The mining industry plays a key role in the Australian economy. According to a report published by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Government of Victoria, in 2013, mineral and energy commodities account for 60% of the nation’s total exports. People play a vital role in this important sector of the economy, and it is essential that the staff members of mining organizations are equipped with the right knowledge and skills. But, how can the personnel of mining companies be trained efficiently in a cost-effective manner? Well, eLearning can be used to deliver top-notch training to employees of mining firms. Let us see how. Impart thorough knowledge on safety norms and procedures The mining industry accords the highest priority to the safety of its workforce. Accidents and other untoward incidents at the workplace can prove costly for companies. Organizations need to pay huge sums as compensation and their reputation is tarnished. So, how can firms ensure the safety of their personnel? Well, good training on safety norms and their importance can reduce mishaps at work considerably. The online medium is the ideal format to train the staff of mining organizations on safety. Bite-sized eLearning courses can be used to explain safety concepts and videos and animations can be used to demonstrate safety procedures. For instance, animations can be used to demonstrate the procedure to prevent and suppress respirable dust. Provide comprehensive training on regulatory norms and applicable laws The mining sector is arguably the most heavily regulated industry in the Australian economy. Companies could land in serious trouble, if applicable statutes and norms are violated. Therefore, it is important to train their people on relevant laws and standards effectively. The online training medium can be used to meet this requirement very effectively. You could incorporate a wide variety of instructional techniques in eLearning courses. For instance, you could use scenarios and case-studies to explain the miners’ rights, very effectively. E-learning can also be used to make training on regulatory standards interesting and fun-filled by the use of games. For example, employees of a mining organization can be equipped with the norms specified by the International Labor Organization (ILO). A ‘trekking game’ can be used to assess the knowledge of the personnel on standards related to the working conditions in opencast mines. In this game, the learner is asked 20 questions and after he answers a question correctly, an avatar moves closer to the summit. And, when he gets the answer wrong, the avatar remains where it is and a message "Oops! Not quite right" is displayed on the screen. Deliver excellent training on environmental sustainability It is common knowledge that mining activities have a profound impact on the environment, and several companies in the country are seeking to conduct their operations in an eco-friendly manner. Good training goes a long way in ensuring that the businesses of mining organizations are environmental-friendly. Employees who understand the importance of protecting the environment will better appreciate the companies’ efforts to stay green. Bite-sized online courses containing videos are ideal tools to highlight the need to conserve the environment. Life cycle diagrams help provide an excellent overview of different processes with their steps, while info-graphics could be used to explain topics in an engaging manner. Slideshows, flip-cards and hotspots enable correct understanding of different concepts. Games and animations help make the training lively. Train the workforce on the usage of machinery very effectively The mining industry uses a wide variety of equipment. It is very important that the personnel of mining companies are equipped with the skills to handle this machinery effectively, to enhance efficiency in operations. This training need can be met in a cost-effective manner by formulating the right blend of learning methodologies. For instance, workers can be trained on complex equipment used to mine uranium through a blended learning program. Classroom sessions and workshops can be used to train on the underlying concepts and handling of the equipment. Then, eLearning modules containing simulations can be offered to the trainees, to practice the steps in handling the machinery, and bite-sized sessions act as ready references to the concepts learnt before the employees get down to work . Top-notch safety and compliance training can be imparted to the staff of mining companies, online. Highly effective training can be delivered on environmental sustainability and machinery through eLearning courses. Indeed, the online medium is the best format to train the mining workforce. What do you think? Related PostsWhy E-learning for Retail Employees - Five Reasons - An InfographicHow to Make E-learning Work for the Mining Industry?Elearning in Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Industry

Google for Education Video Tutorial: Teacher Tips- Using Google Classroom to Easily Set-Up and Manage a Class This Google for Education Video Tutorial presents the latest Google App for Education, Classroom, and how easy it is to set up, create and mark assignments and communicate to classes or individuals. The post Google for Education Video Tutorial: Teacher Tips- Using Google Classroom to Easily Set-Up and Manage a Class appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

I would like to pick your brains with a quick question on compliance assessment. In your experience with assessing compliance topics, is it OK to let learners keep repeating a quiz until they achieve 100%? OR Is there an industry best practice where you let them run through a few times, and if they are still not 100%, coach them further? When it comes to developing online courses to deliver compliance training, we forget that our learners are adults and they love freedom. We are only paranoid and interested in getting our records aligned for meeting legal and compliance requirements. Rightly so, compliance training is critical to meet all the government regulations. Here is what one of our Fortune 500 clients follow for all compliance courses. The course starts with a video of the compliance office stating the importance of taking this training and abiding by the law. Making the courses more engaging and effective by using scenario-based learning. All learning has restrictions, and the learner has to complete each slide in order to go forward. The quiz gets activated ONLY when the learner completes all units. If learners do not get 100%, they can review the sections where they went wrong, and then, take the quiz again. The questions are randomized, and each time the learner takes the quiz, a new set of questions appear. Course completion would be recorded when the learner scores 100%. Compliance training is mandatory and should be repeated at regular intervals. These courses can be translated into multiple languages to reach all employees. Related PostsUse Scenarios for Compliance Training Through Articulate StorylineTips for Initiating Legal Compliance Training Program - Free Presentation5 Tips to Impart Excellent Compliance Training - An Infographic

Lectora Inspire V11 Tutorial: Discover the Powerful Authoring Tools in Lectora V11 e-Learning Software This Lectora Inspire V11 Tutorial presents the powerful authoring tools in Lectora V11 e-Learning software including Snagit, Camtastia and Flypaper and begin creating stunning screen captures, video tutorials and flash animations. The post Lectora Inspire V11 Tutorial: Discover the Powerful Authoring Tools in Lectora V11 e-Learning Software appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

  Did you know? In 1885, Herman Ebbinghaus, a German Psychologist defined the exponential nature of forgetting. As you see from this diagram featuring the "Forgetting Curve", we forget 80% of what we learned in 30 days! How can we improve stickiness of learning? By following innovative learning strategies outlined in this article, you will be able to create the required "Chain of Impact".   How can we improve stickiness of learning? To create the "Chain of Impact," we need to adopt ways to ensure the learning sticks. Sticky learning is the learning that lasts over time. This can be achieved through many approaches. One of the significant approaches is adopting learning strategies that: Focus on action ("to do" things rather than "seeing" how they should be done) Build on the current schema of the learners (draw upon what they know) Allow exploration (enable self-discovery) 5 Tips to improve stickiness of learning through innovative eLearning development We have a range of solutions that improve learning, recall, and retention. These are rendered through our innovative eLearning development framework. My top 5 tips are: 1. Use Gamification for learning   You can use the power of games to deliver specific learning outcomes in your learning and performance strategy. You can opt for: Overlay of a gamification concept on your content to have the whole course gamified through levels, board games, or challenges Partial Gamification of inline checks and assessments 2. Use Interactive videos (particularly for micro-learning) Today, several options are available to convert linear videos to interactive videos that can create an immersive and engaging experience. The passivity of the videos can be overcome by providing learning interactions, knowledge checks, and feedback. 3. Use Decision-making branching simulations You can use branching scenario simulations to move the learning process from mere knowledge acquisition to its application. These simulations can complement the scenario-based approach and should be used when learners need to deep dive into multiple related facets or handle a far more complex situation. This approach helps learners work in a safe environment (where they can practice and also easily recover from the mistakes they may have made). They can evaluate different aspects and get a sense of what impact their choices can have. 4. Use Story based learning (Storytorials) A proven approach, the story-based approach (Storytorial) combines the principles of Instructional Design with the compelling power of a story. The dual impact enhances the quality of learning, resulting in an immersive learning experience. Storytorials are strung together in a fictional narrative and generally have a beginning, body and an end. While a story may have multiple plots based on the content, you need to make sure that the central theme of the story sticks to the content and avoid redundant material that has little or no contribution to make to the training. 5. Use Scenario based learning As per ATD (Association of Talent Development), Scenario-Based Learning (SBL) is a proven method to build expertise in tasks that are unsafe or infrequent in the workplace or to build critical thinking skills. You can use scenarios to create learning activities where learners are presented with a real life situation or problem and they must work through it to achieve their goals. Although most of these interactions help hone learners’ cognitive skills, there is always the option of adding an emotional element for greater learner engagement. An example of this would be simulating a real-life situation where every decision that the learners make has a direct bearing on themselves or their colleagues. I hope this article featuring innovative eLearning development provides the required cues that you can practically apply to create a "learning retention and recall curve" for your organization. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Introducing new processes and software applications can be quite a daunting task. Employees are not receptive to change and teaching all the details and minute steps can be time consuming. Conducting classroom sessions might not be a very beneficial solution. Learners will need to set aside time from their busy schedules, and often, this might not be feasible. The limited number of facilitators will also slow down the learning process. Facilitators will also need to travel extensively to teach learners spread all across the globe. All these arrangements take up considerable efforts, time and financial resources. Also, with this approach, learners do not have the flexibility to learn at their own pace or spend more time on topics of concern. In additon to these issues, there are other challenges faced by employees. Employees often do not have a clear idea of why new processes are being introduced. They are told they need to learn and adopt the new system. Since adults have a need to know how the new learning will help improve their performance, not being told why they need to implement the new system makes them hostile towards it and leaves them with nagging doubts. Learners also tend to become familiar with the old systems and processes. They do not see the need to upgrade when the existing system is answering all their needs. In this context, eLearning or technology-enhanced learning can be your best bet. This mode of training offsets all the issues associated with classroom training and provides value for money. With online learning, the entire process can be explained by technology experts through screen captures. This is a great solution offered by eLearning course authoring tools such as Adobe Captivate and Articulate Storyline. The entire process is recorded in screen captures which can be used to demostrate the process. On-screen callouts and audio narration can be used to make learning more meaningful. The online courses, once developed, can be rolled out to any number of learners, at any time, across the globe. This provides learners the flexibility to take up the learning at their convenience and learn at their own pace. If the courses are to be delivered in the native languages of learners, getting the courses translated is a very easy option. To sum up, online courses are a very effective medium to facilitate process trainings. They save efforts, reduce costs and ensure that all employees are trained simultaneously, in the language of their choice if needed. So, the next time you roll out a new process, eLearning is the way to go. Isn’t it? Related PostsCreative Ways to Present Click on Tab Interactivity in E-learning Courses - An InfographicThe Autonomy of E-learning Curriculum -A 6 Step ProcessHow To Train Geographically Dispersed Workforce Quickly And Effectively?

Google for Education Video Tutorial: Teacher Tips- Using Hangouts and Google+ to Communicate This Google for Education Video Tutorial presents the benefits of Google Hangouts and Google + across the school and beyond. The post Google for Education Video Tutorial: Teacher Tips- Using Hangouts and Google+ to Communicate appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

Common eLearning Interview Questions You Should Ask One of the most challenging things about finding the ideal candidate for your eLearning project, or to become a permanent member of your staff for that matter, is knowing which questions to ask during the eLearning interview. After all, this is the time when you get to see the true character of the candidates and determine whether their eLearning experience and skill sets are what you’re looking for. Here are some of the most common eLearning interview questions you can ask when interviewing an eLearning professional. How do you typically handle the eLearning design process? Asking an eLearning professional candidate about their work process gives you the opportunity to gauge their knowledge about eLearning authoring tools, learning management systems, and processes. You also gain more insight into their workflow, and are able to see if they know the steps involved in designing an eLearning course. This is one of the most important eLearning interview questions to ask, in fact, as it allows you to determine what skills and talents they have, as well as what roles they might be able to fill. How have you expanded your understanding of eLearning principles and technologies recently? Ideally, you want an eLearning professional on your team who knows as much as possible about the field. This often entails continued education, such as attending workshops, seminars, and classes about eLearning. By asking them how they have expanded their understanding of eLearning principles and technologies recently, you can figure out if they are actively learning about the eLearning industry and if they are motivated enough to become the best at what they do. Do you have experience in this particular eLearning niche? Regardless of what eLearning niche you may be in, from the private education sector to governmental training, you will need to know if eLearning candidates can fulfill their job duties. You can do this by asking them about the prior experience they have in your industry, and encouraging them to emphasize on past jobs that have equipped them with the necessary knowledge and skill sets. If they do not have experience in your niche, but you feel they are still strong applicants, then you may want to ask them how similar jobs have prepared them for the task at hand. Have you ever had a disagreement with a co-worker? If so, how did you resolve the issue? Without any doubt, most of us have had at least one disagreement with someone we’ve worked with in the past. Asking eLearning candidate to elaborate on past conflicts and how they resolved the issue gives you the chance to see if they work well with others, how well they communicate, and if they possess conflict resolution skills. If they cannot mention a specific conflict, then give them a hypothetical situation and ask how they would resolve it. What past eLearning project you are most proud of and why? eLearning professional should take pride in their work. More importantly, they should be able to tell you exactly why they are proud of a particular project and what skills or eLearning authoring tools they used to get the job done. Someone who has great ideas is one thing, but a professional who takes those ideas and puts them into action to create a successful eLearning course is another. What do you consider to be your greatest weakness? It’s often difficult for people to admit their weaknesses, especially during an interview. This is one of the most common questions asked in an interview, mainly because it gives the interviewer an indication of the applicant’s honesty and resilience. If someone is unable to come up with a weakness, or disguises a strength as a weakness, such as claiming that they "are too much of a perfectionist", then this lets you know that they probably aren’t willing to admit their faults. However, this also means that they may not be investing in their own personal or professional growth, since they are unable to identify areas that may need improvement. If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? This is a bit of tricky question; eLearning professionals who are dedicated to their work and love what they do are, ultimately, going to say that this is their dream job. If they do give this answer, then ask them to elaborate by telling you exactly what they love about the eLearning industry. What is the best thing about being an eLearning professional? If there’s one piece of advice they could give someone entering the eLearning profession, what would it be? This question can actually lead to a series of spin-off questions, depending on where the conversation takes you from here. What expertise or skills can you offer that other candidates cannot? At the end of the day, you need an eLearning professional who will bring a unique set of skills and talents to the table. This person needs to be able to tell you how they may stand apart from the other candidates and what they can offer your organization once they become a member of your eLearning team. Ask them to be specific about their expertise, rather than giving you a generalized statement of their past work experience in eLearning. The answers to these eLearning interview questions can offer insight into the personality, work ethics, and previous experience level of your applicants. Remember that in addition to what they say, it’s also essential to pay attention to how they say it. Mannerisms and tone can tell you a lot about their authenticity. Looking for more eLearning interview questions to ask in order to find the perfect candidate to join your eLearning team? Are you an eLearning professional who need more questions to get prepared for the job of your dreams? In both cases, read the article How To Get Prepared For The eLearning Job Interview Questions to find out more eLearning interview questions and the proper way to answer them. Are you currently looking for the ideal eLearning professional? You can search for eLearning Professionals' resumes or upload your job for free, at eLearning Jobs "The Leading Source for eLearning Jobs - Free eLearning Job posting"! This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Report building is one of the crucial activities in any training process. It helps the training manager track the learner’s performance and training outcomes. Earlier, this process was done manually. However, with technological advancements, this process has been automated. Now, using a learning management system (LMS), training managers can generate reports with just a click. If you are using Moodle for your training activities, here is an info-graphic which lists 10 types of reports that can be generated by Moodle. Hope you like this post. Do share your views. Related Posts4 Valuable Reports From Moodle8 Power- Packed Features of Moodle to Deliver and Manage Your Training [Infographic]Preparing Classroom Session Using Moodle Face-To-Face plug-in

Want to develop an eLearning course but confused which tool to select? Here are a few tips for using a particular tool, based on your needs. As you know, there are many types of eLearning development tools available. Among these, the most popular and extensively used ones are: 1. Articulate Storyline Articulate Storyline is one of the most widely used authoring tools for eLearning development. It has a number of features that go a long way in developing exceptional digital courses. According to a survey, conducted by the E-learning Guild, in 2013, most eLearning developers chose Articulate Storyline to develop their eLearning courses. With the new version of the tool, Storyline 2, which has a lot of new interesting features, we can create highly engaging courses. This is one such tool which doesn’t require any programming skills and has a very user-friendly interface. It also has different features such as screen recording, built-in templates, translation friendliness etc. 2. Lectora This is perhaps the first authoring tool which has the capability to publish courses to HTML5. Similar to Storyline, Lectora also has many pre-installed templates which can be accessed online. You can create customized interactivities, quizzes and templates using this tool. This is one of the ideal tools to use for content/text-heavy courses. It is also mobile-friendly and allows easy translations of online courses. 3. Captivate 8 Captivate 8 is the new version of Captivate, with user-friendly interface. This is mostly used to create simulations and Watch, Try, Do slides. It can be used to develop responsive online courses. You can also use responsive drag-and-drop interactions with this. Also, it is flexible and can be used to develop courses compatible with iPads, tablets, and smart-phones. The screen size can be adjusted to provide optimal viewing experiences. 4. Flash This is one of the best tools to work with; it is also available in other versions such as Flash CS3 to CS6. Flash can be used to create highly engaging courses; you can also create customized GUIs and interactivities. We use Flash to create complex effects such as controlling an object or audio, adding videos, etc. This can be done using action scripts. Here are the factors, based on which you can decide which tool is best suited for the development of your eLearning course. S.NO. NEED Right Tool 1 1. Quick product launch 2. Customized design,engaging and complex interactivity 3. Team: mostly trainers Storyline 2 1. Mandatory legal training, mostly text-heavy content 2. Quick translations 3. Highly customizable, interactive content 4.  Team: mostly IDs Lectora 3 1. Simulations: Watch, Try, Do 2. Need application training Captivate 4 1. Highly customizable 2. Interactive content 3. Team: mostly IDs and developers Flash Always remember that before selecting the tool for your eLearning course development, it’s important to reflect on the goals you’re trying to accomplish. Hope these tips help you choose the right tool for your online course development. Related Posts4 Tips for Developing E-learning Course Using Rapid Authoring ToolsWhat Makes Articulate Storyline the Best E-learning Authoring Tool - An Infographic Articulate Storyline for Easy E-learning Development - An Infographic

Lectora Inspire V11 Tutorial: Using the Media Library in Lectora V11 e-Learning Software This Lectora Inspire V11 Tutorial presents the Media Library. Media Library is your one-stop shop for all media used in your e-Learning course and all media that’s available. Tap into endless games, characters and animations in the Lectora Media Library and simply drag and drop into your course. The post Lectora Inspire V11 Tutorial: Using the Media Library in Lectora V11 e-Learning Software appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

Leading a Digital School 2015 is a digital education technology conference. IWBNet’s Leading a Digital School Conference ran in the marketplace from 2007 to 2013 inclusive. In that time thousands of school leaders and classroom teachers have enjoyed the networking, the ideas generation, the inspiration and the practical advice for delivering great educational digital technology initiatives in their schools. The conference name signifies the exciting work being undertaken by school leaders and influential passionate classroom teachers who are leading their schools and classrooms in a disruptive digital world supported by educational digital technology. Leading a Digital School 2015 conference will examine 3 mega themes in depth: BYOT Flipping Learning Change Now It is tightly focussed professional development for school leaders and classroom teachers (K-12). Wherever you are on the continuum of these 3 mega themes you will find this conference invaluable. You may be thinking of implementing the themes in your school, you may have just started, you may be a long way down the path, or you may wish to propose alternative points of view and contribute to the debate around these topics. Leading a Digital School 2015 conference will be held at the Crown Conference Centre (mebourne, Australia) on August 20 - 22, 2015.   This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

You must have noticed movies in which closed captions (sub titles) of the dialogues are shown of the same language as the movie. The idea of closed captions was mainly introduced for the deaf or people with hearing deficiency, but it has been very useful even for the non-native speakers of the language.Movies now-a-days show closed captions, so that people all over the world can watch it even if they do not know the language. E-learning developers also recommend having closed captions for courses, keeping in mind the types of learning styles.This feature is mostly preferred by visual learners or by learners who tend to avoid listening to the audio and read the content by themselves. Articulate Storyline provides a Notes Pane, where you can put all the transcribed text.Today, in this blog; let us see how to add the notes pane to the player. Step 01 Click the Notes tab which is beside the Timeline and States tab. Step 02 Copy the transcribed text and paste it in the notes pane. Step 03 Now, in the Insert tab, click the Edit Player Properties button. Step 04  In the Player Tabs, click the checkbox of Notes to enable it in the player. You can change the placement of the notes pane in the player using the arrow buttons given below the tabs. Click OK after enabling the notes pane and preview or publish the course to check the functionality. That’s it! This is how we add a notes pane to the in-built player of Articulate Storyline. This Notes Pane can be used only if you use the built-in interface of Storyline for the eLearning course.In case ofa customized interface, there are two different methods to display the closed caption.We will look at those methods, in my next blogs. Hope this blogis helpful to you. Please share your thoughts through your valuable comments. Related PostsRapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key FeaturesHow to Combine Your Adobe Captivate Projects Into Single Course?How to Add and Sync Closed Captions/Subtitles in Lectora?

Criteria For Evaluating A Custom eLearning Development Company In India Top 6 criteria for the evaluation (and tips to increase the chances of success) of your outsourcing initiative Capability and Expertise in Custom eLearning. This is the start point to look at the services and product portfolio and how closely this maps to your current and future needs. Tips  Do check for the industry-specific expertise that is relevant for you. Do not miss out the review of audited balance sheets to check on the financial stability (more importantly, you must get an understanding of their next 2-3 years' plan). Match your growth plans with the expertise they currently offer/have plans to add in future. Do ascertain what they "do not do"! Size and capability to scale. While the current team size should be an important factor for your evaluation, it is equally important to understand how they can scale at a short notice, if required. Tips Check on the number of concurrent projects that a typical team handles and the turn-around time. Ascertain how easily they can scale to your ad-hoc requirements. People (particularly talent in Project Management and Instructional Design). The quality of people in the vendor team determines the success of your outsourcing initiative. So, ask for the details on the talent that will be potentially aligned for you. While you start your interaction with the Account Management and Project Management talent first, ask for the details of the next level as well. This information is an important indicator to ascertain how multiple, concurrent projects will be handled. Particularly significant is the check on the expertise from the Instructional Design team. It is vital to determine their expertise in learning design. You also need to get clarity on their Instructional Design methodology. Then look at Visual Design from the range of talent available (for instance, from visualization to illustration capability). Look at the Technology team’s capability to support varied requirements (different authoring tools, adaptive and response frameworks, and Learning Management System support). Last but not least, look at their Quality Management System and specifically check for how they feed the lessons learned to continuously enhance the process. Tips If you are targeting outsourcing as a long-term or strategic initiative, start with the management team details first. Particularly in the early phase of the association, it is risky to work with the vendor’s contractors. It is essential to have their employees working with you. During the evaluation phase, do focus on assessing their working style, communication skills, and flexibility they can offer. Development process. A mature development framework is the second most important factor that would determine the success of your outsourcing initiative. Ask for the detailed work-flow and the supporting assets. Do assess how efficiently the sign-offs will be handled. Ask for the risk management and mitigation measures. Additionally, ask for the communication guidelines and ascertain what measures are in place to ensure timely delivery (with requisite quality). Tips Make sure that you check out the flexibility the development framework offers and how easily it can be tweaked and aligned to your development methodology. What is important to check here is the work-flow and if it is aligned to "continuous improvement". You need to also check for actual assets to assess how they are used practically. In addition to these, check what their focus is on international business and how it can address the dynamics of distributed development. Pricing model for custom eLearning. One of the benefits of outsourcing is cost saving, so this aspect is a crucial evaluation factor. You must ask for a detailed break-down of all components to ensure that there are no hidden or unplanned costs. Tips  The project pay-out to the vendor is not the only component of your cost. You need to factor for other aspects, like your Project Management time, tracking for risks, reviews, and tracking how effectively your feedback gets incorporated. Quantify all these aspects to determine your Total Cost of Outsourcing (TCO) and assess your progress against this. Over a period of time, you should be able to use TCO pointers to leverage more from the same budget and be able to manage more projects at the same time. Infrastructure and measures to protect your Intellectual Property (IP). Since the outsourcing vendor would be your distributed development arm, it is vital to ensure that their infrastructure is in line with your requirements. Additionally, you must ascertain the Info Security policies that they have in place to safeguard your IP. Tips While most companies that focus on International business will have the required infrastructure, double check on the bandwidth of communication links. Besides obtaining details on Info Security policies, check how exactly the practices to limit access to your information are applied during development. Α quick summary το use in your evaluation of custom eLearning development companies Credentials.  How long have they been in business of custom eLearning? How much has the business grown? How many customers are long-term? Prior work (demos and samples).  Ask for a wide range of samples (cutting across varied authoring tools). Ask for samples showcasing innovative learning strategies. Reference checks.  Do not depend on email alone to get feedback. Pick up the phone and have a detailed discussion - ask for the pain areas, how were challenges addressed, and so on; do not restrict your questions to what worked, ask for what did not work and how they addressed the challenges. Work-flow.  How is it aligned to dynamics of distributed custom eLearning development? How easily can it be tweaked to your specific requirements? Details of the Management team, Project Managers, and Development team.  An outline of their HR initiatives to retain talent and what attrition rates they currently have.  Their take on what they see as the "future of learning" and how they are aligning to it. I hope this article will add value to your evaluation process and help you in securing a long-term partner who can consistently add value to your business. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Google for Education Video Tutorial: Teacher Tips- Using Organization Functionality in Gmail This Google for Education Video Tutorial presents how to use Gmail to organize your emails in a personal way. The post Google for Education Video Tutorial: Teacher Tips- Using Organization Functionality in Gmail appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

If there is a need to develop an eLearning course in quick time and a cost-effective manner, Articulate Storyline is the first choice of the eLearning developer. A survey by the E-learning Guild, in 2013, revealed that Articulate Storyline is the most preferred rapid authoring tool. It has many built-in features such as templates, characters and so on. They are ‘ready to use’ and help developers save time. If required, customization can also be done. Storyline has the ability to publish courses to HTML5 and the iPad. The GUI of this tool looks similar to PowerPoint. So, anyone who has knowledge of PowerPoint can operate this tool. Let’s now see a few tips which are useful for developers. Hope you find this post informative. Please do share your views. Related Posts4 Tips for Developing E-learning Course Using Rapid Authoring ToolsRapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key FeaturesRevealing 3 Hidden Features of Articulate Storyline - An Infographic

How To Use The Next Button In eLearning: 8 Tips For eLearning Professionals Letting your learners freely roam about the eLearning course and choose which path to follow has its benefits, but if you are dealing with a linear structure a next button is often the best way to go. It guides your learners through the process and takes the frustration and guesswork out of the eLearning experience. Here are some tips for effectively using the next button in your next eLearning deliverable. Define your navigation icons in the beginning. You cannot just assume that all your learners are going to know what each navigation icon means, including the next button. Even if you are going to use the traditional arrow, clearly state that in the beginning of the eLearning course and identify all other navigation buttons as well. In fact, it may even be wise to include text on each button throughout the eLearning course, just in case the learner needs a reminder. Also, if there are other icons in the mix, then be sure to place them on a different section of the page in order to avoid any confusion. Don’t be vague about where the button leads. Most learners are hesitant click on a button if they aren’t sure where it will take them. This is true for most things in life though. As a general rule, a vast majority of people will think twice before doing something if the outcome is not clearly stated. It’s all about the fear of the unknown, and this also applies in eLearning environments. Therefore, be very clear about where the next button in eLearning is going to lead. For example, you can include a "go to the next page" or "start the scenario" label on the next button. Create eye-catching buttons by using contrasting colors. Who says that the next button in eLearning has to be drab and dull? Why not spruce up your next icons by using contrasting colors that catch the learner’s eye? It’s a known fact that objects or images that are colorful or interrupt a particular pattern are more noticeable. Create a red next button to stand out against your white page backdrop, for instance. Just make sure that your text is also in a contrasting color so that it doesn’t blend in. Keep mobile users in mind. Mobile phone usage is on the rise in the world of eLearning. So, you’ll have to remember that some of your learners will be using their mobile devices, which have smaller screen sizes, to access your eLearning course. This means that your next button in eLearning has to be large enough to tap, but not so large that it occupies the whole screen. Try your button out on a variety of different mobile devices to determine how big it should be, bearing in mind that most people use their thumbs when they are clicking through a mobile learning course. The Next button in eLearning should grab learners’ attention, but not steal the spotlight. Ideally, the next buttons you include in your eLearning course design should be prominent, as you want them to be noticed by your learners, but they should never be distracting. They are navigation icons, after all, not a key takeaway or eLearning exercises. Keep it simple by adding just one next button and one back button to each eLearning page, and make sure they are separated from other clickable items, such as hyperlinks. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to click the next button and ending up somewhere else entirely because the clickable areas are too close together. Give it a "clickable" appearance. Speaking of clickable, you want to make sure that your next button is, well…a button, which can be clicked, rather than just another graphic on the page. Ensure that it has borders around it to define its parameters, and that it has a shape that somewhat resembles a button, like a rectangle or arrow. Above all else, make sure there’s a sufficient amount of white space around it to draw more attention to the fact that it is a navigation icon. Follow the natural flow of the eLearning course page. The next button should be at the bottom of the page, preferably on the right hand side. Unless you are addressing to particular cultural groups, learners’ gaze will naturally go from right to left and top to bottom, so the next button will be the last thing that they see on every screen of the eLearning course. This also helps to guide learners through the eLearning course, as they will be able to immediately determine that this is the button that will help them move along and progress to the next page, thanks to its position. End the page with a cliffhanger. Sometimes your learners need some coaxing to push that next button, especially those who may be lacking intrinsic motivation. Why not convince them to click by leaving the page on a cliffhanger. For example, you can ask them a thought provoking question, or cut off a story just before the conclusion to pique their interest. You want your learners to wonder what is going to happen next or get an answer to a fascinating question. You can even mention that they will be able to "see the conclusion to the story" or "get the answer" by clicking the next button. The next button doesn’t have to be a major faux pas in eLearning. In fact, by using these tips you can create an engaging and exciting linear course that is easy to navigate and enjoyable for every member of your audience. Looking for more tips to improve your eLearning course navigation? Read the article Effective eLearning Navigation: 5 Key Principles to learn about the 5 key principles of eLearning navigation that will help you create organized and user-friendly eLearning experiences. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Litmos LMS Tutorial: Litmos LMS Course Overview This Litmos LMS Tutorial presents how simple it is to create LMS courses in Litmos. Simply, create a new course, give it a title and set a few optional settings, then add content and assign to users. That’s it! The post Litmos LMS Tutorial: Litmos LMS Course Overview appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

We all have a child in ourselves, energetic, fun loving and having zeal to explore and win games. In this state, we learn the best because our emotional state is very positive and retention of learning will be at the peak. How do we bring out the kid in ourselves, while learning a new skill or acquiring knowledge? How can you help learners play and learn at the same time? The answer is to create a challenge instead of regular quiz questions to teach or evaluate learning. For example, if we are creating a game for sales professionals, we can create a game where for every positive answer, the learner will make a $500 sale. And, if he does it right the first time, he gets a bonus. The game can be time-bound to make it more interesting. Salesmen are used to targets and bonuses, and this will be aligned with their personalities. Another example can be a coach and a learner playing a game, and if the learner gets it right, he gets a badge or a medal and on completion of the challenge and a winners’ cup. One caveat - do not make the game very simple, as the learner will lose interest. Have some hurdles so that he is motivated to try harder. Visually, having cartoon characters and a background sets the mood of a fun time and not serious learning. Music also plays a role in engaging the learner, during assessments. Have music for right and wrong answers, a coin sound for a badge and claps for the final winners’ cup! With authoring tools like Storyline, creating effective learning games is very easy. Some of the interesting games are hangman, memory games and matching games. The challenge is choosing the right game based on the learner, content and learning outcomes. Related PostsAre You Driving Your Learners Insane? - 4 Annoying E-learning Design Practices3 Motives to Use Games in Your E-learning CoursesWhy Should Instructional Designers Use Prototypes for E-Learning?

In my previous blog, we discussed the importance of closed captions in eLearning and how to add the Notes Pane to the player that is used as the closed caption. But, this Notes Pane can only be used if you choose the built-in interface of Storyline for your eLearning course. In case you choose to customize the interface, you also have to create a customized closed caption. This can be done using two different methods. In the first method,you can create a pop-up and put all the transcribed text in it (similar to the notes pane). In the second method, you can bring each line of the transcribed text in sync with audio (similar to movie subtitles). Today, in this blog, let us know the first method of creating a closed caption. Step 01: In the customized interface, create a button or an icon (depending on your interface requirements) that can be triggered to display the closed captions. Step 02: Add a new layer and rename it. I’ll rename it as CC which implies Closed Caption. Step 03: Do not forget to change the slide layer properties as shown in the below screenshot. Step 04: In the base layer,select the CC button/icon and add a trigger to it as shown in the screenshot below. This trigger will display the closed caption text, once you click the CC button/icon. Step 05: In the CC layer, design a pop-up of the required size. Also, add a close button to the pop-up. Step 06: Select the close button and add a trigger to it as shown in the screenshot below. Step 07: Now, within the border of the pop-up, insert a scrolling panel. Go to Insert tab>select Scrolling Panel>drag the mouse on the screen for the desired size of the scrolling panel. Step 08: Add the closed caption text to the CC layer and drag the text box on to thescrolling panel. This will let the text move inside the scrolling panel. You can then align the text perfectly inside the scrolling panel. Preview or publish the course to check the functionality. That’s it! This is how we create a closed caption which displays all the transcribed text in one pop-up. We will look at the second method, where each line of the transcribed text comes in sync with the audio, similar to the movie subtitles. Hope this tip is helpful.Please share your thoughts through your valuable comments. Related PostsHow to Add and Sync Closed Captions/Subtitles in Lectora?How to Change Default Player Buttons Labels in Articulate Storyline?How to Add Buttons to an E-learning Course in Articulate Storyline?

DevLearn 2015 Conference And Expo Innovation exists at the intersection of invention and value. But innovation doesn’t happen on its own-you have to make it happen by taking advantage of today’s cutting-edge technologies. DevLearn 2015 Conference & Expo will inspire the innovator in you to discover what technology makes possible for learning today and to examine and experiment with all the growing opportunities for tomorrow. Come explore the changing world of learning technologies with the leading community of industry pioneers and witness innovation in the making, September 30 - October 2 at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. Learn more: http://bit.ly/1QUJsGw Concurrent DevLearn 2015 Sessions Posted! At this year’s conference you will have the opportunity to explore more than 125 concurrent sessions in 13 key topic areas critical to those building and leading organizational learning and performance programs. We’ve posted descriptions for more than 110 of those sessions, which explore topics such as: Development Strategy Emerging Tech Management Instructional Design Performance Support Mobile Tools Media Social Learning Games & Gamification Virtual Classroom Data & Measurement And more: http://bit.ly/1NmmFOt DevLearn 2015 Keynote Speakers This year’s keynote speakers tap into the four critical elements of learning innovation: Curiosity, Disruption, Passion, and Technology. These keynotes are sure to inspire your inner innovator to take your own learning to new heights. Curiosity, Discovery, and Learning Adam Savage, Host, Discover Channel’s MythBusters Learning Without Boundaries Natalie Panek, Mission Systems Engineer, MDA Robotics and Automation Learning Disrupted David Pogue, Founder & Columnist, Yahoo! Tech Digital Badges and the Future of Learning Connie Yowell, Director of Education, MacArthur Foundation Learn more about the DevLearn keynote speakers: http://bit.ly/1GCFiYZ Co-located Event: Adobe Learning Summit Join learning industry luminaries, eLearning and mLearning experts, peers, and Adobe product teams on an exciting journey at the Adobe Learning Summit 2015, co-located with DevLearn. Save $100 if you are also registered for DevLearn, plus an additional $50 with the Early discount if you register by August 14! Learn more: http://bit.ly/1KiR0in DevLearn 2015: Register Now and Save $100 or MORE! Don’t miss this chance to join your colleagues from around the world at DevLearn, the event that showcases the innovations that shape what’s next for learning technologies. Register by August 14 and save $100 with the Early registration discount—in addition to all other discounts for which you may qualify! Register now! http://bit.ly/1GyJ2eL Learn more: http://bit.ly/1QUJsGw This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Google for Education Video Tutorial: Teacher Tips- Using Google Drive to Edit Office files This Google for Education Video Tutorial presents how to use Google Drive to edit Microsoft Office documents natively and how you can give them super powers and make them in to Google Docs. The post Google for Education Video Tutorial: Teacher Tips- Using Google Drive to Edit Office files appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

One of the most important factors for organizations to succeed in today’s competitive landscape is the speedy launch of new products. The time-to-market of new products is critical to survive and succeed. Furthermore, the life cycles of most products are getting shorter due to rapid advances in technology. On the other hand, if your sales employees are not rightly trained on your products, they will not deliver the right message to your potential prospects making it a competitor’s gain. These factors are making it critical for organizations to impart quick and effective product training. Therefore, choosing the best training medium goes a long way in effective and quick knowledge transfer. In this blog, I will share with you a few methodologies that our clients have adopted to impart quick product training, that complement their classroom training sessions. 1. E-learning Courses ELearning courses are flexible and allow learners to access the information about product updates and features anytime, anywhere. You can make online courses very interesting and effective. Using suitable instructional strategies such as scenarios and simulations, learners can be trained easily on the features of even highly complex products. With the advent of rapid authoring tools, you can quickly develop courses and update content. A 60 minute, highly interactive online course can be developed in about 3 weeks. This makes eLearning the ideal format to deliver product training, and our clients successfully "synchronize" training with their product launches using this efficient medium. 2. Webinars Webinars are ideal tools to educate sales people about the features and benefits of products in a flexible manner. Webinars hold the attention of learners for longer periods of time. Live webinars can be recorded and made available on-demand breaking the shackles of time and location as learners can access them whenever and wherever they want. One of our clients, a precision weighing equipment manufacturing company develops lot of webinars to deliver training to a large audience at low cost. They translate the webinars into multiple languages and make them available to their internal sales, customer service staff and customers. 3. Mobile apps We live in an era of mobile devices. These incredible handheld gadgets can be used to provide Just-in-time (JIT) support to learners in a very efficient manner. For example, while repairing an automobile, a mechanic can instantly get the needed information or some tips by accessing a bite-sized module on the product, through an app installed on his Smartphone. Or, a sales representative can quickly brush-up his product knowledge by accessing the concerned module on his mobile. E-learning, Webinars and Mobile apps are ideal to deliver quick and effective training to your sales team. I will be sharing with you some more ways of delivering just-in-time knowledge in my next blog. Stay tuned to the second post. Have anything to say! Please do share. Related PostsWhy is Product Training Important and Who Needs it?Strategies for the Growth Stage of Marketing eLearning7 Tips To Create Effective Sales Training Courses For Gen Y Workforce - An Infographic

Traditionally, Learning and Development teams have taken an inward-looking approach to measuring their effectiveness. They have analysed the things that matter to them, such as feedback on training courses, time spent on training courses, numbers of attendees on courses and so on. The problem in gathering this data, is the fact that it has very little relevance to the business. Why? Because the business wants to know the impact its investment in learning and development is having on business outcomes, not how successful a training course has been for those who attended it. So how do you figure out the effectiveness of your Learning and Development function? To what extent are you able to demonstrate that you are adopting modernised learning approaches that deliver the outcomes the business needs: improved productivity, engagement; revenue and agility? Data is Vital to Success Data is vital; it provides the evidence you and your team need to understand impact and drive performance. An invaluable source of external, credible data is performance benchmarking - this provides robust, genuine and independent evidence on Learning and Development’s performance; the effectiveness and impact of the learning process. It enables organisations to reflect on their own performance and see how they compare against peers and top performing organisations. However, in likeness to internal data-gathering, organisations are failing to grasp the opportunity on offer. Towards Maturity’s research shows that only 23% actively benchmark their learning strategy and practices against others in their industry, compared to 41% of top performing organisations. Only 17% actually use that benchmarking data for performance improvement, compared to 35% of top learning organisations. So how can organisations use benchmarking to review their effectiveness? Let’s start by defining it. Benchmarking is the process of comparing key performance indicators for one organisation with the indicators of others who are considered to represent the industry standard or best practice for that field. Business benchmarking focuses on 2 aspects: Key Performance Indicators (or KPI’s, comparing outcomes) and performance benchmarks (comparing activities). This is nothing new; businesses have been benchmarking since the early 1990’s in order to develop new strategic direction and improve performance. Since 2003, Towards Maturity have been demonstrating effective practice benchmarking principles to help Learning and Development departments do the same. Our benchmark helps organisations review their learning strategies, including the role of technology-enabled learning, through the application of our framework of effective practices. We define the Towards Maturity Model™ on six areas that we call workstreams, against which we measure the maturity of all organisations that benchmark. Below, we unfold these workstreams, which reflect the characteristics of more mature organisations. It is important that benchmarks remain relevant and as future-proofed as possible, which is why we continually ask leading thinkers and practitioners in Learning and Development to sense-check our benchmark. This is critically important in an ever-changing world. Your effectiveness as an Learning and Development team must measure up to the current business context, not the business context of five years ago. The Towards Maturity Model™ Defining Need Mature organisations are more likely to align learning to business strategy, ensuring that programmes are relevant to both business and individual requirements. Learner Context Mature organisations are likely to have a greater focus on understanding the context of the learner, their motivations and environment. Work Context What are the work environment factors that might influence success? What needs to be changed? How should we go about it? Mature organisations ask these kind of questions. Building Capability Mature organisations target the changing needs of their learning and development professionals to ensure that they are to be equipped with the right skills, resources and reputation to effect change. Ensuring Engagement Mature organisations have proactive strategies for involving critical stakeholders who influence behaviour change. Demonstrating Value Mature organisations will be proactive in identifying the value their learning technologies are adding to their organisation. The Towards Maturity Model™ helps L&D leaders adjust their practices to align with these six effective workstreams identified through extensive research on over 3,500 organisations since 2003. We know that reflection is an essential part of learning; by using the framework of the Towards Maturity Model™ to reflect on the effectiveness of your learning strategy, you will learn what is working, what isn't and why. This generates insights that will have value for the wider business in terms of measuring outcomes. It will also help you make better decisions, which will help you become a more effective Learning and Development team or leader. The Towards Maturity Benchmark™ is a useful tool to help you understand how effective your Learning and Development strategies are and how you compare to peers and top performing learning organisations. If you are keen to find out how effective your Learning and Development team is, make sure you benchmark this year: it’s open until 31 July. More than 3,500 organisations have taken part to date, so there is plenty of data for you to benchmark against. Start Your Benchmark This post was first published on eLearning Industry.