Technologies
used in e-learning
E-learning makes good use of
database and CMS (Content Management System) technologies. These two work hand
in hand to store your course content, test results and student records. The
data is stored in the database and the CMS provides a user interface for you to
add, update and delete data. A good LMS will often provide reporting tools to
generate and store progress reports.
Technologies to improve the
quality of content are manifold. Software such as Flash and PowerPoint will
help you make your presentations slick and interesting, with high quality,
graphically rich content. There are word processing packages and HTML editors
available these days that make formatting your text or web pages a breeze,
removing a lot of the complexity. There are also lots of online services
available that you can use to create interactive elements for your courses such
as quizzes and games.
As well put by many field
experts, there are four forces that will rock the waters of eLearning in the
future: Cloud, Social, Mobile and Information. These forces will drive change
and create demand for advanced IT infrastructure that subsequently will
profoundly affect the sector’s path, trends, initiatives, plans and programs.
Let’s see the most influential eLearning technologies of tomorrow:
v mLearning with a native app Just to be clear, mobile learning is not eLearning
in a mobile device, since the proper content conversion requires skillful
instructional design and development skills. The differences between mobile web
apps and native apps is that the latter requires development for multiple
platforms, i.e. specific operation systems and machine firmware, the
application is stored locally on the device, and user data can be stored on the
device, in the cloud, or in both. According to Deloitte, "the cost of
developing an app for 2 OSs is 160% higher than for 1 OS."
v Cloud-based learningCloud-based learning has a dual effect; on a
school level and on a corporate level. One-time downloads and installs of
course materials will no longer be the default methods of obtaining a course’s
content. Providers will be able to offer cloud-stored individual eLearning
modules, or even full eLearning courses as packets that can be purchased and
downloaded on demand. On the other hand, the increasing demand for affordable,
global training will be addressed by cloud-based technology, which will
streamline corporate training processes and create tailor-made solutions for
smaller businesses.
v Use of game-play mechanics for non-game
applications Gamification is not a new trend,
but rather one that will certainly evolve. It’s a powerful tool that enables technological
innovation, develops student/learner skills, crafts behaviors and enhances
problem solving. Gamification has proven to be an invaluable instrument to improve
employee performance, upgrade education, customer engagement, as well as
personal development. And I believe its possibilities and applications are
endless.
v SaaS authoring toolsYet another hot trend on the rise. SaaS
(Software as a Service) is basically enterprise software hosted in a cloud,
which translates to easily downloadable software, virtual updates, massive
savings in costs and time and so much more. Google, Twitter,
Facebook and Flickr are all examples of SaaS, with users able to access the
services via any internet enabled device. According to a recent survey by MintJutras, more
than 45% of all software will be SaaS by the year 2023. I highly encourage you
to check the following list of 54 Cloud Based
eLearning Authoring Tools.
v Notification systems in LMSThese systems begin to become the core of
distributed mobile and omnipresent learning support. They are used to draw
attention to important events, give instructions and information, raise
awareness regarding various activities, or to directly and instantly provide
information related to the user’s training/learning material. You may want to
check the LMSs Comparison
Checklist of Features.
v HTML5 According to Gartner, within 2014 “improved JavaScript
performance will begin to push HTML5 and the browser as a mainstream enterprise
application development environment”. The benefits include, but are not
limited to, better performance, multimedia and connectivity. BuiltWith.com’s
trends data indicate that "in 2013 of the top 1 million websites
worldwide, there was a 100% increase in the use of HTML5 compared to
2012." HTML5 seems to be the favorite
platform of mobile developers, because it eradicates the need for multiple
apps. The very existence of one single HTML5 app
guarantees, inter alia, better maintainability and quicker updates.
v Tin Can API, aka xAPI One of the most exhaustively analyzed topics
amongst learning professionals today. It enables the collection of data about a
wide range of learning experiences a person goes through. It relies on a
Learning Record Store, and it overcomes the majority of limitations of SCORM,
which was the previous standard. For more information about what you can do
with the Tin Can API please see Discover Simple
Communication with Tin Can API. I believe it has innumerable
practical implementation aspects and will evolve even further, revolutionizing
the way we learn, creating more personal and richer learning environments.
Maybe is the technological solution for the Individualized
Learning Plans in eLearning.
Conclusion All these can mean one thing only. The future of
eLearning is bright. All we have to do is encourage new eLearning methods to
flourish and older eLearning techniques
to evolve.
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