Last week was our first webinar of our Fall eLearning Thought Leader Series. Web Courseworks CEO, Dr. Jon Aleckson, and Dr. Paul Schneider, VP of Business Development at dominKnow, discussed the Benefits of Cloud Authoring.
New industry and government standards, along with changing business needs, have created the environment for more collaboration in the course authoring process. This, in turn, has created a line of new authoring tools available via the cloud. Coining the term cloud authoring. Cloud authoring has changed the face of course authoring in the eLearning industry. Team collaboration and development is vital in this new environment. These web-based tools, such as dominKnow, ensure team collaboration and development allowing course authoring to adapt to the new standard.
Dr. Aleckson first dives into traditional course authoring and discusses old myths that still cling to it. Desktop authoring is a windows-only platform. This means it is a one-time buy, which you may get an upgrade later, and it is installed onto your desktop. The installation method limits the platform, requiring users to communicate and pass course assets back and forth through email, and a project is limited to one author at a time. Historically, desktop authoring has been framed as a more powerful authoring tool, which has more features and capabilities, and is faster and easier to use than cloud authoring.
However, cloud authoring has progressed to the point where it is just as good, if not better, than desktop platforms. Dr. Schneider begins the cloud authoring section by explaining what it means to be web-based. The obvious feature of web-based authoring is it is all done through a browser. This means no installation of software, no versions or licenses to keep track of, and fewer compatibility issues. Interestingly, one of the less thought of benefits of web-based tools, is less reliance on internal IT.
Highlighted below are the main benefits of cloud authoring that were discussed in this webinar:
Distributed Authoring
- No need to take turns working in a file or use email to communicate back and forth
- Never need to re-do work due to using a wrong file
- People in different places can work on the same course at the same time
- The “check-in, check-out” feature eliminates duplication of work
Accessible, Streamlined Reviewing
- Desktop authoring tools do not include built-in review tool (Have to publish and use an external review tool)
- Cloud authoring has a reviewing tool already built-in
- Reviewers see exactly what learners would see while reviewing a course
- Authors can see comments directly in context of the course
Online Asset Repository
- No searching in folders to find specific images or files
- No need to email files back and forth
- All assets are stored online, directly in the authoring tool
- A tagging system helps to quickly find files
Central Management of Content
- Ability to reuse everything: assets, course pages, test questions, glossary terms, learning objects, and themes
- Update a learning object in one place, and it will update everywhere
Autosave is your Friend
- No losing work due to crashes / misplaced files
- Automatic backups and versioning
To watch the full recording of the webinar here.
Interested in learning from more of eLearning’s Thought Leaders? Register now for the remainder of our Fall Webinar Series.