eLearning

In 2016 we added the production and deployment of online training to our list of services. This is an exciting field and offers many opportunities for the creative uses of multimedia in delivering knowledge. We completed 2 large training projects in 2016 for World Class clients using this technology.

In the last few years, eLearning has become increasingly popular in a wide range of uses and types. From traditional education to specialized corporate training, the expansion of digital technology is empowering the delivery of knowledge. The savings in travel and lodging costs as well as the flexibility of scheduling has made this a very valuable adjunct to any training program.

A well-crafted eLearning program can contain text, narration, other audio and video as well as graphics. There are a variety of types of digital delivery of knowledge that fall under the heading of eLearning. Here are some examples:

Webinar
This is generally an online presentation or workshop with one or more lecturers and an audience who have signed on in real time. The lecture is generally linear and the lecturer takes questions at intervals from viewers. A webinar can also be strictly one way communication where the lecturer talks and the audience merely listens. This type of webinar is often used as a sales pitch on a product or service and becomes a form of “infomercial”.

Online Presentation
An online presentation is usually a self-advancing slide show with narration built in. It is often strictly linear like video and the viewer simply watches. A more interactive version allows the viewer to advance or otherwise navigate the slides as needed. This type of presentation can also contain branching navigation where the viewer can chose different paths through the presentation or drill down for more information if desired.

Online Course
An online course generally contains a series of lessons which combine to cover a broader subject. Each lesson often contains topics and subtopics depending on the complexity of the subject matter. Online courses frequently contain quizzes, surveys and other interactive components that require involvement by the viewer. Online courses are frequently tied into Learning Management Systems

LMS (Learning Management System)
An LMS generally manages and monitors the activities of a group of students taking one or even multiple courses. The LMS can track who is signed up for what, how many lessons have been completed, test scores and other data. Some can even be set up to generate badges, certificates and other encouragements as needed for individual motivation.

A sophisticated LMS can even “gateway’ a student’s progress through a course by requiring a passing grade in one lesson in order to advance to the next level. Some LMS can contain complex databases to pull information by student, subject etc. This information is compiled and delivered to the administrator of the course

Summary
ELearning does not have to be delivered over the internet. It can be set up on an internal network or even run from a thumb drive or a CD! It can be used for learning presentations of any size from 5 minutes to 5 hours. It’s cost effective, efficient and can be much more compelling that simple text documents. You can expect to see much more of this application of technology in the future!