What are content authoring tools?
Forefront of the eLearning frontier, the authoring tools helps trainers integrate a collection of media to create professional, interactive and engaging training content. An authoring tool is a piece of software that allows you to create and arrange content into a standardized course structure. In simple words, eLearning content authoring tool is a software package that enables the use of learning objects and/or digitized elements or from an existing course in a new course.
Authoring tools facilitate the creation of a proper course for eLearning. eLearning authoring tools are one of the most important pieces of software used by a training organization, project, or developer. Authoring tools are designed for particular styles of learning, delivery platforms, file formats, eLearning standards, and production workflows.
As a software package, eLearning content authoring tool helps users to create and package eLearning content deliverable to end users. It also helps eLearning content developers design compelling and interactive eLearning experiences. This is done with the help of training videos, interactive assessments, and dialogue simulations.
These tools provide many facilities helping the author to create a good e-content for courses. In fact, e-content has very important features that make the work easier than paper-content. eLearning provides the learners with the ability to fit learning around their lifestyles, effectively allowing even the busiest person to further a career and gain new qualifications.
With the right tool, various processes can be automated such as the marking of tests or the creation of engaging content.
Advantages of content authoring tools for eLearning
eLearning makes use of many technologies, whilst some have been created specifically for the purpose and then there are some which conveniently complement the learning process. A good content authoring tool is designed to be accessible, thus ensuring the content is available to the entire audience, irrespective of the device being used. Not only are the content authoring tools intuitive and easy to use, they are also quite responsive. It allows the users to create a different version of a course for every device, thus bringing in simplicity. That being said, the tools and technologies used in eLearning environment are manifold. Here are some of the advantages of implementing content authoring tools for eLearning:
- Speeds up the eLearning development process: Content authoring tools are quite beneficial when it comes to reducing the development time. Best suited for comprehensive eLearning courses, content authoring tools help save the time spent on collecting media, creating layouts, outsourcing tasks, etc. These tools, on the other hand, features themes, templates, and interactions that can be easily integrated in the current eLearning course design.
- Easier to upkeep and update: With content authoring tools, it is quite easy to revise and update the eLearning course design. It also enables the creation of new eLearning content that allows creating content that is in compliance with evolving learner needs.
- Increases learner engagement and participation: The authoring tools ensure faster turnaround and offers stress-free updates, thus ensuring relevant eLearning experiences. This further allows the users to effectively engage with the eLearning content in order to get the maximum benefit.
- Aids in knowledge retention: Goal centered, content authoring tools makes it possible for online learners to connect with the SME more effectively. This not only aids better retention of core concepts and ideas but also improves knowledge retention ability of the user.
- Maximizes company resources: A multi-functional platform, having such tools help companies not only save time but also the hassle of employing a large team to create eLearning courses. It also allows users to fetch required information in a fraction of the time.
- Deploy multiplatform-friendly online training resource: Equipped with responsive design features, the system offers the ability to create a master layout with different breakpoints, multiplatform-friendly online content.
Importance of the choice of tools
Although selecting the best authoring tool requires close attention to detail, the process can be painless if proper attention is given. Whilst selecting the most suitable one, it is necessary to have the probable outcomes in mind in order to harness the true potential of such tools. Tools should be such that they assist the training infrastructure. They are pivotal in saving production time and costs, thus enabling team members to swiftly respond to emerging learner needs.
If you are looking for an authoring tool, do consider the following and then make your decision on what tool to select.
- Cost
- Customer Support
- Documentation/Guides/Knowledge Base
- Features
- Ease of use
Another factor that is not be to kept on the backburner is the durability. It is practical to choose the preferred tools on the basis of durability as it adds to the longevity. This also ensures that the source files can be opened and edited in future versions of the application. As you mull over these considerations, keep in mind that it’s important to build your eLearning design principles. Authoring tools help bring the aforementioned principles to life — and picking the right one can make it easier for you to build compelling, and learner-friendly courses.
MagicBoxTM Authoring Tool helps you create engaging courses that are accessible, easy to use, and has an in-built assessment to track the knowledge acquired by the learner. You can Contact Us for a free demo if you want to learn more about the MagicBoxTM Authoring Tool.
