Litmos LMS Tutorial: Export Reports With A Custom Data Format This Litmos LMS Tutorial presents how to export almost any information in the LMS by using custom data reports. This video explains the steps to export this report and import it into Excel in a CSV format for importing into another system or to sort through data. The post Litmos LMS Tutorial: Export Reports With A Custom Data Format appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

It is an accepted truth that employees are the valued resources of any organization. Organizational success depends entirely on the performance of the employees. In order to face their competitors, organizations have to ensure efficient employees who are capable of updating themselves in the continuously changing business environment. Now, companies spend lots of money to train and educate their employees. The importance of training and developing the employees’ skills is rapidly growing. As organizations are spread across different parts of the world, it becomes difficult to train their employees with the outdated and conventional methods of learning. Therefore, eLearning is increasingly considered as the ideal medium to train the employees of these global organizations. The online medium enables anytime, anywhere learning and allows companies to provide the latest updates to their employees. According to a report by IBM, for every $1 that a company spends on eLearning tools and strategies, it can receive $30 worth of productivity. Understand the benefits of eLearning  E-learning provides many benefits to the organization. It will reduce overall training budgets and saves 50% of the training time. Also, there is no need of printing training manuals, and the online medium helps enhance course completion rates. Apart from the cost benefits, eLearning enhances employee retention. The rapid authoring tools allow updates which enable the employees to keep themselves up-to-date with their training. Organizations should devise a comprehensive approach to train their employees, which includes eLearning. Last but not the least, it is to be noted that eLearning is not appropriate for all training needs. You should check which of your training programs can go online. For example, the ‘e-course’ on ‘Violence, Conflict and Fragility’ costs 10 times less and reached 13 times more participants than a regular face-to-face course (World Bank, 2013).  Check for appropriate technology to deliver effective eLearning  E-learning implementation needs a good technological platform like the latest browser versions, software accessibility, minimum hardware, etc. In order to avoid interruptions and distractions while taking up the online course, the employees should be provided with the right technology. Also, online learning is vulnerable to technological failures. In order to overcome the technological failures, good bandwidth and the latest browser versions must be installed. Search for appropriate leadership that supports eLearning  It is a well-known fact that the primary force behind all fruitful initiatives is leadership. A higher authority in the organization should take the initiative to educate employees on the importance and benefits of eLearning. A leader should be able to monitor and track the performance of the employees undergoing the eLearning course. Simultaneously, leaders in the organisation should be able to help the employees undergoing eLearning courses, by clarifying their doubts. Check whether eLearning is a part of your training strategy  The main thing before opting for eLearning for your organization is to check whether eLearning is an existing training strategy of your organization. When you opt for eLearning, you should provide your learners with other opportunities in order to incorporate other aspects such as socialization, enculturation, etc., apart from training. This makes the acceptance of online learning as a feasible, reliable learning environment easy. These are a few things that need to be considered before opting for eLearning. In my next blog, I will list 3 other aspects to be borne in mind. Please do share your thoughts and stay tuned for the second post. Related PostsHow to Develop Effective Online Courses to Impart Product TrainingE-learning Outsourcing - Free E-bookBenefits of Using E-learning in Organizations - An Infographic

Why Using Storytelling For Compliance Is Effective If you reach into the depths of your memory, chances are that the first words you remember from childhood are "Once upon a time…". You loved a great story back then; you probably still do! And that’s why storytelling is such a vital component of any eLearning program that we develop at Interactive Services. A story taps into something very primal - the promise of a narrative that will reward us simply for listening. The attention span of the learner is assailed on all sides, from text messages or email to TV; whatever may be happening right then in the life of the learner. So to demand attention, the "hook" of a great story is extremely powerful. What Sort Of Stories Work Best? 4 Tips On How To Use Storytelling For Compliance A starting point to developing a story is to make it realistic to your audience. Develop a main character who belongs in the world of the learner, and give him/her a background, a problem to solve, and a positive outcome. For example, for an Insider Trading eLearning course, create an everyman character - it could be you or me - who has no intent to breach compliance rules, but who may trip up due to lack of knowledge, or lack of care. In filling out the details of the story, keep it conversational. Write as you would speak, keeping it as informal as possible. Remember, too, that you can localize your stories, placing them in a context that will be most recognizable to the learner. For example, you could set your Insider Trading story in a pharmaceutical firm, but don’t assume that everyone will know all the complex medical jargon and language used by the Pharma industry. Another key to successful storytelling is to keep the story short. You need to do this particularly when it comes to eLearning, when there are so many other demands on the learner’s time. The moral or learning point of the story can be just as powerful if you keep it brief. For example, in our Insider Trading example, present a dilemma and give the learner a choice of actions. You don’t need a lengthy preamble. It’s enough to say "You meet a friend who tells you his firm is about to acquire a competitor…" and get straight into the story. Make sure the story has a beginning, middle, and an end. Typically, this will involve the hero/heroine being faced with a challenge, teasing out how best to address the problem, then implementing the action needed to solve the problem - and creating a better reality in the process. For example, the consequences of a breach of Insider Trading rules can be severe. So make sure you leave enough time to outline the outcomes. And try to finish on a positive. Focus on the disaster averted rather than the crime discovered. Finally, remember that using storytelling for compliance is a powerful method of getting the compliance learner to change behavior rather than simply absorbing information. A great story can motivate, encourage, and inspire - leading to a new way of thinking and a new way of behaving. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

According to the Horizon Report, 2011, by 2015, about 80% of people will be accessing the Internet from mobile devices only, with the main focus on education. Many organizations have developed their online courses using Flash and older authoring tools. However, courses developed using these software may not be compatible with mobile devices. But, today, most people use mobile devices to access information. So, it’s necessary to convert you legacy online courses to HTML5, a format that works well on mobile devices. But, how can you transform your existing eLearning courses into mobile-friendly training content which can be accessed anytime, anywhere? Well, you can make legacy online courses mobile compatible, quickly and effectively, using Articulate Storyline. Articulate Storyline is a widely used rapid authoring tool. According to a survey, conducted by the E-learning Guild, in 2013, this powerful eLearning development software is the preferred choice of most online course developers. It has several in-built features which make it ideal to migrate your legacy eLearning content to HTML5. To find out what they are, check out the presentation Articulate Storyline for Converting Legacy Online Courses into HTML5. Click here to download this presentation Hope you find this post informative. Please do share your views. Related PostsRapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key Features5 Reasons to Convert Legacy E-learning Courses Using Articulate StorylineHow to Combine Your Adobe Captivate Projects Into Single Course?

When designing an eLearning course, we think of different strategies to make the course interesting and engaging. Even after putting all efforts, we get to know that the instructional strategy used is not appropriate, and all our hard work would go in vain. During the kick-off meeting of a project, we do ask who the target audiences for the course are. But, is that the only thing that we need to know about them? Certainly not. Here are a few other questions about the target audience that need to be answered before designing the course. 1. What is their purpose of taking the course? The first and most essential thing that we need to know is the purpose of the online course. We need to find out what our learners expect from the course. This helps us determine the learning outcome of the course. It also helps us ascertain which parts of the content are important and which need to be chunked. 2. What is their prior knowledge? The next important thing that needs to be known is what the learner already knows. If the learner is experienced and does not need training on the basics, it would be frustrating for him to go through all the basics again. In such cases, the basics should be included as ‘refreshers’, and the new topics must be explained elaborately. Similarly, if the learner has no prior knowledge of the topic, he should be taught from the basics clearly. 3. Are they tech-savvy? It is also important to know whether the learner is tech-savvy or not. If the learner is taking the eLearning course for the first time, then the course should be developed accordingly. Every instruction should be clear and understandable to the learner. The course should be kept simple and complex interactivities must be avoided, so that the learner can access it easily. 4. How much time do they spend on the course? Many times, we forget to ask this question to the client. But, this helps us decide how long the course should be. If the course is longer than the time they can spend on it, they may skip several slides. To avoid this, it is essential to get the right answer to this question. 5. How are they taking the course? It is very important to know how the learners would take the course. If they take it through their mobiles or iPads, suitable strategies must be formulated. This question also helps us choose the right tool to develop the course. The tool needs to produce output that is compatible with mobile devices. These are a few things that you need to know about the target audience of your online course, before you start designing the course. I hope you find this blog informative. Please do share if you have anything to add to the list. Related Posts10 Things Every Instructional Designer Should Do13 Things About Instructional Design You May Not Have Known5 Ways to Make E-learning Interesting - An Infographic

How To Stimulate Active And Collaborative Learning In The eLearning Space In my recent post I had been discussing ways of building flow in the eLearning course. There is some kind of contradiction when we think about this issue: As flow is a personal state of mind, it seems that it should be sought among learning activities that are being done on one’s own. On the other hand, peer-to-peer activities bring engagement and excitement, which seem necessary to reach the state of flow. Let us have a look at how we can create more engaging and collaborative ways of building competencies in the eLearning space. Variety Of Learning Methods There are hundreds of methods we could use to build one’s competence. Within the Learning Battle Cards project (see it here and here) we identified and described 100+ learning methods in the form of collectible cards. Every single learning method has its strong specifics; namely, it is more likely to be used: In the alone or collaborative learning context. In the passive or active learning context. 4 Spaces Of Learning So - there are 4 spaces of using individual learning methods. We could use them in the model of: Passive and alone learning. Passive and collaborative learning. Active and alone learning. Active and collaborative learning. As instructional designers, we often associate a particular learning method with one of these spaces. Unfortunately, we usually associate them with the most primitive one, which, for eLearning space, used to be alone/passive learning. Let's take a look at two examples of using movies and blogs in learning. In the eLearning space, the most common utilizations of movies are: Putting a movie into the eLearning course for self-learning. Using a movie within the process, as the Coursera-like learning message. Building a knowledge pill based on a video message. All of them are focusing on alone/passive space. When using blogs in the eLearning space, our first thoughts are to: Ask eLearners to read indicated blogs. Ask eLearners to respond (i.e. write comments) to their trainer’s blog. The first model of using blogs is, again, placed in the alone/passive space, while the second one, with a trainer’s proper management, could be a great example of active/collaborative space. Let's take a look below to find some inspiration on using these two learning methods in all learning spaces: What Can We Do? We should take into consideration that almost every learning method could be used in various learning spaces. In the learning (also eLearning) process we can, for example:  Ask learners to read an article, but we can also ask them to write it. Provide learners a check-list as a performance support tool, but we can also ask them to create the check-list themselves and email it to the trainer for verification or share it with their colleagues. Recommend learners to use a search engine during a scavenger hunt task, but we can also ask them to create a team and prepare such a task with a list of curated websites to consider while doing it. Provide learners with a newsletter, but we can also ask them to organize themselves, create a new one about a certain topic, and share it with the other learners. There are many possibilities - let's not limit ourselves to the most basic ones, which are located in the top-left corner of the above graph (alone/passive space): These basic options have a risk, as they are considered boring by learners. Questions To Ask While designing the learning process, we take into consideration various learning methods. While taking them into account, we should ask ourselves: How can I use this method for passive learning (learner as a receiver of the message / training routine)? How can I use this method for active learning (learner as a creator of the message / training routine)? How can I use this method for individual learning (message / training routine consumed or created by a single person)? How can I use this method for collaborative learning (message / training routine consumed or created by a team of people)? All of these questions can create new instructional ideas. Of course, the forth one seems to be the most important in terms of addressing this article’s topic. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Litmos LMS Tutorial: Modules Overview For Litmos LMS This Litmos LMS Tutorial presents how easy it is to import content into Litmos LMS. This video will show you how to create modules as well as explain a bit about the module types. The post Litmos LMS Tutorial: Modules Overview For Litmos LMS appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

Collaborative or social learning is a type of learning where people gain knowledge working in groups. Learners interact with each other and exchange ideas and information to solve problems. Various researches have proven that collaborative learning to be very effective as it improves thinking skills and enhances leadership capabilities. So, how can you facilitate effective collaborative learning in an online environment? Well, you need to use a learning management system (LMS). There are many LMSs in the marketplace which support collaborative learning programs. Of these, Moodle is the most popular and widely used. According to Capterra, this open-source LMS is used by 60 million people worldwide, nearly double the number of users of its nearest competitor. Let us now look at the features of this system, which facilitates collaborative learning. Hope you find this post useful. Do share your views. Related Posts8 Power- Packed Features of Moodle to Deliver and Manage Your Training [Infographic]Tracking Learners Activities: 10 Useful Reports Generated by Moodle LMS [Infographic]Preparing Classroom Session Using Moodle Face-To-Face plug-in

eLearning Platforms From A Teacher's Viewpoint  We all know and face the fact that the digital environment is in continuous change and development. And, why not? The 3.0 consumer is reinventing him/herself and becomes e-venturous. Therefore, the traditional education is losing more and more ground, and teachers, students, and professionals focus on new ways to develop, improve, and share their knowledge. The following table of comparison summarizes all the relevant and similar information I found on the eLearning platforms’ websites, with a touch of originality. By "originality" I mean custom questions that could help a teacher (but not only) reach the top information about the old/new e-teaching platforms. The table.   questions udemy.com novoed.com udacity.com icompany.training lynda.com What can an user do here? "a) Learning new skills b) Teaching online c) Training employees" "a) Learners b) Educators c) Companies" "a) Open courses b) Nanodegree Programs c) Georgia Tech Degrees (here)" "a) Online courses b) Become a teacher c) Become an affiliate" "a) Academic b)Business c)Government + d) Call for trainers" FREE / PAID (student) paid/free free/paid free/paid paid paid (+ free videos)(here) Fees (teacher) "Become an instructor" program, no fee to create and host courses Has no specific "teacher" program Has no specific "teacher" program (here) "Become a teacher program" Has a "Call for trainers" program Revenue share (for teachers, from paid courses) "a) Instructor Promotion b)Udemy Organic" (here) Regarding Stanford University's policy Regarding Georgia Tech's policy 3 offers (here) Regarding the amount of videos produced Partners Vs. Affiliates Has an "affiliates" program (here) "a) University Partners b) Foundations and Other Education Partners c) Corporate Learning Partners" (here) For the "Nanodegree" program (here) Has a "become an affiliate" program (here) Has a "partner" program (here) Courses - topics (IT Vs. non-IT) Both (here) Non-IT focused (here) IT focused (here) Both (here) Both (here) Various course languages Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes College credits An equivalent portfolio Exams + Certification / College credits + Stanford LEAD Certificate: Corporate Innovation Verified Completion Certificates+ "Nanodegree" program - Internship offer at AT & T Yes = Student practice equivalent Unreported Posibility of providing video content Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (video2brain) Devices to learn from Any device Any device Any device Any device Any device Teachers' background Experts of any kind Experts of any kind Silicon Valley experts Experts of any kind Experts of any kind Countries worldwide offers Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Teachers can earn based on their course format Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Teaching experience required No Not really Yes No Yes Is a teacher course exclusive? Yes Yes Yes No Yes May a teacher delete a course? Yes Yes Yes No Yes Has a discussion forum Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Was founded in 2009/2010 2012 2011 2014 1995 / 2002 An Emotional Issue: Modern collegiate coursework, friendship-based team Powerful partnerships, students collaboration (teams) A Silicon Valley company, lifelong learning, friendship-based team Young company, lifelong learning, personal development A LinkedIn company, old company, with vast experience The findings. As you can see in the table, a user of any of these eLearning platforms has various opportunities to learn, teach, or train according to his/her needs, in a free or paid mode. Here are some facts that emphasize the strengths of these platforms, along with their main focus activity, and that may be useful for a teacher: The majority of these eLearning platforms has a specific "teacher" program (e.g. Udemy, iCompany and Lynda), where "experts of any kind" could apply their courses, and earn money based on their course format (free or paid). Here (Udemy), here (iCompany), and here (Lynda) a teacher can sign up for courses they would like to share. All of them have a specific "affiliate / partner" program based on their own philosophy (e.g. Udacity has the "nanodegree" partnership; iCompany has an affiliate program). The teachers have also the possibility to sign up as affiliates or partners. Teachers’ background can be both from IT and non-IT areas (e.g. Udemy, iCompany, Lynda); NovoEd focuses on non-IT courses and Udacity focuses on IT courses. The majority has a restriction on the course mobility, in order to keep the information unique (iCompany allows teachers to also publish their content elsewhere). As an emotional issue, those platforms have their own way of "being" on the market, so they address to visitors’ emotions through their stories (teachers could identify themselves in some of them): Udemy has a specific, modern collegiate coursework and a friendship-based team. NovoEd has powerful partnerships and allows students to collaborate in small teams. Udacity is a Silicon Valley brand with a lifelong learning orientation and a friendship-based team. iCompany is a young company with a lifelong learning and personal development orientation. Lynda is a LinkedIn brand, with a vast experience on the field, focused on video content. To sum up, based on the previous facts and personal intuition, I think that if the relationship among the eLearning platform’s team, the teachers, and the students is based on a win-win direction, they will all benefit greatly from them the platforms. In that way, a complementary alliance among them all could be an awesome next step for the 3.0 adventurous consumer. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The eLearning industry is stepping into the next level with the help of advanced technologies and fluctuating trends. Moreover,now-a-days curriculumis getting more interactive and the learners are shifting in large numbers to mobile devices. As a consequence, the process of eLearning designing is changing. To suit these trends and changes, HTML5 is being used for the development of online courses. HTML5 is the latest version of Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML), which includes CSS 3 and JavaScript. This version has enabled us to do many things which were not possible with earlier versions. It now allows us to embed images, animations and other objects into the eLearning course. The main reason to shift to HTML5 is that using the mobile devices in every aspect of day to day lives, and here HTML5 has been proved to be the troubleshooter. Now, I will discuss the advantages of HTML5 in eLearning courses. Delivery of Mobile Content: Learners are using mobile devices to access knowledge and information. It is a known fact that Flash output is not supported by iPads, iPhones and other mobiles, whereas mobiles and iPads, by default, support HTML5 content. HTML5 has some smart meta-tags that enable us to optimize the content for mobiles. Supports Offline Data Storage: We know that learners, now-a-days, want to access knowledge anywhere, anytime. They want data to be stored.So, HTML5 providesoffline support. This means that it can handle or store the data even when the application is not linked to the Internet. Organization of Content: HTML5 helps set the content flow with a pre-determined width that allows adjustments like making content wider or narrower depending on the size of the browser window. The web content can also be organized in such a way that it is understood by search engines and screen-readers easily. Supports Browsers: We can create rich web applications with the help of HTML5, as web browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari are now trying to support all features of HTML5. One of the major advantages of HTML5 is that it doesn’t need any kind of plug-in for the web browser, to understand the code. Development of Games: HTML5 helps create interactive mobile-friendly games that can be used to make our courses interactive. We can also integrate simple graphics, create simple 2D drawings and do a lot more without plug-ins. There are several Authoring toolssuch as Adobe Captivate 7, Articulate Storyline, Camtasia Studio 8, iSpring, etc. available in market that allows to publish the courses into a HTML5 compatible format. HTML5 is a good option to deploy courses across different platforms. Hope this blog was use full to you. Related PostsWhat Does HTML5 Mean for E-learning?Six Ongoing Trends of E-learning IndustryNew Trends in Training and Development

Information security problems are on the rise affecting all organizations. Organizations are losing millions of dollars every year. According to a survey conducted by PwC on data-security breaches, 450k to 850k pounds is the average cost to a large organization of its worst security breach of the year. But why do you think this is happening? Ponemon Institute, a research firm, in 2013, pointed out that 35% of data breaches have occurred due to human factors, such as employees not handling sensitive information appropriately and lack of awareness. So, what should be done? Well, the employees need to be trained. There are various areas on which your employees need to be trained, such as: Degree of security needed for a particular type of information/data Responsibility of users in protecting their organization’s information/data Construction of strong passwords Consequences of information leakage Identification of information to be shared on social media Differentiation of confidential and non-sensitive information For more information on the topics, you can take a look at this presentation. It is very important to have proper policies in place and conduct awareness training programs, so that employees don’t make costly errors. But the question here is - how to effectively train them? Well, the online medium is the simplest and most economical and convenient means to complement your other training mediums. The content can be presented using visual aids, scenarios, case studies and videos that can help in reinforcing messages. The courses can be made learner-centric, and they can be presented very effectively using interactivities like click on tabs, rollovers etc. Also, quizzes can be used to assess learners on what they have learnt and help them identify the areas in which they need to improve. Moreover, it is easy to update online training content. However, designing an online course on information security is not so simple; you need to make sure it is effective enough to bring about a change in the behavior of your employees. Let us see how to build a successful information security training program. Decide on the Content of the Course: The first thing to do is decide on the content to be included in the online training program. It should cover the security procedures and rules and regulations which must be strictly followed. The main goal of the training program is to provide comprehensive knowledge of your firm’s security practices to your employees. Ensure the Online Training Material Is Easy to Use: The eLearning material should be easy to understand, so that your employees can analyze and grasp concepts easily. It can be made more interesting by using small quizzes and puzzles and scenarios based on real life situations. Create Awareness: Your employees should understand the importance of taking up the training. Implement a information-security awareness program with the support of the management. Once the employees are aware of the importance and need for information-security training, they are more likely to attend the training with an open mind and will be receptive to the suggestions shared during the training program. Acquire Awareness Materials: Collecting additional data from information-security training organizations is a good idea, as these firms are more experienced and can help with the right training content that can be added to the materials that are developed by in-house subject-matter experts. Track and Report: You need to track the employees’ performance and see that the training is utilized effectively. This can be done using a Learning Management System (LMS). Open-source LMSs like Moodle can be customized in a cost-effective manner as per your requirements. Proper training goes a long way in securing sensitive information and prevents data leakages which could result in considerable financial loss and the reputation of your organization taking a beating. Hope you find this post informative. Do share your views. Related Posts5 Important Tips to Manage Your E-learning Projects EffectivelyIT Security: Do Your Employees Realize the Threats Lurking Around?Planning Effectively to Impart First-rate Safety Training Online

The Quintessential Of Anchored Instruction Anchored instruction is directly linked to the idea of inert previous knowledge, that is knowledge people already have but they do not recall unless they are prompted to do so. Anchored instruction urges learners to retrieve this knowledge in order to solve problems related to the subject matter under study. Learning is enhanced when learners are able to collect information and acquire knowledge while they are striving to understand and solve problems that may arise within specific scenarios or situations based on the previous knowledge they probably have. When they lack previous knowledge, they can only memorize new facts. An anchored-based instructional design gives learners the opportunity, from the very beginning, apart from memorizing new information, to also understand how and where newly acquired knowledge can be applied, minimizing this way the possibility of its becoming inert. 3 Main Principles Of The Anchored Instruction Educational Model And Its Application To eLearning Course Design Anchored Instruction is also closely tied to Case-Based Learning and Situated Learning. In essence, learners are immersed in a story or scenario that allows them not only to explore a particular problem, but also to acquire skill sets that can be used in the real world. Principal elements of an instructional design based on the Anchored Instruction Educational Model are: Anchor-based scenarios. All lessons should be centered around what is known as an "anchor". This anchor is typically a problem solving scenario or case study. For example, one story may revolve around a mystery that must be solved, which includes the use of mathematical equations. Applied to eLearning, today, although today it’s not called anchored instruction, the model forms the basis for scenario-based learning, which allows learners to follow different learning paths and to obtain experience in alternative solutions in a risk-free environment. Discovery learning. Another basic principle of the anchored instruction approach is that the curriculum that is used should always allow learner to explore and delve into the problem or scenario. The same principle can also be applied to the instructional design for eLearning, by following a constructivistic approach where knowledge is constructed, by integrating eLearning activities that turn each learner into an active participant in the scenario, rather than a passive overlooker. Extensive use of multimedia. The use of multimedia programs or tools is highly encouraged when following an anchored instruction approach. The Cognition and Technology Group explained that the videos created, had been intended to recreate interesting, engaging, and realistic content that encouraged "active construction" of knowledge. Their videodiscs, of that time, when compared to verbal presentations, lectures, or textbooks, provided learners with a way to explore a particular topic in a more interesting way, instead of merely reading about it or being relayed the information from the instructor. Today, the use of multimedia is taken for granted in eLearning. Smaller file size and more advanced technology have improved the quality of the eLearning content and have a positive impact both on the effectiveness of the eLearning course and learners' satisfaction from their eLearning experience. Last, but not least, in order to be effective, "anchors" should enable learners to identify critical elements of the learning situation that need further investigation or activation of their previous knowledge. Anchored instruction must also intrinsically motivate learners by providing interesting activities within context, challenging enough to initiate the discovery learning process. Today, anchored instruction can be used in a wide variety of subject matters, particularly those designed to encourage the development of reasoning skills. Its principles are still in use in instructional design, especially for case-studies presented as branching scenarios and other type of eLearning activities that require learners’ active participation. In such cases, the instructional design normally follows a constructivist discovery learning approach appropriate for all age groups that is strongly recommended for eLearning courses addressing to adult learners. Join us at the Instructional Design History Journey A New Instructional Design Model Will Be Added Every Week! You are more than welcome to let us know if you would like us to cover an instructional design model and theory that is not included at the Instructional Design Models and Theories. Simply leave a comment at the Instructional Design Models and Theories. References: Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (2000) Adventures in Anchored Instruction: Lessons From Beyond the Ivory Tower. Advances in Instructional Psychology (Volume V. pp. 35-100). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Zech, L., Vye, N., Bransford, J. Goldman, S., Barron, B., Schwartz, D., Hackett, R., Mayfield-Stewart, C. & CTGV (1998). An introduction to geometry through anchored instruction. In R. Lehrer & D. Chazan (Eds.), New directions in teaching and learning geometry. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1996). Anchored instruction and situated cognition revisited. In H. McLellan (Ed.), Situated learning perspectives (pp. 123-154) Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publishers. Reprint: Educational Technology, 33(3), 52-70. Bransford, J.D., with the Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1994). Generative learning and anchored instruction: Design, research and implementation issues. In B. P. M. Creemers & G. J. Reezigt (Eds), New directions in educational research: Contributions from an International Perspective (pp. 33-62). Groningen: ICO. Bransford, J.D. with Moore, J.L., Lin, X., Schwartz, D.L., Petrosino, A., Hickey, D.T., Campbell, J. O., Hmelo, C. & Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt [CTGV] (1994). The situated perspective: A reply to Tripp. Educational Technology, 34, 28-32. --Reprinted: The relationship between situated cognition and anchored instruction: A response to Tripp. In H. McLellan (Ed.), Situated learning perspectives (pp. 213-221) Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publishers. Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1993, March). Anchored instruction and situated cognition revisited. Educational Technology, 33, 52-70. Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1993). Toward integrated curricula: Possibilities from anchored instruction. In M. Rabinowitz (Ed.), Cognitive science foundations of instruction (pp. 33-55). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1992). Anchored instruction approach to cognitive skills acquisition and intelligent tutoring. In W. Regian & V. J. Shute (Eds.), Cognitive approaches to automated instruction (pp. 135-170). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1992). The Jasper series as an example of anchored instruction: Theory, program description, and assessment data. Educational Psychologist, 27, 291-315. Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1992). Anchored instruction in science and mathematics: Theoretical basis, developmental projects, and initial research findings. In R. A. Duschl & R. J. Hamilton (Eds.), Philosophy of science, cognitive psychology, and educational theory and practice (pp. 244-273). New York: SUNY Press. Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1990). Anchored instruction and its relationship to situated cognition. Educational Researcher, 19(6), 2-10. Dr. John D. Bransford - University of Washington THEORY NAME: Anchored Instruction Cognitive Constructivism & Social Constructivism: Anchored Instruction This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Litmos LMS Tutorial: Setting up Ecommerce in Litmos LMS This Litmos LMS Tutorial presents how simple it is to set up the E commerce feature in Litmos. However, if you don’t know what you are doing it can be frustrating. This short video shows you everything you need to set up your E commerce in Litmos. The post Litmos LMS Tutorial: Setting up Ecommerce in Litmos LMS appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

The main purpose of training is to improve business performance by increasing revenue and reducing costs.Organizations spend billions on employee training and development programs because imparting effective training helps companies enhance the knowledge, skills and capabilities of their employees, thereby enhancing their productivity. It is common knowledge that all firms try to get the best Return on Investment (ROI) on their L&D initiatives. We can maximize the ROI on training, using eLearning. According to a report released by IBM, companies who utilize eLearning tools and strategies have the potential to boost productivity by up to 50%. For every $1 that a company spends, it’s estimated that it can receive $30 worth of productivity. Here, I would like to list 5 advantages of using the online training medium. 1. Saves time British Telecom delivered e-business training to 23,000 employees in three months at a cost of £5.9m, compared to £17.8 million and a five-year time span for classroom training (Source: Taylor, 2002).  As eLearning is asynchronous innature, it reduces the time to rollout updates. E-learning materials can be updated quickly online and hosted at a central repository, where employees can access the updated materials. Furthermore, learners don’t have to travel to take online courses. This saves considerable time and money. 2. Delivers cost-effective training Companies save about 50% to 70% on training, when they replace instructor-led training sessions with eLearning courses, due to reduced or eliminated travel costs and more targeted training (IOMA 2002). With the help of rapid authoring tools, eLearning courses can be developed cost-effectively to improve performance and provide opportunities for growth and development. For example,a 60 minuteonline course can be developed in about 3-4 weeks using rapid authoring tools. 3. Offers Flexibility E-learning is highly flexible. Online courses can be delivered, anytime, anywhere, on any device, allowing learners to access courses conveniently. Furthermore, online courses can be translated into multiple languages, quickly, at low cost. 4. Maintain Consistency As eLearning is asynchronous and self-paced,it ensures consistency in the format and delivery of content. This goes a long way in motivating employees to take the course. With consistency and standardization, a high quality eLearning course can be delivered to the employees. 5. Allows Tracking E-learning allows employees to know where they are in the course and how much they learned. It allows organizations to track the performance of their employees. With an LMS, organizations can improve the efficiency of eLearning courses and online training programs. Let’s compare eLearning with other modes of learning. (Source: http://www.trainingindustry.com/content-development/articles/understanding-the-roi-of-elearning.aspx) Thus, we see that eLearning is the best training methodologyand organizations can use the online training medium to improve their performance by increasing revenues and decreasing costs. Please share your thoughts! Related Posts3 Things to Get The Ball Rolling for E-learning - An InfographicE-learning Outsourcing - Free E-bookBlending Technologies to Enhance Learning and Performance

The Net Generation And Why Technology-Based Learning Will Play A Bigger Part Ever In Our Learning I recently read a highly insightful paper from the NeuroLeadership Institute about how our brain learns, understands, and ultimately retains and remembers the knowledge and information it acquires. I don’t want to recount all the points addressed in the report, that’s not the purpose for my writing this particular piece, but two of the key points I did note from the insightful "Learning that lasts through AGES" paper was the part played by the environment on the way which people learn, and how people absorb knowledge. It’s those two points that I want to address. As a learning provider, I do agree with the value of knowing about the science behind learning. Having a scientific perspective on how we learn will enable learning providers and companies to better understand the impact, and ultimately the value, of their chosen approaches to how learning is delivered, and the impact this will have on their workforce. So taking the matter of the environment first, I do think the ultimate game-changer has to be on the design of workplace learning environments, now and in the future. Learning Technologies: Defining the learning environment in line with the demands of the Net Generation Today’s workforce can now enjoy online and virtual classroom training, not just the traditional classroom style. Technology is everywhere! The Net Generation just can’t remember a time when a computer wasn’t used for some kind of learning experience. It’s because of their "tech-savviness" that more traditional Learning and Development practices and approaches are coming into question. The Net Generation is growing exponentially and its intuitive and instinctive use of technology is quickly shaping and determining how workplaces work and what training methods they will buy into. The "Net Gen" is fluent in the language of technology and the work seamlessly in the virtual and the real world. They’ve grown up "Digital"; previous generations are still getting to grips with it. As such, current and future generations are evolving on a daily basis to become even more tech-aware.  As a consequence of this, employees will have very high expectations for their training and how it’s delivered in order that their demanding expectations are met. That’s why we now all need to be more aware than ever of the mind-set of the current and upcoming workforce. Challenges For Learning And Development  So what does the Net Generation want from learning technology? Interactivity! Some, (not all!) traditional classroom style training methods won’t tick this workforce’s boxes forever, as it won’t fulfill their learning potential and expectations. They want to be able to use the learning technology, but they want that technology to ultimately be relevant and interactive. (Remember, they had exposure to computers, tablets, and smart phones at school, and then at college or in higher education, so they need and want to take their computer skills way beyond just the basics.) With this in mind, Net Gens will expect training technology in the workplace, just as it did in college or university, to allow them to engage with peers and trainers quickly, but in a centralized way. That’s why Virtual Training really meets this current, and future, change in the learning mind-set. They are fluent in Digital and, because of this, are used to preparing their own schedules, to collaborating constantly, and for wanting ongoing feedback and training, and for wanting access to the tools and technology to master their jobs. Forget telling them what devices and platforms to use. Companies can probably learn a thing or two about cutting-edge Learning and Development technology just by listening to the Net Gen! They are a creating a demand that needs to be met. What comes after the current Net Generation?  Needless to say, the workforce beyond the current Net Generation will exceed and surpass it. As such, companies will need to completely change their infrastructure of learning technologies. By then, hopefully companies will all understand how technology can be used to reach people in an effective way. The Human Resources decision makers and Learning and Development teams will just be older Net Gens with a legacy of knowledge behind them, and so have a greater and be more attuned to the training needs and expectations of the upcoming workforce. The writers of the report to which I referred at the start ask "How do we ensure people are interested in learning what is presented, and how then do we present the information to ensure that the knowledge is sustainable, accessible, and easily applied in adaptive and contextual ways?". For me, it’s Virtual Training and the hum that also being made about things like holographic technology (expensive though the latter might be for companies, but that could potentially be used to enhance company Learning and Development), that I think meet many of the scientific points raised about the way in which we learn, and the way people will want to learn in the future. Until then, it will take tremendous effort and buy-in from both companies and employees alike to really understand and integrate latest emerging learning technologies effectively. But the benefits will be well worth the effort. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The biggest challenge of instructional designers, while developing an eLearning course, is to maintain the motivation levels of learners. As it’s very difficult for the instructors to connect with the learners directly, it’s important to design the course in an effective and communicative manner. It is essential that an online course is understood by different types of learners. Strategy differs from learner to learner. There is a close relationship between a learner’s personality and his lifestyle. Personality governs the way a learner controls intuition during the learning process. But, how can you deal with different types of learners in an online course? Well, here is an info-graphic which provides insights into the delivery of online training to different types of learners. Hope you find the post interesting. Please do share your views. Related Posts5 Ways to Make E-learning Interesting - An Infographic7 Tips To Create Effective Sales Training Courses For Gen Y Workforce - An InfographicCorporate Governance through Safety and Compliance Training - Free Resources

How To Maximize F2F Training Time If you're involved in corporate training, then most likely you have been a training stakeholder (Instructional Designer, trainer, business leader, or subject matter expert) involved in a conversation that goes something like this: "Is there any way you can shrink the time and duration needed for training, reduce training-related expenses, and increase learner engagement?" While this can be exceptionally frustrating to those involved in the Instructional Design, development, and delivery of corporate training, the desired business results are very real. As Learning and Development specialists, we must agilely respond with creative solutions that yield desired business results. Here are 3 steps to maximize F2F (Face-To-Face) learning and F2F training time, and also to address the questions often asked by corporate leaders. 1) Use The Eyeball-To-Eyeball Filter.  Research shows that even in our K-12 school systems teachers believe there are benefits to leveraging technology to motivate students and expand and reinforce learning content (Fulton, 2014, p. 113). While our workforce is becoming increasingly more filled with digital natives, we must remain mindful of the fact that this will only increase with each passing year. The "use of technology is not just cool, it's expected" (p. 86). The notion of active learning or what is becoming commonly known as "flipping the classroom", adheres to the premise that F2F instructional time must be reserved for rich dialogue and the application of learning - and traditional "teaching" occurs out of the classroom, often delivered via video. In my corporate training strategies, I’ve found that this proves highly effective to reduce the cost of training with out-of-office time, and increase learner engagement and motivation with immediate application of learning. I call it results of using the Eyeball-to-Eyeball Filter. In essence, nothing gets through the filter that doesn't necessitate F2F, or eyeball-to-eyeball learning time. This includes the dialogue between colleagues as well as conversations with an instructor or facilitator of learning and individual learners, or small groups of participants. It also includes activity-based problem solving where the application of learning is required. The flipped classroom approach necessitates that we deliver nuggets of essential learning content virtually if it does not require real-time conversation. When our learners show up for synchronous, instructor led training, their already-gained knowledge is ready to be put to the test through active learning and experimentation together. If we can deliver content and address training objectives virtually, then we do just that. What remains becomes the content to hang on an interactive, person-to-person learning activity in the corporate classroom or even on-the-job training environment. Very quickly word spreads and employees know that the online, initial learning activities that precede F2F training are essential to their success in the active learning environment in which learners are at the center. 2) Sell The Value Of F2F Training Time.  To increase the likelihood that adults will engage in learning and developing, one of the first principles of adult learning is to respect the learners. What do we highly value? Our time and our money usually top the list. If we waste either one, we risk adult learners entirely shutting off the learning process. So effectively communicating that we understand the importance and value of learners’ time is a critical fact to convey. However, if all we do is say that, we really have accomplished little. But when we SHOW this belief through designing and building engaging, short-sized (and when appropriate even humorous), interactive, virtual learning modules -instead of gathering them face-to-face to convey factual knowledge or give them a talking head video online that requires zero interaction-, we immediately gain a little buy-in. When we design virtual learning modules aimed at the heart of developing necessary skills to be successful in the learners’ work roles, we are speaking their language. People want that. They want to be successful in their work! So we must deliver tasty and digestible nuggets of learning to be consumed 24x7 when their appetite strikes. And when people are primed to show up for an instructor-led workshop or training session, they arrive prepared to build upon what they have learned online. Our respect for adult learners must span the gap between virtual and F2F training. "Digital content is only useful when it is accessible, relevant and timely" (Daniels, 2013, p. 307). We purposefully sell the value of F2F training time when learners come to understand that what is presented to them online prior to it are the building blocks for dialogue, collaboration, and active learning when we are together. Changing this mindset and culture takes time; it requires strategic planning and messaging. With less time needed in an actual classroom, the urgency to learn what is before us focuses learning. Flipping the classroom and leveraging technology to shrink learning time is more than snippet-sized videos! It changes what occurs during F2F training. A wide variety of virtual training content and modules should equip learners to arrive in a classroom environment ready to use higher level thinking skills (Bloom's Taxonomy). Rather than just simply needing to recall, describe, or regurgitate information, learners are prepared to create, analyze, compare, etc. As adult learners consume corporate training designed in this manner, their expectations of instructor-led class time change as we demonstrate the value of F2F training time. Gone are the days where employees anticipated snoozing in a classroom while away from their regular responsibilities. It is easy for learners to buy what we are selling when the value of F2F instructor-led training gives them the results they are after. 3) Deliver Engaging, Bite-Sized Learning Chunks Through a Simple Learning Management System (LMS) And Tracking System.  Continually increasing the skill set of Instructional Designers to craft engaging, interesting, and interactive virtual modules is important. However, without a Learning Management System to deliver these courses in a simplistic and easy to grasp process, all bets are off that the virtual learning will stick! A straightforward and fail proof process must be presented to learners. A Learning management System that is not agile or intuitive enough to support the learning process in a natural flow and sequence for learners will thwart progress. In fact, it may even prove to be a detriment to the learning culture of the organization. Beyond the technology and learning platform, a testing team to ensure all functionality works properly from the learners’ perspective must be actively in place. If the perception exists that we didn't care enough to ensure everything functions smoothly, then the perception that we will also waste their time in the F2F learning environment is not far behind. By far the best Learning Management System solution I have found is Velop. Myriad design preferences and very easy to use controls exist for Instructional Designers who don’t need to know coding. The look and feel of courses are easily redesigned as desired. Any type of registration (pay or not) process is easy and user-friendly. What I appreciate most is that the technology is simply a vehicle to deliver virtual training and easily get us to our desired destinations. Velop in no way becomes types of barriers, hurdles, or challenges to learners. Facilitators for instructor-led training have quick and simple access to track not just completion rates of their learners, but also detailed information about the learning paths selected by various learner groups and by role. Velop allows us to dissect information about our learners’ preferences, styles, and personal processes and learning habits. This type of data helps the continued refinement of virtual training content. Velop includes not only competitive pricing structures, but the best customer support I have ever experienced with any product. Moving your corporate training towards a learner-centered environment that helps people use higher order thinking skills more rapidly still requires highly effective classroom trainers. I remember one of my trainers expressing grave concern over the use of online virtual training modules for new hires to complete prior to arriving at new hire orientation. "But I am a storyteller! That is my style of training, and that’s what makes me effective", said this trainer with concern etched on his face. Flipping the classroom did indeed require a revised training process when facilitating instructor-led training. But this certainly does not negate the need for a highly skilled training facilitator. "Flipped learning will never replace the teacher [trainer], because the most important part of a flipped class is the face-to-face time where the teacher [trainer] can differentiate and build relationships with students" (Morris and Thomasson, 2013, p. 72). I believe that the role of the trainer becomes paramount in reaching training goals and objectives when leveraging technology. These 3 steps will help you shrink the time and duration needed for training, reduce training-related expenses (like travel and people being out of their offices), and increase learner engagement. Since these are the typical demands we are faced with from key business leaders, we must be prepared to respond with strategic action. As a learning leader, which of these steps seems most important for you to take at this time? Who will you choose to discuss this with as you consider how to maximize F2F training? Works Cited Daniels, K. (2013). Professional development. In J. Bretzmann (Ed.), Flipping 2.0 - Practical strategies for flipping your class, (pp. 291-311). The Bretzmann Group. Fulton, K. (2014). Time for learning: Top 10 reasons why flipping the classroom can change education. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. https://www.velop.org Morris, C. and Thomasson, A. (2013). English. In J. Bretzmann (Ed.), Flipping 2.0 - Practical strategies for flipping your class, (pp. 37-73). The Bretzmann Group.   This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Litmos LMS Tutorial: Setting Language in Litmos LMS This Litmos LMS Tutorial presents how to change the language for your Litmos LMS. The post Litmos LMS Tutorial: Setting Language in Litmos LMS appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

The first step of an instructional design process is analysis. We analyze the inputs provided by the stakeholders, but most of the time, we don’t receive all inputs at once. And this is true especially for curriculums with many modules. But we are asked to analyze those inputs and come up with a strategy and a prototype, which is quite challenging. This is what exactly happened with me. But, it worked! In this post, I will share how important it is to consider many factors while coming up with a strategy. Assuming that all the modules would be developed the same way, we first analyzed the audience and their demographics, and then, the content. The learners are government officials, NGO partners etc. and Indians. It’s said that this audience treat the trainer as a ‘guru’ and would love to listen to him, discuss and learn things. They were all adults (35-50 years). Keeping all these factors in mind, we thought a class room training environment with a discussion between the trainer and trainees would be ideal. So, visually, we came up with a scenario involving a training room, a trainer and 4-5 trainees. We ensured that the characters were in Indian attire and ‘gave’ them designations. The trainees were inspectors, sub inspectors, constables etc. from different departments. The trainer was a commissioner (an official with a higher designation). Since they love to listen, we presented more content in audio where the trainer talks and discusses with the trainees and less content on the screen. Coming to the content, since it was about compliance to the act on prohibition of drugs, scenario-based learning would be the best method to teach the content. Instructionally, the content should have a logical flow, so we used the trainer to introduce the act, then present the guidelines and give more details about the act, and lastly, ask some questions. We made these questions engaging by adding some humor. Since the content is about the act and violations of the act which would lead to severe punishments, we used the game ‘Hangman’. Choosing an incorrect option would send the character/avatar to the gallows. We also used buzzers (sounds) for correct and incorrect answers. At the end of each chapter, we included scenario-based questions to complete the learning. To make these scenarios interesting, we gamified them by including elements such as time and score. With all these, we developed a small prototype using Articulate Storyline. This tool helps develop the course quickly and is also compatible with iPads and tablets. It’s very important that we analyze the audience and content thoroughly, so that we get some ideas in the initial stages to come up with an effective strategy. To check if we are up to the expectations of the client, its better we send the strategy in a written format and also a 2-3 slide prototype or a draft proof of concept. Related PostsImportance of Content Comprehension in E-learningWhy Should Instructional Designers Use Prototypes for E-Learning?Discover The Kid in You Through E-learning

Building on the success of the previous 9 years of Immersive Education (iED) conferences, IMMERSION 2015 will feature a unique "modular" format. IMMERSION 2015 addresses the personal and cultural impact of immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality (e.g., Facebook's Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, HTC Vive),  augmented reality and mixed reality (e.g., Microsoft HoloLens), holograms and holography, wearable computing (e.g., Google Glass and Apple Watch), mechanical and neural brain interfaces, cybernetics, affective computing (systems that can recognize, interpret, process, and simulate human feelings and emotions), neuro-gaming technologies that are used to create adaptive and radically compelling entertainment experiences, 3D printing, personal robotics, telepresence, virtual worlds, simulations, game-based learning and training systems, and fully immersive environments such as caves and domes. As a special event that is open to the public, the first two days of IMMERSION 2015 features general-interest keynote addresses, talks, panel discussions and exhibits. The event concludes with hands-on workshops and a special 2-day technical conference specifically for researchers, academics, teachers and corporate trainers. The 2015 Immersive Education (iED) conference, IMMERSION 2015, will be hosted by Paris-Sorbonne University ("the Sorbonne") on September 7 - 10, 2015. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Since a couple of weeks, we have been discussing the importance of closed captions in eLearning. We have seen how the Notes Pane in Articulate Storyline is used to display closed captions when you use its built-in player. Also, we have seen one of the two methods to create a closed caption in case of you use a customized player. Today, in this blog, we will discuss the second method, where each line of the transcribed text comes in sync with audio similar to movie subtitles. Step 01: Create a button or an icon on the slide (depending on your interface requirements) that can be triggered to display the closed captions. Step 02: In the base layer, select the CC button/icon and add a trigger to it as shown in the screenshot below. Step 03: Add a new layer for the transcribed text. Step 04: Create a similar CC button/icon in the new layer. Step 05: Select the CC button/icon in the new layer and add a trigger to it as shown in the screenshot below. Step 06: In the base layer, create a text variable as shown in the below screenshot. Step 07:  Again, in the new layer, add a box where the transcribed text can be displayed and write the name of the text variable you have just created, between 2 percentage marks. Step 08: Create small rectangles outside the slide. Number of rectangles depends on the number of breaks you give for the whole transcribed content. Step 09: Timeline of the rectangle patches must be aligned as shown in the screenshot below. (It depends of the ‘readability time’ you give for each sentence.) Step 10: Now, adjust the text variable as shown in the screenshots below. That’s it! Preview or publish and check the functionality. This is the second method to create closed captions, where each line of the transcribed text comes in sync with audio similar to movie subtitles. Hope this tip is helpful to you. Please share your thoughts through your valuable comments. Related PostsHow to Add and Sync Closed Captions/Subtitles in Lectora?Creating Closed Captions in Articulate Storyline - Method ICreating Closed Captions in Articulate Storyline - Method III

Essential Online Resources For Efficient eLearning Process In the century of technology, studentship can become an easier period of life. Even if professors assign more and more tasks, students now have the possibility of completing those faster by using the right resources as well powerful online tools and applications. Below, you can find some of the most useful resources when it comes to boosting productivity and staying focused. Check them out and start being an efficient student. Remember - you must study smart, not hard! 1. StudyBlue A fast way of learning is by making and using flashcards. But wait! You don’t have to create them yourself from sheets of paper! They are all done on this website where students can find more than 270 million flashcards! The materials can be used on any device and cover a large educational area. Additionally, on StudyBlue, users can take quizzes, review sheet, study guides and so on. Now you have no excuse for not passing that exam! 2. Audible Audible is an Amazon company that provides users with an enormous data base of audio books. Students have a lot going on, so the best way of reading a book from the syllabus is to actually hear it. Books can be listen anytime and anywhere. Take advantage of the time spent on bus or train, and put on your headphones. Like this, your productivity will be maximized - not even a minute wasted! The first audio book is free, so choose it wisely. Become a better student by not missing a single title from your bibliography. 3. Papersgear No matter how smart one can be, he still needs professional help for editing and proofreading. As the author of the paper, you cannot be objective and spot all the possible mistakes. And everybody knows that high grades depend on the look of the essay, too. Thus, submit the assignment at Papersgear and ask for an expert’s assistance. The quotes are affordable for every student and the team does a very good job. 4. Studious Studious is a smart phone app that assists students in their daily schedule. Users can input their course schedule, and the app automatically silences the phone during these intervals. Then, you can also save exams and assignments deadlines and dates. Ultimately, students can input various notes. In this way, you can focus more on learning and less on remembering important academic events. 5. OpenStudy Openstudy is like a universal study group. Students from all around the world can register and contribute to the community. Users can ask for help for any subject and also offer guidance to others. You can even become a Qualified Helper and get paid for the work done. By joining this platform, students will not feel alone anymore. They will support and help each other as much as possible. 6. iStudiez Pro If you are an Apple lover and own all the devices, then you also must use iStudiez Pro. This app helps users stay organized and have a plan for each day. In less than one second, the account synchronizes the events on all devices. 7. Wolfram Alpha Students need reliable info for absolutely every course. Wolfram Alpha database will always provide them the so needed answers. It is compatible with Apple devices and it uses other features of these products like maps and copy-paste command. It contains knowledge from all educational areas. 8. RealCalc Math is giving you nightmares? Don’t worry, almost all students struggle to pass this course. RealCalc app is essential when it comes to accurate calculus. Users can install it on their phones and done - they have a professional calculator in the pocket! It covers traditional algebraic operations, powers, roots, logarithmic and exponential functions and much more. 9. BenchPrep You need to study for some courses you didn’t even attend? Then use BenchPrep tool to find the right materials and start learning immediately. The website contains an impressive library of preparation tests, flashcards, lessons and questions. In conclusion, if you are a smart student, you will use technology for something else than social websites and TV series. Some people have worked hard to develop these tools and apps, so take advantage of their innovations. Become a brilliant student by being productive and efficient. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Training managers should always measure the effectiveness of their online training programs. This is important because it helps calculate the return on the capital invested in the eLearning program. Moreover, if you want to know whether your eLearning program is successful or not, you should know how to measure it. But, how do you measure the effectiveness of an online training program? Well, here is an info-graphic which lists a few methods to measure the effectiveness of training programs. Please share your views about the post. Related PostsE-learning for Enhanced PerformanceHow to Calculate the Return on Investment of E-learningPlanning Training Programs for Immediate Knowledge Application

Litmos LMS Tutorial: Google Login With Litmos This Litmos LMS Tutorial presents, how to use Google login with Litmos for easy LMS login. The post Litmos LMS Tutorial: Google Login With Litmos appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.