical Instructional Design skills to design eLearning from scratch. By using a simple and collaborative authoring platform, they can work directly inside the tool with team members.

3. Start Small With A Prototype

Iteration is an important part of the eLearning course production process. If you want the best results, you need to create, then experience, revise, and repeat as necessary. But not every team understands the importance of iteration. If you want to use this to your advantage, choose authoring tools that make the “build” phase part of the production process. This should save you time and ensure all stakeholders know what to expect before you invest resources into completing the eLearning.

4. Learning Is Constantly Changing, So Make Your eLearning Courses Easy to Change

The learning process never stops or stays the same, and your courses shouldn't, either. Prepare for changes by making using an authoring tool that lets you update course content instantly.

For instance, Elucidat's content authoring platform let's you make changes to eLearning without needing to re-upload files to your Learning Management System. Since the content is all hosted in the cloud, the changes are updated instantly.

5. Produce Training That Supports Performance And Adds Real Value

While producing great eLearning content is your main goal, it shouldn't be the only one. You should also strive to make sure your team is producing eLearning that supports performance.

You can start by collecting content that explains what your team needs to know, and then make a video, tutorial, chart, or game from it.

6. Make Use Of Reusable Themes, Layouts, And Page Types

If you want to streamline eLearning production, it's best to create themes and layouts one time, then reuse them whenever possible. Make sure everything you create contains matches your branding guidelines, and then make it all accessible to your entire team.

Authoring tools with reusable themes, layouts and page types make this possible. Instead of spending days creating courses from scratch each time, your team can add content to these reusable elements to create courses in hours.

7. Embrace Technology That Produces Multi-Device Learning

These days, people expect to be able to learn from a range of devices. This means you need to make sure your content looks good on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. This requires you to use authoring tools that let you build and test content on every device before you publish.

Use the best practices in this article to reduce the risk of running into challenges that slow down your eLearning process.

Source: elearningindustry

Category

Business Technology

Gamification in E-Learning: 7 Effective Uses

admin — Sat, 18 Dec 2021 16:32:15 +0000

Gamification in E-Learning: 7 Effective Uses admin Sat, 12/18/2021 - 23:32

A staggering 31,80,000 search results! this is what Google showed, when I clicked the enter button after typing the buzzword ’gamification’. Gamification is the use of game elements and game mechanics to non-game contexts, which include marketing, customer loyalty, HR as well as learning. Gamification in e-learning or gamified e-learning, as it is popularly called is gaining momentum and many organizations are using it or planning to use it in future.

So if you are wondering how to use gamification in e-learning then this post will answer it for you. I have put together seven different areas where gamification can be used in e-learning. For convenience, I have categorised the e-learning into two sections-
1.Learning and educating the employees of the organisation.
2.Learning and educating the customers of the organisation

Let’s see first what are the effective uses of gamification of e-learning inside an organization?

1.Increasing sales effectiveness

In every organization, the role of the sales force is very important and is upto the organization to ensure that their sales teams are highly competitive. To be competitive in the market, the sales teams should be trained to have the right sales orientation and a thorough product knowledge.

But one of the common challenges faced by all modern day organizations are about training their sales team.
A traditional classroom training becomes rather impossible as the salesforce is spread across different geographical locations.
Another important challenge is the lack of learner engagement with the sales training programs. Overcoming both the above-mentioned challenges is possible by introducing gamification into your online sales training.

For example, Hewlett-Packard (“HP”) utilized gamification techniques to engage its resellers of several major product lines through an online platform called ”Project Everest.”

Each reseller had an individual profile which used the visual avatars climbing the mountain which was representing sales achievements. The result was amazing as HP was able to achieve over $1 billion of revenue growth after the implementation of gamification in their sales training.

2.Product training

Product training, product updates, reshuffling of the product portfolio, inducting new channel partners and training them on product features etc. becomes time-consuming and disengaging for the employees as well as channel partners.
With the help of gamification the entire process of product training can become a memorable experience. The learner enjoys the experience of playing a game, where the organization can use assessments and quizzes, etc. the organisation can also reward the employees with points and leaderboard positions, badges etc for their active participation and passing the assessment tests.

For example, ‘Go To Jupiter’ is a gamified learning solution, used to teach to 500 agents or medical representatives about a new medicine. AstraZeneca’s agents have to earn points by answering the quiz and playing different mini-games focused on the features of a new product. Here AstraZeneca could simultaneously engage the huge number of agents or medical representatives to teach them about the new products.

3.Employee Recruitment and onboarding

Employee recruitment is not an easy task. The recruiter has to search hundreds of resumes to fill up a single post in the organization. The process involves the recruiter to shortlist the candidates from the ‘n’ number of resumes which is generally followed by an interview process. And even after selecting the new employee, he/ she has to undergo the onboarding process and training.

This has become time-consuming for the organizations and hence the organisations have started using the strategy of gamification to conduct employee recruitment process and onboarding process.
With the application of gamification, the organization is able to make the recruitment process an enjoyable one for the candidate too. The organizations can bring the element of competition to make one person compete against the other and bring out the best that a person has. They use scorecards, leaderboards, points, and badges etc. to attract the participants to outdo the others.

For example, “The Shell Exploration Game”, where potential employees are required to explore a given region and squeeze out as much energy out of it as possible by solving problems and puzzles.

Gamification is gaining popularity in the employee recruitment process as some companies are actively using the gamification strategies for the pre-induction purpose.

For example, at XLPRO we have developed pre-induction gamified modules for an MNC where they wanted to gamify their pre-induction process. The idea of pre-induction gamification was to make the recruits aware of their roles and responsibilities, the culture of the company etc. even before they join the organization.

4.Compliance training

Compliance training are generally seen or perceived as boring by the learners. This challenge had left the compliance officers and the training department to look for innovative and effective strategies to keep the learners engaged with the compliance training modules.

And one such training strategy which can help in creating engagement successfully among the learners is gamification for compliance training.
One of the biggest advantage of gamifying a compliance training is that the learners need can learn from their mistakes.
The gamified module can use the real scenarios or simulate a controlled environment for the learner to enjoy and learn from the e-learning module.

For example,MetaMythic’s- CIP Defender an award winning elearning module which was made for the utility industry in response to the threat of cyber-attacks by hackers and terrorists against the power grid of the America.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requires utilities to comply with a new set of cyber-security standards.
The module used a scenario based gamified approach to educate the learners on the importance of following these regulations.

5.Skill Development training

Several organizations are leading the way in integrating gamification into skill building learning programs.

Gamification is used effectively by the organisations as a learning strategy to help the learners build their skills and talents.

For example, Deloitte Leadership Academy (DLA) is an innovative digital executive training program for more than 50,000 executives worldwide. The organisation used game mechanics like leaderboards, badges etc to encourage the learners to actively login to the learning portal and attend the different courses.

6.Training for inventory management

It is a known fact that inventory management is an important area for all organizations involved in manufacturing and product delivery (e-commerce). Inventory management becomes all the more critical in today’s competitive environment as a well managed inventory system leads to cost as well as time saving.

While this is not a popular use of gamification in e-learning it is quite effective as it builds in elements of rewards and motivation for the users who manage the inventory efficiently.

For example, the famous automotive retailer Pep Boys, they have a gamified elearning program called Axonify , where employees play a quiz game that deals with inventory management and accident prevention. The learners are rewarded when they complete the quizzes and other assessments.

While we have seen the various effective uses of gamification in e-learning within the organisation, gamification is also being extensively used for educating the customers.

7.Promote customer education

Who is not familiar with the gamified app of Nike called Nike+ , which promotes a healthy lifestyle amongst the consumers by motivating them to run?
The app tracks running distance, speed, and time etc of the users .
The app also uses the game elements like leaderboards, badges to engage and motivate the users.
The app gives you the assistance of a personal coach to deliver personal instructions to the users and educate them for a healthy lifestyle.

While this app comes under the purview of the marketing strategy of Nike but it is a classic example of how an iconic brand is educating its customers about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and encouraging them to adopt it with the help of gamification.

Hence I feel that one of the greatest things about gamification is its limitless potential.

With the future predicting an increasing trend for gamification, I feel that gamification in e-learning, is here to stay and more organizations will definitely include gamification as their learning strategy.

I would like to hear from you what are the other effective uses of gamification at your workplace learning.

Source: playxlpro.com

Category

IT Consulting

Decoding Game-based Learning Courses in Online Training: What and How

admin — Sat, 18 Dec 2021 16:26:43 +0000

Decoding Game-based Learning Courses in Online Training: What and How admin Sat, 12/18/2021 - 23:26

In online training, engaging your learners is an imperative factor to ensure effective transfer of knowledge to the job. E-learning courses use varied media elements such as videos, animations, and more to captivate learners’ attention. However, these conventional methods of knowledge transfer have one thing in common – a one-way-exchange of information. Though you can include eLearning interactivities, they still limit learners’ participation in the learning process. Meanwhile, game-based learning courses weave learning content around a game. This allows learners to gain knowledge while playing, ensuring knowledge transfer is effective.

What is Game-based Learning?

Game-based eLearning courses integrate games into the learning process where learners have to play to learn and achieve specific learning objectives. Learners get the opportunity to apply their knowledge while playing, in contrast to gaining contextual knowledge first and putting it to use later.

What is Game-based Online Learning?

The very principle of game-based online learning hitches on the Situated Cognition theory which posits that knowing is inseparable from doing. Game-based eLearning courses integrate games into the learning process where learners have to play to learn and achieve specific learning objectives. The theory argues that knowledge is situated in the context, activity, and culture in which it is learned.

To put it simply, learners get the opportunity to apply their knowledge while playing, in contrast to gaining contextual knowledge first and putting it to use later. Consequently, learners who gain knowledge this way retain information much longer, since they actively discover learning, not passively.

Needless to say, game-based eLearning content encourages learners to solve problems, exercise their imagination, execute strategies, play as characters, and win the game. Much like the famous game PUBG that has managed to attract even non-gamers, game-based eLearning courses ensure effective knowledge transfer and improved application to the job.

Also, game-based eLearning courses intrigue learners and promote self-esteem, social interaction and of course, fun. However, are game-based eLearning courses the same as gamified eLearning courses or gamification in online training?

Are Game-based and Gamified eLearning Courses the Same?

Gamification is not game-based eLearning. In fact, gamification does not require learners to even play a game. Gamification is all about using game mechanics and elements such as badges, rewards, points system, and ranking, to make learning compelling. (For instance, giving two points for each correct answer.)

Gamification or gamified eLearning courses posit on encouraging learners to engage in a desired manner while taking advantage of the human psychological tendency toward gaming.

Game-based courses, on the other hand, use full-fledged games to achieve specific learning objectives in eLearning. For instance, an eLearning course designed in the form of a maze where learners have to figure out the right way by overcoming all hurdles successfully.

What are the Important Elements of Game-based eLearning Courses?

While game-based eLearning courses have to be engaging and compelling, learning objectives around which the game will be designed are the star here. The game should gear up learners to achieve those learning objectives and provide important takeaways that enhance learning behavior.

A game-based eLearning course should be highly interactive so that learners are completely immersed in it. Moreover, everything in the game-based eLearning course starting from the narrative and background images and sound effects to the challenges and progression should be tied to the learning objectives and not work in isolation.

Game-based eLearning courses shouldn’t be too easy to win, which can bore learners and disengage them. Also, when a game-based online course is overly challenging, it can be frustrating and demotivate learners from progressing through the next levels. Hence, it is important to analyze your learners’ skills and experience levels to provide a course that caters to their learning needs.

Providing immediate and diagnostic feedback is an important component of a good game-based eLearning course. Feedback guides learners toward the right learning path and reinforces the right learning. For instance, consider a game-based eLearning course in the form of a board game. If the learner answers incorrectly, he may have to go back a few paces or draw an extra card and play again.

Game-Based Online Learning Courses: How We Did It

While you know what a game-based eLearning course is and what its important components are, it’s time to know how game-based eLearning works! Here are a few examples of how we developed game-based eLearning courses to meet our clients’ demand for active, engaging, and compelling learning.

Game-based eLearning Assessments

One of the biggest benefits of game-based eLearning assessments is that they are developed to test employees in a stress-free environment. Evaluation in a low-pressure setting allows for more accurate performance and eliminates the tension of a conventional assessment.

Game-based eLearning assessments can either be part of your eLearning curriculum or work as a standalone module that can be used to evaluate learners, after the completion of larger online or classroom training sessions. Gaming fosters motivation, and the challenges and tasks further make assessments effective.

For instance, game-based eLearning assessments can be used to assess learners on compliance training topics such as safety or information security. You can even assess your time-stricken sales force in an engaging and interactive game-based assessment about the latest features of a product or the market policies.

Here are two examples of game-based eLearning assessments that we’ve developed. Go ahead and check the demos to know how they work. Both these game-based eLearning assessments assess employees on customer relations. The first is in the form of quiz while the second is a board game. Learners play this game while identifying dissatisfied customers and learn how to best deal with them.

By now, I’m sure you’re convinced of how game-based eLearning courses can take your training one notch higher. The effectiveness of these courses is pretty evident. However, in case you’re wondering if tracking eLearning activities is going to be a hassle, here’s good news.

The latest eLearning technology standard, xAPI, allows you to track and record instances such as time spent on a course, number of attempts, errors made, pace of progress, and much more. To conclude, game-based eLearning courses are soon going to play a prominent role in shaping the course of online learning. Is your organization ready for it?

Source: https://elearningindustry.com

Category

Smart Solutions

How does eLearning facilitate Enterprise Resource Planning Training?

admin — Sat, 18 Dec 2021 16:22:58 +0000

How does eLearning facilitate Enterprise Resource Planning Training? admin Sat, 12/18/2021 - 23:22

How eLearning Facilitates Enterprise Resource Planning Training

It takes many different processes to run a business. Be it Inventory Management, Accounting, Human Resources, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) or any other, all are important for the success of your company. For the smooth working of any organization, it is essential that employees conveniently access these resources seamlessly to achieve your end goals. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a software that integrates the various functions of your many business verticals into one comprehensive system to streamline processes and information across the entire organization.

ERP applications assist employees in doing their jobs more efficiently by breaking down barriers and sharing useful insights between different business units. For example, the CRM unit can provide user data to Inventory Managers to better control the flow of goods. This makes ERP systems the backbone of any major organization. For such a powerful software to be utilized to its full potential, it is necessary that employees are effectively trained to use it.

However, using traditional methods to teach learners a sophisticated software can prove to be challenging, as there are only so many procedures you can convey in the classroom verbally before you start boring people. ERP training without any digital aid will quickly lose its steam as learners will have a hard time visualizing the interface and the functionalities. That’s why it's best to use a digital learning strategy for your ERP training. Let’s explore some of the advantages technology-based learning brings to the table:

1. Hands-On Learning Using Simulations

eLearning courses give employees the opportunity to experience the actual ERP system, without any of the real-world ramifications, with simulations. It is basically an emulation of the actual software, with all its complexities and functionalities. A simulation gives learners many opportunities to practice using the software, make mistakes, and learn from them, till they perfect the task at hand. When learners use the actual ERP system, they will feel completely at home since they have already figured out the entire console in simulation sessions and nothing is left to the imagination.

2. Better Understanding Through Online Narratives

Let’s not forget that an ERP system is well connected to the real world. One click of a button can have real consequences, such as dispatching a shipment, or initiating a production process. Instructional strategies, such as storytelling, or scenario-based learning, help you construct a layered story around your complicated ERP processes.

This helps end users better visualize the entire process, establishes relativity, and imparts a sense of responsibility while using the software. Additionally, you can also include case studies, which depict success stories of proficient ERP use. These will inspire employees to welcome the new technology with open arms.

3. Better Retention Via Interesting Online Media

Learning to use a complicated software, like ERP can get a little dull and mundane at times. Even though learners are looking at your eLearning content, chances are that they are retaining very little information. Luckily, the digital learning medium has the means to overcome this by using various interactive elements and attractive multimedia.

eLearning can make use of high-quality videos, sleek infographics, and captivating animations to make sure that learners’ attention doesn’t stray. eLearning also uses game-based content to boost learner involvement. Such games are created with your Subject Matter and ERP functionalities embedded in them.

4. Thriving Support System

A single user may use the ERP for several tasks. Therefore, it is better if they have access to the steps of each task, they can refer before actually executing. Using mobile devices, digital learning can effectively help you achieve this. You can create precise and crisp job-aids to help end users in training reinforcement. These can act as just-in-time learning modules, that incorporate every aspect of a particular topic, to give users appropriate support when they require it the most, and they can be accessed anywhere.

With ERP, your organization has already enabled technology for its day-to-day activities. So, why shouldn’t learning how to use it incorporate the same?

Source: https://elearningindustry.com

Category

IT Consulting

eLearning

Streamline Workflow And Improve ROI: 9 LMS Features For eLearning Freelancers

The Best LMS Features To Boost ROI And Streamline Workflow

9 Top LMS Features For eLearning Freelancers

1. Custom Reports

2. Authoring Tool

3. Calendar

4. Online Mobile

5. Multilingual

6. Certificate Management

7. Reusable Content

8. Shopping Cart

9. Tests Engine

Tip To Choose The Best LMS Features For eLearning Freelancers

Conclusion

Tags

7 Best Practices To Streamline eLearning Production

How To Streamline eLearning Production

1. Use Collaborative Technology

2. Empower All Team Members To Create Learning For Their Colleagues

3. Start Small With A Prototype

4. Learning Is Constantly Changing, So Make Your eLearning Courses Easy to Change

5. Produce Training That Supports Performance And Adds Real Value

6. Make Use Of Reusable Themes, Layouts, And Page Types

7. Embrace Technology That Produces Multi-Device Learning

Tags

Gamification in E-Learning: 7 Effective Uses

Tags

Decoding Game-based Learning Courses in Online Training: What and How

What is Game-based Learning?

What is Game-based Online Learning?

Are Game-based and Gamified eLearning Courses the Same?

What are the Important Elements of Game-based eLearning Courses?

Game-Based Online Learning Courses: How We Did It

Game-based eLearning Assessments

Tags

How does eLearning facilitate Enterprise Resource Planning Training?

How eLearning Facilitates Enterprise Resource Planning Training

1. Hands-On Learning Using Simulations

2. Better Understanding Through Online Narratives

3. Better Retention Via Interesting Online Media

4. Thriving Support System

Tags