0 tweets   tweet   Today we are posting another great testimonial from our client, Dr. Greggory DeVore, director of the Fetal Diagnostic Centers. Dr. DeVore has developed a very easy and successful way to create interactive applications for mobile devices with the help of iSpring software. Let’s take a look: "iSpring Pro 7 has added many unique features to their new program.  However, the one I am most excited about is the ability to export to HTML5.  This feature was unique to a previous program from iSpring called iSpring Converter. Most users will use this feature to create content that can be viewed on an iPhone, iPad, or other phones or tablets via the Internet.  Why is this an important consideration — because there is an additional use for HTML5 content and that is creating native Apps for the iPhone and iPad store. What, you ask, create native Apps? Yes, this is possible using Phonegap, a free open source program that allows you to submit HTML 5 content to the Apple App store as well as other stores such as Android, etc. The benefit of iSpring Pro 7 is that the majority of features that are created in PowerPoint can now be used to create engaging interactive programs for the mobile marketplace.  If a user does not have a background with coding in HTML5,  iSpring Pro 7 takes the worry away and allows you to be as creative as you would like, without having to write any code. This is a great advantage for many of those in academics who have great ideas they would like to see on a mobile device, but are not programmers. I have created several tutorials on how to use Phonegap for iSpring Converter that can be adapted to iSpring Pro 7. I am excited about the potential of iSpring Pro 7 for creating iPhone and iPad Apps. For those of you who want to do the same, I invite you to join the fun!" Greggory DeVore, M.D Director of the Fetal Diagnostic Centers Pasadena, CA  

0 tweets   tweet   For how long have you been using iSpring? The president of IntegrAid, Tritia Pocci has been familiar with iSpring products for 6 years now and iSpring has been above the requirements all along. Take a look at the IntegrAid’s success story: We discovered iSpring in 2009, while making IntegrAid’s first PPT presentation available on the Internet. This was before online presentations were viewed on multiple screen sizes and the revolution of iPhone/iPad transformed the market forcing all of us to deliver animation without Flash. Back then, I regularly heard positive comments and questions about the iSpring viewer. Initially troubled, wanting the content of our presentation to be the topic of conversation, I later realized the sophistication iSpring brought to our slide-deck left a lasting impression which helped achieve our goals. Fast forward to 2013, ready for the next round of pitches, found myself spending too much time figuring out the online presentation services just to see which one might meet our needs, again reached out to investigate what the folks at iSpring could offer. Our Requirements: A responsive output that would adapt to different screen sizes Render animations in our presentation without Flash for Apple iOS devices Sync sound and handle a heavy load of animations efficiently Allow us to configure the viewer to complement our presentation Provide the flexibility to distribute the same presentation on our website or as a stand-alone file for offline viewing on computers without MS Power Point iSpring Pro 7 Delivered: The HTML/HTML5 viewer is responsive on all screen sizes and functions seamlessly on i-devices. Our presentation laden with animations on several slides and transitions to sync with audio rendered surprisingly well even in HTML5. We are able to configure the look and features of the viewer to match our design and functionality requirements with incredible detail, many options! The resulting files iSpring produces are easy to implement on a website and automatically serve Flash or HTML5 to accommodate the receiving device without additional programming on our end. We can also create .exe files duplicating our online presentation for offline viewing. iSpring Pro 7 installed easily in MS’s 2010 Power Point and the features we used processed perfectly first time. Very pleased. I feel this review only touches the surface of what iSpring Pro 7 can deliver, our requirements are relatively basic in comparison to the potential of the software program. I would urge anyone who uses Power Point to give iSpring products a test drive, it’s like a fine glass of wine or luxury car, once you’ve experienced one it’s easy to realize the benefits of a quality product. Tritia Pocci President/Managing Director IntegrAid.org @TritiaPOCCI

0 tweets   tweet   Are you searching for a reliable solution to create quizzes that will play on any device? Meet iSpring QuizMaker 7 - a new tool with a powerful set of authoring features and the unique ability to publish created quizzes to Flash, HTML5 or combined format. Thanks to its intuitive interface, the new QuizMaker 7 allows users to create professional-looking quizzes and surveys with minimal effort. That’s why the new tool can be quickly integrated into: E-Learning: Finished quizzes can be uploaded to the Web or LMS so that you can easily control the effectiveness of your e-Learning courses. In-class teaching: Teachers can assign quizzes for homework, or play them during classes to engage students. Corporate training: Companies can easily integrate iSpring’s quizzes and surveys into their e-Learning systems to test the skills and knowledge of employees. Sales and marketing: iSpring’s online surveys can be used for marketing purposes. Placed on your company’s website, surveys can be viewed and filled out from any desktop or mobile device. Now let’s take a look at iSpring QuizMaker 7 feature set. In the new version, we have reinforced all the advanced featured of QuizMaker 6 to support multiple publishing formats: 23 graded and non-graded question categories Inserting images, equations, audio and video into questions Branching scenarios Customizable feedback messages Plus, we have added plenty of new features that will help you create both effective and truly captivating quizzes and surveys: Boosted Quiz Editor New Slide View Tool Flexible Scoring System Boosted Quiz Editor The toolbar of iSpring QuizMaker 7 has been equipped with new functions that give you more control over your quizzes: Question Groups: Now you can organize questions into subject groups to create a more logical flow of your quiz’s playback. Randomization Options: Questions in your quiz can be shuffled in different ways, which enables you to create as many unique quizzes as you need without effort. Linking Questions: Sometimes when you randomize questions, you still want some of them appear one after another.  Such questions can be linked together, or pinned to the beginning or the end of the quiz. Audio and video settings: Now you can adjust the playback settings of the inserted audio and video. For example, you can specify, how many times it can be played. New Slide View Tool With the new iSpring QuizMaker, the design of every question can be flexibly customized. Using the Slide View tool, you can easily: Adjust the layout Select theme Format background Fine-tune fonts and styles Flexible Scoring System Now you can make your quizzes and surveys even more effective by adjusting multiple scoring settings for each particular question: Specify the number of attempts Set time limitation for each question Define the value of each correct answer Set a penalty for incorrect answers Import from Microsoft Excel If you have prior quizzes which you created before, you can reuse them in iSpring QuizMaker. Organize all existing questions into an Excel spreadsheeet and quickly import them into QuizMaker. Now you will be able to edit your questions, supplement them with multimedia, adjust scoring and more. Easy Playback Anywhere, Anytime Not only does iSpring QuizMaker make the creation of effective professional quizzes possible, but also very easy and engaging. Created quizzes and surveys can be published to multiple destinations: Web iSpring Online LMS (SCORM, AICC and Tin Can) Microsoft Word Published to the combined Flash & HTML5 format, your quizzes will play on any desktop, laptop or mobile device, which allows your students to learn on the go. Would you like to give iSpring QuizMaker 7 a try? Download a FREE 30-day trial now! Still need more information? View tutorials to take a look at the new features.

0 tweets   tweet   Great news for everyone who wants to make interactive and effective e-Learning courses for mobile devices! We’ve just released the new iSpring Presenter 7! With this new amazing tool, your PowerPoint presentations can be easily equipped with video narrations, voice overs, quizzes and surveys, and all of the above can be played on both desktops and mobile devices of all kinds. Let’s see how iSpring Presenter makes it happen: Mobile Courses from PowerPoint The new Presenter 7 allows you to convert PowerPoint to the mobile-friendly HTML5 format as well as to Flash, while providing flawless support of all PowerPoint features: animations, transitions, triggers, hyperlinks and more. In essence, we have preserved our tried-and-true PPT to Flash conversion quality and added the HTML5 output so that you can create mobile courses. In addition to the support of PowerPoint’s advanced effects, iSpring Presenter provides multiple first-class e-Learning features to make your mobile courses even more effective and engaging. Video Narrations and Voice Overs As usual, iSpring Presenter allows you to supplement your courses with video and audio narrations, so that you can add your own comments to each slide of your course with the convenient built-in Narration Editor. With the new Narration Editor, the creation of presenter video is even more intuitive and flexible, even for first time users. The quality and flexibility of this easy-to-use iSpring Narration Editor can be compared to professional narration recording programs. Interactive Mobile Quizzes What makes iSpring Presenter unique is the built-in iSpring QuizMaker 7. The newly released QuizMaker 7 allows you to equip your courses with challenging mobile-ready quizzes and provides this essential set of features: 23 graded and non-graded question categories Questions with images, equations, audio and video Branching scenarios Customizable feedback messages Also, QuizMaker 7 provides multiple advanced new features to make your quizzes truly outstanding: Boosted Quiz Editor: The improved Quiz Editor now allows you group, link and flexibly randomize questions. Plus, it features advanced audio and video settings. Customizable Slide Look: Now you can customize the design of each question, including its layout, colors, fonts and backgrounds. Flexible Scoring System: To make quizzes more effective, you can take advantage of multiple scoring settings: set time limitations for each question, assign a penalty for incorrect answers and more. Fully-customizable Course Player After publishing with iSpring Presenter 7, your e-Learning courses will be displayed in a functional player that can be easily fine-tuned to your taste. You can change color scheme, adjust your layout and panels, as well as edit text labels. What’s cool about the new player is that it can flexibly adjust to different screen sizes, so that your course looks perfect on any device. Enhanced LMS Support Created with iSpring Presenter 7, your e-Learning courses can be easily uploaded to any LMS. You can publish your courses in compliance with SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, AICC, Blackboard and Tin Can. Save Your Time and Money As you may already know, iSpring Presenter 7 is a combination of iSpring Pro 7 and iSpring QuizMaker 7. In iSpring Presenter, these two authoring tools are tightly integrated to provide seamless e-Learning authoring. iSpring Presenter gives you  quick access to all features of both tools. This saves not only time, but also money, as iSpring Presenter costs less than the two tools purchased separately. Have you had the chance to give iSpring Presenter 7 a test drive yet? What do you think about it? Post your comments below.

0 tweets   tweet   This year, DevLearn 2013, one of the most popular conferences in e-Learning industry is held in Las Vegas, NV October 23-25. This event is well known for announcing the most exciting trends in the industry. iSpring is always eager to contribute to learning innovations and is excited to introduce iSpring Presenter 7 at the expo. iSpring Presenter 7 is a must-have tool for e-Learning professionals to create mobile-friendly courses with quizzes in minutes. The HTML5 output of iSpring Presenter 7 ensures that e-learners will get a convenient access to courses and tests from their device of choice: mobiles, tablets, desktops or iPads. To learn more about these and many others options of Presenter 7 check out our recent blog post, or come by iSpring’s Booth #504 at the expo. We are fired up to see you. DevLearn’13 is definitely a place to be this October. See you in Las Vegas!

0 tweets   tweet   This was iSpring’s 5 year anniversary at DevLearn. We had mixed feelings about this! Joy and happiness. Not surprisingly, comparing year after year, we can attest to the fact that we have become a proud fixture at DevLearn. Las Vegas, as usual, has a dizzying array of sights, attractions and simply put, it’s just fun to come to Vegas. DevLearn 2013 was our opportunity to unveil our new robust tool for eLearning authoring, iSpring Presenter 7. One of the 11th commandments is arguably, either you disrupt the marketplace or the marketplace disrupts you. Presenter 7 is a new, hot game changer - and it actually works. For those of you who are deeply immersed in this ecosystem I hope that cracks a smile. Ok. One more interesting serendipitous point. We never knew that Russian branded nesting dolls were so cool. I know things can sell like hotcakes but branded nesting dolls? We thoroughly enjoyed offering these dolls, gratis of course, to our preferred clients.  The committee of "they" says that Oreos are the most addictive. Unscientifically speaking of course… I am really not sure anymore, branded nesting dolls might now be the new addictive Oreos. Our awesome eLearning brothers who painted the whole event orange became one more Las Vegas sight that day. Jokes and jocularity aside! We are proud that our products let people create mobile-ready courses and speed up their day-to-day tasks and thus "spring" their business to life. We are looking forward to hearing from you soon. What do you think?

5 tweets   tweet   You are an e-Learning aficionado. You live, eat and breathe e-Learning. While drinking your first cup of coffee or as you navigate the morning rush hour highways - you are asking yourself the common denominator question: how can my courses effectively engage my students  and do it in an ADD world? Have you investigated QR codes? Those postage stamp size bar codes that you see a  lot of people scanning with their smartphones. Nothing new.  We all know that.  QR codes have been around for a while.  What seems clearly interesting is that process of consolidation of complex QR code initiatives seems to be occurring. Clear call to action QR codes, linking to edge to edge formatted information on your cell phone is gaining traction. Here are some points to ponder: Students scan a QR code and quick link to your information anytime, anywhere It’s Fred Flintstone simple You can assign homework with QR codes Link to practice quizzes and other enrichment files Provide answers to assignments so students can check their work Provide quick access to students’ ePortfolios, lesson plans, etc. Not sure if it will help you do a Cirque de Soleil backflip though?! QR CODES ON CAMPUS Students are always busy, next month is a decade away - they are in a rush: copying down a link, typing in a URL, browsing. That’s too involving. Scan a QR code and sprint ahead with the task at hand. Remember, the smartphone is a lean forward device. QR Codes, when used on campus, can do a lot of things for you: Inform students of university events Help them stay updated with university clubs Organize groups of people and ensure that they stay in touch with each other And speaking about combining QR codes and LMS. These possibilities are also appealing: Offer virtual school tours Promote campus-wide events Put QR codes on historical campus buildings to give some cool facts Place QR Codes on books in the library so that students can scan and read a book review, or watch ascreen adaptation QR CODES BEYOND THE CAMPUS WALLS Stop overstretching yourself! Encourage students to get more information with your hands down. For example, visiting a museum, plan a "scavenger hunt" using QR Codes: Place codes at key locations for students to scan. Direct students to videos and online pages to provide more details. Offer hints about where the next clue lies. Today everyone carries the Internet in their pockets. Thus, to get to their minds, first you should get into their pockets. And QR codes can actually help you with it. Just imagine how anxious you are to hear "B" if you already heard "A"! Do you have a wish list?  What would you like to see in our products?

3 tweets   tweet   Whether you served as a veteran, know a veteran, or simply enjoy the benefits protected by our veterans, Veterans Day is a time for reflection. Anyone who has ever donned the military uniform has embraced the spirit that requires sacrifice, selfless service and the will to go the extra mile, or in some cases, the last mile. It surely was a member of our Armed Forces who said: "I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees." This nobility of spirit inspires us all to ask: What is my true inner voice - is it me-centered or other-centered? After returning from the frontlines, many veterans continue to care about, and for, others, much in the same way they took care of their buddies fighting next to them. One example is Greg Gadson, whose inspirational example gives us a brand new impression of tenacity and perseverance. Greg Gadson, a bilateral above-the-knee amputee, served in the U.S. Army for 20 years as an active duty field artillery officer in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In 2007 Gadson lost both of his legs when his car was hit by a roadside bomb. But it didn’t break him; it barely broke his stride. Gadson never allowed such a devastating injury squash the desire he had to make a difference. Moreover, now his love of life inspires thousands of people: Gadson, who managed not to lose himself or his way, after bearing all crosses, has become a professional motivational speaker. His ‘fight past the last mile’ locker room pep talk to the NY Giants inspired an attitude of gratitude and provided the ‘goods’ to win the Super Bowl that year. Another shining example of persistence and tenacity is former Army Captain Tom Aiello, who suffered spinal cord injuries while serving on active duty. He started MARCH Marketing to help organizations working with military veterans. MARCH supports charities such as Rebuilding Together and Hire Patriots. "I am constantly in awe of the Wounded Warriors and veterans we help," said Aiello. "Whether we make their home accessible or get them a job, they exhibit profound humility in the wake of their deep personal sacrifice.  It’s that character that inspires me to always strive to do more to help my fellow veterans." About to post this blog and we received this great insight… This is piercing wisdom… Rick Zanotti, president of RELATE Corporation says, "It’s much more than a ‘thank you’ what we owe our veterans. The sacrifices they make willingly with us in mind is something that is priceless. Whether you agree with the mission or the war, you can only respect the sacrifices and sense of duty shown by these fine men and women." Thank a Veteran on Veterans Day!  

8 tweets   tweet   We hear it all the time: "Learning should be fun!". And we agree, it should and is, if and only, if you think like your eLearners.  We all want our courses to be engaging, immersive and  results oriented. So let’s share some thoughts. What do many think is "fun"? "Let’s use a Jeopardy-style game for the quiz." "Let’s have them explore a haunted museum, clicking on silly things to learn more." "We should have a funny-looking wizard using his wand to magically create information on the learning screen." "How about a talking frog?" Is this really funny and engaging? Well maybe funny and silly but definitely not engaging.  As the popular teenage phrase goes, "Not so much". They want something really cool, fresh, attention-grabbing and challenging! So, how do you help them enjoy the process and embrace a fail without fear attitude?  First, figure out what does it really mean to be engaging. What is really engaging? Humans process information through emotional attachments. These attachments can elicit sky high dopamine (‘I like it" hormone) levels, thus motivating them to process information and make decisions.  Emotional attachments are the fuel that you must have to frame and drive a call to action. Here are some helpful tips. Motivation First of all ask yourself "Why should they want it?" and focus on that. It’s never a bad idea to say "why" 5 times.  Don’t believe it?  Try it. What is your task at hand and why should they want it.  Now,  why are you doing it? Go ahead… Why. Why. Why. Why. Why. By the time you asked yourself why for the third time some interesting ideas might have sparked. Wayne Gretzky once said, "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been."  Isn’t that what you do on a daily basis - determining the intersection of what you want to say and what your students are interested in. So, thinking like your student is the crimp in your effectiveness hour glass. More about Dopamine Dopamine, also known as "I like it hormone", helps your learners become more engaged and even possibly thrilled to succeed. Mastering a topic and accomplishing a task elicits a feeling of well being and a desire to do more.  Don’t shout and talk at your students, talk with them and be their guide and concierge. A mental handshake opens the mind to expression and a willingness to learn.  Everyone knows that the brain is a lot like a parachute - it doesn’t work unless it’s open.  Story-build as you story-tell.  A compelling story, a thought provoking statistic, a mind bending question - this can create stickiness and indelibly impression in one’s mind.  Again, story- build as you story- tell Call to action Kinesthetic, hands-on, "Learn by doing" definitely helps. Work with them and picture yourself with your hand on their shoulder inspiring them, not talking at them with so called motivating direction. It’s an art and a science.  We all know this first hand.  Lastly, keep it simple. Maybe we should say the word simple 5 times too.  The purity of purpose is simplicity. What do you think?  

1 tweets   tweet   You definitely don’t want everybody to yawn watching your presentation, do you? Then give your whole material a treatment to make it cool and catchy! Below you’ll find a couple of pretty effective medicines: 1. Different formats pill Plain text throughout the whole presentation is not very entertaining, right? Moreover everybody has the preferred method of perception. Of course you can’t please everyone, but you can make your course more interesting for each learner by giving information in different formats: enrich your courses with images and videos. Don’t make your learners suffer from your unrequited love for text. 2. Interesting facts mixture We’re not so lucky to always speak on interesting topics. The number of boring themes is more than infinity. And we always have to take it up a notch to squeeze something out of it. The easiest and at the same time the worst way to present information is to simply bombard the learners with facts. Find some creative way instead: we all learn best through storytelling. So weave a story around the facts or tell some funny case from your personal experience (we all know about empathy). Such examples help to drive your point home. 3. Humor injection When properly used, humor can juice up even the most boring topic. But be very careful with posology and method of administration: too much humor is just as bad as no humor. Funny videos and catchy images are great but if they aren’t contributing anything to your learning goals, then they are like lipstick on a pig. 4. Anti-jargon antibiotic Even if you are the most democratic teacher and you want your learners to be relaxed with you, some of their slang is not appropriate anyway. But it’s not only about slang and jargon: avoid "business speak" or a tone that sounds trite, pretentious and confusing. Otherwise yawning is assured. 5.Personal address tablet Of course the motivation has to come from within. But don’t hold your breath on its appearing of nothing. Never forget reviewing your courses and presentations from your learners’ point of view. Make sure all of these have a personal impact. Students should feel that you care of them and of what they feel about your course. Try to present the content as inviting and human, and, no matter what topic your course is about, present things with a personal tone by using words like "we" and "us". We’re looking forward to hearing your opinion.