However, many LMS vendors stick with SCORM and don’t use the newer – and more promising – Tin Can (xAPI) format. In fact, a survey conducted with 150 learning and development professionals found that 62 percent of them utilized SCORM in their practices.

As an experienced instructional designer who’s created a number of online courses and modules, I’ve navigated the complexities of creating SCORM-compliant content and understand the importance of this standard in the eLearning industry. In this article, I’m going to demystify the process and provide you with practical, straightforward methods to develop SCORM packages.

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1. Use SCORM compliant authoring tools to deliver appealing content

First of all, let’s discuss what software you trust for shaping up your courses to create a SCORM package.

If this is just an ad hoc deck with some nice extras, and you are not particularly interested in viewer statistics and reporting, PowerPoint seems like a universal remedy.

If you seek deeper insights, a logical move is to go beyond PowerPoint and employ third party authoring software and eLearning platforms. Microsoft’s all-in-one solution is always a soft option, but it can’t cover all creative needs and specific eLearning features such as performance tracking, assessment, grading, quizzing, etc.

In fact, it’s the tracking options that matter when discussing eLearning standards. SCORM defines how web-based training content can be played back and tracked by SCORM-friendly learning management systems. Another aspect is packaging the content into an easily transferable archive.

Most industry frontrunners like iSpring Suite, Adobe Captivate, Articulate Storyline, Trivantis Lectora, and others offer full SCORM compliance so you can save a course for LMSs in just a couple clicks.

Apart from the quality of collaboration tools, quizzes, effects, and interactions, eLearning software solutions are judged by the criteria of interoperability and scalability. Some vendors include both authoring tools and learning management systems as part of their comprehensive product line. Works great if you are loyal to a specific brand, causes discrepancies if you prefer diversity.

Before you get carried away with a captivating character library or nice-looking triggers, make sure you don’t fall into the vendor lock-in trap. A course created in Program A should play back flawlessly in Program B; otherwise, you are facing a dead end.

Another major concern here is quality. After you’ve handcrafted all the bells and whistles to support your course flow, it would be a shame to lose any effects in the conversion process. Check out solution providers’ compatibility notes to be on the safe side.

Here is to sum up the advantages and disadvantages of this scenario to create a SCORM course.

Pros

• No need to shop for a standalone presentation-to-SCORM converter
• Most authoring products integrate easily with LMSs
• These tools have great functionality so your content will look glossy and professional.

Cons

• Content authoring tools may be pricey, especially if you are aiming at the high end
• Despite advanced integration policies taken on board by most vendors, there is still a risk of quality losses and incompatibilities.

2. Use a converter to turn your deck into a SCORM archive

On a sidenote, a SCORM container can accommodate various content types, be it video, Flash, HTML, slides or PDF files.

You might ask: Why not just open an HTML page in a learning management system of choice and save the conversion efforts?

Well, you can definitely do so, but again you won’t be able to monitor learner’s progress, keep viewer statistics and receive feedback. From this perspective, the whole point of having an LMS is missing.

In case you don’t want to get involved with a sophisticated – or costly – third party authoring tool, your better choice could be a converter or a free add-on like Microsoft Office Mix (installed on top of PowerPoint 2013 onwards).

If you ask Google to fetch some free PowerPoint-to-SCORM course converters, you’ll get a plethora of available choices at your fingertips. However, beware of technical complications and limitations. There is no such thing as free lunch.

For instance, if you go with Office Mix, which is a powerful tool shipped free of charge, you will surely enjoy the authoring experience. However, some of the visuals and interactive elements are doomed to get lost during conversion. Not to mention that analytics will no longer be available in Office Mix.

Note also that Microsoft has removed SCORM conversion from the latest version of Office Mix. I hope that they will reinstate the functionality shortly.

Among others, iSpring Free is known to be a lossless conversion tool that supports all the frills PowerPoint has to offer. If you want the output to look exactly the way you conceived it, iSpring’s solution is, by all means, worthy of consideration.

Pros

• Free conversion tools are readily available on the web
• You do not get stuck with a particular authoring tool
• Minimized compatibility risks.

Cons

• No software solution on the planet can sign off on a 100% insurance policy against quality loss.

3. Do some heavy lifting and generate the package on your own

Whether you’d like to prepare several courses or a standalone lesson for display in an LMS, it’s actually pretty easy to compile a unified SCORM archive with no extra tools involved.

Here is what you have to do to create a single package/course

Generating a SCORM content archive is pretty much about the manifest file, a package inventory item named imsmanifest.xml.

Let’s go through the elements of the .xml file:

1. <manifest> and its parameters

Identifier: This one ensures the course doesn’t get confused with other courses with somewhat similar names.

Version: Your course version, e.g. version=”1.0″

The rule of thumb here is to equip your course with a unique identifier to avoid mixups. A simple combination of name + creation date should do it.

Here is a sample:

<manifest identifier="course_1_01_05_2016" xmlns="http://www.imsproject.org/xsd/imscp_rootv1p1p2" xmlns:adlcp="https://www.adlnet.org/xsd/adlcp_rootv1p2" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:lom="http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_rootv1p2p1" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.imsproject.org/xsd/imscp_rootv1p1p2 imscp_rootv1p1p2.xsd http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_rootv1p2p1 imsmd_rootv1p2p1.xsd https://www.adlnet.org/xsd/adlcp_rootv1p2 adlcp_rootv1p2.xsd">

2. <organizations>

In this node, insert a default point and make sure it coincides with the indetifier name.

<organizations default="Course_1_organization">
<organization identifier="Course_1_organization">

3. <title>

Provide your course name as the title. It’s as simple as that.

4. <item>

With a single course, it’s not a big deal. It only gets tricker if you have multiple materials in a bundle. In that case you’ll have to generate an item for every module of the course.

5. <resources>/<resource>

This is, in fact, a list of all the essentials that account for the integrity of your eLearning course. Open the node for all resources – <resources>.

Don’t forget to create a resource node for each separate module.

<resource identifier="resource" type="webcontent" adlcp:scormtype="sco" href="res/start_1.html">

Make sure that the “identifer” parameter matches the “identifierref” parameter of the associated <item> node.

Type should be indicated as “webcontent”. “href” leads to the html page that opens up when a visitor logs in. The “scormtype” of the resource has to be set as “sco” if this mentioned resource corresponds with the item to be launched. If this is not the case, it must be defined as “asset”. “Assets” don’t need a “href” parameter.

You should have at least one file/href per item so you can add them based on your needs.

Last but not least, you have to close the open nodes: </resources></manifest>. Finally, make sure the manifest file created by the reload editor is the same one that we generated.

Download a sample SCORM archive for further reference →

Need to bundle multiple packages?

In some scenarios, such as a series of presentations or a multilevel course, you may want to pack several educational materials into a single SCORM package. Here are a few easy steps to follow:

Step 1. Unzip courses into separate folders and see to it that each and every one includes an imsmanifest.xml file.

Step 2. In every imsmanifest.xml file, use CTRL+C to copy the index file names and content assets.

Step 3. After you are done copying, create a new parent folder and place all merged SCORM packages therein.

Step 4. Operating with the SCORM 1.2 standard, you should include five standard files into the parent folder. Four of these are .xsd files that don’t require any modification. The fifth file is the notorious .imsmanifest.xml, which you will need to change so it complies with the package.

Step 5. Modify the imsmanifest.xml of the parent file so it refers to the subfiles. The change should be made in the item tag and the organization. Plus, ensure there is a row for all the sub-folders in place.

Step 6. Before you finally zip the package, make sure the item identifiers are precise and relevant. Also, they should be similar to the other corresponding resource identifiers. Here’s a sample code:

<?xml version="1.0? standalone="no"?>
<manifest identifier="course_1_01_05_2016" xmlns="http://www.imsproject.org/xsd/imscp_rootv1p1p2? xmlns:adlcp="https://www.adlnet.org/xsd/adlcp_rootv1p2? xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.imsproject.org/xsd/imscp_rootv1p1p2 imscp_rootv1p1p2.xsd http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_rootv1p2p1 imsmd_rootv1p2p1.xsd https://www.adlnet.org/xsd/adlcp_rootv1p2 adlcp_rootv1p2.xsd">
 
<metadata>
<schema>ADL SCORM</schema>
<schemaversion>1.2</schemaversion>
<adlcp:location>imsmetadata.xml</adlcp:location>
</metadata>
 
<organizations default="Course_1_organization">
<organization identifier="Course_1_organization" structure="hierarchical">
<title>Multi sco sample</title>
<item identifier="Course_1" identifierref="C_1" isvisible="true">
<title>Introduction</title>
<adlcp:masteryscore>80</adlcp:masteryscore>
</item>
<item identifier="Course_2" identifierref="C_2" isvisible="true">
<title>Chapter 1</title>
<adlcp:prerequisites type="aicc_script">Course_2</adlcp:prerequisites>
<adlcp:masteryscore>80</adlcp:masteryscore>
</item>
<item identifier="Course_3" identifierref="C_3" isvisible="true">
<title>Chapter 2</title>
<adlcp:prerequisites type="aicc_script">"Course_3</adlcp:prerequisites>
<adlcp:masteryscore>80</adlcp:masteryscore>
</item>
</organization>
</organizations>
 
<resources>
<resource identifier="C_1" type="webcontent" adlcp:scormtype="sco" href="course_multiple/res1/start_1.html">
<file href="course_multiple/res1/start_1.html"/>
</resource>
<resource identifier="C_2" type="webcontent" adlcp:scormtype="sco" href="course_multiple/res2/start_2.html">
<file href="course_multiple/res2/start_2.html"/>
</resource>
<resource identifier="C_3" type="webcontent" adlcp:scormtype="sco" href="course_multiple/res3/start_3.html">
<file href="course_multiple/res3/start_3.html"/>
</resource>
</resources>
</manifest>

Step 7. Last but not least, archive the parent folder with all the subfiles, and voila! Test the course in your learning management system. If you see all the links in the navigation panel, everything should be OK. Don’t hesitate to double check and go through the entire course.

Download a sample SCORM package →

Pros

• You have full control of the process
• There is no need to roam the web for solutions

Cons

The job requires pinpoint accuracy. If you are pressed for time, authoring tools and converters may be a smarter choice.

How do you create SCORM course content? As you can see, it’s no rocket science, even if opting for manual packaging. The most important factor is that your content and visuals remain intact and reach the target audience on time and with a positive impact.

A Final Word on How to Create SCORM Content

With the tips above, you can create a SCORM package that will work great for publishing your online courses.

If you’re looking to take your instructional design skills to the next level, I highly recommend looking into the Professional Certificate in Instructional Design program from Emeritus.

In only 5 months, you can learn all about the basics of instructional design, popular ID theories and models, and best practices for creating eLearning experiences.

You can learn more about the program and request a brochure at this link.

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Gain firsthand expertise in instructional design principles and methodologies through this unique Professional Certificate program. Create impactful learning solutions and improve people's ability to learn.

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Have any questions about how to create SCORM courses? Comment below and I’ll help.

The post How to Create SCORM Content: 3 Ways to Make a SCORM Content Package appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

During my past two decades as an eLearning creator, I’ve learned one of the best ways to make sure students are learning is by quizzing them throughout the course.

But what type of quiz should you use to assess your students? Which quiz format is best? There are lots of different types of quizzes that instructors use, and what you choose will depend on what type of questions your students should be answering. Each of these types of quizzes has a specific purpose and scenario where it would be the most beneficial.

In the guide below, I’ll look at 7 common quiz types and provide insights based on my experience into when each type should be used.

What are the Different Types of Quizzes?

By understanding the different kinds of quizzes and their uses, you can better determine what type of quiz format you should use when creating your online course.

1. Multiple Choice

Multiple choice quizzes are one of the most popular quiz types and can be used in a variety of ways. They are simple to create and can assess a wide range of knowledge.

Multiple choice quizzes are also very versatile and act as a fairly reliable way of measuring learning outcomes.

They are best used when you want to test students on what they know and how well they can apply that information. They can also be used to review material before a test.

When creating multiple choice quiz questions, you should make them challenging by including choices that seem reasonable and plausible so you can really test if your students actually know the information. A good multiple choice question is one that encourages students to think critically and select the correct choice from a few plausible answer options.

2. Matching

Matching quizzes typically involve two separate columns of words, phrases, or images that pair with one another in some way.

Matching quizzes are good when you want to test how well your students can recall what they’ve seen in a course.

This is a great quiz type if you have taught vocabulary, definitions of concepts, or even just names and faces.

3. Fill in the blank

A fill in the blank quiz is what you get when you finish a word with what’s missing, like what comes after “Barack Obama” in the sentence “Barack Obama was a ____ in the United States.”

You would use this kind of quiz to find out what your students know and remember.

Fill in the blank quizzes require students to actually recall information rather than just being able to recognize the answer on the page or screen as they can with multiple choice questions.

With fill in the blank quizzes, it’s much harder for students to guess or get lucky and choose the right answer because they have to actually recall what they’ve been learning. These quiz questions truly test their knowledge. However, fill in the blank quizzes can sometimes be a bit more tedious to grade as it’s possible there might be multiple correct answers for a question if you didn’t phrase it carefully.

4. Yes or No

Yes or no quizzes are a great way to test what your students know and don’t know, what they can or can’t do.

These types of quiz questions typically have only two possible answers, one being yes and the other being no.

They’re simple to create and easy for students to understand what’s being asked of them.

Use this type of quiz when you want a clear understanding of what your student knows about a subject or if a certain task has been completed correctly or not.

For example, what was the correct answer on a math quiz? Or an online quiz that determines which task has been completed properly?

These types of questions are good for formative assessment.

5. True or False

True or false quizzes are one of the simplest kinds of quizzes available because there are only two possible answer choices. They’re also one of the most common type of quizzes for teachers to create because they’re fairly simple to grade and can be used in a variety of ways.

For example, True or False quizzes could be used to test knowledge on a certain subject or as an assessment of understanding after reading a text. They can also be used to assess comprehension skills or to see if students have completed tasks correctly.

This type of quiz format is best used when you want to test students’ understanding, what they know, or what they have learned.

As with other types of quizzes, you should create the questions so that it’s difficult for your students to guess what the correct answer is, requiring them to actually know what they’ve been learning.

6. Short Answer

Short answer quizzes are what you get when you supply your student with a sentence or two that they need to complete.

For example, you might ask “What are the 3 branches of government?”

These types of quizzes are good for testing what students have been learning from your course as well as keeping them engaged.

Like fill in the blank questions, short answer quizzes require students to really rely on their memory as they can’t just pick from several choices presented to them.

This is best used when you have key information or principles that learners have to be able to recall well into the future.

7. Essay

Including essay questions on your quiz can help you gain more insight into what your students really understand about in-depth concepts and gives you an understanding of their unique perspectives on the material.

These types of quiz questions can be tricky because not all quizzing software allows essay length responses. This is especially true for those that are automatically graded as is the case with most online quizzes.

The biggest drawback with using essay questions in your course is that there’s some grey area involved in grading them. There’s not always a 100% right or wrong answer. In fact, there can be multiple correct answers when it comes to essay questions.

It can also be a bit time-consuming to grade these types of questions because you have to read everything thoroughly in order to get a clear understanding what your students really know and what they don’t.

Having said that, essay questions make for very engaging, interactive quizzes and they can be a great way to assess more complex concepts. Plus, they give you a better insight into your students’ thought processes, which can help when assessing their overall knowledge on the subject matter.

We recommend having a clear and specific set of instructions for what should be included in an essay-type response so that all students are working within the same parameters.

Tips for Making Your Quizzes

No matter what type of quiz format you choose to include in your eLearning materials, there are a few tips that will help you when creating your assessments.

• Use a quiz software to help — There are lots of great tools out there for creating quizzes of all types. Quiz makers like Fyrebox, iSpring, and ProProfs — to name a few — make it super easy to create high quality assessments for your online courses.
• Keep questions simple but challenging — Clarity is always important when creating quizzes. This will help to ensure you get consistent, accurate results from your student responses.
• Ask students for feedback — After delivering a quiz, reach out to your students and ask what they thought about it. You might be surprised what you hear back.
• Have fun! — Yes, quizzes are an important part of what you do as an instructor, but don’t forget that they can also be fun for your students.

Final Thoughts

As an experienced instructional designer who has built numerous online courses, I can tell you that selecting the right type of quiz for your course is a nuanced decision. The answer truly depends on various factors, each playing a crucial role in determining the most effective quiz format.

I encourage you to really think about the purpose of your quizzes. Are they meant to reinforce learning, assess comprehension, or provide feedback? Different formats serve different purposes. For instance, multiple-choice quizzes are great for testing recall and understanding, while essay-type questions are better suited for assessing deeper comprehension and critical thinking.

Your course goals are also paramount and have to be considered. If your course is designed to impart foundational knowledge, quizzes that focus on recall and understanding might be more appropriate. However, for advanced courses, you might want quizzes that challenge students to apply concepts in new contexts.

The nature of the material also dictates the quiz format. Some subjects lend themselves well to certain types of questions. For example, STEM subjects might benefit from quizzes that include problem-solving or calculation-based questions, whereas humanities might be better assessed through short answer or essay questions.

Most importantly, think about what your students need to learn to meet their learning objectives, and equally, what they don’t know. Diagnostic quizzes can be effective at the beginning of a course to gauge prior knowledge and identify gaps. Formative quizzes throughout the course can help track progress and adjust teaching strategies accordingly.

I’ve learned there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to choosing quiz types for an online course. It requires a thoughtful consideration of your course objectives, content, delivery environment, and learners’ needs. The best choice will align with these factors, ensuring that the quizzes are not just assessments, but powerful tools for learning and engagement.

Have a question about what type of quiz format you should use in your eLearning? Comment below and we’ll help you out.

The post What Quiz Format Should You Use in Your Online Course? 7 Different Types appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

However, with this growing demand, there is also a lot of competition. In reality, there are thousands of online courses out there, from Udemy to Skillshare. The question is, “what niches will make the most profit in the education market”?

In this article, I’ve put together a list of the 15 best online course ideas for 2024. As a longtime eLearning professional, I’ve done in-depth research on current trends in online education and including ideas that can generate a healthy return on investment.

Top 15 Profitable Online Course Ideas for 2024

1. Blockchain and Crypto-Assets

Since the launch of Bitcoin in 2009, the world of cryptocurrency has exploded. In the last few years, we’ve seen the rise of Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and a host of other altcoins.

Countries like the central African republic have adopted cryptocurrency as their national currency. We’ve also seen the recent peak of crypto investors in the US stock market.

With the rise of cryptocurrency, there’s also been a corresponding rise in interest in blockchain technology.

Blockchain is the underlying technology that powers Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It’s a distributed ledger system that allows for secure, transparent, and decentralized transactions.

If you’re interested in this space, now is the time to get involved. Consider creating a course that covers topics like the basics of cryptocurrency investing, how to buy and sell crypto-assets, or even how to develop your blockchain-based applications.

By creating a course on this subject, you can tap into a growing market and help people learn about this exciting new technology.

2. NFT – Non-Fungible Token

With the recent explosion in the popularity of NFTs, it’s no surprise that this is one of the top online course ideas for 2024.

NFTs are digital assets that are stored on a blockchain. They’re unique, immutable, and can’t be replicated: thus making them perfect for collectibles, art, and other digital content.

If you’re a creative interested in digital art or collectibles, consider creating an NFT course. In this course, you can teach people how to create their own NFTs, buy and sell them, and even use them creatively.

3. Data Science and Analytics

With the ever-growing importance of data in today’s business landscape, it’s no surprise that data science courses are becoming more popular.

Data science and analytics is one of the fastest-growing fields in the world. Companies are increasingly relying on data to make decisions about their businesses. Gone are the days of relying on opinions and gut instinct alone.

From social media analytics to customer data analysis, there are countless ways to use data to improve business outcomes.

If you’re looking to get ahead of the curve, consider creating a course on this topic.

This could cover everything from data mining and modeling to statistics and machine learning. Regardless of your focus, your course should aim to give students the skills and knowledge they need to make sense of data and put it to use in their businesses.

4. Online Marketing

The world is increasingly moving online, and so too does marketing. What do you see when scrolling through your Facebook or Instagram feed? More and more ads, right?

As more businesses are moving online; they need to adapt their marketing strategies to this new landscape.

This is where you come in.

If you have experience in digital marketing, consider creating a course that covers topics like:

• SEO
• Affiliate Marketing.
• Content Marketing.
• Mobile Marketing
• Email Marketing.
• Social media marketing
• Digital marketing mistakes to avoid

By teaching others about online marketing, you can help them reach a wider audience and grow their businesses.

5. Business and Entrepreneurship

In recent years, we’ve seen the rise of entrepreneurship and the gig economy. More people prefer to start their own businesses or become freelancers.

Still, during the mid-quarters of the covid-19 pandemic, Better.com Ceo fired 900 employees over Zoom.

This highlights a significant trend: Start your own business or be at the mercy of someone else’s.

That said, the demand for business courses and entrepreneurship courses has been on the rise. In particular, courses that teach practical skills like time management, marketing, and financial planning are in high demand.

If you have experience in business or entrepreneurship, you can create online courses that can help people start and grow their businesses.

6. Dog Training

Dog training is a popular online course idea for a few reasons:

1. It’s a skill set that people are always in need of.
2. It’s a relatively easy course to create.
3. It’s a great way to help people bond with their pets.

Many dog owners out there would love to have a well-trained pet. In your course, you could cover topics such as obedience training, potty training, and how to socialize a dog.

7. Language Learning

Every day, the global economy is becoming more interconnected. Countries are increasingly doing business with one another. As a result, there’s a rising need for people who can speak multiple languages.

If you’re bilingual or multilingual, consider creating a course that teaches others your language.

In particular, courses that teach English as a second language (ESL) are highly demanded.

If you’re bilingual or have experience teaching languages, creating an online course could be great to share your skills with others. You could focus on teaching a particular language or creating a course covering multiple languages.

8. Photography/Videography

At first glance, creating an online photography or videography course might seem like a daunting prospect. After all, crafting compelling images and developing your unique style requires time, practice, and plenty of trial and error.

Nonetheless, there are a few simple ways to become a successful photographer or videographer. One way is to carefully study the work of other photographers and videographers whose style you admire.

Consider adopting specific techniques or even trying out some of their ideas in your work.

Additionally, it’s important to practice often and always be willing to experiment with different approaches and techniques. By staying dedicated and committed to your craft, you will gradually hone your skills and begin developing a unique voice as a photographer.

9. Python Programming

When it comes to programming languages, there are a plethora of alternatives. From Java to JavaScript, there’s a programming language for everyone. However, one language that continues to rise in popularity is Python.

At its core, Python is a versatile and powerful programming language that is easy to read and write. Additionally, Python can be used for various applications, ranging from web development to scientific computing.

And because it’s relatively easy to learn, Python is an ideal choice for beginners who want to explore programming without getting overwhelmed by complicated syntax or obscure terminology.

All of this makes creating an online Python course a great idea.

Your course outline should be designed to give students a strong foundation in Python programming basics. You can then expand futher by covering more advanced topics, such as object-oriented programming or working with databases.

10. Health and Wellness

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a renewed focus on health and wellness. People are getting more interested in learning about how to live a healthy lifestyle.

When it comes to living a healthy life, our mental health is just as important as our physical health. In your course, you could cover topics such as stress management, anxiety reduction, and how to deal with depression.

Additionally, you could teach people about exercise and proper nutrition. You could even provide tips on how to create a healthy home environment.

11. Personal Development

Personal development courses can cover many topics, from goal setting to time management. If you’re passionate about self-improvement, consider creating a course covering some of the most popular and effective personal development strategies.

In your course, you could teach people how to set and achieve their goals. You could also cover time management techniques to help people make the most of their day. Additionally, you could teach people about the importance of positive thinking and how to overcome negative thinking patterns.

12. Cybersecurity

Every year, there are new stories about data breaches and cyber-attacks. New and more sophisticated ransomware threats are constantly emerging. In 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attack affected over 200,000 people in 150 countries. And just last year, Colonial Pipeline was forced to pay a $5 million ransom after a cyber-attack.

Things even get messier when looking at the war between Ukraine and Russia, which has spilled over into cybersecurity.

All of this is to say that cybersecurity is more important than ever. And if you have experience in this field, you could create a course teaching people about the basics of cybersecurity.

In your course, you could cover password security, firewalls, and antivirus software. You could also teach people about the importance of online privacy and how to protect their personal information.

13. Professional Skills

In today’s competitive job market, it’s not enough to have a college degree. Employers are looking for candidates with a well-rounded skillset.

If you have a skill that you know is in high demand, consider creating a course that can help people develop that skill. For example, if you’re a graphic designer, you could create a course teaching people graphic design basics.

Or even out of the shores of computers, if you’re good at fashion, you could make a course on the basics of sewing. If you know how to play musical instruments, you could make a course teaching people the basics of that instrument. The list goes on and on.

14. Life Coaching

Don’t be surprised; many people search for guidance and inspiration, especially during tough times.

Coaching is a way that helps people achieve their personal or professional goals. This could be anything from relationship coaching to career coaching. As an online coach, you’ll provide support and guidance to help clients overcome challenges and make progress.

If you consider yourself a good listener with great advice, becoming a life coach might be the perfect side hustle for you. You can start by offering your services for free and then gradually start charging for your time.

15. Hobbies and Interests

People are always looking for new hobbies and interests to explore. If you have a hobby or interest that you’re passionate about, consider creating a course teaching others about it.

For example, if you enjoy cooking, you could create a course teaching people how to cook healthy meals. Or, if you’re interested in gardening, you could create a course teaching people how to start their garden.

You could also create a course teaching people how to pursue their hobbies and interests more efficiently. For example, you could teach people how to save money on their hobby expenses or find more time to pursue their hobbies.

Tips for Choosing the Right Online Course Idea

When choosing an online course idea, it’s important to consider the following factors:

1. The Demand for the Course

Is there a market for your course? Will people want to buy and learn from it?

There’s no point in creating a course that no one wants to buy.

Even if you’re the best teacher in the world, if there’s no demand for your class, it probably won’t sell no matter how much your market your online course.

Conduct market research and determine what courses are popular among your target audience at the beginning of the online course creation process.

2. Your Target Audience

Who is your target audience?

When creating an online course, it’s crucial to think about who you’re making the course for. Don’t just create a course for the sake of it. Instead, create a course that will appeal to a specific group of people.

This could be based on age, location, or even interests.

For example, if your target audience is stay-at-home moms, you’ll want to create a convenient course for them to take. That might mean creating a self-paced course that can be taken in short, digestible bites.

On the other hand, if your target audience is busy professionals, then you’ll want to create a course that is concise and to the point.

Your target audience will determine the type of course you create and how you market it.

3. The Needs and Wants of Your Target Audience

Once you’ve identified your target audience, it’s important to consider their needs and wants.

What are they seeking in an online course? What type of content do they want to see? What format would they prefer? How long should an online course be for them to stay engaged?

Your audience is the most critical factor when choosing an online course idea. It is helpful to get to know the beliefs, goals, and interests of your potential students.

All these factors will influence the design and structure of your course.

4. Your Expertise and Experience

What can you teach others that would be valuable to them? Are you an expert in a particular field or subject matter? Do you have any experience or unique skills that others would benefit from learning?

Your course should be based on your expertise and experience. This will make it easier for you to create engaging and informative content.

5. The Level of Competition

How many other courses are already out there on your chosen topic? If there are tons of popular online courses on the same subject, then it might be harder to make yours stand out.

In general, it’s easier to create a profitable online course if there are fewer courses in the same niche. There’s less competition, and it’s easier to get your course in front of potential students.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should avoid creating a course on a popular topic.

You just need to be aware that you’ll have to put in more effort to make your course stand out from the rest.

To stand out, offer unique perspectives, insights, or strategies that other courses don’t provide.

Another way is to focus on a specific sub-topic not covered by other courses.

For example, if you’re creating a course on social media marketing, you could focus on Instagram marketing or Snapchat marketing.

This way, you can be the go-to expert on this specific sub-topic and attract students who are specifically interested in that.

6. The Delivery Method

How do you want to deliver your course? There are many different ways to deliver an online course, and the delivery method can significantly impact the overall success of your course.

Some popular delivery methods include:

• Video lectures: Video lectures are the most common delivery methods for online courses. They’re easy to produce and can be watched by students at their own pace.
• Audio lectures: Audio lectures are another popular delivery method. They’re easy to produce and can be listened to by students while doing other things, like commuting or working out.
• Live webinars: Live webinars are a great way to deliver live, interactive content to your students. They also allow you to answer questions and give feedback in real-time.
• Text-based courses: Text-based courses are a more traditional delivery method, but they can be just as effective as other methods. They’re often used for heavy courses on text-based content, such as e-books or reports.

Each format has its advantages and disadvantages. Text-based courses are usually the cheapest and easiest to produce, but they can be less engaging for students. Audio and video courses are more expensive and time-consuming to produce, but they can be more exciting and compelling.

Ultimately, your format should be based on your audience’s needs and preferences.

7. The Profitability

Can you make money from your online course?

This is a paramount consideration, especially if you’re planning on selling your course.

To make money from your online course, you’ll need to ensure that it is priced correctly and marketed effectively.

Do some research on comparable courses to get an idea of what others are charging, and factor in the cost of any production or delivery fees when setting your price.

By thinking carefully about these issues ahead of time, you can tailor your course idea to appeal most strongly to your intended learners. In so doing, you will find success with your online course and make a meaningful impact on the lives of others.

Final Thoughts

Selling an online course is a great way to make money. There are many different options to choose from while creating an online course business, so consider what would work best for you.

If you’re not sure where to start, check out some of the ideas in this article.

However, keep in mind that creating a successful online course takes time, effort, and planning. You need to identify your audience and figure out what they want to learn. After that, start putting together your course content.

In other words, it all starts with having the right online course idea.

Without the right idea for your class, nothing else matters for building your course business.

Need help coming up with better online course ideas? Leave a comment below and we’ll help you out.

The post 15 Best Online Course Ideas for 2024: The Top Niches to Target appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

It’s no secret that Agile methodologies have been making inroads in a variety of verticals. I’ve got a friend who’s been a long-standing Agile evangelist and has gently pushed a bunch of brick-and-mortar software and non-software companies toward Agile. The guy got a little carried away and once shared with his wife the candid idea of applying Agile to their domestic projects, like home finance, laundry, and social life. He got a really dirty look in response.

Nevertheless, it all started with software development and took root in the IT environment. Even so, when you come to think of it, is there such a big difference in developing quality code or shipping quality courses?

Turns out, Agile for instructional designers makes sense in our somewhat rigid industry.

A Quick Word on Agile vs ADDIE

Apparently, educational technology has endeavored to keep up with the methodology trends and find tailored solutions to specific eLearning issues. One of those solutions is the ADDIE course development model that has been widely adopted across the industry.

However, ADDIE is now viewed as something belonging to the previous generation of eLearning.

First off, it’s a linear strategy that follows a predefined plan that is not subject to change until a deliverable is out. Should you consider any changes in the output, you’d have to restart the process from scratch, taking every single step once again, as is customary in waterfall software development.

In contrast with ADDIE, the Agile approach allows for smaller builds and quicker iterations rather than copiously planned projects that end up inflexible to change. Short iterations enable developers to receive fast feedback on their work; namely, insights from learners and fellow instructional designers who haven’t got a blurred eye in the very same project – unlike you and your teammates.

The main goal of this iterative process is to deliver a minimal viable product (MVP) that will improve gradually, add new functionality, and include impartial client feedback.

5 Times When Agile for Instructional Designers Works

In my opinion, there are at least five reasons, or situations, why and when you need to turn Agile and never look back:

1. Your project is a long one

Is your course or instructional project succinct and has a manageable volume? Lucky you! In most cases, it’s quite the opposite.

Longer timeframes imply changes throughout the process that are hard to factor in from the very start, and hard to deal with when you are used to waterfall or sequential ADDIE planning. It’s time that plays against waterfall advocates. Missing bigger deadlines is not the same as accumulating a reasonable backlog and resolving issues in subsequent iterations.

So how about breaking up your training projects into smaller (1-2 weeks) sprints and checking on your progress?

2. You can’t map it all up to the last detail

There is a multitude of eLearning scenarios mirroring similar issues in software development. For instance, however much you’d like to dot the i’s, cross the t’s, and get all scripts and storyboards ready in advance, it probably makes sense to get through with the functional modules first. That’s how you achieve short time to market and understand the real needs of your target audience without delivering the product in painstaking detail.

Once you are into the big picture of your training projects and shift from a modular view into the Agile perspective, it’s a totally different way to design engaging content.

3. Changing requirements

Target audiences, standards, and tasks evolve – and you have to adapt to the change. Every time that happens, you ought to come up with a quick flexible solution and get yourself some leeway so you don’t have to rebuild the whole system, or course, from the bottom up.

The majority of project-based activities, be it eLearning, software development, or building construction, undergo a standard number of iterations.

All in all, someone (individual, company or community) files a request, you investigate and design, then you create a tangible or non-tangible product and deliver it to the customer. In this regard, eLearning is pretty much like the software development space, which aims to fulfill an objective of an enterprise or user group.

More often than not, these stakeholders may change their minds, since visualizing the entire project from beginning to end is a daunting task. That’s why instructional designers and software project managers want to stay on the flexible side and respond to modifications with a wise battle-hardened approach. An Agile approach, in this case.

4. You have doubts and lack user feedback

Getting quick feedback from a given user group may benefit project members and guide the project towards a viable product or course, rather than a well-documented ‘deliverable’. Waterfall strategies in eLearning or software development put off feedback till the end of the process (the acceptance phase), effectively delivering an ultimatum: like it or not, it’s over.

5. Smart reuse of previous eLearning materials

It’s worth noting that re-purposing of previously developed content (for example, using transcription software to turn audio lectures into text documents/notes) turns up as one of the key incentives to go Agile.

Leveraging existing training content, individual instructional designers and institutions give a second chance to high-quality yet outdated courseware. All these slides and gargantuan volumes of information may be updated in line with modern requirements. If we were in the software development space, we would probably use the term ‘legacy systems’. That said, revamping legacy systems is a classic Agile task in both environments.

The modernization process unites experts on the subject, innovators and conservatives alike, since the ultimate goal – revitalizing knowledge – is too tempting to neglect. As a result, this could lay the foundation for a knowledge repository providing restricted or shared access to fellow project members, instructional designers and keen learners inside an intranet or online.

People often tell me: “I need an incentive to use Scrum or a custom learning methodology. Is there any software package or instrument that would put me on the right Agile track?”

My Captain Obvious answer is: It’s more about your mindset and willingness to adopt new techniques. However, there is, indeed, a bunch of tools that can help instructional designers and development teams with Agile planning and execution – from whiteboards and Kanban cards to special equipment. In any case, I suggest you review project management tools available on the market and see if any of those fit your workflows. Feel free to check out my recent blog posting about Scrum/Agile project software and share your feedback on the subject.

A Closer Look at Agile Learning Design

Now that we’ve talked about the basics of Agile, let’s take a look at some of its elements in regards to eLearning and training projects.

First off, let’s mention the term Agile Learning Design (ALD), which stands for any kind of course development methodology focused on flexible, high performance, and collaborative training content delivery. The term derives from software development, with the exception that here we are talking electronic content – developed for and distributed to remote learners.

There is a multitude of terms associated with Agile eLearning training projects, so I’ll concentrate on just a few:

• Successive Approximation Model (SAM). The SAM approach was conceived as a replacement for ADDIE, yet with a focus on effective collaboration and iterative development. Authorship of this methodology is attributed to Michael Allen, CEO of Allen Interactions.
• Instructional Systems Design (ISD). ISD refers to many things eLearning, however it most commonly denotes a systematic approach to requirements specification, or gathering learner needs and objectives in order to tailor the final solution accordingly. ISD pursues fast time to market and adheres to ALD principles, emphasizing the importance of viable audience-tested training courses.
• Rapid Application Development (RAD). This notion includes a plethora of design techniques aimed at speeding up app development, or training content development – with minimal planning involved.
• Rapid Content Development (RCD), or Rapid eLearning. This Agile instructional design methodology encompasses preparation, iterations, reusable modules, interaction and tools for fast and cost-effective implementation. As the name suggests, this approach prioritizes speed over functional requirements, so course authors can re-adjust their views should something go wrong.

Drawbacks to Agile Learning Design

Of course, there is always a fly in the ointment, and Agile in eLearning has its obvious limitations.

Since educational training projects are less formalized than those in IT, it’s way more difficult to make project stakeholders invest time, effort and constructive criticism in intermediate project stages. In specifically sophisticated matters, there may be external consultants involved – bloating the ‘Agile team’ and making it trickier to review smaller chunks of work, or sprints.

Agile requires continuous involvement and collaboration from all team members, including subject matter experts, instructional designers, and developers. This can be resource-intensive and may not be feasible for all organizations.

Some eLearning content, like compliance training or heavily regulated industry-specific training, might not be suitable for Agile due to the need for a highly structured and stable approach.

Last but not least, eLearning development tends to be fixed-price based, which poses certain challenges to Agile with its known flexibility in terms of changes and budgets.

Final Thoughts on Agile for Instructional Designers

Is Agile a revelation to the training development industry? Not really.

Technically, it’s been here for over 15 years. Nothing new under the sun, indeed.

Not to mention the LMS packaging formats we still use: TinCan was not born yesterday, and SCORM – well, that’s quite another story… Anyway, eLearning is a conservative field, yet it’s apparently jumping on the Agile methodology bandwagon.

The main driver of this paradigm shift is the need to address growing volumes of data and galloping paces of content development.

Time to market is key. If you are late, that means you’re out of the game, however sophisticated or revolutionary your course or product.

Those who make it faster to a certain milestone and receive valuable feedback get a second chance to blend in improvements and turn it into a real gem of a market-tested or audience-tested product.

Looking to upskill in instructional design and want to learn about Agile and other learning models?

Check out the Professional Certificate in Instructional Design program from Emeritus.

In this intensive 5-month program, you’ll go deep into the fundamentals of instructional design, learn about popular ID models, and explore best practices for eLearning. It covers everything you need to know and more to become an effective instructional designer.

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Have any questions about using Agile for instructional design? Let us know by commenting below.

The post 5 Scenarios Where Agile for Instructional Designers Makes Sense appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

Here’s the thing — there is a whole spectrum of opinions on the subject. The rule of thumb when creating an online course is to keep it short and simple, but obviously, you want to make sure you’re getting the information across clearly and effectively. Not only that, the notions of both short and simple vary widely across disciplines and instructional approaches, making it challenging to nail down typical online course lengths.

You most definitely don’t want your audience to start yawning or checking their social accounts in the background while doing your online course. On the other hand, your message should be complete and comprehensive so the learners can sum up the key take-aways right after the class is through.

To see what fellow trainers think, I gleaned some expert opinions and recommendations regarding course time management on the web and from personal conversations. Let’s hear what the community has to say to the question “How long should an online course be?”.

The Optimal Online Course Length

Knowledge retention is a tricky thing. You are supposed to bring home to your students a complete, integral vision of a subject, yet the material is always better digested in small bits.

Most experts I talked to confirm that a good length for an individual web-based course lecture is somewhere between 15-30 minutes. This seems to be the typical length of individual modules/lessons on platforms like Skillshare and Masterclass. This traditional opinion builds on psychological research, specific content patterns and, more often than not, gut feeling. Now, keep in mind, that this is just for an individual lecture. You course can be made up of several lectures of this length.

Others I’ve talked to think of bigger chunks and advise that an online course must not exceed 1.5 hours, more like a standard, in-person lecture. This timing suits adult audiences better and ensures comprehensive insight into a subject. From another angle, 90 minutes might be easier to place on the learner’s calendar as a priority task, not a spontaneous activity they may end up dropping.

Some radicals suggest the shorter the better — 5 minutes tops. Indeed, the latest research reveals that engagement fades dramatically after the first 6 or 7 minutes, which is a strong argument for microlearning. That’s why so many people skip through online training videos.

With a longer course, you’d probably be in the introduction phase on minute 7. The approach might, in fact, work as a short video covering particular issues, but then again you’re facing quite a series of recordings to make. Will they coalesce into a consistent course after all?

Remember, you can combine multiple video lessons of the lengths above into a much bigger course that can be taken over several weeks so that you’re able to get across all the information you need to without overwhelming your students.

Before you waltz into the pitfalls of self-limitation, try to define your goals and presets when creating online courses.

Is your online course interactive?

Engaging your audience as active participants is a great move. Interactivity requires more time, though. Are triggers, quizzes, surveys, Q&A, feedback forms, games and other bells and whistles going to be part of your lecture ‘body’? Or do you have to reserve extra time for that purpose? That’s some food for thought as well.

Do you need to make cuts?

Can you contain or manage your passion for your cherished field of studies?

When you’ve got a lot to say, filtering and ‘sacrificing’ content becomes a painful experience.

How can you squeeze hours and days of offline class exercises into a half-hour slideshow?

The truth is, you just can’t. The chosen format and communication channel dictate their rules. Try condensing the discourse and focusing on what really matters, split lectures into multiple tailored topics. Plus, make sure you provide reference material and extra reading pointers.

Forgive my comparison, but I often make forays into the world of mass culture, TV and advertising, to see how these segments match the e-Learning environment. Think of an average sitcom that lasts about 20 to 40 minutes. Everyone can spare that time unless we are talking some monstrously overbooked agendas. One hour, and an hour and a half are somewhat different – sounds like a lot of time.

How long can you keep on talking?

This one is really personal. Some might need a break after 10 minutes of speech, others could carry on chatting for hours without the slightest sign of fatigue. What’s your comfortable timespan?

Are there any budgetary considerations?

What are your production costs? Do you need external resources to help you with technical stuff or contribute third-party content? Don’t forget this point when you are deciding on the appropriate course length.

It’s also an important consideration when setting a price for your online course.

A Final Word on Online Course Length

Apparently, attention spans are shrinking, and there is nothing you can do about it.

As a rule, people want information fast and easy. So, even if you have a great online course idea, you still need to present it in an efficient way to your students.

However, your learner segment might stand out from the crowd.

Do a little research of your own as you build your online course business, listen to your students and collect feedback whenever possible. If you are on the same page with the learners, then you just can’t go wrong!

The bottom line is, how long should your online course be? The frank answer is: long enough – or short enough – to make your audience happy.

What do you think is the ideal online course length? Share your thoughts by dropping a comment below.

The post How Long Should an Online Course Be? What You Should Know appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

In this article, I’m going to lay out an in-depth guide for creating eLearning videos that go beyond merely conveying information. You’ll learn how to create eLearning videos that resonate deeply with your audience, fostering a genuine connection and a thirst for knowledge.

Whether you’re a seasoned instructional designer, someone looking to create an online course, or just starting out in eLearning, I’m confident that you’ll find nuggets of wisdom and practical advice you can start putting into practice immediately.

Guidelines for Making Better eLearning Videos

1. Plan and Prepare Thoughtfully

When starting a new eLearning video project, the first step is always about setting clear objectives. Defining what you want your learners to take away from the video is like charting the course of your entire project.

• Identify Learning Objectives: Start by asking yourself, “What should learners be able to do or know after watching this video?” Be specific and ensure your objectives are measurable. For example, “Learners will be able to identify and troubleshoot common software issues.”
• Consider Prerequisites: Think about any prior knowledge or skills your learners should have before diving into your video. If necessary, provide resources or links to prerequisite content.
• Create an Outline: Once you’ve established your learning objectives, create an outline for your video. This serves as a roadmap for your content, helping you organize your thoughts and structure the video effectively.
• Define Success Metrics: Decide how you will measure the video’s success. This could include tracking completion rates, quiz scores, or post-video surveys to gather feedback.

2. Understand Your Audience

Knowing your audience inside out is paramount for creating eLearning videos that resonate with them.

• Create Learner Personas: Develop learner personas, which are fictional profiles of your typical audience members. Consider factors such as their age, background, job roles, and prior knowledge.
• Identify Learning Styles: Different learners have different preferences when it comes to how they absorb information. Some may be visual learners, while others prefer text or hands-on activities. Tailor your content to accommodate various learning styles.
• Adapt to Diverse Audiences: If your audience is diverse, consider creating multiple versions or supplementary materials to cater to different learner needs.

3. Craft Compelling Content

Scripting is the backbone of my eLearning videos. Writing a clear, engaging script or outline helps me structure my videos and ensures I cover all the essential points.

• Be Concise: I’ve found that the most effective eLearning videos are concise and to the point. Aim to deliver your message within 5 to 15 minutes. Break longer topics into smaller, digestible segments. This microlearning approach can help keep students more engaged and improve retention of your concepts.
• Stay Focused on Goals: Identify the core concepts or skills your learners need to grasp and concentrate on those. Avoid overwhelming your audience with unnecessary details. Wondershare Presentory makes this part easy, with their AI-powered assistant that takes your learning outcomes and goals and helps you create an exceptional presentation.
• Make it Real, Make it Relevant: Whenever possible, include practical examples or scenarios that demonstrate how the information can be applied in real-life situations. This helps learners see the practical value of the content.
• Summarize and Recap: End your video with a summary or recap of the key points covered. Reinforcing the main takeaways can enhance retention.

4. Use Visual Elements Strategically

Visuals play a pivotal role in making eLearning videos more engaging and informative.

• Select Relevant Content: Choose visuals that are directly related to the content. Whether it’s images, diagrams, charts, or animations, they should enhance the understanding of the topic you’re discussing.
• Tell Stories with Visuals: Use visuals to tell a story or to illustrate a concept. This not only makes the content more relatable but also adds a layer of engagement that can captivate your audience.
• Balance Visuals: Maintain a consistent, uncluttered visual style throughout your eLearning videos. Don’t overload your video with visuals OR text. This creates a cohesive and professional look, which can help in reinforcing the credibility of your content.
• Consider Accessibility: Ensure that the visuals you use are accessible to all learners. For example, if you’re using text within images, provide alt text or captions for those with visual impairments.

5. Don’t Skimp on Audio Elements

Clear and high-quality audio is essential for creating a distraction-free learning environment in your eLearning videos.

• Invest in a Quality Microphone: A good voice over microphone is a must. It can significantly improve the clarity of your voice and reduce background noise, making it easier for learners to focus on the content.
• Select an Appropriate Recording Environment: Choose a quiet environment for recording. Minimize background noise by turning off fans, air conditioners, or any other potential disturbances. You may even wish to outfit your studio with items like acoustic foam panels and soundproof curtains to help create a better recording environment.
• Prepare Script and Practice: Writing a clear script and practicing your narration helps in maintaining a steady pace and clear enunciation. Speak confidently and at a moderate speed to ensure learners can easily follow along.
• Use a Teleprompter: When possible, use a teleprompter so you can maintain eye contact throughout the presentation. Tools such as Wondershare’s Presentory makes this easy with a built-in teleprompter.
• Edit and Test Audio: After recording, use audio editing software to further enhance audio quality. You can remove background noise, adjust volume levels, and make other necessary improvements.

6. Build Rapport with Your Audience

Engaging narration is a critical aspect of creating effective eLearning videos.

• Connect with the Audience: Try to establish a connection with your audience. Use relatable examples, anecdotes, or humor when appropriate. A personal touch can make the learning experience more enjoyable.
• Speak Confidently: Speaking confidently comes with practice. The more you narrate, the more comfortable and confident you become. Remember, your confidence as a narrator can be contagious.
• Speak Clearly: Clearly pronounce words and speak at a moderate pace. Articulate each word to ensure learners can understand you, especially if you have an international audience.
• Vary Tone and Inflection: Use variations in your tone and inflection to add interest to your narration. Adjust your voice to convey excitement, seriousness, or any other emotions relevant to the content.

7. Include Interactivity and Assessments

Keeping learners engaged and assessing their understanding are essential for effective eLearning.

• Use Quiz and Polls: Integrate quizzes and polls at strategic points in your videos. This not only checks learner comprehension but also encourages active participation. Learners can test their knowledge as they progress.
• Include Interactive Exercises: Create hands-on, interactive exercises that allow learners to practice what they’ve learned. It’s a great way to reinforce concepts and boost engagement.
• Build in Gamification Elements: Consider gamification elements, such as points, badges, or leaderboards, to make the learning experience more competitive and engaging.

8. Build eLearning Content That is Accessible and Inclusive

Ensuring that your eLearning videos are accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities, is crucial.

• Provide Closed Captions and Transcripts: Provide closed captions and transcripts for videos to assist learners with hearing impairments and those who prefer reading.
• Don’t Forget Alt Text and Color Contrast: Use descriptive alt text for images and ensure high color contrast for improved accessibility, particularly for visually impaired learners.
• Test Content with Assistive Technologies: Regularly test your content with assistive technologies like screen readers to ensure compatibility and usability.
• Employ Inclusive Language: Use inclusive language, avoid jargon, and steer clear of cultural references that might exclude or confuse learners from diverse backgrounds.

9. Use the Right Tools

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Selecting the right hosting platform and implementing analytics tools are crucial for delivering and improving your eLearning video strategy.

The platform you choose should be scalable, user-friendly, secure, and flexible.

I’ve found that Wondershare Presentory meets all these requirements and many more, making it an excellent option for creating and sharing eLearning videos.

The feature that really stands out to me is its AI-enhanced tools that allow educators and eLearning professionals to create impactful presentations with ease.

I also love that it’s super easy to use. The intuitive interface of Presentory makes it accessible for users of all skill levels, so you can easily create high quality, engaging content without a steep learning curve. Additionally, the platform offers one-click sharing to enhance the reach and impact of presentations.

All in all, this video presentation tool is particularly beneficial for knowledge sharing, training, and educational purposes, providing a ton of resources like animation effects, texts, stickers, and a continuously updated template library.

Presentory can be downloaded for Windows or accessed online from your browser (Mac users can access the online version).

Check out our Wondershare Presentory review for more info on this tool.

10. Collect Feedback for Continuous Improvement

Remember, gathering feedback is a crucial part of the eLearning video creation process. My approach involves various methods to collect insights and fine-tune content. I create surveys and questionnaires to gather feedback from learners, covering aspects like content clarity and suggestions for improvement.

Continuous review of learner feedback is part of my process, allowing for adjustments to eLearning videos. This iterative approach ensures that the content remains relevant and effective. Seeking feedback from colleagues or peers in the eLearning field is valuable, as they can offer fresh perspectives and suggestions for improvement.

11. Respect Copyright Rules

Respecting copyright and providing proper citations are essential for creating ethical and legally compliant eLearning videos.

In this regard, my approach is multi-faceted. I always begin by conducting thorough copyright research to ensure I have the necessary rights to use any third-party content, such as images, videos, music, or text, in my eLearning videos. If I encounter any uncertainties, I don’t hesitate to consult legal or copyright experts for guidance.

Whenever possible, I opt for resources that are available under licenses permitting educational use. Materials with Creative Commons licenses or those falling into the public domain are excellent choices for ensuring compliance.

Final Thoughts

Remember, eLearning design is a dynamic and ever-evolving field. Ongoing learning and commitment to continuous improvement are your most valuable assets. Each project I have undertaken has improved my understanding of what it takes to create compelling eLearning videos.

The insights I’ve gained along the way continue to inform my work. These are not just theoretical principles but practical, battle-tested strategies that have yielded exceptional results in the real world of education.

As you venture into your own eLearning video creation journey, I hope these insights serve as a guiding light, illuminating the path to creating exceptional educational experiences. By applying these tips, you can harness the power to connect, educate, and inspire learners on a profound level.

The post 11 Tips & Best Practices for Creating eLearning Videos appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

In the guide below, I’ll compare the different Kajabi plans and pricing options side by side and offer my thoughts as a course creator about each plan’s features, so you can figure out which one (if any) is best for your online business. I’ll also discuss some ways you can save on their plans, and give you details about their free trial offer.

This guide has been fully updated as of fall 2023, so you can be sure you’re getting the latest, most accurate info about how much Kajabi costs, what their plans include, and more.

How Much Does Kajabi Cost?

Kajabi pricing is divided into 3 different plans: the Basic Plan, Growth Plan, and Pro Plan. We’ll go into each of the Kajabi plans’ costs and features below:

Kajabi Basic Plan — $119/month when billed annually or $149/month billed month-to-month

Kajabi’s Basic plan, priced at $119 per month billed annually (or $149 if billed monthly), is tailored for those who are just dipping their toes into the world of online course creation. It’s an ideal starting point, offering features like a 0% transaction fee, the ability to create 3 products and funnels, unlimited landing pages, and marketing emails for up to 10,000 contacts. Plus, the inclusion of a single website and admin user ensures that new creators can get their business up and running without overwhelming complexities.

However, while the Basic plan provides a solid foundation, it does have its limitations. With a cap on products and funnels, as well as restrictions to just one admin user, it might not be the best fit for more established creators or those with a rapidly growing audience.

But for newcomers or those with a smaller audience, it offers a cost-effective way to explore the platform and start building an online presence.

Here’s a full look at what this Kajabi plan includes:

• 3 Products
• 3 Pipelines
• Unlimited Landing Pages
• Unlimited Marketing Emails
• 10,000 Contacts
• 1,000 Active Members
• 1 Website
• 1 Admin User
• Kajabi University
• 0% Transaction Fee
• Webinars & Events
• Ready to Use Templates
• Assessments (Quizzes & Surveys)
• 1 Customer Success Activation Call
• Chat Support
• Automations

Here’s what missing from the Basic Plan:

• 24/7 Chat Support
• Advanced Automations
• Ability to Remove Kajabi Branding
• Affiliate Program
• Code Editor

Kajabi Growth Plan — $159/month when billed annually or $199/month billed month-to-month

I’m a big believer in using tools that can scale in tandem with your growth. Kajabi’s Growth plan, priced at $159 per month billed annually (or $199 if billed monthly), fits the bill perfectly here. It’s a plan that seems to have been crafted with the expanding course creator in mind.

Offering a 0% transaction fee, the Growth plan allows creators to design up to 15 products and funnels, catering to a more extensive range of offerings. The unlimited landing pages and marketing emails are a boon, especially when reaching out to a broader audience, given the allowance for 25,000 contacts.

Moreover, the Growth plan introduces features that can be game-changers for many. The affiliate program can open doors to new marketing avenues, and the 24/7 chat support ensures that help is always at hand. The advanced automations and the ability to remove Kajabi branding give creators more control and a professional edge.

However, while the Growth plan is feature-rich, it’s essential for creators to assess if they’ll utilize these added features to their fullest, ensuring they’re getting the best value for their investment. For those poised at the cusp of significant expansion, the Growth plan offers the tools and flexibility to soar.

Here’s a full look at what all this Kajabi plan includes:

• 15 Products
• 15 Pipelines
• Unlimited Landing Pages
• Unlimited Marketing Emails
• 25,000 Contacts
• 10,000 Active Members
• 1 Website
• 10 Admin Users
• Kajabi University
• 0% Transaction Fee
• Webinars & Events
• Ready to Use Templates
• Assessments (Quizzes & Surveys)
• 1 Customer Success Activation Call
• 24/7 Chat Support
• Advanced Automations
• Ability to Remove Kajabi Branding
• Affiliate Program

The only thing it’s really missing is the Code Editor and, of course, the option to scale up to more products, more admins, more users, and so on.

The 24/7 customer support, ability to remove Kajabi branding, and advanced automations are all really great upgrades over the Basic Plan, and the ability to create an affiliate program can be a huge plus when you’re marketing your online course.

Kajabi Pro Plan — $319/month when billed annually or $399/month billed month-to-month

The Kajabi Pro Plan is $319/month if you pay annually or $399/month if you pay month-to-month.

This plan is the epitome of robustness, tailored for those who are not just in the game but leading it. With the ability to craft up to 100 products and funnels, it’s evident that the Pro plan is designed for creators with a vast array of offerings or those aiming to diversify extensively.

The Pro plan doesn’t just stop at quantity; it’s rich in quality features too. The capacity to manage up to 100,000 contacts, coupled with unlimited landing pages and marketing emails, ensures that large-scale marketing campaigns can be executed seamlessly.

Let’s talk for a minute about the Code Editor.

The Code Editor allows you to add and edit the source code that makes up your website, allowing you to create unique pages for your visitors to interact with.

In other words, you’re not locked into their templates. You have the freedom to tweak and build your site to your specifications.

One of the standout features is the ability to host up to 3 websites, allowing for brand diversification under one umbrella. The 10 admin users allowance ensures that a team can collaboratively manage the platform, making it ideal for larger operations.

However, while the Pro plan is undeniably powerful, it’s crucial for creators to evaluate if they truly need this level of expansiveness.

It’s a significant investment, and ensuring that every feature is leveraged is key to getting good value out of this top-shelf plan. For the eLearning giants or those with a vision to become one, the Pro plan is a good choice.

Here’s a full look at what this pla includes:

• 100 Products
• 100 Pipelines
• Unlimited Landing Pages
• Unlimited Marketing Emails
• 100,000 Contacts
• 20,000 Active Members
• 3 Websites
• 25 Admin Users
• Kajabi University
• 0% Transaction Fee
• Webinars & Events
• Ready to Use Templates
• Assessments (Quizzes & Surveys)
• 1 Customer Success Activation Call
• 24/7 Chat Support
• Advanced Automations
• Ability to Remove Kajabi’s Branding
• Affiliate Program
• Code Editor

The Kajabi Pro Plan is designed for large operations with a lot of products and customers. It has all the tools and all the features you need to run your business.

Is There a Kajabi Free Trial?

Kajabi does offer a 14-day free trial so you can see the features for yourself and test out everything the platform has to offer for two full weeks before deciding if it’s right for you.

The Best Way to Save on Kajabi

Your best bet for saving money on Kajabi is to opt for an annual billing plan instead of a monthly one. This will save you about 20% off the regular cost of the plan.

How Kajabi Saves You Money

While you might be concerned that Kajabi pricing is outside your budget, it’s worth pointing out that because this is an all-in-one platform it can actually save you money in a number of ways.

Here are some things you won’t have to pay for with Kajabi:

• Website hosting (about $100 or more a year on average)
• Website themes (about $100 a year on average)
• Email marketing software (could be $1,000 or more a year for other email marketing platforms)
• Webinar software (around $500 a year typically)
• Sales funnel software ($1,000 or more a year on average)
• Checkout/payment processing ($300 or so yearly on average)
• Affiliate marketing management ($800+ per year typically)

FAQ

How much is a Kajabi membership?

The Kajabi membership prices range from $119/month to $319/month, depending on the features you need.

How long is the Kajabi free trial?

Kajabi does offer a 14-day free trial so you can explore all of the features the platform has to offer.

Does Kajabi offer a money-back guarantee?

Yes, Kajabi offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans. Cancel within 30 days of your first payment and you’ll get a full refund.

Is there a discount for paying annually?

Yes, if you pay annually you’ll receive a 20% discount off the monthly price.

Does Kajabi take a percentage of your sales?

No, Kajabi has no transaction fees.

What is the Kajabi Code Editor?

The Kajabi Code Editor allows you to add and edit the source code that makes up your website, giving you more freedom to create unique pages for your visitors.

Can you change your Kajabi pricing plan?

Yes, you can always upgrade or downgrade your Kajabi pricing plan at any time as needed.

Is Kajabi Worth It?

So, what’s the verdict?

Kajabi pricing is actually a very fair value when you consider how this all-in-one platform eliminates the need for subscriptions to other software like email marketing, website builders, hosting, and more.

When it comes to Kajabi pricing and plans, it’s important to consider what you’ll be using the platform for. If you’re just starting out and don’t need all of the features Kajabi offers, the Basic Plan is a great option. If you’re looking for more features and capabilities, then the Growth Plan or Pro Plan might be a better fit.

Overall, Kajabi is a great investment for businesses that want to create and sell online courses, membership sites, digital products, and more. With its wide range of features, easy-to-use platform, and great customer support, Kajabi pricing plans and benefits are hard to beat.

Remember, you can always check out the Kajabi free trial for 14 days to decide if it’s a good fit for your needs.

Have any questions about Kajabi pricing plans? Leave a comment below and we’ll help you out.

Want some info on other platforms for selling your courses? Trying to compare Kajabi prices to another online course platform? Check out these guides:

• Kartra pricing guide
• LearnDash pricing guide
• LearnWorlds pricing guide
• Podia pricing guide
• Samcart pricing guide
• Teachable pricing guide
• Teachery pricing guide

The post Kajabi Pricing & Plans: Is It Worth the Cost? (2023 Guide) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

The information below has been fully updated for 2023 to include the latest details about Podia’s various plans (things have changed with the pricing structure in recent months), so you can be confident you’re getting current, accurate information to help you make a sound decision.

How Much Does Podia Cost?

There are three different plans at Podia to choose from. They range in price from free up to $89/month. In addition, Podia offers immense savings with its yearly membership plans. You basically get 2 months free if you pay for a full year in advance.

Compare the Podia plans with the table below and read on for more detailed information about each one.

	Free	Mover	Shaker
Cost	Free	$39/mo ($33/mo if billed annually)	$89/month ($75/mo if billed annually)
Unlimited everything (products, messages, etc.)	X
No transaction fees	X (8% fees)
Free migration	X	5 products	10 products
Customer support 7 days a week
Daily live Q&A
Sell courses	X
Course certificates	X	X
Sell digital downloads	(only 1)
Host a community
# of community members	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
# of community topics	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Sell coaching services	(only 1)
Custom website
Customer messaging
Product bundle options	X	X
Unlimited email subscribers
Additional teammates	$20/month per teammate	$20/month per teammate	5 included
Monthly email recipients	250	5,000	15,000
Affiliate marketing option	X	X
Embedded checkout	X	X
3rd party code	X	X
Ability to remove Podia branding from site	X	X
Dedicated account manager	X	X
Personalized coaching call	X	X
Monthly group creator call	X	X
Team seats	X	X

It’s worth pointing out that Podia used to offer an “Earthquaker plan” but it seems to have done away with that plan at the time of this article’s writing.

As you can see above, you get the best bang for your buck if you go with annual billing, but obviously, not everyone wants to spend that much money at once.

Podia Free Plan – Free

The Podia Free plan is a limited plan that’s designed to let you get a feel for what the platform offers. It’s a good starting point for creators looking to familiarize themselves with the tool.

This plan provides access to a full website, community features, one download, one coaching product, and draft versions of courses and webinars.

However, it’s worth noting that the free plan comes with an 8% fee on transactions and limits users to just one download and one coaching product. You also won’t be able to publish your courses with this plan.

While it’s a great way to get a feel for the platform, for creators aiming to scale their offerings or avoid transaction fees, upgrading to one of Podia’s more comprehensive plans might be a more viable long-term solution.

Podia Mover Plan – $39/Month (Save $72 with Annual Plan – $396/Year)

The Podia Mover plan is the most budget-friendly paid plan at Podia. It offers an abundance of features that are perfect for the creative entrepreneur starting out with selling courses and other digital products online.

Having created and sold courses myself, I can vouch for the value that Podia’s Maker plan brings to the table. At $39 per month (or a discounted $33 per month with annual billing), it’s a game-changer. Gone are the transaction fees, which means you get to keep more of what you earn.

The plan offers almost everything you need as a creator: a full-fledged website, community tools to engage with your audience, and unlimited courses, downloads, and coaching products. The draft webinars and chat support are invaluable, and the affiliate marketing feature opens up new avenues for promoting your courses. Plus, the third-party code integration is a lifesaver, letting you seamlessly mesh Podia with other tools.

For any course creator or digital entrepreneur like myself, the Maker plan is a solid, tried-and-tested choice.

Key Features:

• Host an unlimited number of courses and digital downloads
• Tools to build a custom, branded website
• Access to exceptional customer service
• Easy-to-use platform
• Budget-friendly
• 5K email recipients

Who is the Podia Mover Plan Best For?

The Podia Mover plan is excellent for the solo entrepreneur or the creative course content maker. It is budget-friendly, costing only $39 per month, and it’s an easy platform to use for building an online course business or coaching business. The Mover plan also offers customer support seven days per week to help ensure your content is up and running smoothly! The Podia Mover plan is perfect for anyone wanting to get creative and turn their expertise into revenue.

Podia Shaker Plan – $89/Month (Save $168 with Annual Plan – $900/Year)

The Podia Shaker plan is an excellent plan for a business or creative entrepreneur who wants a little more customization in their online presence. It has an enormous amount of features that are designed to help launch a course creation business.

The Podia Shaker plan allows for an unlimited amount of courses, digital products, and webinars. This plan features zero transaction fees and gives the user tools to create membership sites allowing reoccurring payments to be collected.

What makes this plan different is it allows you to launch an affiliate marketing program for promoting your courses. It also lets you remove any Podia branding from your website, and you can sell coaching services as well through this package.

The Podia Shaker plan integrates seamlessly with Zoom and provides the user with tools to use affiliate marketing.

Key Features:

• Create an unlimited amount of courses, digital products, webinars, and membership websites to generate revenue and recurring payments
• Access to exceptional support to ensure seamless setup and continuation of course creation business
• Tools to sell coaching services
• Custom website with easy-to-use tools to create a wonderful experience for learners
• Course certificates upon completion to encourage learners to continue progress and learning
• 15K email recipients

Who is the Podia Shaker Plan Best For?

The Podia Shaker plan is an excellent choice for creative entrepreneurs or small businesses wanting to take their creative endeavors up a level. The Podia Shaker plan can host the entire blog, integrate effortlessly with Zoom, and host webinars and membership plans. In addition, this plan gives the user tools to launch and embrace success with an easy-to-use interface and customizable tools.

A Closer Look at Podia

Podia provides a suite of tools and features that enable users to:

• Create and Sell Online Courses: Podia allows you to design and host your online courses, including video lessons, quizzes, and other multimedia content. You can structure your course material, set pricing, and customize the look and feel to match your brand. Creating and selling online courses with Podia is a breeze.
• Sell Digital Products: Whether it’s eBooks, templates, downloadable files, or any other digital product, Podia provides the infrastructure for you to sell them directly to your audience.
• Offer Memberships: You can create and sell membership subscriptions for access to exclusive content, communities, or other perks, making it a great tool for building recurring revenue streams.
• Build a Website: Podia offers website-building capabilities, allowing you to create a professional-looking website to showcase your products and content, without the need for extensive coding knowledge.
• Email Marketing: It includes email marketing tools to communicate with your audience, nurture leads, and promote your products.
• Payment Processing: Podia handles payment processing, making it easy to collect payments and manage your finances.
• Affiliate Marketing: You can set up and manage an affiliate program, allowing others to promote your products and earn commissions for successful referrals.
• Customer Support: Podia provides customer support features to help you manage inquiries and support your customers effectively.

Simply put, Podia aims to simplify the online business journey by offering an integrated platform that eliminates the need for multiple tools and services. It’s especially popular among creators, educators, and entrepreneurs who want to monetize their expertise and digital products in a streamlined and user-friendly way.

Podia Cost Q&A

Does Podia offer a free trial?

Yes, Podia offers a 14-day free trial with all of its plans. This gives the user the ability to see the platform and test it out before committing to anything. There’s also a free plan that lets you check out the platform with limited features.

Does Podia offer both monthly and yearly membership plans?

Yes, Podia offers monthly and annual payment plans. Annual subscriptions offer significant savings that work out to about 2 months free compared to going with the regular monthly fee.

What kind of payment does Podia accept?

Podia accepts all major credit cards, PayPal, and Stripe.

Does Podia have a refund policy?

Podia offers a 14-day trial with all of its’ plans. After 14 days, if the user wants to cancel, they can contact Podia within seventy-two hours of the charge on their card, and Podia will provide a refund.

Can you cancel Podia at any time?

Yes! All the user has to do is go into their account, click settings, and visit the billing section. There aren’t any hidden fees.

Is it difficult to change plans?

No, it is not. You can downgrade/upgrade the plan at any time.

What are some of Podia’s best features?

• Zero transaction fees
• 3rd party integrations such as MailChimp, Stripe, MailerLite and more
• Create customized coupon codes
• Course completion certificates for learners
• Unlimited courses, digital products, webinars, membership sites
• Drip content
• Affiliate program to enhance marketing strategy
• Real-time chat with students on the website
• Affordable pricing plans

Final Thoughts

Podia is an exceptional platform for course creation. The platform offers many tools, resources, and supports to assist the user. Podia also has impressive customer service that is available for assistance seven days a week.

Click here to try Podia free for 14 days.

Interested in other platforms for selling your courses and digital products? Check out these resources:

• Kajabi pricing guide
• Kartra pricing guide
• LearnDash pricing guide 
• LearnWorlds pricing guide
• Samcart pricing guide
• Teachery pricing guide
• Teachable pricing guide

The post Podia Pricing: Plans, Free Trial Info, More (2023) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

Tips for Preparing Your Lecture Videos

Here are some pointers for preparing your deck and narrative.

1. Brainstorm and define your strategy

It might be tempting to dive into the process and play it by ear, but that’s usually a big mistake. Once your content is ready, with the vast creative and technical effort invested, it may be too late to revamp the key concept.

It’s better to write down in advance the thoughts, ideas, and pieces of knowledge you’d like to share with your viewers. Give your message a test run, ask family and friends for feedback.

If it seems viable, get down to a detailed speech plan as well as concise bullets to highlight the fundamentals.

Make the video presentation granular, transform a single idea that could fit a small sticky note into a single PowerPoint slide. This way, it will be much easier for your learners to follow the narration.

2. Make a script and practice

Anyone who has taught students online knows it’s vital to make a script for your video lecture.

That said, I recommend you don’t try to spell out your entire message word for work. Otherwise, you might become hostage to your own text, neglecting the trump card of improvisation. Detailed bullet points are usually better in my experience.

Always go through your content to pinpoint weak links and see whether you should make amendments.

3. Focus on your audience

Let’s face it – lectures aren’t automatically valuable and worthwhile, they are only as good as their impact. That’s why seasoned instructors always keep the learner in mind when they design and render content. Some practical advice here is to stick to the point and eliminate all unwanted distractions.

Text and visual effects ought to have a specified goal. Before choosing the right creative elements, measure them against the objectives of your lesson. Do they go along?

By the end of the lecture, your audience should receive their call to action or food for thought rather than ‘just information’. A good tip here is to capture your viewers’ attention from the very start. For instance, open up with a relevant story or fun fact rather than a formal introduction.

4. Make your story matter and keep it brief

Indeed, a consistent storyline is key. Making a video, even a good one, just for the sake of it doesn’t fly anymore. If the video is a way to illustrate your ideas, make sure you don’t get carried away. Feel like some of the parts might sound redundant? Take them out.

This just can’t be overemphasized: ‘succinct’ and ‘clear’ should become your buzzwords. Consider bullet points and leave behind superfluous details. Think of the emotional effect your content produces and overhaul your workouts to channel it the right way.

If your video is too slow and long, your audience will want to skip through the video, so keep that in mind.

5. Balance your content

Once the content is prepared, think of the perfect way to convey your ideas. Some data might look better as video, some as images and diagrams. Is using pictures a good option, and to what extent? The general advice here is: if you’d like the audience to focus on a select part of the speech, go light on visual effects and other frills in this fragment.

6. Control the time for each slide

To ensure smooth content flow, try not to exceed 30 seconds spent on each slide. You want your video lecture to run seamlessly at a good pace rather than get stuck on a single screen, however important it may seem. Remember the golden rule of ‘one idea for one slide’ to avoid cognitive overload and outright fatigue for your recipients.

7. Blend video and audio

You may choose to embed an existing video or record an ad-hoc narration. A combination of audio and video is ideal. However, make sure audio effects like background music do not meddle with the tone of your lecture. Look right at the camera as if you’re keeping direct eye contact with the viewers. Use gestures carefully to stress a specific point, demonstrate an important chart or relevant figures, etc. Once your clips are ready, perform the necessary edits and sync up with the slides and effects.

8. Use consistent branding

See to it that applied styles match your content. Your presentation can’t afford to look like it’s been designed by several different people. Don’t misjudge the importance of fonts, colors and overall branding. It’s part of your image and, to some extent, your methodology.

9. Review and assessment

Video lecturing is just a fragment of the e-Learning process; it’s crucial to factor in recaps and assessments. Can your students keep up with the material? Better be on the safe side! It’s a good idea to summarize ideas after a few slides or include a quiz at the end of a presentation.

Interactive quizzes, YouTube or Vimeo videos, and links to other resources may add aesthetic and logical appeal to your deck.

10. Include references

Speaking of links, refer your learners to other articles and web resources on the subject. Let them broaden their horizons and think outside the box. By guiding them through the right resources, you’ll save your students a lot of time and trouble.

These general tips have a wide area of application, regardless of your broadcasting preferences. You can choose to record a lecture with a simple digital camera and blackboard. Alternatively, you can grab your screen actions with a dedicated program, or face the audience using a webcam. The latter two scenarios work great with a bunch of software solutions.

How do you create video lectures in PowerPoint? Pretty easy. Even more so if you use iSpring Suite to bring your vision to life.

iSpring Suite: The Easiest Way to Create Video Lectures & Online Courses in PowerPoint

iSpring Suite

iSpring Suite is a comprehensive authoring toolkit that works right in PowerPoint and allows you to create high-quality videos with no special skills.

Try It Free!

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

iSpring Suite is a dynamic and comprehensive platform that seamlessly integrates with PowerPoint to revolutionize the creation of video lectures and online courses.

With its robust set of features, user-friendly interface, and commitment to enhancing the eLearning experience, iSpring Suite is the perfect solution for educators, trainers, and content creators looking to bring their presentations to life.

By embedding interactive quizzes, surveys, simulations, and branching scenarios directly into your PowerPoint slides, iSpring Suite transforms traditional presentations into engaging learning experiences. This fusion of visual appeal and interactive elements captivates learners, keeping them actively engaged and motivated throughout the course.

The platform’s intuitive interface streamlines the creation process, allowing users to seamlessly record audio and video narrations within PowerPoint slides. This means that educators and trainers can easily deliver explanations, insights, and real-world examples, creating a personal connection with learners and enhancing content retention.

With iSpring Suite, customization knows no bounds. The platform offers a plethora of design options to ensure that your course materials align with your branding and vision. Whether it’s adjusting player templates, adding multimedia elements, or choosing from a range of pre-built interaction templates, you have the creative freedom to craft a unique and engaging learning environment.

iSpring Suite also champions learner-centricity through responsive design. Courses created with iSpring Suite adapt seamlessly to various devices, providing a consistent experience across desktops, tablets, and smartphones. This responsive approach accommodates the modern learner’s preference for on-the-go access and enhances the overall learning journey.

Furthermore, the platform’s in-depth analytics provide invaluable insights into learner progress, engagement, and assessment results. These analytics empower educators and trainers to refine their content and delivery methods, optimizing the learning experience based on data-driven insights.

Simply put, iSpring Suite is the ultimate solution for creating captivating video lectures and online courses within PowerPoint. For anyone looking to enrich their educational content and engage learners on a deeper level, iSpring Suite emerges as the perfect partner in turning PowerPoint presentations into dynamic, interactive, and impactful e-learning journeys.

Click here to download iSpring Suite for free!

Final Thoughts on Creating Video Lectures & Courses in PowerPoint

There is a common saying: A picture is worth a thousand words.

These days, we should probably extrapolate this adage to video as the most captivating and motivating format in eLearning and business training.

Luckily, there is a diversity of content authoring and slideshow creation programs that enable you to produce effective courses and lessons. A remote video lecture saves tons of cash, making physical facilities or costly travel unnecessary. Besides, the outreach is immeasurably higher with online video

I hope the article gives you a better idea of how to create video lectures and online courses in PowerPoint.

Feel free to share your own experience and keep me posted. Good luck with your presentations!

The post How to Make Video Lectures & Online Courses in PowerPoint appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

Having navigated the eLearning landscape for years, I’ve tested a number of different platforms, but LearnWorlds genuinely stands out. It’s clear that they’ve poured serious thought into what educators and course creators truly need.

With features like AI-assisted course creation, interactive videos and eBooks to drive engagement, flexibility in course delivery (whether it’s drip-feeding content or offering curated pathways), and a white-label solution, LearnWorlds is a platform that truly understands the nuances of eLearning. Plus, the seamless integrations with top-notch marketing tools mean we can focus on what we do best: creating impactful content.

Our in-depth guide looks at LearnWorlds’ pricing plans, free trial information, and notable key features. This article will give all the details needed to choose a plan suitable for your needs and goals. And here’s a pro tip: you can try LearnWorlds free for 30 days before committing to a plan. That’s a great way to test out the platform to see if it’s a good fit for building your online school.

How Much Does LearnWorlds Cost?

There are four different plans available at LearnWorlds as of October 2023. They range in price from $24/month to $299/month depending on the features and duration of the plan. You can also save about 20% off the regular monthly cost of the plans by signing up for annual billing where you pay the full amount for the year upfront.

Each plan is loaded with unique tools, resources, and features to assist the user with their course content creation business.

LearnWorlds also offers a 30-day free trial, so the user can get a feel for the program before making any significant commitments.

Compare the table below of LearnWorlds’ pricing plans. Continue reading for further details and information surrounding features, LearnWorlds plans, and finer details.

	Starter$29/mo or $24/mo billed annually	Pro Trainer $99/mo or $79/mo billed annually	Learning Center $299/mo or $249/mo billed annually	High Volume & CorporateCustom pricing
Transaction Fees	$5 per course sale	None	None	None
Admins	1	5	20	Additional admins
Custom Domain
Unlimited Paid Courses
Unlimited Free Courses	X
Site Builder	3 pages	Unlimited pages	Unlimited pages	Unlimited pages
Popups	2	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Built-In Community
Coupons
Basic Integrations
Free SSL Certificate
Drip Feed Courses
Email Support	24/5	24/7	24/7	24/7
Subscriptions & Memberships	X
Installments	X
Customizable Course Player	X
Customizable Checkout	X
Custom Certificates	X
Live Classes/Webinars	X
SCORMs/HTML5	X
File Assignments	X
Affiliate Management	X
Question Banks	X
100% Off LW Academy	X
Premium Onboarding	X	X
iOS & Android App	X	X	Extra fee
Advanced SSO	X	X
Custom Pricing Options	X	X	X
Flexible Invoicing	X	X	X

LearnWorlds Starter Plan – $29/month with a savings of $60 with annual membership

The LearnWorlds Starter Plan is perfect for all new course creators or a person who is just starting to create online courses.

This plan offers an enormous amount of tools with customization tools to enhance the learners’ experience.

The Starter Plan is budget-friendly and allows for one admin.

The platform is perfect for the creative entrepreneur who wants to create, sell, and market quality courses for their students or employees.

With the LearnWorlds platform, the user can create various types of content to ensure actively engaged students.

Key Features:

• Create online courses, videos, pdfs, e-books, audio files, and more
• One admin/instructor
• Ability to create coupon codes to further marketing efforts
• SCORM compliance

Who is LearnWorlds Starter Plan Best For?

The LearnWorlds Starter Plan is perfect for newbies looking to create high-quality branded courses. The tools in the software give the user the power to create beautiful courses, making them completely student-user friendly. LearnWorlds has hundreds of professionally designed templates, making it suitable for even the most novice creator who wants to sell online courses.

LearnWorlds Pro Trainer Plan – $99/month with a savings of $240 of an annual plan

The LearnWorlds Pro Trainer Plan is an excellent choice for professional trainers and instructors.

The Pro Trainer plan features zero transaction fees, space for five instructors, branded and customizable check-out page, as many landing pages as you want to create, and 24/7 priority email support.

The Pro Trainer Plan gives the tools to create membership and subscription services and more.

Key Features:

• No transaction fees
• Create an unlimited number of courses
• Unlimited number of landing pages
• Custom certificates and more
• Courses are mobile and tablet optimized

Who is LearnWorlds Pro Trainer Plan Best For?

The LearnWorlds Pro Trainer Plan is best for professional teachers and trainers. It offers a multitude of tools that give the user power to create high-quality courses.

LearnWorlds Learning Center Plan – $249/month with a savings of $600 with an annual membership

The LearnWorlds Learning Center Plan is an extensive plan with an enormous amount of tools for course creation and management. This is LearnWorlds most popular plan.

The plan features zero transaction fees, interactive video, bulk-user options, and more. LearnWorlds Learning Center Plan also offers coupons, bundles, and upsells.

Key Features:

• 20 admin/instructors
• Auto-transcripts and video subtitles
• Course insight reports
• Advanced affiliate marketing management
• Marketing funnels

Who is LearnWorlds Learning Center Plan Best For?

The pro trainer plan at LearnWorlds is perfect for corporations, businesses, and budding entrepreneurs. The plan gives a generous amount of tools to assist with building, growing, and marketing courses.

LearnWorlds High Volume and Corporate Plan – Contact for information

LearnWorlds’ High Volume and Corporate Plan contain a mass amount of features to assist the user.

This plan is the most popular plan at LearnWorlds and delivers powerful tools. It features zero transaction fees, custom bulk enrollment options, student management, and more.

The LearnWorlds High Volume and Corporate Plan have many additional features to amplify course creation and delivery.

Key Features:

• Premium cloud servers
• Dedicated account manager
• Optional SLA
• Flexible invoicing tools
• In-depth reports and insights

Who is LearnWorlds High Volume and Corporate Plan Best For?

The LearnWorlds High Volume and Corporate plan is best for large corporations with many support teams. It offers tools to customize, manage and control course management and distribution easily.

What to Consider When Choosing a LearnWorlds Plan

When choosing the right LearnWorlds package for your needs, you should consider the following aspects:

• Number of Courses and Users: The ‘Starter’ plan allows for unlimited paid courses, but if you’re looking to offer both free and paid courses, you might want to consider the ‘Pro Trainer’ or higher plans.
• Customization and Branding: If having a fully customizable course player and an unlimited number of website pages is crucial for your brand, the ‘Pro Trainer’ plan offers these features.
• Engagement Tools: For those aiming to boost student engagement, the ‘Learning Center’ plan provides interactive videos, auto-transcripts, and advanced assessments.
• Integration and Automation: Depending on your tech stack, you might need advanced integrations. The ‘Learning Center’ plan offers features like API & Webhooks and advanced Hubspot integration.
• Team Collaboration: Consider the number of admins or collaborators you’ll need. While the ‘Starter’ plan offers 1 admin, the ‘Learning Center’ plan provides up to 25 admins/collaborators.
• Revenue Generation: If you’re looking to offer subscriptions, memberships, or installment payments, the ‘Pro Trainer’ plan and above cater to these needs.
• Support and Onboarding: The level of support can be a deciding factor. The ‘Learning Center’ plan, for instance, offers 24/7 priority email support and personalized onboarding.
• Volume and Corporate Needs: For high-volume users or corporate clients, there’s a dedicated plan that offers premium servers, multiple daily backups, and tailored pricing options.
• Budget: Always factor in your budget and compare the features offered in each plan to determine which provides the best value for your investment.

LearnWorlds Cost Q&A

Does LearnWorlds offer a free trial or a free plan?

LearnWorlds offers a 30-day free trial with all of their plans.

Does LearnWorlds offer monthly and annual payment plans?

Yes, LearnWorlds plans offer both monthly and annual payment options, with annual plans leading to savings for the user.

What kind of payments does LearnWorlds accept?

LearnWorlds accepts all major credit cards, PayPal, and Stripe as payments.

Does LearnWorlds offer a refund policy?

LearnWorlds offers a money-back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied in the first thirty days, LearnWorlds will refund the users’ money.

What are some of LearnWorlds best features?

• Custom user log-in page
• Unlimited courses
• Unlimited sales pages
• Digital downloads
• Interactive community engagement
• Custom domain
• 24/7 customer service
• Professionally designed templates that are mobile-friendly
• Lead generation
• Built-in social network

Final Thoughts

With the info above, you have everything you need to decide which LearnWorlds plan, if any, is the best bit for your needs. Remember, you can always try LearnWorlds free for 30 days to see how you like it before you pay a thing.

Interested in other platforms for selling online courses and digital products? Check out these resources:

• Kajabi pricing guide
• Kartra pricing guide
• LearnDash pricing guide 
• Podia pricing guide
• Samcart pricing guide
• TalentLMS pricing guide
• Teachery pricing guide
• Teachable pricing guide

Have any questions about LearnWorlds pricing and plans? Leave us a comment below.

The post LearnWorlds Pricing: Plans, Free Trial Info, More (2023) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

Cloud-based authoring tools allow eLearning designers to create an online course with engaging lessons, quizzes, and content on one integrated digital platform.

A cloud-based authoring tool lets designers collaborate, edit, and save their work to a centralized location, with all of their content stored in the cloud.

In this guide, we’ll jump into how cloud-based authoring tools work, and what they can offer you as a content creator.

We’ll also outline some of the pros and cons of cloud-based authoring tools, so you can find one that’s right for your course creation needs.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about these popular design platforms!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost for you, we might get a commission if you click the link and purchase.

How Do Cloud-Based Authoring Tools Work?

A cloud-based authoring tool works as a digital hub for all of your course creation needs.

Creators log into the cloud-based platform and dive into designing their courses, without needing to download additional software onto their computers.

Using a cloud-based authoring tool also means you don’t need to have an extensive background in tech, web design, or coding.

Instead, these programs do the legwork for you.  Most cloud-based authoring tools come with premade templates and settings, to make course design faster and simpler.

Cloud-based authoring tools also streamline the editing and publishing process, so that you can tweak and roll out courses smoothly to your learning management system, or LMS.

Teams can seamlessly work together using cloud-based authoring tools, because each user can remotely contribute their work as the course is designed.

Rather than sending files back and forth as new versions are updated, cloud-based authoring tools give each stakeholder access to what they need in one unified location.

This makes collaboration a breeze, even when team members are in different geographic locations or time zones.

Cloud-based authoring tools auto-save content regularly, so users don’t need to worry about lost drafts or corrupted files.  As any developer knows, these common setbacks waste valuable time and contribute to tension across teams.

These platforms also update automatically, so you don’t have to manually download the latest version.  This is another big timesaver, especially when you’re working with a team (there’s always one person who never installs updates!).

Essentially, cloud-based authoring tools function as a place for your courses to live while you design them.

These platforms cut out the more tedious design aspects and help you create personalized, professional courses tailored to what you want to share.

Now that we’ve gone over what cloud-based authoring tools are and how they’re supposed to work, read on to discover some pros and cons of using one for creating your online course.

Pros of Cloud-Based Authoring Tools

The pros of cloud-based authoring tools are fairly obvious: convenience, flexibility, and quality.

Convenience

Convenience tops our list because it’s the standout feature of using a cloud-based authoring platform.

Whether you’re working with a team or designing solo, having one location for all of your courses is a huge win.

Cloud-based authoring tools like iSpring Page let you embed videos, change fonts, and keep your brand consistent… all without ever having to leave your browser.

With a cloud-based authoring tool like iSpring Page, you can also publish to SCORM for your LMS, directly from the platform.

The authoring tool will ensure that your published content looks great regardless of the device learners are using.  No need to worry that your graphics will be cut off on a tablet or your text will be unreadable on a phone!

Most user reviews of programs like iSpring tout the “very little learning curve” as one of the program’s biggest perks.  This means it doesn’t take long to get the hang of using these platforms, regardless of your experience level.

Being able to focus on the actual content you’re sharing – instead of how to present it to your audience – is a huge benefit to using a cloud-based authoring tool.

Flexibility

Flexibility goes hand-in-hand with convenience when it comes to the pros of a cloud-based authoring tool.

Most eLearning developers can benefit from a flexible design approach.  After all, when you’re working with a group of subject matter experts, business owners, educators, and designers, things can get complicated fast.

A cloud-based authoring tool cuts down on confusion by keeping your courses organized and streamlined for every step of the design process.

It’s easy for everyone involved to access, review, and edit courses in most cloud-based authoring tools.  Teams can save and share drafts and projects, so everyone remains in the loop.

Popular choices like iSpring and Articulate even let users work together in real-time to build the best possible course.

Flexibility is also important if you’re a solopreneur managing all of your own content.

It’s important for things to run smoothly when you’re working on your own, but updating and adjusting content can be challenging when you don’t have a team to track your progress.

This is where a cloud-based authoring tool can be a big help.  These platforms make it possible to keep things consistent across all of your courses.

You can also go back to adjust the scale, pricing, or structure of your courses as your business grows.

Quality

Quality is another huge part of why cloud-based authoring tools are so popular in the learning and design community.

Unless you have a background in graphic or web design, you may struggle to make what you see on-screen match your inner vision (or the vision of the client you’re designing a course for).

Rather than investing in costly and time-consuming web design and coding classes, you can use a cloud-based authoring tool and easily produce elegant courses within minutes.

Ready-made templates for everything from quizzes to videos to slides are available with most cloud-based authoring tools.

iSpring Solutions, for example, allows users to choose from a vast library of premades so that you can quickly select what you need, then tweak it to make it your own.

Being able to unify fonts, colors, logos, and backgrounds also takes your finished product up a notch and adds to how professional your course appears.

After all, even if your content is fantastic, users won’t appreciate it if it’s clunky or difficult to access.

A cloud-based authoring tool makes it easy to keep things looking good and working smoothly with minimal effort.

Cons of Cloud-Based Authoring Tools

The biggest potential cons of cloud-based authoring tools are the platform’s reliability and cost.

Accessibility

A cloud-based authoring tool relies on your personal internet connection to run smoothly.

If all of your team members don’t have access to a strong, stable internet connection, they may run into issues trying to use the platform’s features.

This can cause delays in overall course production, as well as frustration when you’re not able to use the program or download key items in a timely fashion.

Fortunately, however, most cloud-based authoring tools use a CDN, or Content Delivery Network, to ensure that connectivity issues don’t cause too many setbacks for users.

A CDN is a network of data centers and proxy servers intended to improve a site’s performance and availability to all users.

Choosing a cloud-based authoring tool with a robust CDN decreases the likelihood that you’ll encounter problems with connection and speed.

iSpring Page: Cloud-Based Authoring Tool

Cloud-Based Platform for Fast Course Creation | iSpring Page

With iSpring Page, you can quickly and easily create adaptive courses online, collaborate on them with your team, and publish them to SCORM for your LMS.

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We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

While there’s no shortage of cloud-based authoring tools out there, one of the best comes from iSpring.

A known leader in the online course creation space, iSpring has recently launched its new iSpring Page tool that lets you easily create courses online and publish them to SCORM for your LMS.

Creating an interactive course is easy with iSpring Page and an internet connection. Simply copy text from a file or a webpage and paste it into iSpring. iSpring will maintain the integrity of images, paragraph formatting, and list styles.

From creating chapters to sequence your lessons to incorporating videos and interactive elements, iSpring Page lets you do it all with a simple click.

Try iSpring Page for free today. 

Final Thoughts on Cloud-Based Authoring Tools

Cloud-based authoring tools cut down on lost time and make it easy to design attractive, user-friendly courses and publish them to your LMS.

These platforms are ideal for working with a team, since they help everyone collaborate in one convenient workspace.  Cloud-based tools also help solopreneurs stay organized and keep their content streamlined.

It’s important to choose a cloud-based authoring tool with a reliable connection, and to factor in what the platform will cost per month, before committing.

Overall, though, cloud-based authoring tools are a worthwhile investment for designing your own high-quality online courses.

Whether you’re looking to create a quick quiz or a whole library of classes, cloud-based authoring tools are a handy way to get the job done well and make your content shine.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Using a Cloud-Based Authoring Tool for Creating Your Online Course appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

If you’ve ever found yourself drowning in a sea of sticky notes, drowning in email chains, or simply losing sight of your project goals amidst the frenzy, fear not – you’re not alone.

If you’re someone who craves structure, hungers for collaboration, and dreams of a streamlined process that actually works, this post is for you. Whether you’re a seasoned project management pro or a newbie eager to tame the project management beast, we’ve got your back.

We get it – your days are a blend of brainstorming sessions, endless to-do lists, and team huddles that seem to lead nowhere.

That’s exactly we’ve reviewed and ranked the very best Agile and Scrum tools that have been finely crafted to cater to your every project management need.

Say goodbye to the chaos, and say hello to tools that empower you to embrace change, foster collaboration, and finally take the reins of your projects with confidence.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost for you, we might get a commission if you click the link and purchase.

What are the Best Agile and Scrum Project Management Tools?

Here are our picks for the best project management software for Agile and Scrum approaches…

1. ClickUp

Agile Project Management Software | ClickUp

ClickUp's Agile Management comes with everything you need to start delivering outcomes faster with an agile approach!

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ClickUp is a game-changing project management software that’s redefining the way teams work together.

If you’re tired of toggling between countless apps, drowning in a sea of tasks, and struggling to keep everyone on the same page, ClickUp is about to revolutionize your workflow.

At its core, ClickUp is designed to be your project’s command center. It’s like a Swiss Army knife for project management, offering a comprehensive suite of features that cater to every aspect of your workflow.

From task creation and organization to seamless communication and progress tracking, ClickUp has it all. Its intuitive interface ensures that whether you’re a tech-savvy pro or a digital novice, you’ll be up and running in no time.

ClickUp’s real magic lies in its adaptability. Whether you’re a one-person show or managing a bustling team, the software can be tailored to suit your needs. Choose from different views – like lists, boards, Gantt charts, and more – to visualize your tasks in the way that makes the most sense to you. And if you’re all about data-driven decisions, ClickUp’s reporting and analytics features provide insights that help you identify trends, bottlenecks, and opportunities for optimization.

In a world where efficiency is key and collaboration is king, ClickUp rises to the challenge. Say goodbye to scattered workflows and hello to streamlined success. With ClickUp by your side, you’re not just managing projects – you’re orchestrating symphonies of achievement.

Key Features

• Customizable Task Hierarchy: Break down projects into tasks, subtasks, and checklist items for efficient organization.
• Multiple Views: Choose from list, board, Gantt chart, and calendar views to visualize tasks in a way that suits your workflow.
• Collaboration Tools: Real-time commenting, task assignment, and shared calendars keep your team aligned and communication seamless.
• Goal Tracking: Define and track goals, set milestones, and monitor progress with visual charts and indicators.
• Automations: Streamline repetitive tasks and workflows with customizable automation rules.
• Reporting and Analytics: Gain insights into project performance, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
• Integrations: Connect with over 200 popular apps including Slack, Figma, Clockify, Zoom, and more for seamless cross-platform functionality.
• Time Tracking: Keep track of time spent on tasks and projects to optimize resource allocation and productivity.
• Document Management: Store, share, and collaborate on documents directly within ClickUp, reducing the need for external tools.
• Mobile App: Stay productive on the go with the ClickUp mobile app, available for both iOS and Android devices.

Pricing

ClickUp offers a great Free Forever plan, but if you outgrow it, paid plans start at only $7 per member per month.

2. Wrike

To be honest, this is one of the best PM solutions I’ve ever used. Wrike is an all-in-one suite that connects remote and distributed teams in a common project environment. With a wealth of collaboration and reporting tools, as well as enhanced integrations and enterprise-level security, this is definitely a smart choice.

Key features

• Tasks and projects. In Wrike, it’s intuitively easy to set goals, attach relevant documents, and define deadlines. Tasks may be linked with multiple projects, made interdependent, and structured according to your needs.
• Smooth collaboration. The software allows you to makes edits and see changes in real time with no need to save files on your computer. Convenient version tracking included.
• Visual timelines and performance tracking. A Gantt Chart-based structure, Wrike helps all team members stay on the right track and make scope changes where necessary. The system comes with time and performance management tools for deeper insights into a team’s activity.
• Personal Dashboard (My Work). This is perhaps my favorite item in Wrike. I like the way the dashboard is organized: simple and uncluttered, with the ability to aggregate to-dos from all open projects and filter them by today’s/tomorrow’s/next week’s objectives, and so forth.
• Proofing & Approval. Included in the paid package, this feature helps teams approve documents while avoiding the circles of bureaucratic hell. Just pick the texts, creative projects, or videos that require approval and receive timely feedback.
• Mobile support. Wrike offers full-featured native Android and iOS apps so you can always stay in the loop when you are away from your desk or work computer.
• Ample customization. Custom workflows, fields, or dashboards – anything you need to comply with a specific team’s requirements. Administrators can create multiple user groups to distinguish user rights for different projects or sub-projects.
• API integrations. It’s easy to integrate third party business tools and services with Wrike. Need Google, Microsoft, Adobe® Creative Cloud®, Box, GitHub, JIRA, or any other software to work smoothly with Wrike? Just use one of the APIs, and you’re all set.

Cons

• Might require a learning curve. Wrike is a feature-packed tool that may be overwhelming for those new to collaborative working environments. Luckily, the solution comes with streamlined help guides and support.
• Minor interface lowlights. I noticed that after creating a new item, it somewhat went out of focus, so I had to click on the item again to proceed. This is just a minor critique, though.

Pricing

As with many competitors, you get a taste of the functionality for free. Once you step up to the next level, there are a few premium options: Team (2–25 users, $9.80/user/month), Business (5–200 users, $24.80/user/month), Enterprise (custom pricing), and Pinnacle (custom pricing).

3. Atlassian JIRA

Second on my list comes Atlassian JIRA, a popular bug/issue tracking and project management tool for agile teams. JIRA developers boast that the product is now used by 25,000 clients in 120+ countries, including celebrated brands like Fedora Commons, JBoss, Skype, Spring Framework, Apache Software Foundation, Hibernate, etc. e-Learning project developers will surely find a host of opportunities in the software.

Key features

• Scrum and Kanban boards. Agile teams can make use of fully customizable Scrum boards to help with fast planning and iterative delivery. Embedded Kanban boards allow the users to see what’s next on the agenda and adjust to the changing requirements.
• Elaborate reporting. The user gains access to multiple predefined and custom reports to track sprint-by-sprint performance in real time or over a greater time period.
• Portfolio for JIRA. A nifty planning tool that helps you build viable roadmaps, manage available and required resources and assess project progress.
• Hundreds of plugins. You can browse the Atlassian Marketplace for a plethora of add-ons to scale up your JIRA edition for any particular use case.
• Customizable workflows. e-Learning software devs and instructional designers can generate custom workflows that correspond to their unique procedures.
• Mobile support. JIRA delivers mobile apps so team members can always stay connected and up to date on project developments.
• API integration. Users can sync up their tools with JIRA by employing a wealth of available APIs.
• Versatile deployment scenarios. Teams can deploy JIRA in the cloud or on enterprise servers.

Cons

• Sophisticated configuration. JIRA is complicated software that requires some serious tweaking to match your exact needs. The out-of-the-box configuration may not suit everyone. Be prepared to delve into the controls to change how it works. Beware: you’ll probably need an IT-savvy workforce on your team or invest quite some time yourself to finally meet the JIRA of your dreams.
• Questionable ease-of-use. JIRA is a powerful feature-packed tool that implies a steep learning curve, even after you’ve had everything set up. For a good deal of use cases, you’ll need relevant plug-ins that make the UI somewhat more bloated.
• Commodity features you have to pay for. An issue that comes close to what we discussed above, JIRA needs add-ons for specific scenarios that may turn out pretty costly. Advanced time tracking, email alerts, even column summaries – you’ll have to shell out extra for such features.

Pricing

The starter pack comes free of charge, works in the cloud, and covers up to 10 users. Paid plans range between $7.75 and $15.25 a month per user. Custom Enterprise plans are also available.

4. Freedcamp

Freedcamp is freemium project management software for an unrestricted number of projects and users. The company endeavors to deliver an agile experience free of charge to customers worldwide. It’s worth noting that Freedcamp provides all additional features at no cost to teachers and students, so it absolutely makes sense to check out this solution.

Key features

• Convenient dashboard. A single entry point to get insights into current projects and workflows.
• Kanban cards. Write your tasks on cards and remove the cards on completion.
• Comprehensive calendar. This is where the user can view assigned tasks, milestones, upcoming and past events.
• File manager. Upload and easily access new files or versions with change comments.
• Discussions board. A forum-like module that helps users exchange ideas with fellow project members.
• Milestones for streamlined operations. Users can add multiple tasks within a common milestone to easily meet project deadlines.
• Time tracking. Log work time and bill fulfilled tasks using the built-in invoice app.
• Mobile Support. Last time I checked, Freedcamp supported responsive design and was about to launch a native mobile app.

Cons

• There is no “view only” access option for select team members
• There is no solid API to sync up with existing services
• Looks like it’s impossible to assign a task to a user group.

Pricing

Freedcamp uses a simple, straightforward pricing model. The Pro plan is $1.49 per user, per month, while the Business plan is $7.49 per user, per month.

5. Taiga

Taiga is an open-source project management environment for agile developers and project managers. Easy to use, catering to major agile methodologies – it’s a nice choice for content developers from various verticals.

Key features

• Free and open source. Licensed under GPL, you can find the solution source code on GitHub.
• Agile. Supports Scrum and Kanban methodologies. You can develop user stories in either model.
• Comprehensive toolset. An all-in-one solution that encompasses an issue tracker, videoconferencing, wikis, Kanban boards, backlogs, etc.
  • Issue tracking. Issues can be filtered by type, priority, status, creators and many other parameters. If needed, Taiga easily integrates with GitHub, GitLab and BitBucket.
  • Video conferencing tools. Connect to AppearIn or Talky to make video calls to fellow team members right from Taiga.
  • Built-in wikis for each project. Taiga supports Markdown and WYSIWYG editing.

Cons

• A little too green. Taiga is new to the market and needs some tweaking and polishing here and there. Performance is still an issue, however the team is right on it.
• Overwhelming at the start. Taiga pours down loads of info and features on new users with little help available. It takes time to get familiar with the system.
• Default functionality exceeds small project needs. Taiga overdelivers when it comes to short-cycle projects and smaller teams, yet it’s always up to the user to eliminate the unneeded modules.

Pricing

Taiga offers different plans based on the number of private projects and users. In most common cases, you’ll be able to use the service free of charge. A premium plan with premium customer support will cost you $70 a month or $600 a year if you pay annually.

6. Pivotal Tracker

Pivotal Tracker is an agile story-based project management tool that joins software and non-software development teams to work on a common project. The software has a great track record of commercial software releases. Pivotal Tracker makes it easy to share and exchange information, receive real-time updates and meet stringent development deadlines.

Key features

• Single view principle. Everyone shares the same viewpoint on current progress and events
• Nice dashboard and collaboration in real time. An all-round picture of your work, customizable layouts and alerts. Instant visibility into all changes and suggestions.
• Stories and epics management. Building blocks of an e-Learning or software project, stories are easy to generate and further develop in Pivotal Tracker. Feel free to share the content and exchange opinions with your peers and supervisors. Place stories into your backlog, push them up and down the iteration plan and receive quick feedback. Stories can be grouped into larger chunks – epics – for building more sophisticated roadmaps.
• Points assignment. The software allows you to assign weights and points to specific features and help accurate evaluation and timely product delivery.
• Reporting and analytics. High-level and low-level metrics of the project for comprehensive performance analysis, including Cycle Time, Cumulative Flow, Rejection reports and many other criteria
• Mobile Support. Pivotal Tracker is available on Apple mobile devices.

Cons

• The mobile app was a little slow and missed out on a number of important features. Also, last time I checked, Android users were left behind. Hopefully, this is going to change soon.
• Many users reported that real-time updates in the system were, in fact, not so fast. The Pivotal Tracker team may want to pay more attention to performance issues.

Pricing

There’s a free plan available that gives you up to 5 collaborative seats. Paid plans start at $10 a month.

7. Assembla

Assembla is a toolset that supports agile development. The product line includes Assembla Workplaces and Assembla Portfolios. The former encompasses multiple features built around team members, communication and social activity (management, tickets, issue tracking, code repositories, collaboration). The latter provides centralized user management, project analytics and reporting, as well as a branded portal.

Key features

• Client workflow management
• Task prioritization for each day/week
• Matching available resources with the spec, change request management
• Easy operation with websites, designs and code
• Agile change review and acceptance tracking
• Smooth integration with Dropbox, Git, Subversion, P4, etc.
• Detailed collaborations so the team stays focused on relevant stuff.

Cons

• There is no Gantt chart feature available
• May turn out pricey if you add extra features.

Pricing

All Assembla tools come with a 14-day free trial period. Paid plans start at $52.25 per user per month.

8. Active Collab

Active Collab started as open-source project and evolved into successful commercial software. It’s a simple yet feature-packed project management tool combining task control, time tracking and billing in a single location. Active Collab operates in the cloud, however if you require a custom web address and unrestricted number of team members, feel free to ask for a self-hosted edition.

Key features

• Task management tool. Get insights into your projects including tasks, files, costs, etc.
• Personal dashboard. Everyone has a dedicated dashboard that clearly shows updates and things coming up on the agenda.
• Easy task filtering. Tasks can be grouped into lists so you can find them by labels, assignees and due dates. Alternatively, the user can run a report to get the whole list on a single page.
• Collaboration tools. Active Collab helps project members to stay connected. Users can create notes, leave comments and browse the history of changes.
• Comprehensive calendar. Users may keep track of upcoming deadlines, create custom events and see what needs urgent attention.
• @mentions for easy referencing. Active Collab allows the users to mention other people and get a quick response.
• Time logging. Track the time for your efforts and calculate billable hours if necessary. The software also comes with a timer app that helps you register relevant time stamps and send them to Active Collab.
• Branded Invoicing. Active Collab can generate and distribute branded invoices to customers.

Cons

• Some users have reported performance issues, so make sure everything works fine for your mission-critical workflows
• Sadly, Active Collab tends to substitute Gantt charts or Kanban boards with just timeline and column views of tasks.

Pricing

Plans start at $8 per user per month.

9. Asana

Asana is a nice Scrum-ready tool that enables teams to track their work. The software features tasks, projects, dashboards, conversations and everything you expect from this class of products. Asana is available in a web version and as a native app for both Android and iOS. Free for small teams, easy to use – make sure you check it out along with the more celebrated options!

Key features

• Task and project management elements allow the user to create and follow tasks, projects, sections, due dates and times, etc.
• Embedded communication tools to comment directly on project tasks, initiate conversations on dedicated team pages, etc.
• Multiple out-of-the-box views, such as My Tasks, Inbox, Search and Files View, to get quick insights into the development process
• Find the files you need and browse through project attachments.
• Team management functionality involves task assignees, followers and guests to ensure a streamlined collaboration process
• The extensive integration list incudes DropBox, Slack, Chrome, Okta, GitHub and Google Drive.

Cons

• Task duration and task dependency features are missing. Unless you create smaller chunks of every day activity, this might be an issue.
• The search function provides room for improvement. It’s somewhat inconvenient to apply multiple filters when searching for a specific task. Support for high level queries would be much appreciated.
• The notification feature may require some re-working since the ordering and logic of alerts may be confusing to novice users.

Pricing

Asana offers a basic free plan with premium paid plans starting at $10.99 per user per month.

10. Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects by Zoho Corp. is another agile web-based project management app that enables teams to plan their activity and keep track of progress. It also allows project members to communicate closely on hot issues and stay up to date on project developments.

Key features

• Project Planning. Tasks and milestones help the user to split activities into manageable units. Zoho provides granular project control tools with subtasks, dependencies and recurring tasks.
• Gantt Charts. Detailed view of task progress against the planned scope.
• Timesheets. Work logs with billable and non-billable hours, direct integration with Zoho Invoice for automatic invoice generation.
• Reporting. Advanced BI and analytics on project performance, timetables, estimates, etc.
• Managing document flows. Easy sharing of texts, charts, slides, etc. among team members. There is a version control feature in place to make sure everyone stays focused on the relevant version.
• Integration with Google Apps. Single sign-on and direct interoperability with Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Gmail.
• Bug tracking. Zoho Projects provides an opportunity to track and log bugs in the system as well as follow code changes made in Bitbucket and GitHub.
• Native mobile apps for iOS and Android enable the user to get all relevant updates on the go, create and edit tasks, modify statuses, and log work while being away from the desk.

Cons

• Project pages and chat are not included in the standard plans and entail an extra charge
• Lacks privacy between users and user groups
• Good fit for smaller projects, larger chunks of work could get the interface too cluttered

Pricing

Zoho offers a basic free plan with premium paid plans starting at $5 per user per month.

A Final Word on the Best Agile and Scrum Project Management Tools

In the fast-paced realm of project management, where adaptability is a prized asset and collaboration reigns supreme, the journey to find the perfect Agile and Scrum project management tools ends here. We’ve uncovered a number of gems that promise to transform your project management woes into streamlined successes, and what a journey it has been.

Remember, the success of your projects lies not just in the plans, but in the tools that execute those plans. Whether you’re steering a small startup ship or captaining an enterprise-level voyage, embracing these tools equips you with the means to adapt, collaborate, and conquer challenges like never before.

Embrace the agility, harness the collaboration, and watch as your projects thrive amidst the ever-evolving landscape of business. The tools are ready – are you ready to wield them? Your projects await your command!

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But there are some important things you need to know about how to create an online course before you can get started, including pitfalls to avoid.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced instructor, there are certain steps you need to take to ensure your success in online education.

We understand the doubts and uncertainties that come with creating an online course. But here’s the thing — every successful educator started somewhere, and we’re here to light the way for you.

The idea of structuring your knowledge into a cohesive course might seem overwhelming, but trust us, it’s a rewarding adventure.

Feeling unsure about your tech skills? Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a tech genius to create an effective online course.

Perhaps you’re concerned about standing out in a sea of online courses. It’s true, the digital learning landscape is bustling. But remember, your unique perspective and teaching style are your secret weapons, and you can definitely create a standout experience that learners will flock to.

And if the thought of marketing your course feels like an insurmountable challenge, breathe easy. Our guide below will provide you with actionable marketing strategies that won’t drain your energy or budget.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have the tools and confidence to craft an online course that not only resonates with learners but also fulfills your teaching aspirations.

Let’s get started with 10 essential tips for creating and launching your own online course!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost for you, we might get a commission if you click the link and purchase.

10 Steps for Creating Online Courses

Here’s the step-by-step blueprint that will show you exactly how to create an online course that sells…

1. Determine the topic of your course

The first step in creating an online course is to determine the topic of your course.

This is arguably the most difficult part, but it’s also the most important.

You have to make sure you get this right or else you’ll waste a lot of time, effort, and money chasing the wrong course idea.

Some questions you can ask yourself to help generate online course ideas include:

What are you an expert in?

Take an honest look at your credentials and experience. After all, if you create an online course in an area you don’t truly have any authority in, you’ll have a hard time getting people to sign up.

What are people most interested in learning?

You want to actually create something your audience will want or need.

Take some time and do a little market research.

Find out what kind of topics are trending right now, then create online learning content around those subjects. If possible, avoid covering anything that might not be relevant next year (or even next month).

Is there enough demand for this topic on Google?

Type your topic into the search engine and see if it shows lots of results from other sites like Quora or Reddit where users have asked questions about the subject you’re considering creating a course about.

If so, this could mean there is an existing need for a course and a target audience to market to.

You should also use a good SEO tool (like Ahrefs, SurferSEO, or even Google Trends) to further help you determine whether or not there is enough demand for your online class.

What are people asking you for advice on?

Oftentimes, what people need help with is also what they’re most interested in learning. If you can tap into this, you’ll be able to create a course that’s both helpful and popular.

What are your hobbies or passions?

We all have things we’re passionate about outside of work. Why not share your knowledge and enthusiasm by creating an online course around it?

What do you enjoy teaching?

Make sure the material in your course is actually interesting and enjoyable for you to teach. This will help keep you motivated throughout the entire process!

2. See if there’s a market for your course

We touched on it above, but it’s important to make sure there’s actually a target audience out there who are interested in your online course idea.

You don’t want to get too far down the course creation path — putting in hours of blood, sweat, and tears — only to find out there’s nobody out there interested in the topic when you start trying to market your course.

Do some online research to see if there is a demand for your course topic.

Try typing your topic into Google followed by the words “online course.”

If there are already a lot of results, this is a good indication there’s a target audience out there looking for online learning information on this subject.

You can also search for courses on your subject on popular learning sites like Coursera. This will give you an idea of the competition you’ll be facing and what people are currently paying for courses on this topic.

And by the way, don’t be scared away by the fact that there are other online courses covering your topic.

That’s a good thing! It means there’s demand and interest in the subject. Your job will be to create a better online course that surpasses what’s being offered out there and to do a better job marketing your course to your target audience.

You can also use tools like Google Trends or Ahrefs to get further insights into whether or not people are searching for information on your topic.

3. Establish your credibility as an expert on the course subject

One of the best ways to create an online course that sells is to establish yourself as an expert on the topic.

People want to learn from those who know what they’re talking about, so make sure you can back up your claims.

There are a few things you can do to make sure potential students know you’re an authority in the field:

Writing blog posts about the topic, getting active on social media talking about the topic, guest posting on other websites, and getting quoted in the media (HelpAReporter is a great place to become a source for journalists are just a few ways to establish your subject matter expertise.

There are a few other ways to establish your subject matter expertise:

• Speak at conferences or webinars on the topic
• Write an ebook or whitepaper on the topic
• Create video tutorials or lessons on the topic (think of these as a teaser for your course)

The point is that people have to see you as a real expert in the field before they’ll actually fork over their money to pay for your online course.

4. Create an online course outline

You’ve put in the hours of research and now know there is demand for your course topic…now what?

Now it’s time to start creating content for your online course! This process will likely take quite some time, but with a good course outline, you’ll have a strong direction that will help you create a cohesive, successful online course.

When you create your entire course outline, make sure to include:

• A description of what students will learn in the course.
• What topics will be covered in each lesson?
• What are the key takeaways from each lesson?
• The format of your course (video, audio, text)
• Visuals and supplementary content you’ll create to support each lesson.

These questions will help you create a clear outline that’s easy to follow as you create your online course lessons.

5. Create & edit your course materials

When creating your online course, it’s important to make sure you’re delivering high-quality content that will engage and educate your students while meeting your learning objectives.

This means taking the time to create engaging training video lessons (check out our guide on the ideal online course length for videos), helpful slides, and well-written text lessons.

And don’t forget the all-important supplementary content like charts, graphs, images, and videos.

All of this content needs to be well organized and easy to follow for students. Using eLearning templates can help with this.

And remember, you also have to make sure the content you’re creating is better than what’s being offered in other competing courses in your niche. Online course platforms like TrainerCentral, Teachable, and Thinkific make it really easy to build a course that stands out.

This is where having a great course outline will come in handy. It will guide you in creating a lesson plan for each topic you’ll cover in your course.

A lesson plan will help you stay on track while creating your course materials and will also help students better understand what they’re learning.

You’ll also want to script out your video lectures so that you can deliver the course content in a clear, effective manner. You don’t have to script out every single word and read it like a robot, but you do want to have a pretty solid script outline with bullet points and cues for each lesson so that you stay on track and don’t ramble.

And of course, you then have to actually shoot the videos for your course.

The good news is you don’t have to spend a lot of money to create good videos for your courses.

Your best bet is to simply use a screen recording app like Loom that will let you insert a speaker bubble/talking head into your videos so students can see you teaching the lessons.

Loom is free to use (paid plans are also available depending on how much content you’re creating) and will let you create quality video content for your online courses.

The other thing you want to remember as you create each lesson plan and script out your course materials is that less is more! You don’t want to create something that will overwhelm students or feel like a burden to get through.

Microlessons can be very effective in keeping students engaged in your online course.

Remember, these are busy people who have jobs and families too…you want them to actually be able to complete the course in an efficient manner that doesn’t take up their entire lives (or at least makes it seem like it does).

6. Choose the right platform

When it comes to creating an online course, you need to select the right platform.

There are several online course platforms to choose from, each with its own set of perks and drawbacks.

One option is to use online course marketplaces like Udemy, Coursera, or Skillshare where you can upload your course and sell it through their website.

In our opinion, a better option for selling your course is to use a dedicated online course platform like TrainerCentral, Thinkific, or Teachable for creating, marketing, and selling your course.

TrainerCentral: An all-in-one training platform

With TrainerCentral, you can turn your passion and knowledge into a thriving business. This comprehensive platform allows you to easily create and manage online courses in just minutes.

Get Started!

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

An online course platform like those mentioned above will let you create a course website and serve your course content for you.

This kind of course platform or learning management system will also give you more control over the look and feel of your course site, as well as how students interact with the content.

If you’re going to be selling your courses yourself, you also want to make sure you have the right LMS hosting in place to guarantee your online learning platform runs the way it should. Cloudways offers reliable LMS hosting, which includes advanced performance, scalability, and security along with no downtime.

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There are pros and cons to using both options to sell online courses, so it’s important to decide which is best for you and your course.

Each platform has its own pricing model. Some platforms charge a monthly fee, while others take a percentage of each sale. You can see our TrainerCentral review for more info on their features and fee structure.

Some platforms also have restrictions on the type of content you can create or the number of students you can have in your course.

Make sure to read the fine print before selecting a course creation platform so you know what to expect.

7. Market your course

Once you’ve created a great online course, it’s time to start marketing it!

Marketing online courses is its own science.

The quality of the marketing is the difference between profitable online courses and courses that lose money.

There are a number of ways you can market your course, but some methods will work better than others depending on your course topic and audience.

One way to market your course is to create a landing page for it. A landing page is a web page where potential students can learn more about your course and sign up for it.

You can create a landing page using an online course platform like TrainerCentral — no coding or design experience needed.

The key is to make sure your landing page is well designed (use templates!) and contains all the information potential students need to make a decision about whether or not to enroll in your course.

If you have an email list, be sure to send out an announcement that you’ve created a new online course and share the link to the landing page so people can sign up!

You’ll also want to launch a social media ad campaign around your course where you point people to your sales page.

Make sure you’re using all of these marketing methods consistently as well – don’t just create a single post or ad and forget about it.

For example, if you create an ad, try boosting it with more budget over time so more people see it in their newsfeeds or search results (depending on where they are).

And remember: Don’t spam…send content regularly but not too often!

8. Get feedback from students

One of the best ways to improve your online course is to get feedback from students who take it.

Ask them what they liked and didn’t like about the course, what was confusing, and what could be improved.

You can ask for feedback in a number of ways, such as through surveys, interviews, or focus groups.

If you’re using an online course platform or LMS, they offer built-in tools to help you collect feedback from students.

Make sure to use this feedback to improve your course and make it even better for the next group of students who enroll!

This feedback will also help guide you as you create other online courses in the future!

Remember, you don’t have to create a perfect course right away.

It’s OK if your first few courses aren’t great. Just keep creating and improving as you go along!

9. Build a community of loyal students

One way to create a successful online course is to create a community of loyal students.

What does this mean, exactly?

Well, it means doing everything you can to make sure your students feel supported and connected to each other and to you.

This could include things like creating a private Facebook group for your students, scheduling regular live Q&A sessions, or providing personal feedback on student work.

The key is to create a sense of community and connectedness among your students. This will help them feel supported and encourage them to keep coming back to your course.

Make sure you create a system where they can easily connect with one another (and you!) so they can get the most out of your course!

You might even want to create an affiliate program that gives students a chance to promote your online course in their network and gives them a commission whenever they get someone else to enroll.

This is a great way to create more buzz around your awesome online course and make it even more successful!

In addition, create an alumni group for former students who have completed your course so they can continue sharing their experiences with each other as well as new applicants. This will help create even stronger ties within the community that you’ve built up over time!

10. Update your course over time to keep it fresh and current

As your online course ages, it will naturally become less relevant and accurate. This is why it’s important to update your course regularly over time to keep it as current as possible.

This could mean adding new content, revising old content, or even removing content that’s no longer applicable.

Make sure you constantly review your course material and make the necessary changes to keep it fresh and up-to-date!

You may also want to consider conducting surveys or interviews with students to get feedback on what they’d like to see added or revised.

This feedback will help you create successful online courses your students will love.

FAQ on Creating Online Courses

What is an online course?

An online course is a type of course that can be taken over the internet. They can vary in length and comprehensiveness.

Online courses can be taken for credit or for professional development.

What are the best platforms for creating an online course?

There are a number of platforms that allow you to create online courses. Some popular ones include TrainerCentral, Thinkific, and Teachable. All of these platforms offer a wide range of features and options to help you create a successful course. They also have built-in tools to help you collect feedback from your students.

How much does it cost to create an online course?

Creating an online course can be a great way to make some extra money. However, there are costs associated with online course creation.

You can drastically cut costs on the production side by creating the materials yourself rather than hiring out to do it. Using free or cheap video presentation tools like Loom can allow you to create your course videos at almost no cost.

On the selling side, some online course platforms charge a commission on every sale. Others have monthly fees.

However, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, creating an online course can be a very lucrative endeavor. Just make sure you do your research and choose a platform that fits your needs and budget!

Can you really make money creating online courses?

Creating and selling online courses can be a lucrative endeavor. There are tons of entrepreneurs making money right now with an online course business.

You can sell an online course for anywhere from $100 to $1,000 or more. The price of your course will depend on the topic, the length of the course, and the level of detail involved.

However, it’s important to do your research and choose a subject for your online course that has student interest, and use the right platform that fits your needs and budget.

How much should you sell your online course for?

To make a profitable course, it’s important to consider a few factors.

The first is the amount of work and time you put into creating the course. If you create a high-quality, comprehensive course, it’s understandable that you would want to price it accordingly.

Another factor to consider is the level of interest in the topic of your course. If there are a lot of people searching for information on the topic, you can be sure that there will be demand for your course. This also means that you can price your course higher and still find buyers.

Finally, you’ll also want to consider your target market when setting the price for your online course. If you’re targeting professionals, you can charge more than if you’re targeting students or hobbyists.

In general, you should probably price your online course somewhere between $100 and $500. But again, this depends on the factors mentioned above. So do your research and find a price that’s right for you!

How much time does online course creation take?

It typically takes a lot of time and effort to create an online course, especially your first time. The course creation process could easily take 100 hours or more, This is because online courses need to be well constructed and well organized in order to be successful.

You’ll need to create a curriculum that covers all the topics you want to discuss, and make sure it’s engaging and interesting for your students.

You’ll also need to create all the accompanying materials for your online course, like videos, slideshows, quizzes, and assignments.

Then, you’ll need to market your online course and create a landing page that encourages people to sign up.

Finally, you’ll need to track student progress and provide feedback.

All of this requires a lot of time and effort!

How should I name my online courses?

When creating an online course, it’s important to choose a name that is both accurate and memorable. This name will be the first thing potential students see, so it’s important to make a good first impression.

Some things to keep in mind when choosing a course name are:

• The name should accurately reflect the content of the course material.
• It should be easy to remember and spell correctly.
• It should be unique and stand out from other courses on the same topic (think: marketable!).

When brainstorming names for your online course, it can be helpful to come up with a list of keywords that describe the content of your course. From there, you can start narrowing down your options.

What are some mistakes to avoid when creating online courses?

It’s important to keep in mind some common mistakes that can be made when creating online courses.

1. Not spending enough time on planning and preparation. This is one of the most common mistakes, and it can lead to a number of problems down the road. Make sure you take the time to create a detailed plan for your course and map out all the topics you want to cover.

2. Not creating engaging content. If your course is boring, students will lose interest quickly. Be sure to make your content interesting and engaging, and use multimedia tools like videos and slideshows to keep students engaged.

3. Not focusing on student needs. Make sure you always keep your students in mind when creating your course. What do they want to learn? How can you create a curriculum that will help them achieve their goals?

A Final Word on How to Create an Online Course

Creating a successful online course takes a lot of hard work, but it’s definitely doable if you follow these essential tips.

Just remember to be patient and keep improving as you go along. Success most likely won’t come overnight, but if you keep working at it, you could build an online course that makes real money.

To make the process as easy as possible, we highly recommend using an online course platform like TrainerCentral. Its easy-to-use, powerful Course Builder offers an array of features, making it easy to create high-quality courses and build a thriving online business.

Have any questions about how to create an online course? Leave us a comment below and we’ll be happy to help!

The post How to Create an Online Course: 10 Essential Tips to be Successful appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

If you’re looking to master a new skill these days, chances are you can learn it online.

From algebra to ballet to cooking to marketing to accounting, online courses are available for pretty much any activity you could possibly imagine.

This explains why more and more experts and teachers are turning to online platforms to create effective (and lucrative!) courses and trainings.

Creating online courses is an excellent way to share your passion and knowledge with a hugely diverse audience.

Online trainers can reach more clients, customize their content, digitally interact with their learners, and collect payment securely, all from their own homes or studios.

Of course, creating a successful online course (or a library of them) can feel like a daunting task.

That’s why we’ve reviewed seven of the top online course creation platforms to help you choose which one will best suit your needs.

If you’re curious about jumping into the world of online course creation, this is a great place to start!

Take a look at our breakdown of the best online course platforms below to compare features, convenience, pricing, and more.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost for you, we might get a commission if you click the link and purchase.

What are the Best Online Course Platforms?

1. Best Overall: TrainerCentral

TrainerCentral: An all-in-one training platform

With TrainerCentral, you can turn your passion and knowledge into a thriving business. This comprehensive platform allows you to easily create and manage online courses in just minutes.

Get Started!

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

When it comes to both value and convenience, TrainerCentral (from parent company Zoho) takes the cake.

One of the biggest reasons TrainerCentral earns our top spot among the best online course platforms is its superior user-friendliness.

The platform includes an intuitive Course Builder that allows you to create a class that’s perfectly suited to your needs.

TrainerCentral’s Course Builder allows you to upload videos, handouts, documents, or any mix of media you need to support your learners.

The accompanying Course Marketer then walks you through how to set up and sell your course(s) on your own customized website.

Choose a unique domain name, jazz things up with an elegant web design template, and pick from a variety of pricing structures… voila! Your course is ready for the world.

The site also offers some impressive perks, such as administrative controls and real-time data reports to help you manage your growing business.

Other goodies like a live classroom option, video sharing, and online chat rooms and forums make TrainerCentral more enticing for potential customers. Plus, each learner logs in from an individual, secure portal, which includes a helpful dashboard to track their progress.

TrainerCentral’s live virtual classroom feature is something that truly sets it apart from other online course platforms. This feature unites learners and instructors from every corner of the world within a collaborative digital sphere. The user-friendly interface facilitates real-time engagement, cultivating vibrant discussions, joint projects, and tailored guidance. Through an array of advanced tools like video conferencing, interactive whiteboards, screen sharing, and breakout rooms, educators deliver impactful lessons while participants take an active role, posing inquiries and contributing dynamically to the learning process.

Another big win for TrainerCentral users is that the platform charges zero transaction fees for your courses.  This means the money you receive from your customers is all yours.

A small downside we noted with TrainerCentral is that their free option is limited to only three courses and does not include many of the platform’s most desirable features, like the live classroom and admin console.

However, since most companies don’t provide a free version at all, we can’t be too outraged over these limitations.

To that end, TrainerCentral’s more inclusive packages are hands down the most reasonably priced among the competition.

The Starter Package is only $16.67 per month when billed annually.  This offering provides a number of great features for the cost, such as the ability to host a live classroom, assign assessments, award certificates, collect payments, and more.

Meanwhile, the more comprehensive Professional Package comes in at $41.67 a month when billed annually.

This option includes all of the Starter Package perks, plus the more in-depth administrative tools and functions needed to really take your business to the next level.

TrainerCentral is affordable, sophisticated, and easy to use.  Even if you don’t have a tech or administrative background, this site makes it easy for you to share your passion and manage your business.

Because TrainerCentral won’t break the bank, you can devote more of your time and resources into what actually matters: improving your content and expertise.

Our TrainerCentral review offers a complete look at all that this online course platform has to offer.

Click here to get started with TrainerCentral for free.

2. Runner Up: Thinkific

Our runner-up is Thinkific, another well-designed online course platform that offers many great features.

Thinkific allows trainers to create highly customized courses and upload a variety of learning materials and course structures.

Thinkific also offers a free version to users, and even includes the option to add quizzes and assessments to courses at no charge.

Customers and clients can sign up for Thinkific using their Google or Facebook accounts, which makes the subscription process easier.

Thinkific provides your clients with a secure login portal and customized dashboard to share their progress.

Another positive similarity between the two sites is Thinkific’s zero transaction fees, meaning they won’t dock the payments you receive from your subscribers.

However, Thinkific does not include a built-in live classroom feature, which can be a bit inconvenient for sessions that you’d like to host in-person (you’ll need to subscribe to a separate webinar tool).

Thinkific is also more expensive.  While their Basic plan is only $49 per month, their Professional level jumps up to $99, and their Business offering is a whopping $399 (though it is intended for larger companies).

Thinkific is a well-organized platform for new and experienced trainers alike, but it is lacking a few of the features you might expect considering its higher price.

3. Best for Mobile: Kajabi

Kajabi is another highly-rated course creation site that allows users to design elegant trainings with a number of different media options.

Kajabi offers a user-friendly course builder option to help you tailor your courses to exactly what you need.

The platform also offers a customizable marketing tool to help you create your brand and deliver your courses to customers.

One of Kajabi’s most unique features is their on-the-go mobile app, which few other platforms have developed.

Kajabi’s app means you’ll be able to access your courses and learner base form anywhere with just your phone.

This is a highly convenient perk for folks who travel often or need a high level of connection with their learners.

Kajabi is also commended for its zero transaction fees, helping you maximize your profit.

A less-than-ideal feature of the site, however, are its limited customer payment options.

Paypal and Stripe are the only “built-in” payment methods on Kajabi, meaning you’ll have to manually download and integrate any other methods you’d like to offer your learners.

You’ll also have to rely on outside platforms for any live classes you’d like to host, as Kajabi does not include its own virtual classroom capability.

Annual plans for Kajabi are on the steep side, as well: the Basic plan will run you $119 a month, with the Growth plan hitting $159 and the Business plan topping out at $319.

4. Best Flexible Payment Options: Podia

Podia is another solid course creation site, offering users the ability to create unique trainings with a variety of media.

Podia allows users to add quizzes to their courses and to host live workshops directly from their platform.

Users can even sell live workshops as a separate product, though this requires a Zoom license (which can add to overall costs).

Podia’s site builder is simple to use, and they don’t charge any transaction fees for paid users.

Trainers can choose one-time payments or subscriptions (though they don’t offer a free trial option).

One of the nice things about Podia is the wide range of price options they offer, including Free, Mover, Shaker, and Earthquake.

They’re one of the only platforms that allows trainers to actually sell their courses from the Free option, though there is an 8% transaction fee for doing so.

Their Mover option, priced at $33/month, is the next tier up, while the Shaker offering costs $75/month for more comprehensive features.  The top level, Earthquake, costs $166/month.

These more flexible options are great for folks who aren’t quite sure of their customer base and scope yet, or those who may want to upgrade in the future.

5. Best for Customization: LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds is another great platform for creating online courses, distinguished by its comprehensive features and user-centric approach.

With its intuitive interface and robust suite of tools, LearnWorlds empowers educators, entrepreneurs, and institutions to craft engaging and impactful online learning experiences.

One of LearnWorlds’ standout attributes is its unparalleled course customization options. There are countless ways you can create and package interactive courses. It’s arguably the most customizable course platform out there for creating flexible learning experiences.

Another cool facet of LearnWorlds lies in its emphasis on interactive and immersive learning experiences. Through seamless integration of interactive videos, quizzes, assignments, and discussions, the platform encourages active participation and enhances knowledge retention.

Plans range from $79-$249 a month, so it can get a little costly.

All in all, LearnWorlds is a solid choice for creating online courses with a number of great features that are worth a look.

6. Best for Bloggers: Teachable

Teachable is a great course creation platform for the bloggers out there, as it is one of the only platforms that lets you add blogs to your courses.

The course builder on Teachable is intuitive and easy to use, even for those who don’t have any experience with coding or programming.

Teachable allows users to set their own course compliance in addition to managing their subscriptions and payment plans.  The site also offers robust marketing tools to help you ensure your courses are reaching your desired audience.

While Teachable is well-organized and a pleasure to use, one of the major drawbacks here is the 5% transaction fee charged to all users, even those who have invested in paid plans.

While the site does offer an excellent user experience, this nonnegotiable charge can take a big bite out of your earnings, especially if you’re a newer trainer with a smaller client base.

Paid plans from Teachable are on the more affordable side, however, with a free option included and a Basic plan costing $29/a month.

The Professional level of Teachable is offered at $99/a month, while their Business package, meanwhile, costs $249 a month when billed annually.

7. Best for Keeping it Simple: Teachery

Teachery is a great course creation platform for users who might want to keep things on the simpler side.

Teachery provides a website builder that, while lacking in frills and bells and whistles, is straightforward and easy to use.

Trainers can upload content and materials directly to the site.  Live hosting and embedded videos, however, will need to be run from third-party sites like Zoom or Youtube.

Teachery only offers payment through Stripe, though users can manually integrate other payment gateways if they wish.

While the site is not quite as advanced as some of the others we’ve highlighted, it’s a good pick for those who have uncomplicated courses and want to stick to the basics.

Pricing is likewise straightforward, with a monthly subscription charge of $49 and an annual subscription cost of $470, which comes out to only $39 a month instead.

Final Thoughts on the Best Online Course Platforms

Each of the platforms listed here offers you a path to creating engaging and helpful online courses.

While TrainerCentral offers the highest number of helpful features and the best bang for your buck, all of these options have unique features to help you share your expertise with the world.

Think about your skills and your desired audience, choose the right platform for your needs, and start creating today!

Are you an online course creator or curious about becoming one?  Do you have any insights or experiences with these platforms?  We’d love to hear your questions and comments below!

The post The 7 Best Online Course Platforms for Creators (2023 Reviews & Rankings) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

As someone who’s been deeply involved in the course creation space for nearly two decades, I wanted to put together a guide that takes a deep dive look into the different Teachery plans offered to online course creators to help you better understand their cost, key features, capabilities, free trial details, and more.

How Much Does Teachery Cost in 2023?

There are two different Teachery plans available — a monthly plan for $49 a month and an annual plan for $470 a year (a savings of $118 a year). Here’s the thing — the only difference between the two plans is whether you’re paying month-to-month or paying annually and saving 20% off the monthly price.

Both of the Teachery plans come with these features:

• Unlimited online courses
• Unlimited students
• Unlimited number of landing/sales pages to sell online courses
• Access to Teachery’s affiliate program
• Custom domains
• Email integrations
• Customer analytics
• Lesson drip scheduling
• User-friendly course editor
• Exceptional customer support
• Promo codes and discounts
• Upsells and bundles
• Recurring payment pages
• Custom HTML support
• No fees

You can test things out with a 14-day free trial (a great way to create your first course at no cost!).

Teachery Monthly Plan – $49/month

The monthly Teachery plan is an exceptional plan with many tools to create the ultimate experience for learners.

It features a 14-day free trial, unlimited number of students, unlimited number of courses, an affiliate program, and more.

In addition, the Teachery monthly plan gives the user access to friendly, helpful, and quick customer support and access to creating promo and discount codes for learners.

Teachery offers an extensive amount of tools for course creators with just a small monthly fee.

It also features zero additional fees.

The user only pays the monthly fee and can create and sell an unlimited number of courses to an unlimited number of students.

Key Features:

• Unlimited number of students
• Unlimited number of courses
• Outstanding customer support
• Easy to use course builder
• Schedule drip lesson plans
• Reoccurring payment pages
• Affiliate program

Who is the Teachery monthly plan best suited for?

The monthly Teachery plan is best suited for someone or an organization with a smaller upfront budget. The low monthly cost is impressive when considering all of the fantastic features.

Teachery Annual Plan – $470/year – A Savings of 20%!

The annual plan at Teachery features the incredible critical features in the monthly plan with a savings of 20%.

For the low fee of $470, the user has access to everything on Teachery for the entire year — a savings of $118 compared to paying month-to-month.

Enjoy an unlimited number of students, as many courses as you want, exceptional customer support, easy-to-use tools to build and brand courses, and access to an excellent affiliate center.

The annual Teachery plan offers a 14-day free trial to try out the platform.

Key Features:

• Schedule drip content
• Zero additional fees
• Excellent affiliate program
• Custom domains
• Advanced insights and reports

Who is the Teachery Annual Plan Best Suited For?

The Teachery annual plan is best suited for an organization or individual that can invest a small amount of money upfront to create courses and sell them online. It gives the user access to customizable tools and options to further enhance their courses and students’ learning.

Is Teachery Worth It?

Having been in the eLearning industry for years, I’ve tested a ton of different course creation platforms. Teachery really stands out in the crowd for a number of reasons.

One of the first things that caught my eye was the platform’s commitment to simplicity and user-friendliness. With the promise of unlimited courses, lessons, and students, it’s evident that Teachery is designed to scale with creators’ ambitions. The live course editor is refreshingly intuitive, updating in real-time and ensuring that every piece of text can be tailored to your audience.

But it’s not just about course creation — the platform really shines in its customizability. When building your courses, you can tweak every visual element, ensuring your courses fit with your brand identity.

And when it comes to monetizing, the platform offers flexible payment options, upsells, and even an affiliate program.

But what really makes Teachery worth it for me is its commitment to support. The team is always a click away, ready to assist, brainstorm, or troubleshoot.

While there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all course creation platform, Teachery’s wide range of features and affordable price point definitely make it worthy of consideration in my opinion.

Teachery Cost Q&A

Is there a Teachery free trial?

Yes, Teachery offers a 14-day free trial for both monthly and annual plans.

What form of payment does Teachery accept?

Teachery accepts all major credit cards and integrates with Zapier.

What are some of Teachery’s best features?

Teachery offers an enormous amount of features to create and sell courses. Teachery provides an unlimited number of courses, students, and customization options.

It is a simple, clean, easy-to-use online course platform that can help turn your courses into revenue.

Both Teachery plans allow for an unlimited number of sales pages, an excellent affiliate program to increase income and awareness of courses, and more.

Ready to dive in with this course building tool? Try Teachery free for 14 days now!

Interested in other online course platforms for selling your digital products? Check out these resources:

• Kajabi pricing guide
• Kartra pricing guide
• LearnDash pricing guide
• LearnWorlds pricing guide
• Podia pricing guide
• Samcart pricing guide
• Teachable pricing guide

The post Teachery Pricing: Plans, Free Trial Info, More (2023 Guide) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

With TalentLMS, you can easily create and deliver courses for employees, customers, or partners. The platform makes it super simple every step of the way, allowing you to also track and measure learner progress. The scalability of the platform is something I really appreciate — as your organization grows, you can easily add more courses and users without any issues. And when you consider that a recent survey found 67% of HR managers are seeing their L&D budgets increasing while 76% of employees agree that they are more likely to stay with a company that offers continuous training, the importance of investing in a quality LMS can’t be overstated.

So what does TalentLMS cost? What’s the difference between all of their plans? And most importantly, is TalentLMS worth it?

Read on for a full breakdown of the TalentLMS pricing plans and features. This guide has been totally updated for 2023 to include the latest info on plans, features, and more.

How Much Does TalentLMS Cost in 2023?

TalentLMS offers a selection of what they call “Standard” and “Active” plans. The prices of these plans range from free all the way up to $519 a month with plenty of different options in between.

The main difference between Standard and Active plans is that Standard plans limit the system usage based on the number of registered users you have. You can’t have more users than your plan allows.

Active plans, on the other hand, let you have an unlimited number of registered users, and the total number of active users is determined by how many different people log in to your system during the month. Active plans don’t stop users from logging in if your plan limit has been reached.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at all of the different Standard and Active plans offered below:

Standard Plans

• Free–Up to 5 users, up to 10 courses, unlimited email support
• Starter ($69/mo billed annually or $89/month-to-month)–Up to 40 users, unlimited courses, unlimited email support
• Basic ($149/mo billed annually or $189/month-to-month)–Up to 100 users, unlimited courses, unlimited email support, single sign-on support, 1 branch, custom domain & SSL
• Plus ($279/mo billed annually or $369/month-to-month)–Up to 500 users, unlimited courses, unlimited email support, single sign-on support, 3 branches, custom domain & SSL, custom reports, success manager
• Premium ($459/mo billed annually or $569/month-to-month)–Up to 1000 users, unlimited courses, priority email support, single sign-on support, 15 branches, custom domain & SSL, custom reports, success manager, automations, custom mobile app, live chat support

Active Plans

• Starter Active ($149/mo billed annually or $179/month-to-month)–40 active users/month, unlimited registered users, unlimited courses, unlimited email support, $4 per extra active user
• Basic Active ($269/mo billed annually or $339/month-to-month)–100 active users/month, unlimited registered users, unlimited courses, unlimited email support, single sign-on support, 1 branch, custom domain & SSL, $4 per extra active user
• Plus Active ($389/mo billed annually or $489/month-to-month)–250 active users/month, unlimited registered users, unlimited courses, unlimited email support, single sign-on support, 3 branches, custom domain & SSL, custom reports, success manager, $3 per extra active user
• Premium Active ($519/mo billed annually or $649/month-to-month)–500 active users/month, unlimited registered users, unlimited courses, priority email support, single sign-on support, 15 branches, custom domain & SSL, success manager, automations, custom mobile app, live chat support, $2 per extra active user

How to Choose the Right TalentLMS Plan for Your Needs

All in all, TalentLMS has 8 different total plans — 4 Standard and 4 Active. They also have custom Enterprise plans available.

How can you choose the right plan for your needs?

The biggest thing to consider is how many users you’re going to have taking courses on your site. Once you’ve got a good estimate for that number, compare it to the user limits on each of the plans.

You can always start small and scale up as you need to. In fact, with their limited free forever plan, you can actually set up the majority of your LMS during the free trial, ensuring you only spend money when absolutely necessary.

And if you decide to switch from a Standard plan to an Active plan (or vice versa), TalentLMS will work with you to make sure the transition is smooth.

TalentLMS always gives you the option to upgrade, downgrade, or even cancel your subscription at any time. So if you’re ever not happy with your current plan, you can always make changes as needed.

Why Use TalentLMS?

With its comprehensive set of features and intuitive interface, TalentLMS has become one of the most popular learning management systems for businesses, educational institutions, and training professionals seeking an effective platform to impart knowledge, enhance skills, and engage learners across various domains.

One of the standout features of TalentLMS is its ease of use. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or a newcomer to online courses and teaching, the platform’s intuitive design makes course creation and management a straightforward process. Users can effortlessly upload various types of multimedia content, such as videos, presentations, quizzes, and assignments, to design engaging and interactive learning experiences.

Flexibility is another key advantage of TalentLMS. The platform supports various types of training scenarios, from employee onboarding and compliance training to product knowledge dissemination and certification programs. This adaptability ensures that TalentLMS can cater to a wide range of learning needs, whether it’s for corporate training, academic courses, or personal skill development.

TalentLMS also stands out for its robust reporting and analytics capabilities. Administrators and instructors can gain valuable insights into learner progress, engagement levels, and performance through detailed metrics and reports. This data-driven approach empowers organizations to fine-tune their training strategies and optimize the learning experience for better outcomes.

Simply put, TalentLMS makes it simple to create and deliver online courses and track learner performance, all while providing a user-friendly interface that’s enjoyable to work with. It’s no wonder TalentLMS is one of the most sought-after learning management systems on the market.

TalentLMS Pricing FAQ

What is TalentLMS?

TalentLMS is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) that offers a simple, user-friendly platform for businesses to create and deliver online training.

With TalentLMS, you can create custom courses, design beautiful landing pages, track learner progress, and much more.

How much does TalentLMS cost?

TalentLMS has 4 different Standard plans and 4 Active plans, with prices ranging from free to $519/mo. They also have custom Enterprise plans available.

Is there a free trial for TalentLMS?

Rather than a free trial, TalentLMS offers an always-free plan that includes up to 5 users, 1 instructor, and unlimited courses. You don’t need a credit card to open a free account.

Can I change my plan?

Yes, you can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel your subscription at any time.

How do I pay for TalentLMS?

TalentLMS accepts all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.

Compare TalentLMS Pricing to Other Platforms

Check out our pricing guides for other top LMS platforms at the links below:

• LearnDash pricing
• LearnWorlds pricing

Is TalentLMS Worth It?

Now that I’ve gone over TalentLMS pricing and plans, the big question is — is TalentLMS worth it?

The answer will depend on your specific needs and budget. But in general, I think TalentLMS is a great value for the price.

TalentLMS offers a robust, ready-to-use solution for organizations seeking an efficient learning management system. Unlike building an LMS from scratch, which can be time-consuming, resource-intensive, and fraught with potential pitfalls, TalentLMS provides a platform that’s ready for deployment right out of the box. This means organizations can quickly set up, customize to their branding, and start delivering courses without the lengthy development phases.

The selection of plans from TalentLMS means it offers a lot of features and integrations for businesses of all sizes. And if you’re not happy with your current plan, you can always scale up or down as needed.

So if you’re looking for a simple, user-friendly LMS to deliver online training, TalentLMS is definitely worth considering.

Click here to try TalentLMS free today.

Have any more questions about TalentLMS pricing? Let us know by commenting below.

The post TalentLMS Pricing & Plans: Is It Worth It? (2023 Guide) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

In the ever-evolving era of eLearning, the popularity of online courses has soared. People find it convenient to learn new skills through these courses, making them sell like hotcakes. Did you know that the global eLearning market is projected to exceed $848.12 billion by 2030?

With such tremendous potential and golden opportunity ahead, why not leverage and seize it to your benefit?

In this guide, we’ll show you how to tap into this thriving market and show you step-by-step how to sell online courses. We’ll discuss marketing methods, pricing tips, and other useful strategies that can help you capitalize on the surge in online education demand.

Let’s get started…

How to Sell Online Courses: 4 Key Steps

Step #1: Crafting Your Course: From Idea to Reality

First things first, if you haven’t finalized a course yet, it’s time to do so. eLearning offers vast opportunities, and with the right idea, you can share your expertise worldwide. Let’s dive into finding the perfect course that aligns with your passion and resonates with your audience.

Brainstorm Ideas

Start by generating a list of potential course ideas based on your expertise, passions, and what you believe would benefit your target audience. Think about your unique skills, knowledge, and experiences that you can share with others. Consider in-demand topics, that align with your interests, and can provide value to learners.

Course Builder Assistance

Whether you’re new or an existing player in the industry of selling online courses, taking assistance from an expert will elevate your A-game.

With online course platforms like TrainerCentral, Teachable, and Thinkific, you can easily design your courses and add interactive elements to your curriculum.

These platforms offer several great features like:

• Effortlessly build a comprehensive online course that engages learners.
• Design any course, set up a unique structure, and enhance learning with engaging assignments and handouts.
• Bundle multiple courses for exceptional value.
• Engage with learners in real time through live virtual classes and seamless video broadcasting.
• Clarify concepts using a virtual whiteboard and interactive Q&A.
• Automate learning schedules and create a well-structured curriculum.
• Ensure course compliance with ease, focusing on exceptional educational experiences.

Narrow It Down

From your brainstormed list, narrow down the options to a few promising ideas that you feel most passionate about and confident in teaching. It’s essential to choose a subject that excites you, as your enthusiasm will shine through in your course content.

Step #2: Market Research

Once you have a shortlist of potential course ideas, conduct thorough market research to understand the demand and competition for each topic. Look for online forums, social media groups, or platforms where people discuss topics related to your course ideas. Pay attention to the questions and problems raised by potential learners. It will help you identify which idea resonates most with your target audience.

Competitor Analysis

Investigate existing online courses or educational products that cover similar topics. Analyze their content, pricing, and customer reviews to identify gaps or areas where you can offer a unique selling point. Aim to differentiate your course from competitors while ensuring it meets the needs of your target audience.

Validation

Before investing significant time and effort into creating your course, validate your idea further. One effective way is to create a minimum viable product (MVP) or a smaller version of your course. Promote it to your target audience and gather feedback to gauge their interest and willingness to pay for a full-fledged course.

Surveys and Feedback

Conduct surveys or interviews with potential learners to understand their preferences, pain points, and expectations from an online course on your chosen topic. This direct feedback will help refine your course idea and ensure it addresses the needs of your target audience effectively.

Step #3: Pricing Your Online Course for Success

Pricing your online course strategically is a critical factor that can significantly impact its success. Setting the right price involves finding a balance between offering value to your learners and ensuring that your course remains financially viable for your business. Follow the steps below to decide on an optimum price point:

• Market Research: Conduct thorough market research to understand how similar courses are priced within your niche. Analyze competitor pricing strategies and identify trends in the industry. Key insights into pricing norms will help you position your course competitively.
• Know Your Audience: Understand your target audience’s preferences, financial capabilities, and what they consider valuable. Tailor your pricing strategy to align with their perceived worth of the course content.
• Evaluate Course Content: Take a critical look at your course content and objectively assess its quality, depth of knowledge, and practicality. Consider the unique value your course provides to learners compared to other offerings in the market.
• Offer Pricing Options: Offer basic, standard, and premium packages with varying levels of access, features, and support. This approach allows learners to choose the option that best fits their needs and budget.
• Use Promotional Pricing: During the launch phase of your online course, consider offering promotional pricing or early-bird discounts to encourage early enrollment. This limited-time offer creates a sense of urgency and entices more learners to sign up. Implement Tiered Access: If your course includes multiple modules, bonus content, or additional resources, consider offering tiered access based on different price points. Learners who opt for higher-priced tiers can gain access to exclusive content and personalized support.
• Use the power of upselling. Upselling and cross-selling can enhance customer lifetime value. After students complete a course, offer complementary or advanced courses that align with their interests and needs. Partnering with influencers or industry experts can significantly expand your course’s reach. Their endorsements and collaborations can attract new learners and enhance your credibility as a course creator.
• Money-Back Guarantee: Offer a risk-free money-back guarantee to instill confidence in your learners. This refund policy removes the fear of making a wrong decision and demonstrates your commitment to their satisfaction and success.
• Regularly Review and Adjust: Continuously monitor the performance of your online course and gather feedback from learners. Stay responsive to market demands and learner expectations. Be willing to adjust your pricing strategy if necessary to better align with your audience’s needs.

Step #4: Ongoing Marketing

As a beginner (or a seasoned player) in the world of online course creation, marketing your course effectively is crucial to reaching a wider audience and building a successful brand. To take some burden off your shoulders, we have determined a one-stop solution for you. TrainerCentral’s Course Marketing feature serves as your trusted partner in the step-by-step marketing guide.

It offers the following amazing features:

• Design a Fully Branded Website: Establish your unique online presence with a fully branded website that reflects your expertise and personality.
• Host a Webinar: Conduct live interactive sessions to showcase your expertise, build trust, and promote your courses effectively. Utilize email marketing to nurture leads and promote your courses. Personalized and targeted emails can increase conversion rates and keep learners engaged.
• Your Own Domain: Take ownership of your brand by using your domain name for your website. This professional touch builds credibility and trust among potential learners.
• Set Up a Digital Store: Transform your website into a digital store where learners can easily access and purchase your courses. With a platform like TrainerCentral, for example, you can enjoy a user-friendly interface to streamline the buying process.
• Create Attractive Sales Pages: Craft compelling sales pages that showcase the value of your courses. The best course platforms let you create visually appealing and persuasive sales pages.
• Boost Your SEO Score: Increase your online visibility and attract more learners by optimizing your website for search engines.
• Smart Digital Marketing: Utilize TrainerCentral’s smart digital marketing features to reach your target audience effectively. Leverage social media platforms and invite multiple learners to join your courses at once, saving time and effort.
• Engage with Your Audience: Be responsive to their inquiries, actively participate in discussions, and provide personalized support. When students feel valued and connected, they are more likely to stay enrolled and recommend your courses to others. Ensuring the happiness and satisfaction of your students is not just an act of goodwill but a strategic approach that can lead to a thriving online course business. Happy students are the cornerstone of a successful educational venture, and their positive experiences can have a profound impact on your brand reputation, enrollment rates, and long-term growth.
• Zero Transaction Fees: Keep more of your hard-earned revenue by using a platform that has zero transaction fees. You get to enjoy 100% ownership of your efforts, ensuring that your earnings remain yours.

Final Thoughts on How to Sell Online Courses

We hope that this comprehensive guide has provided valuable insights, answered your queries, and inspired you to take the first step toward selling online courses. As you venture into the world of online education, remember that success lies in delivering value to your learners.

For a seamless and empowering start, we highly recommend exploring TrainerCentral. With its Course Builder and array of user-friendly features, you can create compelling courses and build a thriving online business.

TrainerCentral: An all-in-one training platform

With TrainerCentral, you can turn your passion and knowledge into a thriving business. This comprehensive platform allows you to easily create and manage online courses in just minutes.

Get Started!

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Now, armed with knowledge and motivation, it’s time to embark on your journey as an online course creator. Embrace the opportunities ahead and make a positive impact with your expertise.

Have any questions about how to sell online courses? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post How to Sell Online Courses: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

In today’s job market, we’re seeing what might be considered the rise of the solopreneur.

A solopreneur is exactly what it sounds like: an entrepreneur, or business innovator, who runs the show entirely on their own.

In 2019, the U.S. Small Business Administration found that 81% of small businesses were actually only run by one person.

The number of solopreneurs has only grown as more people have resigned from office jobs to start their own personal brands and businesses following the pandemic.

If you’ve considered starting your own business, whether you’re seeking to teach, train, or sell a product, it’s essential that you have a well-organized web presence.

That’s where platforms like TrainerCentral come in.

TrainerCentral is one of the highest-rated online resources available to those who wish to create and market online courses.

Whether you’re a musician, dancer, business analyst, or tutor, TrainerCentral is aimed at helping you effectively market the skills you have to offer.

In this review, we take a deep dive into how TrainerCentral works, who it’s designed for, what it costs, and whether it’s a worthwhile investment.

Read our full TrainerCentral review to see if the platform has what you’re looking for when it comes to all things course creation.

What is TrainerCentral?

TrainerCentral: An all-in-one training platform

With TrainerCentral, you can turn your passion and knowledge into a thriving business. This comprehensive platform allows you to easily create and manage online courses in just minutes.

Get Started!

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

TrainerCentral is a digital creation hub for online courses of all kinds.

An offshoot of multinational tech giant Zoho, TrainerCentral was created to give everyone – even folks without a strong background in digital marketing – the chance to share their knowledge online.

The platform’s goal is to make course design and online training a smooth and easy process, even if you’ve never dabbled in web design before.

One of the most notable qualities about TrainerCentral is the way the site bundles together the many different elements a solopreneur would otherwise have to hash out on their own.

For example, TrainerCentral includes both a course builder and a course marketing portal, so that you can create and sell your work with ease.

There are also a number of engaging resources built into TrainerCentral to entice learners and keep your enrollment stats high.

TrainerCentral includes admin controls and real-time data insights to help you manage and organize your growing business.

The company also provides a secure payment option, so that learners can effortlessly pay you for your courses.

Trying to manage each of these elements separately, as any small business owner can tell you, quickly becomes overwhelming.  With TrainerCentral, however, these features all work together for a streamlined experience.

TrainerCentral Key Features

Course Builder

This feature is, essentially, the core of what TrainerCentral is all about.

The Course Builder is where you, the expert, get to figure out exactly what your courses should look like to reach your desired audience.

TrainerCentral provides several online course options, so you can choose the format that best fits your content.  The course structure is completely up to you as well.

You’ll be able to decide the length of your course, what media and text to incorporate, and the number of handouts and assignments you include, among many other design options.

TrainerCentral also provides resources for real time quizzes and progress checks, so you can choose how your learners will be assessed.  Built-in quiz and test templates make it easy to create quick progress checks.

With TrainerCentral’s Course Builder, you’re completely in control of how the entire learning experience is presented.

And because the platform is so well-organized, it won’t take you weeks upon weeks to create a comprehensive course (unless you’re a little obsessive and can’t stop adding to your course, in which case: no judgment).

Simply click through each of the design elements in the Course Builder, share your hard-earned expertise, and voila: your course is ready for the masses.

Course Marketing

Of course, it’s not always easy to actually reach the masses.

No matter how skillful you are in your field, it’s essential that your content is actually accessible to the people who want to learn from you.

TrainerCentral takes some of the grunt work out of the web design and marketing aspect of online training.

For starters, The Course Marketing section of the site allows you to create a fully branded personal site for your training business.

You’ll be able to choose your own unique domain name and run a digital store from your page.

This is essential, as having a strong web presence is one of the biggest deciding factors as to whether a solopreneur or small business is able to hit their goals.

It’s the modern, tech-centered equivalent of having a good location in the mall, in that your web presence can make or break the number of potential customers you reach.

TrainerCentral makes it easy to create an eye-catching, completely personal site that encompasses your courses and shows off what’s special about your work.

This is especially helpful for users who might not have a background in coding, programming, or graphic design.

While there are resources out there for those who want to learn these skills, they can be time-consuming and costly… and detract from the actual training you want to market.

Using TrainerCentral’s Marketing tools makes it easy to streamline this process instead and get to what actually matters: training new learners in your specific field.

Learner Engagement & Resources

Once you’ve designed your course and prepped your perfect site, TrainerCentral is ready to help you manage and engage your clients.

Each learner who subscribes to your courses will have their own secure login portal that they will use to access your content.

The password-protected portal includes a learning console for each user, so they can track their progress as they complete trainings, courses, and modules.

This is an easy way to keep clients satisfied with their progress as they learn from you.

To keep things interesting, TrainerCentral gives you a number of ways to interact with your learner base, including the ability to:

• Run a virtual classroom session with your students to give them real-time instruction and feedback.

• Promote collaboration and camaraderie with screen-sharing and group video options for your students.

• Check out chat room options as well as online forums to keep communication open and effective.

• Assign a variety of different assessments, with the option to add study guides and videos, set flexible deadlines, and tailor questions and answers to your specific needs.

These are just a few of the ways TrainerCentral maximizes your ability to connect with your learners as they master the courses you’ve designed.

After all, making sure your clients are engaged, excited, and involved in the learning process is the best way you can grow your training business!

Virtual Classrooms

One of the things that sets TrainerCentral apart from other course creation platforms is its live virtual classroom feature.

In this dynamic online platform, geographical barriers are no longer obstacles, as learners and educators converge from all corners of the globe into a live, shared digital space.

The user-friendly interface facilitates real-time interactions, fostering vibrant discussions, collaborative projects, and personalized guidance.

With an array of advanced tools, including video conferencing, interactive whiteboards, screen sharing, and breakout rooms, instructors can deliver impactful lessons while participants engage actively, posing questions and contributing actively to the educational process.

By harnessing the potential of TrainerCentral’s virtual classroom, education becomes borderless, interactive, and remarkably enriching for learners across diverse fields and backgrounds.

Administrator Tools

The admin tools on TrainerCentral are another big selling point for the platform.

These features of the site make it easy to stay on top of your business even without a background in administration.

TrainerCentral provides course creators with an admin console that includes a trainer dashboard, automated progress reports, and insights on course enrollment, completion, and popularity.

Robust data analysis is a helpful guide as you determine what the future of your business should look like.

Knowing your stats can help you track trends and map out key developments for your training and teaching.

TrainerCentral doesn’t just run the numbers for you, either.  The site also lets you design your own price structure, making it simple for you to collect payment from your subscribers.

Whether you want to offer free content, a free trial, one-time payments, or subscriptions, TrainerCentral has options to help you configure your cash flow with ease.

These managing tools take some of the most time-consuming aspects of running a business out of your hands, and as any small business owner knows, time is an invaluable commodity.

Mobile App

Students can experience real-time learning on the go with the TrainerCentral Learner app.

All a student has to do is download the app and enter your academy’s URL, and the can join live sessions from experts around the world right from their mobile device.

The intuitively designed app provides a classroom-like experience, allowing students to attend workshops, interact with instructors and fellow learners, and participate in polls to test their knowledge.

With features like live video broadcasting, real-time Q&A, and private channels for engaging with trainers, the possibilities for learning are endless.

What Does TrainerCentral Cost?

Now that we’ve taken a good look at all the things TrainerCentral can provide, it’s time to jump into what you’ll pay for all of these goodies.

There are several different levels of payment available on the platform, so you can decide for yourself how much you’d like to invest.

TrainerCentral offers users a free version, allowing unlimited learners and up to three courses.

This free version does not include the online payment options, admin console, live classroom features, or other bells and whistles available on the site.

Still, it’s an excellent way to jump into the world of course creation at no cost.

The next level up is the TrainerCentral Starter option, at $16.67 per month when billed annually.

The Starter option is ideal for solopreneurs who are hitting the ground running with their small businesses.  It’s inexpensive enough to be affordable while still providing a number of enticing perks.

This option allows you to include unlimited learners as well as unlimited courses.  TrainerCentral Starter also promises zero transaction fees on your course payments.

You’ll enjoy other features at this level as well, including options to run a live classroom, assign assessments, award certificates, and distribute handouts and helpful materials to your learners.

With TrainerCentral’s live virtual classroom feature, geographical limitations fade away as learners and instructors from around the world converge in a shared digital space. The feature’s intuitive interface enables real-time interactions, fostering engaging discussions, collaborative projects, and personalized attention. Advanced tools for video conferencing, screen sharing, interactive whiteboards, and breakout rooms empower trainers to deliver impactful lessons, while participants actively participate, ask questions, and contribute to the learning journey. This feature makes learning accessible, interactive, and effective for learners of all backgrounds and disciplines.

The most comprehensive level of TrainerCentral, meanwhile, is the Professional package, offered at $41.67 per month when billed annually.

The Professional level is ideal for folks who are looking to run a fully-loaded, high-end online company.

All of the perks of the Starter option are included here, along with more nuanced marketing and sales support and more in-depth administrator tools.

Is TrainerCentral Worth It?

TrainerCentral is a sophisticated, user-friendly platform for those hoping to create and market online training content.

The platform makes it easy to design elegant, engaging courses aimed at whatever audience you’re hoping to reach.

TrainerCentral makes marketing and web design a simple process and offers you a variety of ways to take payment from your clients.

There are a number of options for interacting and communicating with your learners to keep your trainings both fun and effective.

Built-in analytics and administrator tools will help you manage the business side of things with minimal effort, so you can focus your attention on the skills you’re bringing to your customers.

TrainerCentral’s free option is a great place to dive in, while the reasonably priced Starter package awaits when you decide to level up.

Though the Professional package is on the pricier side, the detailed tools and features it includes (such as the admin console, analytics tracking, and enhanced learner experiences) make it a valuable resource.

Overall, TrainerCentral is a highly worthwhile investment for anyone hoping to spread their passion and expertise with the world.

Click here to get started with TrainerCentral today.

Have any questions about our TrainerCentral review? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post TrainerCentral Review: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

Tin Can API (xAPI) is the successor to the good old SCORM format (Sharable Content Object Reference Model). In many aspects, xAPI is surely a step forward since it offers a bunch of advantages over SCORM. For instance, both formats allow you to track test completion and time spent on an assignment.

However, xAPI also provides an opportunity to see in-depth test results, use your content outside of a learning management system, and switch seamlessly between various LMSs. The Tin Can API LMS features a powerful set of reporting tools that allow you to easily generate reports on user activity, course completion, test scores and overall performance. This makes it easy to identify trends in learning and assess the effectiveness of your eLearning program.

As a result, Tin Can API has proliferated within the e-Learning community recruiting more and more supporters among content authors and educators.

In the guide below, we’ve reviewed and ranked the 9 best Tin Can API Compliant Learning Management Systems based on a variety of key factors, including features, ease of use, pricing, and more.

This guide has been fully updated for 2023 to offer you the latest information so you can make an informed buying decision.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost for you, we might get a commission if you click the link and purchase.

What are the Best Tin Can API Learning Management Systems?

1. Talent LMS

Talent LMS is a cloud LMS used to train employees, customers, or students. It’s fully customizable, with granular analytics, notifications, embedded e-commerce, video conferencing, gamification, and a bunch of other features. Talent LMS supports both SCORM and Tin Can. Works smoothly on mobile devices.

Core features

• Easy-to-use, cloud-based system with no need to upgrade or back up data
• Course creation with minimal effort. You can use your presentations, videos, and other online material within the system
• Customizable. As with pretty much everywhere else, you can add a custom domain, logo and color theme
• Comprehensible analytics to track online courses and student/trainee performance
• Flexible assessment types
• Easily create guided learning paths for students
• Gamification options
• Enterprise-friendly features like branch management and Single Sign-On (unified access ID to multiple related systems). A secured encrypted channel for data transmission

Pricing and availability

TalentLMS pricing includes a limited free plan, and also has paid plans that range from $69/month to $569/month depending on the features you need and the payment terms you choose (monthly or annual options available for all plans).

Target audience

With tailored features for enterprises and a focus on security, Talent LMS reaches out to a wide range of customers. The list on their website mentions:

• Businesses of all sizes, from large multinational enterprises to small and medium businesses
• Government agencies and non-governmental organizations
• Traditional educational bodies
• Online-based educational institutions

2. LearnDash

LearnDash is a Tin Can API Compliant LMS designed for the WordPress open-source platform. Effectively, LearnDash is a WordPress plug-in that can transform a WordPress-based website into a learning management system. This is, in fact, a combination of existing WordPress functionality and basic e-Learning course management.

Core features

• Multi-tier courses. Break up courses and training content into topics, tests, and categories
• Custom certificates and points for achievements
• Assignment management. Comment on and approve submitted assignments.
• Makes collaborative learning easy
• E-commerce tools: one-time prices, subscriptions, and shopping cart
• Lesson timers to configure time limits per class
• Convenient reports. Track user progress and quiz results
• Extended compatibility: videos, Articulate & Adobe Captivate files, images, Google Docs, etc.
• Group Management for effective user segmentation and targeting
• Email notifications for easy communication and status updates
• Works with any modern WordPress theme with no extra coding required

Pricing and availability

LearnDash offers three packages:

• Basic (1 site license, basic functionality): $199/year
• Plus (10 site licenses, more features): $399/year
• Pro (unlimited sites, full feature set): $799/year

Target audience

Apparently, the solution is intended for WordPress users only. However, the price is a real bargain and the functionality covers all e-Learning essentials. All in all, a soft option for WordPress fans.

3. Moodle

Moodle is an open-source module-based platform that lets you construct your own custom education solution and develop and manage online courses and training content.

The platform includes plugins for different kinds of content as well as collaborative tools, grading, tracking, reports, etc. Educators can use community-generated plugins for specific tasks. As a matter of fact, there is an ad hoc Tin Can plugin that ensures full compatibility with this format.

Aside from the LMS, the Moodle brand encompasses forums, wiki-based Moodle Documentation, Moodle Tracker, the course-sharing Moodle.net site, Moodle Translation portal, etc.

Moodle is one of the most feature-packed offerings on the market.

Core features

• Modern, intuitive interface for desktop and mobile devices
• Teach and learn from wherever with the mobile app
• Easily measure and monitor student progress
• Connect with third-party platforms like plagiarism detection tools, video conferencing software, and more
• Secure and open-source
• Fully customizable to fit your eLearning needs
• Personalized Dashboard to organize courses and track current tasks
• …and much more!

Pricing and availability

Moodle is a free-to-use open source system, yet you may need to pay for value-added services, such as hosting or support. Prices vary across Moodle partners in different regions, so feel free to check with your local service provider.

Target audience

Moodle is employed globally by dozens of educational institutions. A soft option since it’s usually free, easy-to-use, and can be easily customized for your specific needs in cooperation with the Moodle partner network. The solution appeals to individual educators, small and medium businesses, and non-profit organizations alike.

4. Blackboard Learn

Blackboard Learn is another popular e-Learning environment. Web-based software featuring course management, open architecture, integration with student information systems, and authentication protocols. Blackboard Learn may be installed on local servers or hosted by Blackboard ASP Solutions. One of the first LMSs to adopt xAPI, Blackboard Learn ranks high on our list.

Core features

• Easily share everything in one place
• Built-in plagiarism detection
• Integrates with the tools you use most
• Real-time insights into student performance
• Flexible assessment types
• Accessible for all
• Easy collaboration with other educators and learners

Pricing and availability

Blackboard Learn pricing starts at $9,500/year and offers variable pricing depending on institution size and requirements.

Target audience

Blackboard is definitely on the high end. Extended learning management functionality along with Blackboard Suite tools and services entail significant costs, yet Blackboard’s position on the market remains unshakable. Good fit for larger institutions with solid edu technology budgets.

5. Docebo

Docebo is another xAPI-compliant LMS, or rather an ecosystem of e-Learning features and modules delivered in the cloud. Docebo is available for global customers in 30+ languages.

Core features

• Over 400 integrations available
• Social learning experiences
• Teach and learn on the go with the mobile app
• Easy accessibility for all
• A complete solution for creating, selling, and delivering courses and training content

Pricing and availability

Docebo pricing varies depending on a variety of factors. It’s best to reach out to the company directly for a price quote.

Target audience

Docebo is a cloud-based solution that targets growing organizations that train 300+ customers, partners, and employees monthly.

6. ProProfs

Next on our list comes ProProfs Training Maker, an online course creation and learning management system. As with its competitors, educational institutions and businesses can create web-based tests, surveys, polls and comprehensive educational programs. ProProfs Training Maker works with presentations, PDFs and videos. It’s bundled with elaborate tracking features such as compliance reports. ProProfs supports courses made in third-party e-Learning tools such as Articulate, Adobe and other Tin Can-based solutions.

Core features

• Convenient training management and performance tracking: reports about individuals, groups, offices, branches, etc. Detailed statistics of completed, pending and ongoing attempts for each student/employee
• Real-time tracking of student performance
• AI-powered reporting and analytics on learning progress, performance, engagement, and more
• Centralized, secure virtual classrooms
• Easily assess training programs for ongoing improvement

Pricing and availability

ProProfs is free to try for 15 days. Plans start at $99/month billed annually ($1,182) and vary depending on the number of learners and any add-on features you might choose.

Target audience

Like most competitor solutions, ProProfs targets businesses and educational organizations. HR departments get smart administrative controls for employee training, educators get a tool for course creation with automatic grading and other thrills. Considering the affordable pricing, ProProfs seems to place a stake on the SMB segment.

7. eFront Learning

eFrontPro is an xAPI-friendly learning management system for business and educational courses that works well for both online training and blended learning. eFront Learning seems to favor the business segment and positions eFront Pro as an HR-centric tool to ensure compliance, engage the workforce and support corporate goals.

Core features

• Blended Learning. The system supports a combination of e-Learning and offline training
• Mobile optimized to deliver your courses on any device
• Gamification. Badges, points, leaderboards to keep the audience engaged
• Certifications with varying validity period and skill improvement scenarios
• Curriculums. Instructors may group courses into curriculums and maintain a consistent learning process
• Enhanced collaboration tools: internal email, calendar, forums and video conferences included
• E-commerce. Sell your courses easily

Pricing and availability

Plans start at $1,200/month billed annually.

Target audience

Budget-savvy enterprises that want to cut down on infrastructure costs are a perfect fit. The system has been built with employee training rather than educators in mind. Support for instructor-led activities is also a perk to consider.

8. Litmos

Litmos is yet another xAPI-enabled online training system. The LMS is fully extensible with an API and has been integrated with Salesforce.com, Okta and Box.com. Since 2007, Litmos has been operating in 130 countries and 22 languages.

Core features

• Embedded Course Builder. Content creation tools supporting multiple formats
• Assessment & Quizzes to review knowledge transfer and student performance
• Survey & Feedback. Glean feedback from students with an embedded survey tool
• Reports & Dashboards. Review learner performance and gain insight into training impact
• Instructional Led Training (ILT). Schedule online or offline classroom trainings
• E-commerce. Monetize your courses with built-in e-commerce features or use Litmos’s Shopify integration
• Gamification. Motivate users with awarded achievements (points, badges, etc.)
• Messages & Notifications. Ample notification system with reminders and messaging
• Certifications. Issue completion and learner achievement certificates
• Learning Paths. Put together multiple courses in a logical sequence to create a curriculum plan

Pricing and availability

Litmos comes with a standard 14-day free trial. The paid options are custom-priced based on your needs, so you’ll need to request a quote.

Target audience

Litmos claims to have tailored its solutions for industry-specific challenges. The Litmos products focus on accessibility, security, and scalability and apply in a wide range of verticals. Digital marketing, education, energy, engineering, finance, healthcare, legal, non-profit, retail – just to name a few.

9. Absorb LMS

Last but not least, Absorb LMS concludes our round-up of Tin Can-ready learning management systems. Feature-packed, scalable and visually attractive, Absorb runs neck and neck with the most sophisticated competitor products.

Core features

• Mobile learning made easy. Accessible on all modern mobile devices
• Highly scalable. Absorb claims to support gargantuan user bases of up to 350,000 learners within a single institution
• Branding & Integrations. A customizable product that lets you follow your style guidelines, modify the language of system prompts, reflect your organizational culture and more
• Complete software-as-a-service solution with no infrastructure hassles
• Course creation tools as well as quiz, exam, and survey features
• Web content such as YouTube videos can be embedded into courses
• Manages instructor-led training (ILT), supports popular platforms such as Adobe Connect
• Provides students with a course curriculum consisting of self-learning and instructor-led events
• Includes a content repository, allowing you to upload or insert any documents or relevant resources
• Integrated with Citrix GoToMeeting/GoToWebinar, Cisco WebEx, etc.

Pricing and availability

Plans start at $1,250 per month with an extra $4,000 in one-time setup fees. In addition, many Absorb customers opt for the Mercury Module, a $425/month add-on that allows you to create billboards, release news/polls/surveys, manage leaderboards, and so forth.

Target audience

Absorb LMS is not labeled for any particular business size or industry, however, mid-to-large-size firms appear to fall in the right category. Whereas businesses with under 2,000 still comprise the majority of Absorb’s customers, the company has been making inroads into the Fortune 1000 market.

Get The Training You Need to Create Better eLearning Experiences

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We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

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The Professional Certificate in Instructional Design program is an incredible resource for anyone looking to transition into this exciting and innovative field.

By offering a comprehensive curriculum that covers everything from integrating technology into classrooms to developing training programs in companies, this course provides students with the skills and experience needed to succeed as instructional designers.

With the ability to build valuable relationships with colleagues and clients alike, graduates of this program are well-equipped to succeed in a challenging and ever-changing field.

As a student with Emeritus, you’ll also have the opportunity to join a supportive and collaborative community dedicated to the collective growth and success of its members.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to take your career to the next level, the Professional Certificate in Instructional Design program is an excellent choice.

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A Final Word on Tin Can API LMS Platforms

As you can see, this brief review touches upon the cream of the crop. We are mostly talking sophisticated feature-packed LMSs that stay on the cutting edge. Bringing together these different solutions, the Tin Can format enables:

• E-learning outside of a web browser
• E-learning in native mobile apps
• Platform transition (start on a mobile device, finish it on a PC)
• Tracking games and simulations
• Tracking real-life performance

These are basically the prerequisites for a high-end LMS, and areas where SCORM falls behind. My lifespan forecast for SCORM is somewhere between 2 to 5 years from now, whereas Tin Can seems to lead the game and yield an increasing number of integrations. Let’s keep watching the scene for new performers and technologies as enterprises and educational institutions augment their stock of knowledge.

Have any questions about our guide to the best Tin Can API Compliant LMS platforms? Let us know by commenting below.

The post The 9 Best Tin Can API LMS (2023 Reviews & Rankings) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

With the best eLearning templates, you can save a lot of time and money on design and implementation, accommodate your branding requirements, and link your layouts with major authoring tools.

Perhaps most importantly, though, templates can help to create a more engaging and effective learning experience. As a result, courses that are built using eLearning course templates tend to be more organized and cohesive, making them easier for students to follow.

In addition, by providing a visual guide, eLearning templates can also help to make your course more visually appealing, which can go a long way towards holding students’ attention.

Simply put, you should focus on the major stuff, not on how your button or arrow looks! Trained graphic designers have invested their time into making standard templates look professional and usable with minimal or no customization.

Another winning point for your eLearning content is consistency and standards compliance across your personal course library.

Long story short, the perks of using pre-built themed slide layouts are abundant!

To that end, here’s a brief overview of online services that provide ready-made eLearning templates for a certain fee or free of charge.

1. eLearning Brothers

The eLearning Brothers templates library includes a wide selection. Part of the Brothers’ library comes embedded into the most popular authoring tools. The choice is ample – games, interactions, scenarios, and anything you could think of. When sweating over branched eLearning courses, you may get some neat ideas from ready-made layouts before digging into scenario tools.

Here are some facts and figures about this collection.

Paid layouts

• Over 1,000,000+ samples
• Unlimited downloads and free updates
• Multiple categories: games, scenarios, course starter templates, layouts, navigation players, interactions, and more
• Support for most popular courseware and video authoring tools: Adobe Captivate, Articulate Storyline, Lectora, Camtasia, PowerPoint, Articulate Presenter.

Free eLearning course templates

• Complimentary access to over 75 eLearning layouts
• Content works with Storyline, Captivate, Lectora, PowerPoint, Presenter, and more!
• No credit card required.

Pricing ranges from $117 and up per user/month. The tailored eLearning template library is included into packages starting at $499.

2. Articulate Community

Articulate templates are available through their friendly user community. Naturally, they are locked in for Articulate products. Once you have a product ID, you can download, use and re-use all you want.

What’s in there?

• About 600 eLearning course templates in top-pick categories
• Support for Storyline, Presenter, Quizmaker, Engage, Replay, and PowerPoint eLearning course templates

It’s surely not eLearning Brothers, but it’s a great free option for Articulate fans.

3. FasterCourse

FasterCourse is another library that offers off-the-shelf eLearning design templates. Works with key authoring tools, helps to deliver your course to the audience before you can say Jack Robinson.

Features:

• Storyline templates as well as content for Captivate and Lectora; versatile categories
• Lots of paid and free eLearning design templates in the pool
• HTML5-ready, looks good on mobile devices
• Support for SCORM and xAPI

FasterCourse packages start at $299 a year.

4. eLearning Chips

eLearning Chips is a collection that leverages original Storyline and Lectora templates to craft an engaging eLearning course. You can also create proprietary templates with interactions, rich media, timelines, grids, etc. within the Chips framework.

The service includes:

• Content for Lectora (165 pieces), Storyline templates (268 pieces)
• Categories: Accordions, course players, dialogs and scenarios, flip cards, gamified interactions, grids, markers, timelines, and more.
• Tools for creating custom eLearning design templates.

eLearning Chips template subscriptions start at $299 a year and higher.

5. eLearning Art

With eLearning Art you don’t have to develop online courses from scratch. All templates are compatible with native programs, so there is no need for XML or Flash. Ample collection, nice images.

In a nutshell:

• 353 templates
• Supported tools: PowerPoint, Articulate Storyline, Articulate Presenter, Articulate Quizmaker, Adobe Captivate, Adobe Presenter
• Filters and categories: Avatar, communication, conversation, display board, interaction, layout, objective, quiz, scenario, etc.

Subscription plans start at $24.99/month billed annually and go up from there.

6. eLearning Locker

eLearning Locker is a collection of skins for all walks of life. Another wealthy library replenished on a regular basis.

Key features:

• Over 450 eLearning course templates, designs, and layouts
• Storyline templates only – Articulate folk should keep this website on their radar.
• Assessments, Content Holders, Introductions, Layouts, Motion, People, Process, Timelines, and a bunch of other categories.

Pricing varies for access to their eLearning templates.

7. Free PowerPoint Templates

Using PowerPoint’s free eLearning templates is a win-win-win scenario.

Why?

First off, they are free.

Secondly, if your authoring tool is a PowerPoint-based application (and many of them really are), you can just pick the style and design elements from this ample collection and transform them into a course. AllPPT.com offers a nice stock of PowerPoint templates, diagrams, and charts – all available free of charge.

Key features:

• Over 600 free eLearning templates
• Slides sized for widescreen (16:9) and standard view (4:3)
• Categories: abstract, business, computers, education, medical, nature, finance, food, real estate, religion, industry, sports, recreation, military, travel, all diagrams, cycle, relationship, flow-pro, stair-step, timeline, charts, etc.
• All designs can be downloaded as .pptx files (compatible with any recent version of Microsoft PowerPoint: 2007, 2010 and 2013).

Everything is free of charge. As a sign of gratitude, you can share your feedback via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook.

8. Graphicriver

Graphicriver by Envato is another PowerPoint template collection. Once again, you may re-use downloaded templates in any PowerPoint-like authoring software for further elaboration or as-is. The service is paid, though.

What’s good about Graphicriver?

• About 4K PowerPoint eLearning templates
• Filters by ratings and price range
• A wealth of categories: agency, animated, blue, business, chart, corporate, creative, diagram, elegant, enterprise, green, infographic, maps, marketing, minimal, modern, multipurpose, portfolio, professional, simple, social media – and more!

At Graphic River, you pay per downloaded skin. Costs vary between $4 and $80+.

9. SlideModel

Pre-baked designs at SlideModel.com are yet another way to go, should you like to transition ready-made templates into PowerPoint or its third-party offspring. Catchy templates and diagrams for eLearning, business, sales and marketing, engineering, etc.

Key features:

• 10,000+ PowerPoint templates and slide layouts
• All sides are editable – feel free to change color, size and effects.
• Theme and types: business, data and charts, diagrams, maps, pictures, shapes, text and tables, timelines, etc.

Plans start at $24.90 and up.

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A Final Word on eLearning Templates

When it comes to creating an online course, templates can be a helpful starting point.

With a well-designed eLearning template, you can quickly put together the basic structure of your course and save yourself a lot of time in the process.

In addition, the best interactive eLearning templates can help to ensure that your course content is well organized and easy for students to follow.

By using an eLearning template, you can focus on creating quality content without worrying about the overall design of your course. As a result, templates can be an extremely valuable tool for anyone who wants to build an effective online learning experience.

That said, before you start looking at these tools, I’d like to sum up their individual benefits in a few words.

Professional instructional designers making courses on a regular basis should probably opt for bigger libraries like eLearning Brothers (on the high end) or SlideModel (a free lunch is a thing in this case).

Obviously, Articulate aficionados are likely to stick to the community’s library or eLearning Chips – it doesn’t make much sense to go seek your Storyline inspiration elsewhere.

PowerPoint fans who make the utmost of this powerful authoring and eLearning tool have quite a choice of free templates – I have just listed three services, no doubt there is more, so you can always find something that fits your aesthetic requirements.

For those on the experimental track, I’d recommend eLearning Art, FasterCourse or Graphicriver, which offer good value eLearning templates for a small fee. They are rather ad-hoc, so if you need scale, contract a more expensive plan from a site like eLearning Locker.

Last but not least, here’s a piece of advice for later implementation and quality control. Always test how third-party templates play along with your LMS. In fact, this should be on top of your checklist. Make sure you know a few tricks about how to export your content to SCORM and make it look nice on the output. Don’t get carried away with the variety of free and paid templates before you test them out in a real eLearning environment.

Have any questions about finding interactive eLearning templates online? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

The post The 9 Best Places to Get Cheap and Free eLearning Templates appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

In fact, there are over 73 million LMS users at this moment and the LMS industry is expected to reach $25.7 billion worldwide by 2025.

As an instructional designer, I’m always working in LMS platforms to design, deliver, and monitor educational content and training programs. In the guide below, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about learning management systems, offering more details about what they are, where they’re used, how they’re used, the different types of LMS platforms out there today, and a whole lot more.

What is an LMS?

A learning management system (LMS) is a software application or web-based platform that helps educators create, deliver, and manage online learning courses and training to students and employees.

A learning management system can also be used to track student progress and assess their learning outcomes.

Here’s a deeper look into what each letter in LMS really means:

“L” is for learning. Learning management systems are designed to enable organizations and educational institutions to create and deliver online courses and training content to students or employees.

“M” is for management. Learning management systems help organizations track student progress and assess their learning outcomes. The best learning management systems provide a highly organized infrastructure that allows you to easily manage each aspect of the learning and training process for students and employees. For businesses, this could mean anything from managing the process of onboarding a remote employee to providing Just in Time learning opportunities to managing ongoing enrichment opportunities for your team.

“S” is for system. In the context of business or education, a system refers to a set of procedures or protocols that interact with each other in order to accomplish a larger objective. More specifically, “system” refers to a computer system here, meaning everything in the educational process is automated and handled through the software application.

Who Uses an LMS?

Organizations in just about every sector use learning management systems. Elementary schools, high schools, colleges, online learning platforms, nonprofit organizations, governments, consulting firms, and companies of all sizes are currently using or seriously considering implementing an LMS.

Why Use an LMS?

There are a few reasons why so many different types of organizations use learning management systems.

An LMS can save time and money.

For businesses, a corporate LMS can automate and accelerate the process of onboarding a new employee. It can also help maintain your company’s standards and culture among all employees and aid in compliance training.

An LMS can also help manage and track ongoing employee training opportunities, which can lead to better organizational efficiency and compliance.

Additionally, an LMS can improve the quality of education and training.

An LMS can help educators create more engaging and effective elearning courses. Learners also have great access to educational content and training materials any time they want.

And for businesses, a corporate LMS can help employees develop the knowledge and skills they need in a way that’s scalable, efficient, and sustainable.

How Are Learning Management Systems Used?

There are many different applications for a learning management system in both education and business.

Some of the most common ways they’re used in a learning environment include:

• Creating and delivering online eLearning courses and training materials
• Tracking student progress/learner performance
• Assessing learning outcomes
• Managing employee training
• Delivering mobile learning activities and opportunities
• Optimizing training programs
• Onboarding new employees with online training courses
• Delivering continuing education opportunities to employees
• Compliance training courses
• Offering customer training on products and services
• Offering partner training to create profitable relationships

The Different Types of LMS

Most learning management systems can be classified into one of three categories:

• Commercial learning management system (LMS)
• Open-source learning management system (LMS)
• Cloud-based learning management system (LMS)

Commercial Learning Management System (LMS)

The first category is commercial LMSs, which are software applications that are developed and marketed by a specific company.

These LMSs are often expensive, but they offer a wide range of features and functionality that can be tailored to meet the needs of any organization.

The main drawback to commercial LMSs is their high price tag.

However, many businesses find the investment to be worth it as they offer a robust feature set and a wide range of integrations.

Open-Source Learning Management System (LMS)

The second category is open-source LMSs. These applications are free and self-hosted, which means they can be downloaded and installed on a server at an organization without any assistance from the developer.

This type of LMS usually does not come with customer support or professional services, so it can be difficult to get them up and running properly for organizations that aren’t familiar with technology.

However, open-source learning management systems offer numerous advantages such as enhanced privacy control, fewer third-party dependencies, improved security, and more advanced user interfaces than cloud-based solutions.

Cloud-Based Learning Management System (LMS)

The third category is cloud-based learning management systems. These applications are hosted on a third-party server, which means the hosting company controls access and manages updates.

As such, cloud-based learning management systems provide easy access anytime there is an internet connection. They also offer built-in redundancy and backups so data remains safe even if one of the systems goes down.

Choosing an LMS: 5 Important Tips

Looking for info on how to choose an LMS that will help you reach your goals as an educator?

Some surveys have shown that as many as one-third of LMS users aren’t happy with the learning platform they chose.

The time and money that goes into choosing an LMS can be enormous, and with dozens upon dozens of options out there, finding the best LMS can be overwhelming.

Not to mention, learning management systems have come a long way in recent years, so selecting an LMS in 2023 means looking for different features than you may have considered in the past.

A learning management system (LMS) these days is a suite of modules that go way beyond assignments and tests.

For example, TalentLMS, one of the best LMS platforms out there today, boasts features like creating personalized learning paths, localizing content to match each user’s language and time zone, live session capabilities, compatibility across all devices, and more.

And before you even settle on your LMS, you also want to make sure you have the right LMS hosting in place to ensure your online learning system runs smoothly and dependably. Cloudways offers reliable LMS hosting, which includes advanced performance, scalability, and security along with no downtime.

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Once you have the hosting taken care of and your LMS selected, you can begin to create content that will engage learners and help them develop their skills and knowledge.

What is the philosophy behind a modern LMS?

1. An LMS should be task-oriented rather than tool-oriented

Sounds commonplace and applicable to any software tool at first glance. However, this thesis seems particularly relevant in e-Learning.

Instead of providing an array of tools to the user, the modern LMS tends to empower students with a holistic solution – a course.

Architecture-wise, it’s activity rather than functionality that forms the cornerstone of a modern LMS.

Advocates of this approach stick with the following characteristics:

• Task-oriented modular architecture
• Open and highly compatible
• Scalable: serving numerous participants and stakeholders across different environments
• Informative: with easy-to-access details to track learner progress, deadlines, opportunities, events, etc.
• Iterative: tracking and visualization of all intermediate states of the learning process.

Good point, in my opinion. You should pick an LMS based on your needs, not a bunch of features that would hardly be of any value to your content or corporate goals. Cost-savvy consumers have a choice, and the choice is often not the most feature-packed but the most granular and task-oriented solution.

2. An LMS should be personal

Vendors and experts in the educational space argue that their products should be personal. This applies to both ends of the educational spectrum. According to them, a modern LMS encompasses solid formative assessment, individual planning tools and advanced analytics. Other features this approach entails include:

• Standard compliance. The standards-based approach ensures integrity and visibility of planning and assessment for all stakeholders
• Compatibility. Rich APIs are key. Teachers and learners exchange content in multiple third-party systems, and it’s important to all vendors they don’t find themselves isolated.
• Responsive web design and scalability. It’s not only crucial to enroll active mobile users on both sides, but also make sure the flagship web-based product sticks to the best practices of responsive web design.

Although it’s hard to disagree, I’d argue that being overly personal in terms of technology might also be a drawback. A focus on personal goals should not be confused with micromanagement and feature creep. Performance and usability issues may arise when e-Learning systems try to target every single-use scenario, hence the system gets bloated.

3. Modern LMS with a modern licensing policy

Some vendors maintain that learning management systems should adapt to the fast-changing market with a flexible pricing policy. “Try before you buy” also comes as an important factor. Indeed, since many offerings are reaching out to private educators, it’s crucial to keep license plans scalable and the system easy to deploy (with no extra hosting or configuration fees associated).

Such a solution would be:

• SAAS with flexible pricing plans
• Easily integrated with others (well-documented API/modular structure)
• Packed with an ample course library
• Scalable across tablets and smartphones
• HTML5 rather than Flash-based
• A cloud solution with a web-based storage system
• Connected with a high-performance content distribution network to ship multimedia content worldwide without delay.

The perks of a free-to-try system are obvious. The same applies to flexible pricing – goes without saying. Whereas SAAS systems are generally cheaper to use, set up, and maintain, customers should keep in mind the security risks associated with the cloud, and check with their provider for appropriate incident prevention.

4. Open source LMS as the modern LMS

Open-source fans have quite a few solutions to love in the e-Learning field. The underlying principle here is that you can expand your LMS with new ready-made or custom modules that fit your current needs at a low cost or no cost at all.

As regards functionality, open-source and closed source vendors run neck and neck in their “arms race.”

Core academic tools would include, among other features:

• Restore/backup
• Assessment engine
• Learning tools interoperability (LTI)
• Assignment submission

In terms of user management, it’s important to keep users, roles, and groups well administered. User override is also considered a nifty feature.

Both models have their benefits. The dispute between them should be resolved separately in any particular case. Aspects to factor in may include without limitation: educational or corporate use, number of seats, accessibility of in-house infrastructure, budgetary considerations, etc.

5. There is no such thing as fundamental features

This “agnostic” approach is, in fact, becoming trendy among industry experts. Indeed, some “modern” LMS features may end up scarcely being used by the customers. There is no one-size-fits-all here.

According to the “agnostic” experts, the essentials would include:

• Flexible pricing plans
• Unlimited number of courses
• Using SCORM/Tin Can files
• Creating tests and surveys
• Creating learning paths
• Responsiveness
• Free support
• Integration with other services through an API, etc.

In this regard, I’d rather revert to my commentary in point 1 (task-oriented approach). Core features do exist: you can’t go without solid course delivery, task assignment, and interoperability, just to name a few. Frills or no frills? It’s always up to you to decide.

And if you’re looking for some help with choosing an LMS, there are lots of great options out there, but one of our favorites that we recommend is TalentLMS.

Useful Resources

• SCORM vs Tin Can vs AICC: LMS Standards Compared
• How to Create an Online Course
• 10 Best eLearning Authoring Tools for Delivering Online Courses
• The Major Instructional Design Models Explained
• Interesting LMS Stats & Data

A Final Word on LMS (Learning Management System)

Now that you know the answer to “What is an LMS?” and can have an understanding of how they’re used, it might be time to consider implementing one into your organization.

Remember, a learning management system can offer a ton of benefits, from improving the efficiency of training programs to reducing training costs to keeping learners more engaged and satisfied.

But not all LMS software is the same. It’s important to choose the right type of LMS software for your unique organizational environment.

If you’re wanting to pursue a career as an eLearning professional, you can take your instructional design skills to the next level with Emeritus’ Professional Certificate in Instructional Design program.

The comprehensive curriculum covers everything from the basics of instructional design to the latest theories and practical strategies for online learning. Whether you’re starting out or seeking to advance your existing career, this course will give you the tools to succeed.

You can learn more about the program and request a brochure at this link.

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Gain firsthand expertise in instructional design principles and methodologies through this unique Professional Certificate program. Create impactful learning solutions and improve people's ability to learn.

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Have any questions about using a learning management system? Leave us a comment below so we can help you out.

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When used correctly, you can bring your training material to life by using scenarios in your eLearning courses. These interactive learning tools can help transform learners’ behavior and take their comprehension to the next level.

Scenario-based training offers a fresh and exciting way to learn by allowing users to fully immerse themselves in real-life situations. By using relatable scenarios, learners gain knowledge and insights that are relevant and impactful. Plus, adding interactive features means you get to make decisions and experience the consequences – all while gaining valuable experience.

However, building and scripting these scenarios in eLearning courses can be daunting.

If you’re trying to figure out how to implement scenarios into your eLearning design but don’t know where to begin, there are some important steps you can take, like making sure you understand your learning requirements, examining vital situations, and identifying decision points.

In the guide below, I’ll share some steps of successful eLearning script writing and course design for scenario-based training.

Let’s get started…

How to Implement Scenario-Based eLearning

Step 1: Do your research

Not surprisingly, even before actual planning starts you have a number of concepts in your mind. They might include the target audience and their technical means, complexity and length of the course, and interactivity and compatibility with destination user platforms or interfaces.

Long story short, you need to verify that your concepts are not, in fact, misconceptions, and act accordingly.

Consult fellow subject matter experts and selected learners, brainstorm ideas, learn how to bridge planning with delivery results.

After all, your ultimate goal is to provide a lasting impression and encourage knowledge retention – so double-check to be sure.

Step 2: Create clear instructional goals

Now, that your idea seems valid for scripting, move on to step 2 and define the scope of your course. Keep the superfluous at bay – you are in the planning phase, so eliminate distractions and concentrate on the fundamentals. Try to benchmark your script against popular project management and marketing concepts with the traditional challenge, solution and results scheme.

Sounds like a case study where a long project is framed into succinct formulas. That’s the right way of visualizing your future work. Coffee breaks, vacation time, sabbaticals and extracurricular activities don’t matter for now, it’s your hours and results that need sketching out.

You may always keep a generic course script up your sleeve that covers a few tasks or conjectures resolved with specific approaches, and fill it with new content to see if they make a good match.

Step 3: Translate concepts into context and characters

All scenarios are essentially stories that involve their own settings, protagonists, issues, and solutions. Since scenario-based training deals with real situations, try to establish authentic cases that will appeal to your audience. Make sure you base content around specific activities and right and wrong choices, and link these situations with preferable results.

Be creative and try it comic-style, with lively dialogues, speech bubbles, and basic personal traits for your most emblematic characters. Mind mappers and storytelling software will be of great help if you choose to put the pencil and paper aside and make it on-screen from square one.

Step 4: Take a break and put together some sticky notes

Now that you have a few story and character options, it’s time to do some storyboarding. Stick a couple of dozen notes on a physical surface or make a few clicks in your scenario planning software. Does this stuff make a logical sequence? Shuffle, remove, and swap the cards until it does. Okay, does this split into modules with individual objectives? Not yet? Move on to the next step!

Step 5: Divide the script into sections

It’s time to shape up thematic units derived from initial research and the pre-course background of your audience. Each piece should deliver a clear, unified message and address a problem. Your logical fragmentation must be right if you can come up with a one-sentence assessment question and expect a one-sentence answer that captures the core idea. Otherwise, you might be overinflating some of the modules, or juxtaposing two or more complicated topics.

Step 6: Deliver a prototype

Create a quick mockup using a graphic tool like Visio. Try to get some volunteers for your proof of concept, play the characters, record audio narration, produce basic images and effects – give your partial script some flesh. Invite a sample group of learners and hear their feedback, then start yet another iteration to incorporate the changes. That’s when it all just begins… Go break a leg!

In conclusion

All in all, scenario-based e-Learning is a safe and entertaining knowledge-sharing environment that allows for hassle-free practice and learning from one’s mistakes.

Scenario-focused training builds on stories that highlight real-life cases or pertinent examples that help learners emulate the context.

In order to capture the attention of your audience from the very start, it’s key to get a script handy. The backbone of an effective course, the structure should sketch out the pivotal points, interactions and intended emotional response. Make your cases and characters true-to-life and challenges relevant – and start building a rapport with your learners.

If you’re ready to elevate your instructional design career and start creating great eLearning experiences, Emeritus’ Professional Certificate in Instructional Design program has got you covered.

Expand your knowledge in the field with comprehensive training that covers everything from the basics to practical implementation strategies for online learning environments.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your skills to the next level, this course is the perfect fit for you.

Don’t wait any longer to become an expert in instructional design. Enroll now and take the first step toward unlocking your full potential.

You can learn more about the program and request a brochure at this link.

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Having been in the eLearning game for around 20 years, I’ve got to say, LearnDash really hits the mark. It’s a powerhouse LMS tailored for WordPress, letting you whip up top-notch courses without the fuss. They’ve thought of everything, from customizable designs to engaging quizzes and assignments. If you’re diving into online course creation, LearnDash is a no-brainer. But don’t take my word for it, the platform is also trusted by major universities, businesses, bloggers, and entrepreneurs.

This in-depth guide will share all the information about LearnDash pricing, key features, free trials, and more. By the end of the guide, you’ll be able to choose which plan is best for your needs. The article below has been fully updated for 2023 to include the most current information on LearnDash’s offerings, so you can be sure you’re getting accurate info to help you make a sound decision.

How Much Does LearnDash Cost?

LearnDash offers a few different plans for its LMS plugin:

• 1 site — $199/year
• 10 sites — $399/year
• Unlimited — $799/year

All of these LearnDash plans for its LMS plugin include updates and customer support. The only difference is the number of sites the plugin can be used for.

It’s also worth pointing out that LearnDash does have some other product offerings, including:

• LearnDash Cloud Hosting — $24/month billed annually or $29/month when billed monthly
• LearnDash ProPanel (additional student insights) — $49/year for 1 site; $99/year for 10 sites; $199/year for unlimited sites
• LearnDash Groups Plus (group management toolkit) — $49/year for 1 site; $99/year for 10 sites; $199/year for unlimited sites

All LearnDash plans and products come with a full 15-day money-back guarantee to ensure that you are satisfied with your purchase.

LearnDash LMS Plugin Plans

LearnDash

LearnDash is an easy-to-use platform that makes creating and managing online courses simple for WordPress users. With LearnDash’s drag-and-drop course builder, you can quickly create robust online courses with flexible pricing options, interactive features, and custom designs.

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The LearnDash LMS WordPress Plugin features all the robust tools needed to design enriching courses and sell them to your customers.

These plans allow users to create as many online courses as they want for as many students as they want.

The only difference between the plans is how many site licenses you need — 1, 10, or unlimited. My recommendation is to start small and scale up as you need to.

LearnDash has impressive features and is user-friendly. The software uses a simple drag-and-drop interface. It also has an array of settings and controls to structure the course content precisely to your liking.

Upon LearnDash being integrated with WordPress, there will be useful tutorials to help you learn the software.

Key Features:

• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop builder to create courses that are beautiful and have customized course structure
• Allow for an unlimited number of users for optimal performance
• Tools to organize students
• Mass enroll option to assign drip feed content seamlessly
• Built-in course protection to ensure only enrolled students can view the content
• Tools to create multi-layered courses
• Beautiful templates for making quizzes with many different answer templates for truly interactive learning

LearnDash Pricing Q&A

Does LearnDash offer a free trial?

LearnDash does not offer a free trial. However, they do provide an excellent refund policy. You can request a refund within 15 days of purchase.

Does LearnDash offer both monthly and yearly membership plans?

LearnDash offers only yearly membership plans.

What forms of payment does LearnDash accept?

LearnDash accepts all major credit cards and Paypal.

Does LearnDash offer refunds?

If you find that the software does not meet your expectations, then yes, LearnDash offers a refund within 30 days of purchase. 

What are some of LearnDash’s best features?

• Create an unlimited number of courses
• Enroll an unlimited number of students
• Built-in course protection (only enrolled students will be able to access course content)
• Unlimited number of lessons and quizzes
• Simple drag and drop interface
• Tools to structure content precisely to your liking
• Detailed reporting tools that will inform the user of insights like the amount of time the student has spent on the course, success on quizzes, and how much course content is left for the student to complete
• Tutorials that automatically embed into WordPress to assist you in learning the software
• Complete control over course creation and course requirements
• Integrated email notifications
• Excellent refund policy – (Refunds can be processed within thirty days of original purchase)
• Superior customer service
• Easy to use drag and drop course builder
• Advanced quizzing with eight question format types
• Drip feed lessons
• Ability to create and implement course plans
• Tools to award points to students to allow learners to access new content
• Course bundle options
• Ability to offer free samples

Final Thoughts

From my vantage point as an eLearning veteran, LearnDash isn’t just another LMS; it’s a comprehensive solution that understands and addresses the nuanced challenges of online education. It gives you all the tools you need to create, maintain, and manage courses.

Sign up for LearnDash and take your course content creations up a level.

Interested in other platforms for selling your courses and digital products? Check out these resources:

• Kajabi pricing guide
• Kartra pricing guide
• LearnWorlds pricing guide
• Podia pricing guide
• Samcart pricing guide
• TalentLMS pricing guide
• Teachery pricing guide
• Teachable pricing guide

The post LearnDash Pricing: Plans, Free Trial Info, More (2023 Guide) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

This article takes a look at all of Teachable pricing and plans. As someone who’s spent years in the eLearning industry building courses, I’ll break down all the different Teachable plans in depth so you can see which one, if any, would benefit you the most (pro tip: You can start by trying out the free Teachable option to get a feel for whether or not this is the platform for you.)

This guide has been fully updated for 2023 to reflect recent Teachable price changes, so you can be sure you’re getting accurate, current info.

How Much Does Teachable Cost?

There are 5 different Teachable plans, ranging from free to $499 a month. However, if you pay annually, you can get 33% off the regular rates.

Depending on the plan you choose, there may be some additional Teachable fees to consider when selling your courses.

Teachable’s pricing is currently as follows:

• FREE
• Basic – $59/month or $39/month billed annually
• Pro – $159/month or $119/month billed annually
• Pro+ – $249/month or $199/month billed annually
• Business – $665/month or $499/month billed annually

Free Teachable Plan

Teachable’s Free Plan offers budding creators a chance to dip their toes into the world of online course creation without any financial commitment. At no cost, this plan allows creators to publish one product of each type (course, coaching, downloads), making it a good option for those who are just starting out or testing the waters.

The no-code course builder and web pages make it super easy to get up and running, even for those who might not be tech-savvy. Additionally, the integrated payment processing and student referrals add to the convenience.

But while the Free Plan offers a great starting point for new course creators, it does come with a number of limitations that I have to point out. The most notable one being the $1 + 10% transaction fee, which can eat into your earnings as your courses gain traction.

Also, with a cap on just one published product of each type and a single admin & author seat, scalability might become an issue as your audience grows.

In short, the Free Plan is a good way to get acquainted with Teachable’s platform, but if you’re looking to scale or diversify your offerings, you’ll probably outgrow this plan pretty quickly.

Teachable Basic Plan – $39/month, billed annually or $59/month for month-to-month plan

Teachable’s Basic Plan offers a solid balance between affordability and functionality. Designed for creators who are ready to take their online course creation to the next level, this plan offers a suite of features that go beyond the foundational tools.

With the ability to publish up to 5 products of each type (course, coaching, downloads), it provides a fair amount of room for diversification.

The integrated email marketing, coupons, and order bumps are also excellent tools for boosting sales and engagement. The addition of custom domains ensures that creators can establish a strong brand presence, and the live group coaching offers an avenue for continuous learning and improvement.

While the Basic Plan offers a robust set of tools, I have to point out the 5% transaction fee, which, although reduced from the Free Plan, is still present. Additionally, while the plan does offer more features than the Free Plan, it might still feel limiting for those with a rapidly expanding audience or those looking to offer a broader range of courses.

All in all, the Basic Plan is a solid choice for creators who are past the initial stages and are looking for more advanced tools without breaking the bank.

Teachable Pro Plan – $119/month, billed annually or $159/month for month-to-month plan

Tailored for seasoned creators and educators who are looking to maximize their online presence, this plan offers an impressive set of features. With the ability to publish unlimited products of each type (course, coaching, downloads), the Pro Plan is designed for those with expansive offerings.

The standout features for me include advanced reporting, which provides invaluable insights into sales and student data, and the integrated affiliate marketing, opening up new avenues for course promotion.

The removal of transaction fees is also a big selling point here, ensuring that creators can retain more of their earnings.

The addition of graded quizzes and certificates adds depth to the learning experience.

While the Pro Plan is undeniably feature-rich, I encourage you to really evaluate if you’re at a stage where you can fully use these advanced functionalities to their potential. It’s a significant investment, and to truly get a good value, you need to be at a certain scale in your eLearning journey.

Teachable Pro+ Plan – $199/month, billed annually or $249/month for month-to-month plan

This plan is the biggest of Teachable’s offerings for individuals, curated for the most prolific creators.

With the ability to publish unlimited products of each type (course, coaching, downloads), the Pro+ Plan is all about limitless possibilities.

What truly sets it apart is the dedicated account manager, giving creators personalized support and guidance. The priority support ensures that any issues are addressed promptly, and the white-labeling feature allows creators to offer courses under their brand, enhancing credibility and brand value.

While the Pro+ Plan is the pinnacle of what Teachable offers, it’s crucial to carefully consider if you’re truly at a stage to leverage all its features. It’s a premium offering, and its true potential is unlocked only if you have a substantial audience and a diverse range of courses.

Teachable Business Plan – $499/month, billed annually or $665/month for month-to-month plan

The Teachable Business plan is their most extensive plan, offering the most control, customization options, and ability to create beautiful, engaging courses.

Teachable’s Business plan is great for larger businesses/brands/organizations where there will be multiple instructors and admins uploading material.

This Teachable plan has it all with everything from the Pro plan and more, including:

• Set up 20 admin-level users
• Set custom user roles
• Bulk student enrollments
• Manually enroll students
• Theme customization tools. This gives the user the ability to create their school on-brand.
• Ability to provide group coaching calls to educate students further and engage
• Integrated payment processing using Stripe and PayPal as payment platforms.

Teachable Cost Q&A

Is there a Teachable free trial?

Instead of offering a typical free trial, Teachable has a free plan available with some basic features. This offers users a good way to test out the platform a bit before committing to a paid plan offering greater functionality.

Does Teachable offer both monthly and yearly payment plans?

Yes, they do! All plans are available with the option of monthly or yearly subscriptions.

Does Teachable ever go on sale?

You may occasionally be able to get Teachable at a discount. For example, there are Teachable Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals each year.

What kind of payment does Teachable accept?

Teachable accepts all major credit cards, Paypal, and in some instances, Google Pay.

Does Teachable have a refund policy?

Yes, they do! Teachable offers a 30-day refund policy on paid plans.

What are some of Teachable’s best features?

Teachable has some fantastic features that allow the user to customize their student’s online learning experience fully. Some of these features include branding, email marketing, affiliate marketing, graded quizzes, and so much more! In addition, Teachable has plans that give the user the ultimate creative control over their work. All in all, Teachable makes the course creation process and selling classes super simple and straightforward.

Final Thoughts

Ready to get started? Try out the free Teachable option or check out one of their paid plans that suits your needs.

Interested in other course creation platforms for selling your courses and digital products? Check out these resources:

• Kajabi pricing guide
• Kartra pricing guide
• LearnDash pricing guide
• LearnWorlds pricing guide
• Podia pricing guide
• Samcart pricing guide
• Teachery pricing guide

The post Teachable Pricing: Plans, Free Trial Info, More (2023 Guide) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

In the guide below, I’ll give you an in-depth look into Samcart’s cost, the different plans, features, free trial information, and more, offering my thoughts as a course creator on the value and usefulness of each plan. By the end of our guide, you’ll be able to distinguish which Samcart plan, if any, would be most beneficial and impactful for your specific needs.

It’s worth noting that Samcart prices have changed some in recent years. This guide has been fully updated for 2023 and includes all of the latest details about the different plans and features, so you can be sure you’re getting the latest, most accurate info.

How Much Does Samcart Cost?

Samcart offers three different plans with prices ranging from $59/month to $319/month. The platform also provides a 33-47% discount when a yearly membership plan is chosen.

In addition, all of the plans at Samcart feature an unlimited number of students and products.

Compare the different Samcart pricing plans below in the chart and read on further for more details regarding each plan and its’ features.

Samcart Launch Plan – $79/month ($59/month when billed annually)

Samcart’s Launch Plan is perfect for a new creative entrepreneur. It’s tailor-made for those just embarking on their online selling journey.

Launch offers a suite of features that can help creators customize their checkout experience and optimize sales pages for revenue. With offerings like “Checkout Anywhere,” “One-Click Checkout,” “Digital Payment Options,” and “No-Code Sales Pages,” it provides a solid foundation for those looking to start selling courses and other digital products without getting overwhelmed.

With Samcart’s Launch plan, the user has access to an unlimited number of courses and students. The Launch plan can activate drip content, built-in online quiz maker, along with coupon and discount codes to amplify marketing strategies.

While the Launch plan offers a good starting point, it does have its limitations. For instance, it’s capped at just one admin user, which might be restrictive for those who work in teams or have multiple people managing their sales processes. Additionally, while it offers pre-built templates, more advanced features like “Checkout Automations” and “One-Click Upsells” are reserved for higher-tier plans.

All in all, the Launch plan is a great stepping stone for budding course creators and digital entrepreneurs, but as your business grows and demands more advanced functionalities, an upgrade might be in order.

Key Features:

• Budget-friendly
• Shopping-cart templates
• Custom domain
• Pay what you want feature
• One admin role
• Standard sales reports and insights

Samcart Grow Plan – $159/month ($119/month when billed annually)

As a course creator, I’ve always believed in the importance of evolving with the demands of the digital landscape. SamCart’s Grow plan, priced at $159 per month, resonates with this philosophy. It includes everything from the Launch plan and more. It’s a plan that caters to those creators who’ve moved past the initial stages and are now looking to maximize their revenue potential.

What truly stands out for me is the focus on customer retention and maximizing sales opportunities. The “Cart Abandonment” feature can be a game-changer, helping to recapture potential lost sales. And with the allowance for up to three admin users, it’s clear that this plan is meant for creators who might be working with a team or require multiple hands on deck.

It gives the user access to advanced tools to create a great shopping and checkout page experience. The Grow Plan offers custom check-out pages compatible with Google Pay and Apple Pay, along with being able to set up post-purchase upsells.

In addition, the Samcart Grow plan removes all Samcart branding from all pages and check-outs.

With this advanced plan, users can offer free and paid trials for customers and capture abandoned cart information, giving users access to get in touch with more potential customers and leads.

While the Grow plan offers a comprehensive suite of tools, it’s essential to gauge if you’ll be leveraging all these features. It’s a significant step up from the Launch plan, both in terms of price and functionalities. For those who are in the growth phase of their online business and are interested in automating and optimizing their sales processes, the Grow plan could be the perfect fit.

Key Features:

• Ability to set up three admin user roles
• Access to advanced insights and sales reports
• 1-click upsells to increase sales and revenue
• Set up free and paid trials for customers along with subscriptions and payment plans
• Many third-party integrations are available

Samcart Scale Plan – $319/month ($239/month when billed annually)

The Samcart Scale Plan includes everything in the Grow plan along with many additional features. It is a highly personalized plan with many customizable options.

As a creator, you might eventually reach a point where scaling isn’t just an option, it’s a necessity. The Scale plan is the embodiment of advanced features and functionalities tailored for those who are not just growing but are in full-throttle expansion mode.

With the inclusion of “Post-Purchase Upsells,” “Custom Domains,” and “Dedicated Training & Support,” the Scale plan is designed for those who demand the pinnacle of what SamCart has to offer.

What truly sets the Scale plan apart is its emphasis on maximizing revenue while minimizing effort. The “Advanced Reporting” feature provides a deep dive into sales metrics, ensuring that creators can make data-driven decisions. The allowance for up to 10 admin users is a testament to its suitability for larger operations or businesses that have a dedicated team managing sales and customer interactions. The Scale Plan also gives the user access to the affiliate marketing center and the ability to set up a “PWYW” (pay what you want) option for customers.

While the Scale plan is undeniably feature-rich, it’s essential as a creator to make sure you’re actually at a stage where you can fully utilize these advanced tools. It’s a premium investment, and to truly harness its potential, you need to be at a certain scale in your business journey. For those who are at the forefront of the digital selling space and are looking for a platform that can match their ambition, the Scale plan is a great choice.

Key Features:

• All Samcart branding removed
• Tools to create custom check-out pages
• Free trial options
• Ten admin users
• Tools to schedule running reports

Samcart Cost Q&A

Does Samcart offer a free trial?

Yes, Samcart offers a free trial. You can try any of Samcart’s plans free for 14 days and get a feel for the software and its benefits for your business.

Does Samcart offer both monthly and annual membership plans?

Samcart does offer both payment terms. There is a savings of up to 47% off the monthly Samcart pricing rates when activating an annual membership. The Launch, Grow and Scale plans’ yearly costs are $708, $1,428, and $2,868.

What forms of payment does Samcart accept?

Samcart accepts both Stripe and PayPal as forms of payment.

Does Samcart offer refunds?

You may cancel the service by contacting Samcart. Samcart users can also take advantage ofr a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Does Samcart lock its’ customers into contracts?

Definitely not! Samcart gives its’ users the ability to upgrade, downgrade or cancel at any time.

What are some of the best features Samcart offers?

• Access to create and sell an unlimited number of courses
• Unlimited number of students
• Built-in quizzes
• Customizable worksheets
• Unlimited downloads for enrolled students
• Easy to use drag and drop page builder
• Email customizations
• Custom domain
• Tools to create coupons and discount codes
• The “Pay what you want” feature
• Customizable thank you pages
• Offer free and paid trials

Final Thoughts

Samcart is an excellent online shopping cart that gives users access to customizable pages, check-outs, one-click upsells, and more.

In addition, it allows for an unlimited number of courses and students, along with options to remove the Samcart branding and multiple admin roles.

SamCart is an easy-to-use platform that creates a seamless experience for customers. It also offers affiliate marketing to increase sales and revenue and is very simple to use and quick to set up.

Click here to visit the Samcart website to get started.

Interested in other platforms for selling your courses and digital products? Check out these resources:

• Kajabi pricing guide
• Kartra pricing guide
• LearnDash pricing guide 
• LearnWorlds pricing guide
• Podia pricing guide
• Teachery pricing guide
• Teachable pricing guide

Have any questions about Samcart pricing and plans? Let us know by commenting below.

The post Samcart Pricing: Plans, Free Trial Info, More (2023) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

Our guide will take a deep look into each plan’s details so you can easily find which one suits both your budget and your needs.

Kartra is an all-in-one platform that offers everything you need to sell courses, membership sites subscriptions, and other digital eLearning products online.

Kartra has many unique tools so you can create and personalize them at the same time. Choose from hundreds of professionally designed templates optimized for mobile use and build a beautiful online business.

Of course, all of this comes at a price.

That’s why this article takes a more detailed look at Kartra pricing and the different plans they offer.

It will share all the details and information surrounding each of the plans available. This guide will share prices, savings, features, and who each plan is best for.

By the finish of the article, you’ll be able to decide which Kartra plan is best for your organization.

This guide has been fully updated for 2023, so you can be sure you’re getting the most current details available to help you make an informed buying decision.

Kartra offers four different plans ranging in price from $99/month to $499/month. Each plan provides an additional amount of features and assistance that we’ll discuss below.

Kartra also offers a $1 trial that gives you 14 days to check out their product line. You can click here to check out the $1 trial.

Let’s get started with our Kartra pricing overview…

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost for you, we might get a commission if you click the link and purchase.

How Much Does Kartra Cost?

There are four different Kartra plans available to choose from in 2023, ranging from $99-$499 a month with further discounts available for annual subscriptions.

Compare the Kartra pricing plans in the table below and keep reading for more details.

Kartra Starter Plan – $99/month – Save $240 with an annual plan

The Kartra Starter Plan is perfect for a small or new business or a business just beginning in the online world.

It’s designed to help the business build their email marketing lists and, as a result, increase the number of recurring customers.

In this plan, you are restricted to one domain, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re just starting out and want to focus all your efforts on one website  and 100 landing pages for the time being.

As you start to scale, you may eventually want to upgrade to one of the plans that offer unlimited membership sites, landing pages, and domains to accommodate your entire online business portfolio

You also have a limit of 2,500 contacts and 15,000 emails. Again, this is great for online businesses that are just starting off, but you could very quickly find these limits to be restrictive as you grow.

The Kartra Starter Plan is the most inexpensive plan they offer, and while it’s great for small businesses just starting out, there’s a good chance you’ll outgrow it at some point and have to level up to their Silver Plan.

Key Features:

• Secure, beautiful checkout forms
• Ability to accept both major credit cards and PayPal as payment
• Easy-to-use drag and drop landing page builder
• Hundreds of professionally designed templates that are mobile-friendly
• Tools to build beautiful lead capture forms
• Detailed, integrated dashboard to help stay organized
• Host up to 100 landing pages
• Hosting for up to 50 videos
• Sell up to 20 products

Who is the Kartra Starter Plan Good For?

The Kartra Starter Plan is good for any small business just starting online.

This plan has all the tools a company needs to create beautiful landing pages, eye-catching templates, and more.

In addition, the Starter Kartra plan gives tools to completely customize your business while still having it beautiful and desirable for customers.

Kartra Silver Plan – $199/month – Save $600 with an annual membership plan

The Kartra Silver Plan features a tremendous jump in contacts at 12,500 and an unlimited number of emails.

The Silver Plan allows up to 3 websites and an unlimited number of sales pages and landing pages. Unlimited pages is a huge perk for mid-sized businesses that are growing fast and expanding their websites to make more sales.

This plan offers an abundance of value, with all the features being unlimited.

Key Features:

• Access to a detailed, integrated email marketing system
• Unlimited emails
• Tools to create a beautiful multi-page flow
• Creative video marketing tools to promote products and services
• Access to help desk with live chat
• Ability to recruit and manage affiliates to promote products using their affiliate management system
• Unlimited pages across 3 domains
• Unlimited team members

Who is the Kartra Silver Plan Good For?

The Kartra Silver plan is a great plan for businesses that have outgrown the starter plan.

The Kartra Silver plan has many unlimited tools and allows for more emails and leads. It is a great stepping stone before the Gold plan and has the tools to help the business grow and generate more customers.

In addition, the Kartra Silver plan allows for significantly more leads than the Starter plan, along with emails as well. This is perfect for more engagement with your potential customers.

Kartra Gold Plan – $299/month – Save $840 with an annual membership

The Kartra Gold plan is a more extensive version of the Silver plan. There are a few significant improvements in this plan offered by the sales funnel software.

Kartra memberships with the Gold Plan get an increased number of leads from 12,500 to 25,000.

The Kartra Gold plan also allows the creation and management of 5 custom domains and unlimited pages. This plan gives the user the ability to access the Kartra agency as well as the Kartra marketplace.

Key Features:

• Survey and quiz creator tools to identify the best way to provide products that potential customers want
• Secure and aesthetically pleasing checkouts
• Easy-to-use page builder
• Hundreds of templates
• Tools to add lead capture forms into video
• An integrated email marketing system
• Access to great customer support
• Unlimited emails
• Ability to recruit and manage affiliates to promote products using their affiliate management system

Who is the Kartra Gold Plan Good For?

The Kartra Gold plan is best for a medium-sized business. It offers many tools to grow the business’s email list, expand its online presence, and create an unlimited number of products and services that appeal to your desired customer.

Kartra Platinum Plan – $499/month – save $1440 with the annual plan

The Kartra Platinum plan is an extensive and elaborate plan for large-scale businesses. It offers up to 50,000 leads and ten custom domains with unlimited landing pages.

The Kartra Platinum plan provides everything needed to manage a large e-commerce business.

Key Features:

• Unlimited number of team members
• Unlimited membership websites with easy to use membership portal builder
• Tools to recruit and manage multiple affiliates
• Detailed, integrated dashboard to assist with scheduling
• Access to Kartra agency for easy management of clients

Who is the Kartra Platinum Plan Good For?

The Kartra Platinum plan is suitable for a large-scale business with various team members.

The software is powerful and gives the user a unique ability to manage everything from one place.

Create live and automated email and text campaigns, create beautiful pages, work on an unlimited number of membership websites, and so much more with this Kartra plan.

Kartra Pricing Plans Q&A

Is there a free trial or Kartra?

There is not a Kartra free trial available at this time. However, they do provide a trial for 14 days for only $1. You can trial any of the Karta plans for this price.

Does Kartra offer payment plans for monthly and annual terms?

Yes! Kartra offers monthly and annual plans, with 25% savings when you sign up with the yearly plan.

What types of payment does Karta accept?

Kartra accepts all major credit cards and PayPal.

Does Karta offer a refund policy?

Yes, Karta does have a refund policy with a 30-day money-back guarantee. All details about it can be found on their website under billing policies.

What are some of Karta’s best features?

Karta offers many tools to significantly improve and manage your online business and email marketing strategy. Some of Karta’s best features are:

• A simple, easy to use platform
• An integrated email marketing system
• Affiliate marketing program
• Beautiful professionally designed templates
• Easy and secure checkouts
• Tools to build membership sites to increase revenue
• Highly skilled help desk to offer support and help with billing disputes

Karta Pricing Packages Review

• Starter plan – $99/month with a savings of $240 with an annual membership
• Silver plan – $199/month with a savings of $600 with a yearly membership
• Gold plan – $299/month with a savings of $840 with an annual membership
• Platinum plan – $499/month with a savings of $1440 with a yearly membership

Recap of Karta Pricing Plans and Key Features

• Starter Plan – This plan is excellent for a small business starting online. It allows up to 2500 leads, one custom domain, 15,000 emails, 50GB bandwidth, host up to 100 pages, and a few more features. This plan is $99/month.
• Silver Plan – This plan allows 12,500 leads, three custom domains, and an unlimited number of additional key features.
• Gold Plan – This plan allows up to 25,000 leads and five custom domains. Along with these increased numbers, there are also an unlimited amount of critical features.
• Platinum Plan – This plan is terrific for large-scale businesses. It allows for 50,000 leads and ten custom domains. It also provides for an unlimited number of additional key features that are included in the other plans.

Ready to get started? Try out Kartra for 14 days for just $1.

Interested in other platforms and Kartra alternatives for selling your courses and digital products? Check out these resources:

• Kajabi pricing guide
• LearnDash pricing guide
• LearnWorlds pricing guide
• Podia pricing guide
• Samcart pricing guide
• Teachery pricing guide
• Teachable pricing guide

The post Kartra Pricing: Plans, Free Trial Info, & More Explained (2023) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

A thoughtfully composed online training video will educate and make learning easier for anyone watching them, whether you’re training employees, creating an online course, teaching students virtually, or providing any other sort of education. 

But as someone who’s created countless eLearning experiences over the years, I can tell you that making a good, high quality training video requires careful planning and sound execution. The good news, though, is that you don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to make a training video.

In the guide below, I’ll show you exactly how to make a training video your audience can connect with and learn from successfully.

Tips for Making a Great Training Video

1. Choose An Engaging Topic

Before you can make a great training video, you need to clearly identify the topic you want to cover. You have to think about what your audience needs to learn from the video and tailor the subject to the learner’s needs.

Keep the topic of your video simple and straight to the point. Shorter, engaging videos are far more effective than long, meandering ones, so you want to keep each video hyper-focused on a specific topic.

2. Choose The Type Of Video

When choosing the type of video to use, you need to consider the audience and purpose of the video. You want to make sure that the type of video you choose will deliver your message in the way you intend. 

There are many types of videos you can use to train your audience:

Screencast: This is a recording on the computer screen to show different information from the computer. If you want to show an audience how to use a computer system or software, this is the best way to teach your learners. There are lots of great screen recording software tools — like VEED — out there to help you do this.

Micro video: This is a short video that most trainers use to demonstrate a single idea or a procedure. It can be a short narration with visuals on the screen to explain what the trainer wants. The video might also be visual with no audio to demonstrate a certain point to the audience. If you have a short process that you need to explain, you can use this five to fifteen-second video to explain it. 

Presenter video: If you want to do a live training session, this is one of the most compelling videos. In the video, you can act as the host and show the audience the process from start to finish. You can use visual aids to make the video more interactive and exciting instead of sitting and talking the whole time. Like in a class, a presenter video can work well when the trainer is engaging. 

Roleplay: This is when the trainer uses others people or themselves to act out a scenario to explain their point. The videos are good for business training, marketing, social interactions, customer care training, technical support processes, etc. You can teach your staff to handle customers and other staff members and face many situations they come across in the business. The audience will be able to picture actual scenarios and how to resolve the concerns.

Animations: These are videos that use graphics, animations, and texts to put the message across. Some may need some technical know-how to create, but animated training videos are very engaging to the audience. 

Interactive video: This format allows you to respond to questions and feedback from your audience. This means that the video might have to be live so that you can respond to the learners when they ask you to. This is an excellent way to ensure the audience is also involved in the training session. You can be sure about how practical your training session is when you use this method. 

Choose the type of video according to your intentions and the kind of audience you will be addressing.  

3. Write A Script And A Storyboard

After choosing the type of video you want to use, you need to create a script or an outline for it. Without a script, you might find yourself rambling or not delivering the content in a clear, concise manner. 

A script ensures that the content in your training video flows logically and coherently. It gives you a clear roadmap, ensuring that all essential points are covered systematically, making it easier for the viewer to follow and understand.

Scripting your videos can also help ensure consistency across them. Especially in a series of training videos, maintaining a consistent tone, style, and pace is crucial. A script helps in ensuring that the content remains consistent across different modules or sessions.

Having a script also saves you time. With a script in hand, you can reduce the number of retakes and edits. It provides a clear direction, ensuring that the recording process is smooth and efficient.

4. Record The Training Video

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Once you are satisfied with your level of preparedness, it is time to record the actual video. Set up your recording equipment and ensure you have the proper lighting and space for recording. Keep any nearby doors closed and try to eliminate or minimize any background noise to clear your audio. 

With the advancement in technology today, you can easily make a training video using your smartphone or tablet. Make sure that the device has an excellent camera, and you might need to add a microphone to ensure you have clear audio. 

A tripod will help keep the smartphone in place when recording, and you can also use additional lighting fixtures to make sure the picture is clear. You may not need any of these if you are not planning to be in the video. 

There are different software programs that can help you correctly record a training video. Ensure that you can use the software you choose on your devices, like smartphones, tablets, or computers. VEED is an easy-to-use video presentation software that you can use to record, edit and share quality training videos. 

To make the video more engaging, you should consider using the following:

Text overlays

You can place these texts on the video to help hammer a point visually to the audience. If you want to emphasize a particular issue or introduce a speaker, texts will help you drive the point home. 

Annotations

When using video, you may need to use arrows or lines to draw attention to a specific area. This is primarily effective when using screencasts because you can help the audience get the point faster. The annotation will keep the viewer’s attention on the exact point you want them to see. 

Show the presenter

A long video can be boring if the audience is not able to see the speaker. Look at the camera and switch to the footage of you talking to your learners so that the video is more engaging. You can place the speaker at the beginning or end of the video. 

Interaction technique

If you are doing a live training session, it will help get feedback for the learners. Point to a particular point and ask your audience to give feedback or ask questions to ensure you are as interactive as possible. 

Animations

Using texts and shapes on the screen as you guide your audience will ensure the learners get the point you are putting across. Animations keep the visuals interesting and make the audience more interested in the points you are talking about. 

5. Edit The Video

After you finish your recording, you need to ensure that you have captured everything you need before sending it to your audience. Editing will help eliminate any mistakes and pick out the most critical point you want to put across.

While there are a lot of great editing tools out there, VEED is my go-to platform because of how easy it is to use.

With video editing software, you can add animations, texts, arrows, graphics, and any other effects that you need to make your video interactive. These elements will help, especially if the video is long or you need to point out some specifics. You need to ensure that the audience will not lose focus and miss out on a point or idea. 

The following are some factors to consider when choosing the right software for video training recording:

• Choose software that is easy to use.
• Check the audio options and ensure that they suit the type of video you want to create. 
• Pick a software with free trials or affordable plans so you can test it out before paying.
• If you choose paid software, ensure that it will fit your budget. 
• The best video software should have multiple functions so that you can complete your work in one go. 

6. Share The Video

Watch your video one more time to make sure it has the right content and portrays everything you want for your trainee. When you’re satisfied with the results, you can then share the video or host it so that it is ready and available for the trainee. 

You can choose the platform that you want to use to share the video according to the needs you are addressing. If it is a public video, you can share on YouTube, but you can save the video and send it to your learner if it is private. 

A company training video can be placed on the company website so that it is available for access to the members or staff. You can also save or download the video on a flash drive if it is used as a part of a training session.  

Why Make A Training Video?

When holding a training session, you want to be as interactive and educational as possible.

Sometimes your trainees might not have time or the attention span to go through pages of written instructional manuals to get the point. Videos are a much easier and more efficient way to communicate concepts in an engaging manner that keeps your audience’s attention.

A training video will save you time, and you can focus on the critical points you need to address.

With the rise of technology, many companies are making the switch from in-person training to utilizing videos for employee learning and development. While there are many advantages to creating training videos and how to videos, some of the most notable benefits include cost savings, improved engagement, and greater flexibility.

One of the biggest benefits of using training videos is the cost savings that they offer.

Since materials can be easily pre-made and stored online, creating related content is a much more efficient process than having trainers present in-person lectures or trainings.

Additionally, by making materials available online, employees and students have 24/7 access to key information about products, procedures, and policies.

This enables them to learn at their own pace and on their own time, without having to wait until the next training session or meeting.

Another benefit of using videos for training is that it has been shown to significantly increase employee engagement.

With video content in your training program, employees can see visual representation of skills and procedures in action rather than just listening to someone describe them verbally or reading instructions on paper.

Furthermore, as learners move through different stages of video lessons such as comprehension tests or interactive activities, they get immediate feedback that helps keep them motivated and moving forward with their learning goals.

FAQ

How do you write a training video script?

Writing a training video script isn’t difficult but it does require some planning. Start by outlining the key points that you want to cover in the video and make sure they are clear and organized. Use language that is appropriate for your audience, make sure visuals are accurate, and keep your video succinct. You may also want to include a call to action at the end of the video so that your viewers will know what they need to do with the information they just learned.

How do you make training videos engaging?

To make engaging, effective training videos, use visuals that are captivating and easy to understand, use humor when appropriate, and keep your content direct and concise. Additionally, make sure that you have a clear focus for each of your training videos so that there is not too much information to process at any given time.

What should a training video include?

A training video should include content that is relevant to the topic, visuals that help illustrate key points and concepts, and a clear call to action so that viewers know what they need to do with the information they have learned. Don’t try to do too much with a single training video; instead, focus on delivering the most important information for the single topic at hand in a concise and easy-to-understand manner.

What makes a great training video?

A great training video is clear, concise, focused, well-organized, and engaging. It should be easy to follow and understand, with visuals that help reinforce the key concepts being discussed.

A Final Word on Creating Training Videos

Training videos can be a great medium for imparting knowledge to employees or students. And remember, you don’t need a bunch of expensive equipment to get started.

With careful planning and a bit of creativity, you can create effective training videos that are easy to understand and use.

Have any questions about how to create a training video? What has been your experience trying to create training videos? Leave a comment below with your questions and thoughts!

The post How To Make A Training Video That Gets Results appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

And there are lots of reasons for  making a how to video, including:

• Creating an online course
• Training customers on how to use your products
• Making content for your YouTube channel
• Training employees on important procedures related to the job

But how can you create your own how to video that lets you share your expertise and teach others something new? No matter what you want your how to video to be about, there are some basic steps you’ll need to take in order to make it happen.

In this post, I’m going to share 10 tips for creating great instructional videos that teach your viewers everything they need to know. All of the tips below are based on things I’ve learned in my nearly 20 years of work in the eLearning industry creating online learning experiences.

How to Create the Perfect Instructional Video

Here’s a simple blueprint for creating tutorial videos your viewers will love…

1. Start by thinking about what you want to teach.

Before you start creating how to videos, take some time to think about what you want to teach.

I recommend asking yourself a few questions to figure out the perfect topic for your instructional video, including:

• What do you know how to do? You need to figure out what it is that you actually know and are qualified to teach.
• Who is your target audience and who will be watching this video? Identify the basic demographic info about your target audience, including their age, location, and interests.
• Why do you want to create a how to video? Think about what exactly it is that you’re trying to teach people with your explainer videos,
• What is the goal of your how to video? Identify specifically what you’re looking for viewers to get from this instructional video.
• What are some things your audience wants to know how to do? Your audience probably has voiced their thoughts about the things they want to learn and the info they need. Use this as a guide to create instructional videos you know they’ll watch.
• What are people struggling with when it comes to the topic or creating something in particular? Know your audience’s pain points, and even better, find the topics other videos haven’t covered in depth.

And remember, you need to make sure there’s actually interest in the topic you want to teach in your how to video.

You can use SEO tools like Ahrefs, SurferSEO, or even Google Trends to see how many people are searching for the topic.

If there aren’t enough searches, you probably need to pick another topic or create your how to video as a private video only available to the people you want to watch it – not something that everyone can access.

2. Create an outline or storyboard for your instructional video

Once you’ve settled on a topic, go ahead and create an outline of everything that will be included in the instructional how to video.

What do you need to teach?

Make a bullet list of the key points you need to cover in your tutorial video.

Get as detailed as possible, creating sub-bullet points for subsections of each point if necessary.

Then go into more detail about what you’ll show people in order to teach them how to do that specific thing or answer that key question.

Do you need to go over the steps one by one?

Will there be accompanying slides or images in your tutorial video demonstrating how things work?

Who is going to be featured in this instructional video and who will be narrating the instructions?

You can create a storyboard out of your outline and add some sketches to make sure everything will work well visually when creating instructional videos for your project.

I really recommend taking your time here, because getting this right is essential for creating a good video.

3. Write the script for your how to video

Once you’ve figured out the topic of your instructional video, it’s time to start creating a script.

This is especially important if your how to video will involve any narration — you don’t want to be winging it.

Create a detailed script for whoever will be making the final version of your how to video, as well as notes or bullet points for yourself so that you can easily follow along with the instructions as you record the video.

Remember, even if other people create the final cut and you’re not making your own videos, you’re still responsible for making sure all of the information is included in order to teach viewers effectively without leaving them

Start by describing the scene or setting in which the video will take place.

Then, move on to introducing the topic of the video and explaining what the viewer will learn by watching it.

From there, go into detail about each step whatever it is you’re teaching.

Make sure to use clear and concise language that will be easy for viewers to understand in your how to videos.

Include any important details or tips in your video script that people need to know in order to be successful with the instructions you’re giving.

4. Make sure the length is right for your audience.

People have different expectations for how long instructional videos should last, but I’ve found that creating short explainer videos that are easy to follow is generally the best practice to follow.

How to videos don’t have to be long in order to be effective.

In fact, many viewers prefer micro-videos that are short, concise, and easy to follow.

That’s why it’s important to keep your video focused on the key points you’re trying to teach, and avoid going off on tangents.

If you can successfully teach viewers what they need to know in a short amount of time, they’ll be more likely to stick around until the end. They’ll also be more likely to watch your other how to videos in the future.

Keep this in mind when creating your how to video and consider creating multiple shorter videos instead of creating one long video.

5. Think about what visuals you could include in your how to videos, like images or diagrams.

Wen making video tutorials, it can be easy to get so focused on your message that you overlook the visuals.

Adding visual support to help teach the viewer something new is another good way to keep their attention throughout the length of your video.

You want your how to videos to be engaging, and that means you have to fight to keep the viewer’s attention every frame.

That’s why creating visuals for your how to videos can be useful.

Think about what kinds of images, diagrams, or even B-roll footage would help viewers understand the topics you’re covering in the instructional video, and include them in some way.

You could create an eye-catching slideshow using presentation software like PowerPoint or Google Slides, and then simply record your training video tutorials in real time, narrating over your presentation with a screen recording software like VEED.

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6. Record the voiceover for your instructional video tutorials

If you’re creating a how to video that includes narration, you’ll need to record the voiceover.

Again, you don’t have to do this separately from the video presentation. You can simply create the visual elements of your video in a presentation tool like PowerPoint, Google Slides, or another similar tool, and then use a screen recording tool to go through your presentation, recording your voiceover as you go.

I highly recommend using your webcam and including a speaker bubble on the screen that shows you as you’re talking and teaching.

This will help your student feel more connected with you and your video content as opposed to just watching a lifeless slides presentation.

Most importantly, you want to make sure that the audio quality is good and that the instructions are easy to follow. That’s where having a quality voice over microphone can come in handy.

You’ll also want to make sure that the narrator is clear and easy to understand.

Make sure to practice reading the script a few times until you feel comfortable with it before you start recording.

Once you’ve recorded the video, have someone else listen to the recording and provide feedback.

Make any necessary changes so that the narration sounds smooth and easy to understand.

7. Edit & test your video before creating the final version

You’ve created your how to video and now it’s time for editing.

Video editing isn’t always easy, but it’s important that you do the best job that you can.

The good news is you don’t need expensive video editing software, and you don’t have to be a pro. Most screen recording tools, like VEED, have their own built-in video editing software that makes it super easy to create a great final product.

Here are a few tips for editing your how-to video:

• Edit out any unnecessary footage from the beginning of the video to make sure viewers get right into what they need to learn or do without wasting their time on things they don’t care about. Video editing is all about creating a good flow for your how-to video so be ruthless in cutting anything unnecessary from your presentation.
• Cut out any mistakes in your video. If you do make a mistake, inserting a quick jump cut to hide it is a great way to keep the flow going and avoid creating a disjointed video.
• Add subtitles. This will help viewers who might not be able to hear well, or just might be listening while doing something else. People may listen to your how-to video in different ways, so subtitles help you reach the widest audience possible. A good video editing tool will make it easy to add subtitles to your clips.
• Add transitions between slides and scenes throughout your how-to video. Creating smooth transitions can save time for the viewer by creating an easy flow throughout your presentation.
• Use background music sparingly if at all. You don’t want unneeded sound effects to pull the viewer’s attention away from what they need to do, so use them very carefully.

Before creating a final cut of your how to video, it can be helpful to test out a rough draft or a trial version on family members and friends to see if they’re getting everything from the video that you want them to get.

This will help you make adjustments as necessary during the video editing process so that the final version delivers what you want it to deliver.

8. Add a short intro to your video

Rather than launching straight into your tutorial, you may want to add a quick intro to your instructional video.

In most cases, it’s helpful to include a short introduction that tells the viewer what they’re about to learn how to do.

It can also be helpful to your viewers by creating a bit of intrigue so they’ll want to watch on and find out how you teach them whatever it is they need to know about.

I think this step is particularly important if you have a long video or if your video isn’t as engaging without an intro.

Remember, less is more here. You don’t want to ramble on and on and lose their attention.

Keep the intro short, engaging, and to the point.

9. Tell viewers how they can get more info

If someone watches your instructional video and still has additional questions, where are they going to go?

How are they going to find their answer?

By providing some resources for other places that people can go for more information, you’re creating a good user experience that will encourage them to watch your video.

The video description box is a great place to add links to helpful resources and other relevant videos.

Include a link to any other page on your website that you think would be helpful for the viewer.

If there’s a website or product that you mention in your video, creating an easy-to-find link is a great way to get more eyes on it and get people excited about what it has to offer.

10. Post your video

Last but not least, it’s time to publish your video online for the world to see.

There are tons of different places you could post your video, like YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and so on. But in most cases, you’ll probably want to post your how to video on your YouTube channel.

People will be able to search for your video and find you easily, and they’ll also be able to share it with friends if they’re proud of the way that you’ve presented the information.

What is an Instructional Video?

An instructional video is a video that teaches a viewer how to do something. Instructional videos are great for teaching anything from how to fine-tune your golf swing to how to cook a dish to anything else you can think of.

An instructional video can be done in all different types of formats, including:

• Screen recorded videos — The easiest way to make a how to video is to simply use screen recording software (VEED is my personal favorite that I always recommend) to capture what’s being displayed on your computer screen while you add a voiceover to it. VEED also allows you to embed your webcam into your tutorials so your audience can see you talking as you explain the topic.
• Live action videos — Instructional videos can also be filmed in person using a video camera to record real-world demonstrations.
• Animated videos — You can even make a how to video using animation software. Animated training videos can be good for explaining simple tasks that don’t require live action shots.

A Final Word on Creating a How to Video

Making a how to video isn’t an easy task, but it can be done without much technical expertise required.

With the simple tips above for creating great instructional videos, you’ll have everything you need in order to create a powerful how-to video guide. You can then start making videos for your online courses, YouTube channel, blog posts, or wherever else.

As long as you’re following these guidelines when creating videos, there’s no doubt that people will be able to learn from what you share with them.

And finally, if you’re looking for more info on creating training videos, I highly recommend checking out iSpring’s free guide that offers a ton of useful help for making amazing training videos with their powerful product iSpring Suite.

Free Guide: How to Create Training Videos

This is a free guide to creating effective training videos, from preparing and setting up the environment to making a test recording and editing it. Explore the six different types of training videos, and learn how to create the most popular one — a presenter-style video — easily with iSpring Suite.

Free Download

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

So go ahead and test out one of these tips on creating a successful how to video today, and let me know if you have any questions along the way!

The post Creating a How To Video: 10 Tips for Creating Great Instructional Videos appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

But how do you make an engaging course these days?

And what are your major goals when selecting an eLearning authoring tool?

Ease of use, rich functionality, scalability, affordable pricing?

Now that content authoring and delivery are key in eLearning and pretty much any business area, you have to be very picky.

There are dozens upon dozens of eLearning authoring tools and software applications out there, but not all of them are worth your money.

In an effort to make your choice a little easier, we’ve reviewed and ranked the best eLearning authoring tools based on a variety of factors, including user-friendliness, collaboration tools, sharing functionality, price, and more.

Check out our comparison chart below where you can see our eLearning software picks side-by-side, and then read on for more details about each product.

And remember, before you even settle on your authoring tool, you also want to make sure you have the right LMS hosting in place to power your online courses. Cloudways offers reliable LMS hosting, which includes advanced performance, scalability, and security along with no downtime.

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1. iSpring Suite

iSpring Suite is a comprehensive eLearning authoring solution that offers practically everything you need to develop attractive courses.

SCORM/AICC/xAPI compliance, a customizable player, smooth audio and video recording, quizzes and surveys, dialogue simulations, advanced course protection against unauthorized use, and much more.

All in all, iSpring Suite helps you develop engaging LMS– and mobile-ready courses, and collaborate on them with your team members.

Features

• Lossless conversion from PowerPoint to eLearning courses;
•  Interactive quizzes and surveys;
• Dialogue simulations for polishing communication skills;
• Sophisticated interactions;
• Advanced LMS support (iSpring and third-party LMSs);
• Adaptive content player;
• Built-in screencast tool;
• Universal compatibility: courses work on any device;
• Huge library of characters, locations, and icons;
• Online space for teamwork on eLearning projects.

Pros

• Focus on conversion quality (HTML5 output is equal to the original PPT);
• All PowerPoint effects remain intact;
• All content can be viewed on mobile devices in native mode;
• Works smoothly with third-party LMSs, no vendor lock-in intended;
• Granular reporting for courses and quizzes (in SCORM, AICC, xAPI, and cmi5);
• Extensive narration capabilities;
•  Easy publishing to video/YouTube.

Cons

• Fewer interactions than those offered by the competition;
• No triggers and variables;
• Limited audio/video editing capabilities.

Price

The iSpring Suite license options include:

iSpring Suite Max – $970 per author/year. Includes the iSpring Suite authoring toolkit, Content Library with 68,000 eLearning assets, iSpring Space for teamwork on courses, and 24/7 technical support.

iSpring Suite – $770 per author/year.

iSpring allows volume discounts, as well as discounts for educators, non-profit organizations, and governmental institutions.

Product line

iSpring Suite is, in fact, a successful combination of multiple eLearning products. For instance, iSpring offers standalone versions of QuizMaker and TalkMaster. The vendor also provides iSpring Learn LMS, which allows you to upload courses, deliver them to learners, and keep track of how well they’re performing.

2. Adobe Captivate

One of the acknowledged market leaders, Adobe Captivate delivers a rich multi-media experience to thousands of e-Learners across the globe.

Captivate is a tool that enables complete custom authoring.

With Captivate, instructional designers can publish to HTML5, easily upload to YouTube, enliven the courses with actors, themes and interactive elements. Eye-catching quizzes, branching scenarios, smart interactions – this course authoring software has it all.

Here’s more Adobe Captivate features so you can check if your requirements are met.

Features

• Seamless import from Microsoft PowerPoint;
• Multistate objects: Custom or built-in states for each object, including images, smart shapes, text, etc.;
• Object styles: Define styles and apply to selected objects for consistent formatting;
• Responsive design: Content viewable across desktop PCs, laptops, tablets and phones;
• HTML5 publishing;
• Retina display support: High-resolution icons, crisp look and feel;
• Rich multimedia: A plethora of assets that users can utilize in their courses;
• Easy quizzing and scoring;
• Works with any SCORM-compliant LMS.

Pros

• Responsive themes;
• Drag-and-drop option;
• Embedded screencasting;
• An option of publishing output as mobile apps;
• Multi-device preview;
• Easy scrolling on mobile devices.

Cons

• A rather complicated interface;
• Lack of a proper video editor;
• No app with offline content playback;
• Video narration for slides only;
• Interactions don’t work on mobile devices.

Price

A full Adobe Captivate license is available for $33.99 a month with a full year commitment required.

Product line

Apparently, Adobe offers quite a product range in the eLearning field. Feel free to check out Captivate Prime for learning management or the standalone Presenter to create interactive videos.

3. Articulate Storyline

Articulate Storyline is a powerful standalone course authoring tool that helps a wide user audience to create engaging interactive courses.

In fact, Articulate boasts the largest eLearning community in the world.

As with all key players, Articulate Storyline delivers cross-format and cross-platform content encompassing Flash, HTML5 and a bunch of other modern technologies.

Storyline includes features like screencasting, slide layers and triggers that enable the user to design any kind of interactions.

The solution provides an elaborate character library, quiz functionality, software simulations and much more for any taste. Ease of use for beginners, a wealth of options to tweak and tune for eLearning nerds.

Features

• Ease of use. PowerPoint-styled interface, a wealth of template options;
• Tracking and Reporting. Storyline materials are Tin Can, SCORM and AICC compliant. Any tracking is an integral part of the process, so you always get accurate data;
• Interactivity. Storyline allows the user to easily create:
  • Screen recordings;
  • Quizzes, polls and assessments;
  • Slide layers;
  • States for a variety of objects;
  • Triggers;
• Characters and templates. Storyline offers an ample character pack and template gallery. To comply with predefined brand guidelines, feel free to create a custom template and share with your counterparts;
• HTML5, Flash, full mobile support. Users can dive into their learning content from whatever device with the same level of usability.

Pros

• Smooth drag-and-drop operation;
• Rich character library;
• Great support for interactions;
• Slide layers;
• Slides can be converted to free-form questions;
• Software simulations.

Cons

• Frequently reported stability issues;
• Low interoperability with PowerPoint;
• No video publishing option;
• Video narrations available on slides only;
• High license costs.

Price

Articulate Storyline 360 is available for purchase starting at $1,299 per 1-year license.

Product line

The Articulate lineup also includes Studio ’13, which is a better option if you need to transform and share your PowerPoint deck as an online course.

4. dominKnow Claro

Claro by dominKnow is another web-based content authoring system for eLearning.

Claro lets users cooperate on development, share materials and resources, and engage learners at scale with an array of interactive options.

Claro keeps all project assets in a single centralized location so authors belonging to the same work group can access and repurpose content any time. The solution is HTML5-compliant to provide native support for online, offline and mobile-based learning.

Features

• Use templates or create custom designs;
• Import ready-made PowerPoint content for reuse;
• Embedded audio, video, and interaction tools;
• Communicate with colleagues in real-time, work on projects simultaneously and see instant changes;
• Reviewer notes for timely feedback;
• Share media resources with the whole team;
• HTML5 compliant, no Flash involved;
• Adaptive layout templates and engaging content for smartphones or tablets;
• Deliver with or without an LMS. SCORM , AICC and PENS compatibility;
• Password protection, reliable backup process in place;
• Protect content with roles and permissions;
• Enhanced user activity tracking and granular statistics.

Pros

• Excellent review and collaboration tools (co-authoring while building a course);
• Responsive mobile output;
• Nice-looking avatars/actors/scenarios;
• Reusable learning objects.

Cons

• No automated software simulations, just a built-in capture tool for single screens;
• Limited support for variables and other power effects;
• No built-in game templates and widgets, only third-party game widgets are supported;
• Limited audio and video editing functionality.

Price

dominKnow Claro offers three use plans:

• Lite: from $997/user/year or $97/user/month;
• Workgroup: from $2,497/user/year;
• Enterprise: ask for the quote.

Product line

The Claro family also includes MobilePlayer so you can easily view the content offline on any mobile device. If you are after specific LMS compatibility, contact the dominKnow team for custom integration.

5. Easy Generator

Easy Generator is yet another great eLearning authoring software for creating stylish courses.

Available in the cloud, based on the goal-oriented didactical approach, Easy Generator boasts enhanced collaborative features, content authoring functionality, WYSIWYG interface, versatile templates and numerous output options (for instance, Tin Can as well as SCORM).

Features

• Learner Assessment. Easy measurement of learner progress and achievements;
• Individual learning approach. Tailored plans to boost personal skills or knowledge;
• Interactive media support (HTML5, Flash, video, etc.);
• Engaging questionnaires: multiple choice, multiple select, drag and drop, fill the blanks, etc.;
• Default template collection. Editable templates are a good starting point for a branded look and feel;
• Develop your own course type. Define course type, functionality and content logic;
• Protected access. Secure infrastructure with trusted servers and robust user authentication;
• Easy backup and restore so your data never gets lost.

Pros

• Clear user-friendly interface;
• Mobile-ready responsive content;
• Easy co-authoring of courses;
• Customizable question responses;
• Easy to share (link sharing, embeddable code for websites, SCORM/Tin Can, HTML, etc.);
• Well-designed tutorials.

Cons

• Interactive elements are rather limited compared to the competition.

Price

Easy Generator offers a free trial and several paid plans, ranging from $99/month (billed at $1,188 yearly) for individuals to $495/month (billed at $5,940 a year) for small teams.

6. Genially

Genially is a powerful authoring tool that can be used to create presentations, dossiers, learning experiences, interactive images, infographics, guides, video presentations, animations, and graphics for branding and social media.

Features

• Lots of free resources including over 300 templates.
• This is a software as a service (SaaS) cloud-based system with no software to download or install.
• Superb customer service with the paid versions.
• Works with any Mac, Pc, or other devices that has a decent Internet connection.
• Tutorials available in both English and Spanish

Pros

• Easy to learn.
• Make presentations in minutes.
• Intuitive interface.
• Free resources.
• Commercial use allowed for free version.

Cons

• Requires hi-speed Internet bandwidth to use comfortably.
• A bit intimidating due to having so many features.
• No special educational discounts for paid versions to be used by teachers.

Price

There are a free version and three levels of paid versions Pro ($89.88 per year), Master ($249.84 per year), and Five Masters (discounted to $949.80 per year).

Product line

The Genially system is an all-in-one authoring tool. There is a basic free version. The Pro version adds the ability to download presentations as a pdf or jpg format and add audio from a device. The Master version allows branding, collaboration with others, removes the Genially watermark and integrates presentations with Google Analytics.

In this short video tutorial from Genially, you can see how the authoring tool is used to create graphs and charts that are animated.

Using Genially is very intriguing because, as an authoring tool, it is very versatile. There is a free version that includes free resources such as templates, charts, and graphs. More features are available with the paid versions. You can start with the free version that allows unlimited projects to decide if you need to pay for the advanced features.

7. Elucidat

Elucidat is an eLearning authoring package featuring pre-made templates, theme collection, collaboration elements and a user-friendly layout. Focus on HTML5 courses.

Elucidat helps instructional designers create engaging learning materials that work quickly and without a glitch on any browser or device. Read on to learn more about Elucidat’s core functionality.

Features

• HTML5 output. Nice look and feel on any device, be it phone, tablet or desktop PC;
• Wide browser support: pretty much everything that shows web pages, down to Internet Explorer 7;
• Highly accessible. Works smoothly with screen readers such as JAWS. Adheres to Section 508 standards;
• User roles. Restrict authors to specific items and invite project members to have their say;
• Image library with over 25,000 items;
• Gamification and branching. Powerful gamification features such as badges, certificates, etc.;
• Granular analytics. Get a big picture of how learners respond to your courses;
• Custom branding. No restrictions implied. Go as far as you deem appropriate to make the course look professional.

Pros

• Easy to use, no training required;
• Consistent branding: set up a theme to help new authors;
• Responsive design automatically caters to mobile devices;
• Effective review/comment system.

Cons

• Relatively new, not so feature-packed as the competing solutions, some minor bells and whistles missing;
• No offline app so you have to ensure an uninterrupted Internet connection.

Price

Elucidat seems to be a popular choice among large companies. Hence the pretty high price level: $2,400/year/user.

8. SHIFT Learning

SHIFT Learning by Aura Interactiva is an award winning eLearning authoring system that claims to provide users with significant cost savings, flexibility and ease-of-use.

Indeed, SHIFT Learning is pretty quick and simple, empowering instructional designers, teachers and students to create highly interactive content with no technical skills required.

Features

• Out-of-the-box interfaces and templates;
• Learning games as part of the package;
• Scenario builder to facilitate authoring;
• Ample character library;
• Embedded recording studio;
• Powerful image editor;
• Full HTML5 and mobile support.

Pros

• Nice look and feel;
• Embedded game engine that helps to make courses more fun;
• Affordable packages for various user groups.

Cons

• Lack of interactions;
• Limited audio/video editing capabilities.

Price

Here is what SHIFT offers in terms of pricing:

• Free 30-day trial;
• Professional Plan for 1 user at $99/mo or $999/year
• Business Plan for 2 users at $199/mo or $1,999/year

9. Trivantis Lectora 16

Trivantis Lectora is one of the most popular solutions used by eLearning developers.

Trivantis reports that the software is used by Global 2000 companies in over 125 countries. Lectora’s Responsive Course Design facilitates development of mobile-ready content. Find some of Lectora’s numerous features below.

Features

• Programming-free authoring and publishing;
• Advanced assessment/survey capabilities with multiple output options for test results;
• Actions Palette to create unlimited interactive eLearning objects;
• Automated tools (spell check, variable manager, automated menu builder and many others);
• AICC-certified and SCORM-compliant;
• Extensible and mobile-friendly;
• Template gallery and media library;
• Responsive Course Design (RCD) – automatic object rescaling to fit all types of devices;
• Enhanced preview in browsers.

Pros

• Handy integrations. E.g., the ability to add animated videos into Lectora Online Media Library;
• Solid HTML, SCORM, and Tin Can publishing;
• Ability to create LMS-compatible assignments.

Cons

• Out-of-the-box templates are rather basic;
• Relatively complex user interface;
• Somewhat on the pricey side.

Price

Starting at $899/year for a Lectora Silver license and 1st-year maintenance & support.

10. Udutu

Udutu is a freemium course authoring tool. The manufacturer creates no barriers as to the number of users in the same project, or the number of courses authored. Easy for beginners and sophisticated for experts. Works smoothly with multimedia and professional effects in any browser or device.

Features

• AICC / SCORM compliant;
• Easy content import and export;
• Storyboarding;
• PowerPoint conversion;
• Self-paced courses;
• Customizable templates.

Pros

• Good quality of PowerPoint conversions (partners with the iSpring engine for best results);
• You can extract and burn content to a DVD;
• Easy publishing across all devices (including a tailored iPad version).

Cons

• Lack of diversity in templates and interactions;
• Pretty basic functionality compared to the market leaders.

Product line

The Udutu product line also involves a learning management system – Udutu Guru LMS. Feel free to play with the system and see if it matches your goals.

A Final Word on Course Authoring Tools

I hope you find this overview useful. It’s by no means an exhaustive list of eLearning authoring tools, and there are lots of other merited solutions on the market.

However, my goal here was to cut through the noise and narrow it down to the very best eLearning authoring tools available today.

Whatever you choose, make sure your solution has a flexible architecture and potential for further growth and development.

If your eLearning authoring software is fresh to the market, yet it gets proper updates and quickly adopts new innovative features, it might be a better option than a seasoned but rather stagnated tool.

See to it that your provider of choice advocates responsive design and extensibility, and also bridges old and latest technology.

Finally, you need to enjoy the eLearning authoring tools you are using. If your authoring experience falls into the abyss of boredom or technical struggles, it’s probably high time for a change.

Have any questions about choosing a course authoring tool? Leave a comment below!

The post 10 Best eLearning Authoring Tools & Software for Delivering Courses (2023 Reviews) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

It can be daunting to try and figure out how to market your online course. You might feel like you don’t know where to start, or like you don’t have the time or resources to do it effectively. The good news is you don’t have to be a marketing guru to promote your online course.

By following the proven blueprint below, you can get more interest in your course and drive enrollment through the roof.

Before You’ve Created Your Course

While the bulk of the tips in this guide will be about marketing your online course once it’s live, there are a few things you can do before even creating your course to set yourself up for success.

1. Survey your audience to see what they’re interested in

When you’re creating an online course, one of the most important things you can do is survey your audience to see what they’re interested in.

This will help you create a course that people are actually interested in, and it will help you gauge the level of interest your course has. It will also help you find the ideal length of your online course.

Not only that, but you also start building anticipation for the course you’re going to launch, getting your audience primed for buying your course once it’s live.

If you’re not sure how to survey your audience, there are a few different quiz and survey creators you can use to get online course ideas:

• Surveymonkey
• Google Forms
• Qualaroo

Once you’ve created your survey, it’s important to make sure you send it to the right people. You can send it to your email list, or you can post it on social media.

2. Give advance students special access to early bird pricing

It’s important to give your audience access to early bird pricing for your online course. This will incentivize them to buy the course early, and it will help you sell more courses.

Additionally, early bird pricing can help you generate buzz for your course. When people see that they can get a discount for buying your course early, they’ll be more likely to buy it.

You can offer early bird pricing in a few different ways:

• You can offer a discount for people who buy the course early
• You can offer bonus content or materials to people who buy the course early
• You can give people access to a restricted forum or community only for people who buy the course early

By offering early bird pricing, you lock in sales before your course even goes live, helping you build important marketing momentum.

3. Offer additional bonuses for signing up early or referrals

When you offer bonus course materials to early sign-ups, you’re giving people an incentive to buy your course early. This can help you generate buzz for your course and increase sales.

Additionally, when people get bonuses for referring their friends, they’re more likely to refer their friends. This can help you spread the word about your course and increase enrollment.

There are a few different ways you can offer bonuses for referrals:

• You can give people a discount for referring their friends
• You can give people access to exclusive content or materials for referring their friends
• You can give people credit towards future courses for referring their friends

By offering bonuses for referrals, you’re not only increasing sales, but you’re also creating a viral effect that can get people talking about your course.

4. Do keyword research before naming your course

Naming your online course is one of the most important things you can do to market it. Choosing the right name can help you generate more interest in your course and increase enrollment.

One of the best ways to choose a name for your course is to do keyword research. This will help you find keywords that people are searching for related to your topic.

When you use keywords in your course title, you make it easier for potential students to find your course. This can help you generate more leads and increase enrollment.

There are plenty of great free and paid SEO keyword research tools out there, like Ahrefs, SEMRush, and UberSuggest, to name a few.

After Your Course is Published

Once you’ve launched your course, the real work begins. Marketing an online course is a long journey that never really ends, but when you follow the tips below, you’ll give yourself a great chance at success.

For all of the steps below, it’s important to make sure you have a good hosting plan on your site as you want to make sure you’re equipped to handle traffic and sales.

Cloudways offers reliable managed WordPress hosting as well as LMS hosting, which includes unrivaled performance, ample scalability, robust security, and maximum uptime.

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5. Create a blog post on your website

When you create a blog post to promote your online course, you’re giving potential students a glimpse into what they can expect from your course. This can help you generate leads and increase enrollment.

There are a few things you should include in your blog post:

• The topic of your course
• The benefits of taking your course
• The structure of your course
• How the course is delivered (e.g. online, offline, etc.)
• Who the course is for
• A brief overview of the content included in the course
• How to sign up for the course

When you include all of this information in your blog post, you give potential students a comprehensive overview of your course. This can help them decide if your course is something they’re interested in taking.

6. Share it on social media

When you promote your online course on social media, you’re giving potential students a way to learn more about the course. This can help you generate leads and increase enrollment.

There are a few things you should do when promoting your course on social media:

• Share a video of yourself talking about the course
• Share screenshots of the course content
• Share quotes from people who have taken the course
• Share testimonials from people who have taken the course
• Share photos of people taking the course

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are all great places to promote your course, and you don’t have to spend a dime to do so (although you can do paid advertising campaigns…more on that later).

7. Use relevant hashtags when sharing posts so they are easier to find by potential customers

When you use hashtags to promote your online course on social media, you make it easier for potential students to find your course. This can help you generate more leads and increase enrollment.

There are a few things you should keep in mind when using hashtags to promote your course:

• Use relevant hashtags so potential students can easily find your course.
• Use a variety of hashtags so your posts are more likely to be seen by potential students.
• Use the hashtag symbol (#) before each hashtag
• Keep your hashtags short and easy to remember

Here are a few examples of hashtags you can use to promote your online course: #onlinecourses #education #training. You’ll also want to use hashtags specific to your industry and niche.

8. Reach out to influencers who have similar content or audience for cross-promotion opportunities

Working with influencers who have similar content or audience to cross-promote your course gives you a chance to reach a new audience.

Make a list of the various influencers in your niche, follow them, and reach out to them to tell them about your course.

Remember, you have to think about what’s in it for them too. They’re not going to promote your course out of the goodness of their heart.

They have an audience, and you have to give them a good reason why they should promote your course. That might mean paying them for placement or offering a swap where you promote something of theirs in turn.

You might also want to consider offering commission-based sales for any sales they generate from their promotion of the course.

If this is something that interests you, then consider working with an affiliate manager or platform (more on this later).

9. Post links back to your course from every piece of content you create, including social media posts, guest articles, interviews, etc.

When you create content, whether it’s a social media post, a guest article, or an interview, you should always include a link back to your online course’s sales page.

This gives potential students a way to learn more about the course and hopefully enroll.

There are a few reasons why you should always include a link to your course in your content:

• It helps potential students learn more about the course.
• It increases traffic to your course website.
• It helps potential students find your course on social media.
• It can improve the search engine rankings of your course page.

10. Start your own podcast

If you’re looking for another way to promote your online course, then you might want to consider starting your own podcast.

There are a few reasons why starting a podcast can be a great way to promote your online course:

• Podcasts are a great way to reach a new audience.
• Podcasts are a great way to promote your course content.
• Podcasts are a great way to establish yourself as an expert on a subject.
• Podcasts are a great way to sell your course.

11. Go on other podcasts to promote your course

If you want to reach a new audience and promote your online course, then you need to go on other podcasts.

Podcasts are a great way to reach a new audience because the host ideally already has listeners who will be interested in your course.

When you go on other podcasts to promote your course, you have the opportunity to share your course with a new group of people.

You can also use this opportunity to establish yourself as an expert on the subject of your online course.

12. Make a video to promote your course on YouTube

If you want to promote your online course in a more visual way, you might want to consider making a video to promote it on YouTube.

When creating a video to promote your online course, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind:

• Make sure the video is high quality.
• Make sure the video is interesting and engaging.
• Make sure the video contains links back to your course.
• It’s also a good idea to include social share buttons for people who want to share or repost your video on their own page.

13. Post your course to Reddit where your desired audience hangs out

Reddit can be a great place to promote your online course, but you have to be careful how you do it.

Before you go in there promoting your own course, you need to spend time in relevant communities participating in conversations and gaining the trust of other users.

Always give more than you take.

When promoting your course on Reddit, make sure you:

• Post in the right subreddit.
• Include a link to your course’s website.
• Follow the subreddit’s rules.

When posting in a subreddit, be sure to find the right one that aligns with the topic of your online course.

For example, if you’re promoting an online course on cooking, then you might want to post in the /r/cooking subreddit.

14. Get active in relevant forums

Reddit isn’t the only online forum where you can promote your course. In fact, there are a ton of forums where you could promote your course, including Facebook Groups.

When participating in discussions on other forums and communities, make sure you’re always adding value to the conversation.

Don’t spam or try to sell your course directly right off the bat.

Remember that it’s better to give more than take in terms of how much value you bring to the community.

15. Do a guest article with another influencer who has an audience similar to yours

Guest posting can be a great way to promote your online course because it allows you to reach a new audience.

When you guest post on another blog, you have the opportunity to share your course with a new group of people.

You can also use this opportunity to establish yourself as an expert on the subject of your online course.

To find blogs that are a good fit for guest posting, do a Google search for “blogger outreach” or “write for us”. This will give you a list of websites that accept guest posts.

Then, reach out to the bloggers on this list and propose a guest post.

In your pitch, be sure to include:

• The topic of your proposed post.
• Why their audience will benefit from your post.
• The benefits of publishing your post on their website.
• Links to other guest posts you’ve done and how those posts have benefited you and your audience.

16. Get student testimonials on your landing page and marketing materials

One of the best ways to market your online course is to get testimonials from satisfied students.

When potential students see that other people have had a positive experience with your course, they’re more likely to sign up.

The best way to get feedback from your students is to make it easy for them to provide it.

You can do this by including a survey or by asking them to provide feedback upon finishing the course.

You should also look for ways to include student testimonials on all of your promotional materials, such as:

• Your course sales page.
• Your email marketing
• Other places where your students might visit, such as forums and social media
• Your social media channels

17. Create an affiliate program for others to promote your course for you

Affiliate programs can be a great way to increase sales for your online course.

When you create an affiliate program, you give other people the opportunity to promote your course for you. In exchange, you offer them a commission on any sales they generate.

Platforms like Kajabi and Kartra let you create and manage affiliate programs for your courses.

There are a few things to keep in mind when creating an affiliate program:

• The commission percentage you offer.
• How the affiliate program will be managed (i.e. how affiliates will be tracked and paid).
• How soon after a sale does your affiliate receive their commissions?
• What happens if the customer returns their purchase?

18. Offer a discount on your course to a list of email subscribers

When you offer a discount to your email subscribers, you’re giving them an incentive to sign up for your course.

This is because they know that they’ll save money on the price of your online course. And they’ll like the feeling of getting an exclusive offer that’s not available anywhere else.

When you create a discount, make sure it’s something that’s attractive to your target audience…something that makes them feel like they’re getting a better deal for being an email subscriber than anyone else gets.

19. Link your course in your email signature

Including a link to your course sales page in your email signature gives everyone you send an email to a way to learn more about your course.

This is a great way to increase the number of people who visit your sales page.

In order to make it easy for people to find your course sales page, you should include a shortened URL that goes directly to the page.

20. Host a free live webinar

Live webinars can be a great avenue for educating your audience, establishing yourself as an expert, and engaging with your audience to promote your online course.

Make sure your webinar adds value to your audience, teaching them something useful.

During the webinar, you can also discuss the benefits of your course and answer any questions that potential students might have.

You can also use the webinar to drive traffic to your course sales page.

To get the most out of your live webinar, make sure you:

• Promote it ahead of time.
• Send out a reminder email before the webinar starts.
• Record the webinar so people who can’t attend can still watch it.

21. Create a free mini-course

A free mini-course can be a great way to give your audience a taste of the knowledge you have to offer.

Once they’ve finished your mini-course, they’ll be looking for what else you have to offer because they already know how valuable your knowledge is.

When creating your free mini-course, make sure you:

• Choose a topic that builds on the foundation of knowledge you offer with your online course.
• Ensure it provides value to your target audience.
• Offer an upsell for those who want more information or products they can purchase.

22. Speak at events and groups where your audience will be

By speaking at local events, conferences, and meetup groups, you have the opportunity to reach people who might be interested in your online course.

These events are a great way to connect with potential students and get them interested in what you have to offer.

When you’re preparing to speak at an event, make sure you:

• Do your research and know your audience.
• Choose a topic that’s relevant to the audience you’re speaking to.
• Prepare a presentation that’s engaging and informative.
• Practice your presentation so you feel confident when you deliver it.

23. Offer a money-back guarantee

You want students to feel comfortable spending their money when signing up for your course.

By offering a money-back guarantee, they’ll be more motivated to make the purchase as they know there’s a safety net if things don’t work out how they expect.

Offering a money-back guarantee can increase your sales by showing you stand behind your course.

There are lots of junk courses out there, so a money-back guarantee creates the perception that yours is truly something worth trying.

24. Create a payment plan

One of the most important things to consider is how you’re going to get paid.

One option that’s often overlooked is offering a payment plan to your students.

Since many people are uncomfortable with the idea of spending a lot of money upfront, offering a payment plan can be an incentive for them to buy your course.

It also helps you reach students who simply might not have the funds to afford your course with a single big purchase.

25. Do paid ads on social media and search engines

A paid advertising campaign on Facebook, Instagram, Google, or other social and search engine platforms can help you get your online course in front of more people.

Advertising works by presenting your paid ad to specific groups of people who meet the criteria you’re targeting.

This can be an excellent way for making sure that the right people see your course and how valuable it is to them.

When putting together your advertising campaign, make sure you know who your target audience is, what makes your course unique, and how you’re going to promote it.

26. Run a contest for free course tuition

When you’re looking for ways to get more leads for your online course, hosting a contest or giveaway can be a great way to do it.

Contests and giveaways are a great way to get people’s attention and get them interested in what you have to offer.

You can offer free course tuition as the prize for the contest, which will entice more people to enter.

To host a contest that will help you get more leads for your online course, make sure you:

• Promote the contest on social media and other channels where your audience is active.
• Require entrants to provide their contact information so you can market your course to those who don’t win.
• Follow all rules and laws for hosting an online contest.

27. Translate your course to another language to reach a new audience

Translating your online course to another language can be a great way to reach new students who otherwise wouldn’t take your course.

The possibilities are practically limitless here.

Translating your course also helps show that you’re an authority in your field and that you’re global-minded.

If you’re not comfortable translating your own course, there are plenty of translation services available that can help you out.

Final Thoughts

With these ideas for marketing your online courses, you can reach more students and increase sales and enrollment in your class.

Remember to have fun with it and enjoy the process!

Have any questions about how to market online courses? Make sure to leave a comment below so we can help!

The post 27 Tips on How to Market Online Courses & Drive More Sales in 2023 appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

When you’re running or managing a small to medium-sized business, it can be hard to keep track of all the moving parts.

Managing courses, trainings, and onboarding programs often seems like an overwhelming addition to all the other tasks required to keep your business in motion.  Without devoting attention to these aspects, though, things can get disorganized fast.

That’s where learning management software like Zoho Learn comes in.

Zoho Learn promises to make it easy for your organization to “capture and retain your team’s knowledge, build training programs, and measure the results of your training.”

In our Zoho Learn review, we’ll take it a look at how it stacks up and tell you if it’s worth the time and money.

What is Zoho Learn?

Zoho Learn is an in-depth platform designed to help you build your team’s Learning Management System.

With Zoho Learn, you can add to your company’s knowledge base, design trainings, and monitor the success of your courses, all in one centralized and user-friendly location.

Business owners can use Zoho Learn software to organize important information and break it into user-friendly guides and manuals.  Businesses can also publish informative articles and upload helpful videos, images, and graphics to educate users.  Modules and E-learning courses can be assigned to different workspaces within the company as needed to keep everyone on track and up-to-date on best practices.

Zoho Learn also provides opportunities for monitoring growth.  Courses can be structured to include assessments and assignments that deliver feedback on how well learners are comprehending the content.

Reporting tools are built into Zoho Learn’s software, making it possible to analyze how students are doing and how effective courses are in achieving the desired results.

Essentially, Zoho Learn is a one-stop shop for building and tracking your company’s knowledge base.  Read on to learn more about Zoho Learn’s solutions for knowledge management and training.

What Can Zoho Learn Do?

Zoho Learn is designed to be a centralized hub for all of your team’s collective knowledge.  It offers easy-to-use software to help you group information into easily accessible manuals, modules, and courses.

Zoho Learn’s main function is to optimize your company’s online training, knowledge-building, and management system.

Zoho Learn offers powerful technology to help you design elegant and effective courses.  Content can be broken into different lessons and chapters to help learners master each topic.  It’s easy to add video, audio, text, and image files to enhance each lesson’s learning experience, and the drag-and-drop course builder can help you expand each section until it reaches your goal.

When you know certain lessons and instructions are not to be missed, Zoho offers course compliance boundaries.  You can mandate lesson order to make sure learners aren’t skipping ahead in your modules.  This ensures that everyone grasps each concept before jumping into the next one.

Zoho Learn also allows creators to set a minimum passing score and a limited number of retakes for course-end quizzes.

These quizzes are an important part of monitoring your course’s functionality.  At the end of your lesson or chapter, Zoho Learn provides you with the opportunity to create any number of highly customizable assessments.

Choose from a wide range of question types, including multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, and drag-and-drop options, to give users a variety of ways to show what they know.

Zoho can evaluate, grade, and provide important data based on these quiz and assignment submissions.  Detailed data reports are included to help you analyze which parts of your course are working, and which areas might need some adjustment.

Why Zoho Learn Works

Let’s explore some of the features Zoho includes to help you build courses, increase your learners’ engagement, and maintain a robust community of knowledge sharing.

Workspaces

Zoho lets users create shared workspaces to build knowledge.  When users join a workspace, they’re given access to everything they need to succeed, whether it’s an E-Learning course, a how-to guide, or an informative article.  Users can belong to multiple workspaces depending on their role in the company, which helps everyone stay organized.

A specific shared workspace helps everyone understand what’s expected of them as they navigate through required courses.  Assigning relevant articles, discussion boards, and trainings to each space can also help foster strong communication between workspace members as they complete their trainings as a cohort.

Templates

The pre-made templates offered by Zoho take a huge amount of strain off course designers.  Simply save commonly used pieces of content or article types as templates and reuse them as needed.  This is an ideal feature for companies that offer a variety of training topics, as these are often similarly structured.

With Zoho’s template options, you can eliminate the need to reinvent the wheel.  Instead, designers can use that valuable time to focus on more important business aspects.

Collaborative Editing

Collaborative editing is another perk offered by Zoho.  When creating an article, authors can add co-contributors to edit and add information in real time. This makes working together a snap, even remotely, and eliminates the need for pesky exterior drafting tools.

By making it possible for a team to work together on a course, Zoho allows business owners to share the responsibility and promote in-house collaboration.

Version Tracking

Zoho allows course designers to work in multiple versions of articles and modules.  This is a great way to compare efficacy and decide on the perfect final product.  It also guarantees against losing valuable edits and changes as you work through your revision process.

Since all versions of the course are saved throughout the process, users can tweak and play with each prototype until they’ve reached a gold-standard course for publication.

Articles & Chapters

Keeping information organized is half the battle when it comes to creating clear, concise guidelines for your company’s learners.  Zoho Learn allows authors to divide topics into articles, then organize those articles into unified chapters and lessons.

This is a simple way to keep everything consolidated and easy to manage.  By structuring manuals into designated chapters and articles, users can effortlessly follow along and track down the specific data that they need.

Comments

When guides and manuals are published with Zoho, users have the option to comment and ping back to other articles within the site.  Zoho allows you to start discussions, make replies, and include @mentions to create engaging discourses.

Allowing for comments promotes a healthy community.  By giving users the chance to comment, you can ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and any confusion is cleared up quickly.  The ability to share with other users and link to other articles can also create a more interconnected knowledge base.

Zoho Learn Pricing & Plans

For such a comprehensive learning management system, Zoho Learn is reasonably priced with free and very cheap plan options.  They offer several purchase points depending on your company’s needs.

Free Trial

For those who want to test the waters, Zoho Learn offers a 7-day free trial in which users can download the software and give it a practice run.  For 7 days, trial users can experience all of the options the site has to offer, from course and quiz development to real-time creating and sharing.

Zoho For Free

If users like what they see, Zoho offers a free version that can be downloaded online. Zoho Free allows companies 5 users, 3 workspaces, 5 manuals, and 5 courses, as well as 1 GB of storage.

Included in the free version are all the course authoring and quiz designing tools, as well as one question bank with 20 questions.  Zoho Free also offers the activity timeline and universal search functions built into the software for easier navigation.

Zoho Express

Leveling up from Zoho Free means exploring the company’s Express option.  Charging just $1 per user per month, Express is a slightly expanded offering that allows up to 10 workspaces, 50 manuals, 25 courses, and a 30-day version history capability.

Express also unlocks more refined quiz elements, such as minimum passing scores and limited retakes.  Basic course reports, a PDF-export option, and password-protected manual sharing are included as well.

Zoho Professional

The highest bracket of Zoho Learn is the Professional level, which comes out to $3 per user per month.  Zoho Professional allows unlimited manuals, spaces, courses, and question banks, as well as an unlimited version history.  Storage space also jumps from 1GB to 5GB per user.

Zoho Professional supplies users with more detailed quiz and course descriptions, as well as more in-depth course reports.  Companies with Zoho Professional can save articles as drafts, build an unlimited number of templates, add instructors and discussions to courses, and even own a custom domain.

 Is Zoho Learn Worth It?

With so many pricing options, it can be tricky to determine whether the paid version is worth shelling out the money.

In the case of Zoho Learn, the free version does offer helpful resources, including the ability to create manuals and basic courses to educate learners on what you need them to know.  The Free version, along with the Express option, are both useful tools for smaller-sized companies without a large user base.

Investing in the Professional option, however, can open your company up to another level of knowledge and training management.  By removing limitations on courses, quizzes, question banks, version history, and other customizations, Zoho Professional unlocks the full potential of your company’s knowledge repository.

After all, by creating a streamlined and central location for all of your company’s knowledge, resources, and trainings, you can boost your productivity and keep everyone in the loop. This makes it easier to focus on what really matters: fulfilling your company’s vision.

Click here to try Zoho Learn free for 7 days.

Have any questions about our Zoho Learn review? Let us know by commenting below.

The post Zoho Learn Review: A Worthwhile Learning Management Platform? appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

Creating a great online course is only half the battle.

You need to choose the right LMS system as well to power your course. WordPress is a solid choice for your website as it offers several popular LMS plugins, like LearnDash and TutorLMS, that you can use to create your course.

But you also want to make sure your LMS site runs smoothly, allowing users to access your course and other materials.

That’s why you need an LMS hosting service that can give your website the support it needs.

While there are lots of LMS hosting companies out there, not all of them are created equal.

So how do you pick the right one?

5 Things to Consider When Choosing LMS Hosting

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To start, consider these 5 key factors when choosing an LMS hosting service for your online courses:

1. Security

When it comes to choosing an LMS hosting company, security is one of the most important factors to consider. After all, you’ll be entrusting sensitive data to the company, and you need to be sure that it will be kept safe.

Data security is a must-have when it comes to hosting your online courses so do not skimp here.

There are a few key things to look for when evaluating the security of an LMS hosting company.

First, make sure that the company offers encrypted data storage and transfers. This will help to protect your data in transit.

You also want to choose an LMS host that has dedicated firewalls to keep out malicious attacks.

Login security is another factor to consider. Look for a host that has two-factor authentication as an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access.

Our top pick for LMS hosting is Cloudways because they offer a host of advanced security features, including dedicated firewalls, IP whitelisting, two-factor authentication, SSL encryption, and more.

2. Reliability

You want an LMS hosting service that has high uptime and can handle large volumes of data without any hiccups. After all, the last thing you want is for your site to experience downtime when students are in the middle of taking a course.

Look for an LMS host that offers 99.9% uptime so that your website is always up and running without any interruptions.

Speed is another factor to consider when it comes to the reliability of an LMS hosting service.

You want a host that can quickly load pages, so students can access your course materials without any delays.

Cloudways is our top pick for reliability because they offer maximum uptime and fast loading speeds to boost the performance of your virtual classrooms.

3. Customer Support

When choosing an LMS hosting company, 24/7 customer support should be one of your top priorities.

After all, your learning management system (LMS) is a critical part of your business, and you need to know that someone will be there to help you if something goes wrong.

Technical issues can arise at any time, so you want to make sure your LMS hosting service offers customer support when you need it.

Unfortunately, not all LMS hosting companies offer around-the-clock support. Some only offer limited support during business hours, while others don’t offer any support at all outside of normal working hours.

This can leave you in the lurch if you have a problem with your LMS outside of office hours.

That’s why it’s important to choose a hosting company that offers 24/7 customer support. With someone always on hand to help you, you can rest assured that any problems with your LMS will be quickly resolved.

Our LMS hosting provider of choice, Cloudways, offers 24/7/365 support via live chat and email to make sure you’re never left hanging.

4. Scalability

As your business grows, so should your LMS hosting service. The last thing you want is to have to go through the hassle of switching hosting providers because your current one can no longer meet your needs.

That’s why scalability is an important factor to consider when choosing a hosting service for your online courses.

Look for an LMS host that offers the ability to upgrade or downgrade your plan as needed so you can adjust as your business grows (or shrinks).

Cloudways offers an optimized LMS hosting stack that is built for performance, reliability, scalability, and optimum security.

5. Pricing

Of course, budget is always a factor when selecting an LMS hosting service.

Schools and businesses often have limited budgets, and it’s important to get the best possible value for your money.

Look for one that offers competitive pricing and flexible payment plans to ensure it fits within your budget.

Fortunately, there are some simple tips you can follow to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

Be sure to compare prices from multiple providers while taking into account the features and functionality you need and make sure the provider you choose offers them at a reasonable price.

Most importantly, make sure you don’t get locked into a long-term contract, as this can be difficult to get out of.

Cloudways is our top pick for LMS hosting services because they offer competitive pricing and different packages to fit any budget.

Plus, there are no contracts or hidden fees, so you can switch plans any time you need to. This allows you to scale your hosting solution as your business grows.

A Final Word on Choosing an LMS Hosting Service

The right host for your online courses can make all the difference in providing the best possible user experience for your students.

Make sure you take all of the key factors into account when selecting an LMS hosting service, including reliability, customer support, scalability, and pricing.

By doing so, you can rest assured that you’re getting the best value for your money and that your online courses are running smoothly.

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, reliable hosting service for your LMS, we recommend Cloudways. With affordable packages and a robust platform, they have all the features you need to host your online courses with ease.

Click here to learn more about Cloudways.

Have any questions about how to choose an LMS hosting service? Leave a comment below so we can help.

The post How to Choose an LMS Hosting Service for Your Online Courses appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

In this article, I’ll show you how to record lectures in 5 simple steps.

How to Record Lectures: 5 Easy Steps

1. Get the right equipment

Before you can start recording your lecture videos, you need to make sure you have the right equipment.

In most cases, you will just need a microphone, a computer with a webcam, and screen recording software.

With this setup, you can easily record yourself talking over slides, or a whiteboard, or even just your computer desktop.

For screen recording software, I recommend Wondershare DemoCreator due to its ease of use and wide array of features. DemoCreator is perfect for recording lecture videos as it allows you to easily record your desktop and webcam, as well as add annotations.

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2. Test your equipment before recording

Take it from someone who’s learned the hard way — before you start recording, it’s always a good idea to test your equipment.

This will help you identify any problems and ensure that the quality of the recording is as high as possible.

The last thing you want is to spend an hour recording a lecture only to later find out that the audio is too quiet or the video is blurry.

Things as seemingly small as a dirtied lens, a popping microphone, or an accidental shadow on your screen can ruin the quality of what ends up on camera.

If possible, set up your equipment and give it a brief run-through the day before filming to make sure everything is working correctly and sounding good.

By taking the time to do an effective pre-recording check of all your media supplies and making sure you have all the necessary accessories in place, you can be confident that tech glitches won’t harm the output of your lecture.

3. Start recording

Now that you’ve tested everything and made sure it’s all good to go, it’s time to start recording.

To begin, make sure you have a clear idea of the structure of your lecture and what points you want to cover.

This will help ensure that your video is organized and easy for your students to follow.

Once you’re ready, open up the screen recorder software (we recommend Wondershare DemoCreator) and hit ‘Record’.

Remember, you don’t have to knock out your entire lecture in a single take. You can break up the recording into chunks if it makes things easier.

As you’re recording, make sure you’re staying in frame and speaking clearly and loud enough for people to hear you.

When you’re done, hit ‘Stop’ and save your recording.

4. Edit and review your video

Once you’ve finished recording, it’s time to edit your video.

Video editing can be a little intimidating at first, but you’re not trying to produce an Oscar-winning film here.

The main thing to focus on is making sure the video is easy for people to follow and understand.

You can edit out mistakes, add annotations or titles, trim excess footage, and generally make it look as professional as possible.

DemoCreator’s built-in editing tools make it easy for anyone to trim, add annotations, or adjust the audio levels of your lecture video.

Once you think you have a solid edit in place, watch it through once more to make sure everything looks and sounds good.

5. Publish your video

Once you’re happy with the result, it’s time to publish your lecture video online.

You can upload it to a video hosting platform like YouTube or Vimeo if you are using video. You can upload the file to a service like SoundCloud if you are just using audio.

You can also embed the video or audio file on your website or blog. To do this, copy and paste the code provided by the video hosting.

Or you might use an LMS (Learning Management System) to share the video with your students.

Reasons to Record Lectures Online

There are a lot of benefits to recording lectures, especially for course creators and teachers. Some of them are given below:

Build a repository of course videos

When you start recording your lectures, you will automatically have a library of videos for your students to access at any time. This can be useful for students who need to review certain topics or for those who want to catch up on lectures they missed.

If you make your videos available online, you can also reach a much larger audience than just those enrolled in your course. This could be useful for promoting your course or building up your reputation as an expert in your field.

Improve the quality of your lectures

Recording your lectures can help you to improve the quality of your teaching. When you watch yourself back, you may be able to identify areas where you need to improve or add more detail.

You can also use recording lectures as a way of assessing your students. By watching the videos back, you can see how well they engage with the material and whether they understand the concepts being taught.

Enable flipped classrooms

Recording lectures can be a great way to enable flipped classrooms. This is where students watch lectures at home and then use class time in school to work on assignments or participate in discussions.

This can be beneficial for students as it allows them to learn at their own pace and review topics as many times as possible. It also frees up class time for more interactive activities.

Make your course more accessible.

If you have students with disabilities, recording your lectures can make your course more accessible. They can watch the videos at a time and place that suits them, and they can pause, rewind and fast-forward as needed.

Save time

Recording lectures can save you time in the long run. Once you have created a set of videos, you can use them for multiple courses or even make them available for other teachers to use.

You can also avoid having to repeat yourself by answering questions that have been asked multiple times. Instead, you can direct students to the relevant video lecture.

Help absent students

If students are absent from class, recording lectures can help them catch up on what they missed. This is especially useful for students who miss class for medical reasons or other commitments.

Even if students are present in class, they may not always be able to pay attention to everything that is being said. Recording lectures can help them go back and listen to the parts they missed.

Enhance the learning process

Recording lectures can also enhance the learning process for students. When they watch the videos back, they can take their time to pause and rewind as needed. They can also take notes and refer back to them later.

Final Thoughts on How to Record Lectures

In today’s eLearning landscape, recording lectures is an essential skill.

The good news is it’s easier than ever to set up a simple home studio, record high-quality videos, and share them with your students.

With the right tools and a bit of practice, you too can create engaging lecture recordings that will help make learning more accessible for everyone.

If you need to record lectures, demos, or any other type of presentation, I highly recommend Wondershare DemoCreator for all of your recording needs.

It’s an easy-to-use, high-quality screen recording and video editing tool that helps you create professional and engaging content quickly.

Click here to try it free today.

Have any questions about how to record lectures online? Let us know by leaving a comment below so we can help you out.

The post How to Record Lectures Online: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

GrooveFunnels is a robust platform that has the potential to transform an entire business. It is available for free with restricted access to all of the platform’s spectacular features. GrooveFunnels is an all-in-one marketing tool with countless business-changing features.

GrooveFunnels is a platform that has completely changed how to grow a business.

The free version of the platform offers users access to game-changing features without going to several different platforms to maintain their business. There’s everything from a landing page builder to email marketing to webinar software to shopping carts to blogging and so much more.

GrooveFunnels plans cover everything a business needs. With one membership, the user can increase customer engagement and sales.

With one membership GrooveFunnels gives the user access to the following apps: 

• GrooveFunnels
• GroovePages
• GrooveMail
• GrooveSell
• GrooveAffiliate
• GrooveMember
• GrooveVideo
• GrooveKart
• GrooveBlog
• Groove Webinar Automated
• Groove Webinar
• GrooveStream
• GrooveDesk
• GrooveSurveys
• GrooveProof
• GrooveSDK
• GrooveAutomation
• Groove Affiliate Marketing

GrooveFunnels has many parts to increase the business conversion rate and generate a more significant income. The platform was designed to be exceptionally simple to use. Regardless of your computer or business skills, this powerful platform has streamlined everything. The possibilities for your business become unlimited when you’re using GrooveFunnels.

Where else can you manage all of your needs for your business?

GrooveFunnels takes care of everything for you. It makes it easy to sell and promote your products.

Key Features of GrooveFunnels

• No monthly fees
• Access to all of GrooveFunnels apps
• Tools to create promotions and upsells
• Access to a powerful affiliate program
• In-depth email marketing tools
• User-friendly
• Offer free and paid products
• Drip content option
• Tools to create beautiful web pages
• Make social sharing easy for customers
• Create beautiful quizzes and surveys

GrooveFunnels is fantastic. The platform is very detailed and offers a lot in its membership.

Who is GrooveFunnels for?

• Course creators
• Online marketers
• Content creators
• Businesses that sell products online
• Entrepreneurs interested in membership websites
• Businesses

So what makes GrooveFunnels so great? Besides its extensive range of tools and options, many details make GrooveFunnels a great program. Check out the table below for a quick glance at the difference between the two plans offered by GrooveFunnels, and continue reading to get all the details.

This article will share all the details and benefits offered by GrooveFunnels. By the end of it, you’ll definitely be able to decipher the platform, and you might even be ready to get started with it yourself!

Let’s get started with our GrooveFunnels pricing overview.

How much does GrooveFunnels cost?

The platform offers three different plans that range in cost from free to $239 a month billed annually. While GrooveFunnels used to offer a lifetime membership, they recently discontinued it in favor of ongoing subscription plans.

You can compare the different plans below:

GrooveFunnels FREE Plan

GrooveFunnels FREE plan is actually free, yes! And the platform states that it will remain free forever.

The free plan gives users access to all fantastic features with restrictions in place. GrooveFunnels does not require a credit card for the free plan and allows the user to sell unlimited digital products.

Users can upsell, promote and create discounts on their products to entice customers.

In addition, GrooveFunnels offers free hosting and a fantastic platform that is built to be SEO optimized.

Here are the full features included in the free plan:

• Up to 500 contacts
• 2,500 email sends per month
• One custom domain
• 25 pages hosting
• Unlimited e-commerce stores
• Unlimited products
• Payment gateways: Stripe, PayPal, and GroovePay
• 3% fees
• Hosting for 5 videos
• Free for life

Anything that can help grow a business that’s this great and is free to start using, well, can it get any better? GrooveFunnels has made its tools accessible.

The free plan is great for anyone starting out or just trying to get a feel for the system.

Click here to learn more about this plan.

GrooveFunnels Starter Plan – $79/mo billed annually or $99/mo billed monthly

The GrooveFunnels Starter plan brings a lot of value to the user and business. It’s a great step up from the free package for growing businesses.

GrooveFunnels helps businesses create landing pages and websites that are beautiful, engaging, and convert.

With this platform, users can grow their sales and customer satisfaction exponentially. GrooveFunnels replaces the need for many other memberships and creates a centralized location to manage everything efficiently.

GrooveFunnels has tools to create easy one-click upsells, membership websites, email marketing campaigns that work, and so much more. It is a simple platform that streamlines running a business.

Here are the full features of the Starter package:

• Up to 5,000 contacts
• 50,000 email sends per month
• 5 custom domains
• 250 pages hosting
• Unlimited subdomains
• Unlimited e-commerce stores
• Unlimited products
• Unlimited gateways
• No platform fees
• 5 team accounts
• 50 videos for hosting

Click here to learn more.

GrooveFunnels Pro Plan – $239/mo billed annually or $299/mo billed monthly

The GrooveFunnels Pro plan is their biggest offering that unlocks all of their features for large organizations.

With this plan, you’ll get:

• Up to 30,000 contacts
• Unlimited email sends
• Unlimited custom domains
• Unlimited pages hosting
• Unlimited subdomains
• Unlimited e-commerce stores
• Unlimited products
• Unlimited gateways
• No platform fees
• Unlimited team accounts
• Unlimited videos for hosting
• Unlimited automated webinars

Click here to learn more.

GrooveFunnels Cost Q&A

Is the GrooveFunnels free option actually free?

You bet it is! The free option is free and will remain free forever. It doesn’t even require a credit card to get started.

Does GrooveFunnels have a refund policy?

Yes, they do. Contact the platform within 30 days of purchasing your plan to get a full refund. This policy is said to be very strict, and after 30 days, they will not refund any money.

What does a GrooveFunnels membership include?

A membership to GrooveFunnels includes access and use to all 17 of the company’s apps. These help to streamline work and increase efficiency.

Included with the membership:

• GrooveFunnels
• GroovePages
• GrooveMail
• GrooveSell
• GrooveAffiliate
• GrooveMember
• GrooveVideo
• GrooveKart
• GrooveBlog
• GrooveWebinarAutomate
• GrooveWebinar
• GrooveStream
• GrooveDesk
• GrooveSurveys
• GrooveProof
• D.K.
• GrooveAutomation
• GrooveAffiliateMarketing

One membership lets the user have access to each of these powerful tools. These tools can take your business to the next level when used in combination!

Is GrooveFunnels worth it?

Well, we certainly think it is when you consider everything you get with your membership.

While it might seem like an investment for the paid plans, GrooveFunnels has everything you need to create and establish an online income-generating business. You can save thousands by not needing to subscribe to a bunch of different platforms for managing and growing your business.

GrooveFunnels is far more efficient than its competitors. In addition, it has an easy-to-use feel to it and is suitable for all skill levels.

Click here to get started with GrooveFunnels today.

Have any questions about GrooveFunnels pricing? Let us know by leaving a comment.

The post GrooveFunnels Pricing: Plans, Free Trial Info, More (2023 Guide) appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

Knowing how to price online courses correctly could be the difference between your course being a major success or a total failure.

You don’t want to price it at a higher price point that’s unaffordable and scares away potential students, but you also don’t want to sell yourself short.

So how do you choose the right price for your online course?

We’ve put together an in-depth guide with everything you need to know about how to price your online course.

10 Online Course Pricing Tips to Follow

With the tips below, you’ll know exactly how to price your online course to best boost your bottom line.

1. Do competitive research

Before you set a price for your online course, it’s important to do some competitive research.

What are other courses in your field charging?

What are the different online course pricing options that your competitors offer?

Not sure where to start with your competitive research? Check out online course marketplaces like Coursera and Udemy for a starting point.

Take note of how much other courses in your niche are charging on those marketplaces. Identify what the different pricing options are for those courses, and see what works best for you and your students.

You can also do some Googling around “(your niche) + online course” and see what comes up.

You might find it helpful to make a spreadsheet of the different online courses in your field, along with their respective prices and offers.

2. Know your audience

One of the most important factors to consider when pricing your online course is knowing your audience.

What does your target market want and how much are they willing to spend?

Are they price-sensitive or are they willing to pay a premium price for a better online course?

Is your online course based around a hobby or is it something that will help them make more money in their career?

Are they entry-level or advanced in the subject?

All of these things are very important to know. Knowing your audience will help you choose the right price for your online course.

3. Consider the time and effort you’ve put in

When pricing your online course, it’s important to also take into account the time and effort you’ve put into creating it as well as the length of your online course.

After all, you’re providing a lot of valuable information and you should be compensated for that.

How much is your time worth? How much would you charge for a one-hour consultation or live online training?

Multiply that by the number of hours you’ve spent on your course, and you’ll start to understand how to price your course so that you can make it profitable over time with the number of expected sales you’ll get.

Don’t forget to include the time it took to create any supplementary materials you’ve added into the online course, like worksheets, scripts, or templates.

All of this should be taken into account when pricing your online course.

4. Don’t neglect your marketing costs

Your expenses don’t end with creating your online course. You’ll also be spending money marketing the course to potential students. 

For example, how much will it cost you to create a promotional video for your online course?

How much will it cost you to send out emails or postcards to promote the course?

How much money did your website to promote your online course set you back?

Will you be doing ongoing paid ad campaigns on social media?

Will you be using a platform like Kajabi to manage all of the marketing automation for your course? That comes at a cost too (see our Kajabi pricing guide for more info)

All of these marketing expenses impact your bottom line, so you have to take them into account when pricing your course.

5. Calculate the time and money your students will save from taking your course

If you’ve created a great course, your students will benefit from it in many ways, including potentially financially and in time savings.

As a marketer, it’s important to highlight this perceived value, putting a dollar value to it if possible to help justify your online course prices.

How much money could they save or earn by applying the information taught in your course?

How much time will they save by taking your course and not having to search for information on their own?

When you calculate all of these benefits, it can help justify the price point for your course.

Make sure to highlight these savings in your marketing materials to entice potential students.

6. Add in the value of additional course materials included in your offer

If you’re including supplementary materials in your online course, like templates, scripts, ebooks, whitepapers, or handouts, the value of those materials needs to be taken into account when pricing your course.

After all, you’re providing a lot of valuable information and you should be compensated for that.

When pricing your online course, you can either price it so that the materials are included in the cost or you can offer them as an upsell.

It’s important to decide how you want to handle this before you start marketing your course and laying out your pricing strategy.

7. Make sure the price is fair both for you and your students

When creating a pricing strategy for your online course, it’s important to make sure that the price is fair for both you and your students.

For you, it’s important to make sure that you’re compensated for the time and effort you’ve put into creating the course. You should also factor in any marketing expenses you’ve incurred, as well as the value of any supplementary materials you’re providing.

For your students, it’s important to make sure that the price is affordable and within their budget. They should also consider how much money they’ll save by taking your course instead of searching for information on their own.

It’s important to find a balance between these two factors when setting the price for your online course.

8. Offer discounts, bundles, and pricing plans

Once you’ve come up with your standard price for your online course, there are lots of other things you can do to mess with the pricing structure.

For example, you can offer discounts for early registration, for purchasing multiple online courses, or around certain holidays.

You can also bundle your online courses or other digital products together to create a great deal.

Another great option for pricing your course is to come up with a payment plan for customers. This can make the online course more affordable for them and help you get paid in installments.

There are lots of ways to play around with your pricing, so be creative and see what works best for you and your students.

9. Experiment with different prices

You should never assume your first attempt at course pricing is perfect.

In fact, you should experiment with different prices to see what works best for your business.

Over time, you’ll see which price point strikes the perfect balance of maximizing your profitability while reaching students effectively.

Remember, don’t be afraid to change your online course pricing if it’s not working well for you or your students.

10. Track your analytics closely

It’s always important to monitor your analytics closely so you can see how people are interacting with your course landing page and even your course itself.

This information will help you make necessary changes to your marketing and course content.

It will also help you determine whether the price you’ve set is too high, too low, or just right.

For example, if you have a heatmap tool on your site, you can see how people are interacting with your pricing information. If people scroll down your page and once they get to the price don’t click to order, that might be an indication that the price is too high for your online courses.

Course Pricing FAQ

What’s the average price for online courses?

There is no one answer to this question since the price for online courses can vary greatly. It depends on the length and topic of the course, how much work went into creating it, how many students are enrolled, and a variety of other factors. You’ll see full online courses ranging from as little as $50 all the way up to $1,000 or more.

Should I offer my course for free or for a fee?

This is a decision you’ll need to make based on a number of factors, including how much time and effort you put into creating your online courses, how much marketing expenses you have, and how much money you need to recoup your investment.

Can I change my course’s price after it’s been published?

Yes, you can change your course’s price at any time. You just need to make sure that the new price is fair for both you and your students.

Should I offer my course as a bundle?

There are a number of benefits to bundling your online courses together. It can help increase the average price per student and it can make it easier for students to buy multiple courses from you at once.

How often can I change my course’s price?

You can change your course’s price as often as you like, but it’s probably not a good idea to do it too often as it could deter potential students.

Should I offer a discount?

There are a number of reasons why you might want to offer a discount on your online course. You may want to incentivize potential students to enroll in your course, or you may want to test different price points to see what gets the best results.

A Final Word on How to Price Your Online Course

Choosing a course price can be a daunting task. There are so many different factors to consider, and it’s important to get it right so you can make a good return on your investment, especially if this is your first online course.

A lower price point might bring more students, while a higher-priced course could be more profitable depending on your audience.

There’s a lot to navigate with online course pricing.

The good news is you have time to try different things to determine what works best for you and your business.

Just make sure to track your data closely so you can course-correct as needed.

Have more questions on how to price your online course? Leave a comment below so we can help you out.

The post 10 Essential Tips for How to Price Your Online Course appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

It’s a bummer, but surely not the end of the world. Check out some nice workarounds below!

1. Tempshare

Articulate fans may resort to Tempshare – an unofficial hosting service developed by an Articulate engineer (or so the story goes). It’s free, but your course has to be an Articulate Storyline or Studio project. If that’s the case, all you have to do is:

• Click ‘Publish’ for your Articulate project
• Pick Zip
• Drag the .zip file into the box in the tool’s menu, and voila!

Tempshare creates a unique hard-to-replicate URL, content is excluded from search engine indexing, and remains in ‘stealth mode’ while you test. On the downside, Tempshare gets rid of stored data 10 days after you’ve saved it, so don’t forget to warn your learners.

2. Use a proprietary domain and FTP hosting

In case you are beefing up your professional portfolio and trying to raise brand awareness, this is probably your top pick. It’s not rocket science, yet you enjoy greater control of your content and flexibility.

Some basic guidelines:

• First off, purchase a domain name. There are a bunch of services that could help you out with that for just a few bucks. A plain hosting plan will set you back about $10/mo unless you need extra space or other frills.
• Design your website using a market-tested engine like WordPress. It’s quite feature-packed and intuitive so you won’t face any difficulties on this stage.
• Next step: upload the course on the site with a free tool like FileZilla.
• Last but not least, share a direct link with anyone you consider a target audience!

The obvious perk of this method is that your link always leads to your site. That’s how you drive traffic, increase visibility and provide easy access to the content with no intermediaries.

3. Amazon S3

S3 Service from Amazon is a pretty good option for online course hosting. Everything below 5 GB comes free of charge, all extras are reasonably priced. To facilitate uploading and managing files, try CloudBerry Explorer or any similar tool of choice.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Install the free Cloudberry Explorer. Open your desktop folder, simply drop your files into Cloudberry and get them uploaded to an online folder.
• Register an Amazon S3 account. Make sure you provide real data for authentication, including a credit card number. It’s unlikely that you’ll exceed the free volume, so don’t be overly suspicious.
• Amazon S3 then sends you an access key; locate it under the security credentials. Add your account to CloudBerry.
• Once Amazon S3 and Cloudberry are connected, you can create specific folders for your course materials. Just drag them over there, and you’re all set.
• Right-click on the HTML file and get the URL for sharing with your audience.
• In Cloudberry, you may choose to shorten the link to make it look better.

Amazon S3 also enables the user to set expiration dates and viewing permissions. Don’t expect instant results from the service; it does require some steps to get everything up and running, but then again it’s a nice solution for the long run. Especially when both Google Drive and Dropbox are out of the picture.

4. GitHub Pages

Github is not only a kaleidoscope of resources for computer geeks but also a nice platform for hosting web content. Github provides a Pages feature that works just great for uploading and sharing web-based courses. It takes a little navigation and kick-off steps, which may take some getting used to. As part of the free package, all repositories are public, so you may want to consider safer alternatives for sensitive content. To creative a private repo, pick the Micro plan at $7/month or higher.

The course of action is pretty simple:

• Create a git repository
• Upload files
• Push “commits” to GitHub’s copy of the repo.

GitHub hosts websites of any size, and you can choose a free custom domain. The downside for users unfamiliar with git is a certain learning curve. But don’t worry – there is a free GUI client so you don’t have to use the command-line. Obviously, this is a geeky way of sharing stuff. However, should you have time to invest in learning the basics, this will pay off well for the projects to follow.

5. Site44.com

Site44.com helps you resuscitate the missing Dropbox functionality by turning Dropbox folders into websites. You can make local edits to your HTML so the website stays on the cutting edge at all times. It’s not free but comes at a reasonable rate – 10 websites and 10GB traffic for just $4.95/mo.

Here are the main steps:

• Log in to Dropbox, and allow it to share a single folder with Site44. This Dropbox/Apps/site44 folder is where you store your courses. None of your other content will be available to Site44.
• Site44 monitors the folder for changes and performs prompt updates. There is nothing special you have to do. Your website will refresh right away every time you click reload or F5 in the browser.
• The service just posts files on the web, there is no server-side hosting of PHP or .NET code involved. All files are played back as static content, yet HTML files can surely contain Javascript for rich interactivity.

To sum up, Site44 offers an easy way to publish content online by connecting files from a Dropbox folder to a hosting platform. Changes made with Dropbox sync up with the website in just a few seconds. Nice choice for those who hate to give up their good old Dropbox service.

6. Bitballoon

Bitballoon is another way to unveil your online courses to the public. You can host content on a bitballoon.com subdomain, which is free. Alternatively, opt for a $5/mo plan to host on your own domain, or – in case of larger institutions – consider a custom deployment infrastructure.

What makes the service a good choice?

• Ease of use. Zip your site folder, then drag and drop it on their web interface.
• Easy versioning. The service comes up with a new version every time you submit changes to the content, so you always stay up-to-date and reserve the opportunity to roll back if something goes wrong.
• Custom Domains. Choose a unique domain name for better brand awareness.
• Password protection. Keep your content away from prying eyes by setting a password.

Everything is really simple with Bitballoon. No FTP or special scripts required. A great method for most users who prefer to skip the coding part.

7. Neocities

A member of the Open Company Initiative, Neocities is another free hosting service. With a $0 plan, you can count on up to 20 MB space, hosting of static content and a neocities.org subdomain. In case you need more storage, choose the Supporter Plan at just $12/year, and enjoy 200 MB of space.

Neocities makes it easy to build up a website from scratch:

• HTML editor in the browser. Take advantage of the web-based editor or drag and drop content from your favorite desktop tool.
• Easy browsing. All Neocities websites are easy to find in the gallery. An optional surf bar makes browsing even more convenient.
• Zero advertising. Neocities doesn’t trade community members’ data or add commercial content to your website.
• Elastic scalability. The service uses distributed web servers in datacenters all over the globe so there’s no problem allocating more space for your courses.

Neocities has certain compatibility issues. It only supports a restricted set of file types. Long story short, they avoid MP3 and video files that could mess with their throughput. Well, a free lunch is no haute cuisine, so make sure you don’t downgrade the quality of your e-Learning courses by leaving out multimedia.

8. NearlyFreeSpeech

Like Amazon S3, NearlyFreeSpeech provides web hosting services and charges for actual capacity. A lightweight static site with basic e-Learning courses will set you back some $3–5/year. Contrary to most competing services, NearlyFreeSpeech.net offers a classic shared hosting environment, and allows SFTP access to their servers.

Here’s what you should do to get started:

• Sign up for membership
• Confirm your email
• Create a personal bandwidth account
• Add funds to the account
• Proceed to deploying a website.

NearlyFreeSpeech allows both static and dynamic sites, which widens the horizons for multimedia content, interactive elements and all things that make e-Learning courses really engaging.

9. SCORM Cloud

Not surprisingly, SCORM Cloud boasts great SCORM support along with affordable cloud-based hosting. The service bills users based on monthly plans: 100MB of storage and 10 learner registrations come for free, unlimited storage plans with greater audience start at $75/mo.

What are the core features?

• Get started quickly. Just email a link to your learners, and they are watching your course in a couple clicks.
• Consolidated management. Stay in control of content updates, permissions and reporting – all available from a single source.
• Plugins for easy integration with WordPress, Moodle and LMSs
• Support for xAPI as well as SCORM

If your intention is to go beyond mere course hosting, this is your soft option. Otherwise, it might be a little bit on the high end.

10. Moodle Cloud

Moodle is Moodle: it’s a big brand in the e-Learning world and a Swiss army knife for any training activity you could think of. The Cloud service actually offers a feature-packed LMS with 200MB of storage plus 50 users at no cost – with way more functionality than SCORM Cloud, yet arguably a less intuitive interface. Starting at 100 users, you’ll have to shell out $250.

Why is Moodle Cloud good for hosting your courses?

• Web-based, easy to set up, updated automatically
• Not just hosting but also authoring. A bulky toolbox for creating killer courses
• Flexible, customizable. Moodle Cloud is a modular structure so you can tweak and tune all you want. Your website will look professional with no extra pains.
• Native mobile support. The Moodle mobile app works great on iOS, Android & Windows.
• Scalable. If your infrastructure grows bigger than expected, it’s easy to upgrade and add more storage capacity in line with evolving requirements.

As with SCORM Cloud, you’d better define your goals before jumping on the bandwagon. Moodle is a comprehensive platform with a plethora of features, bells and whistles that you may not need after all. Should you start building an e-Learning ecosystem with a long-term perspective in mind, Moodle Cloud is surely a perfect playground. The Moodle guys know what they are doing.

That’s online course hosting in a nutshell. What about your experience? Any criticism or kudos for particular brands?

Here’s a brief survey to glean your thoughts and suggestions.

Survey

[democracy id=”27″]

The post 10 Best Ways to Share E-Learning Courses appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

Effective use of this approach implies well-weighed interactive content: videos, stories, and multimedia will greatly enrich your material. Of course, there is a bunch of aspects to building a great course. Take length, for instance. Should your e-Learning course be long? – Check out my considerations on the matter in an earlier blog post.

If you are developing a complex training unit with multiple ramifications, modules and topics blended in, try using scenario-planning software to help you through the overwhelming start. Most instructional designers begin with a course plan (unless you guys are using some really extraordinary methodology!). It’s key to quickly visualize your further content flow and fundamental ideas – and the market has a good deal of software tools to get you on the right track. Those in screenwriting will appreciate the ample choice of screenplay software solutions. In our field of e-Learning, there is also a number of nice multifunctional tools to outline complex courses.

When planning, think of the key features of your e-Learning course – navigation, multimedia, interactions, and other must-have elements.

Now, let’s dive into the exciting world of scenario-based training tools! Let’s start with simple mind mappers, diagram editors and storytelling solutions and then proceed to more sophisticated products.

1. Twine

Twine is open-source software for creating interactive, non-linear stories. The stories can be extended with conditional logic, images, CSS, variables or JavaScript. Twine content is easy to publish as HTML ensuring universal compatibility. Twine is free to use for both personal and commercial purposes.

Features

• Easily switch between story-editing and flowchart modes
• Use easy codes to track variables or restrict learners’ choices
• Add sounds and images
• Export stories as text for editing
• Link scenes with simple text
• Publish the outcome in HTML (easy to share, post online or embed on a website)
• Customize courses with the use of standard HTML and CSS tags
• No limitations to scenario types. Feel free to combine images, dialogs, texts, etc.
• Guaranteed output quality. Twine will not alter the way your materials look.

2. Draw IO

draw.io is a Google Drive-centric diagram editor that aspires to deliver enterprise class scalability, reliability and support. What’s great about draw.io?

Features

• Good fit for average and advanced users. Granular UI with common features along with extras like Visio file import and diagram import from Gliffy for Confluence.
• Easily customizable. Each element of the diagram editor adjusts to one’s liking with the use of the programmatic API. Both interface and drawing tool functionality can be customized in line with individual preferences.
• mxGraph library behind the product. Draw.io builds on mxGraph, a universal diagramming component that opens in any browser without extra plugins.
• High performance. draw.io reveals nice speeds for interactions like rotating, scaling, dragging, etc. on new and old machines as well as mobile devices.
• Open and transparent. It’s an HTML5 app with full support of HTML4. Draw.io offers source control repositories stored on Bitbucket so that users can view the source code for their plugins.
• Integrated with Confluence and JIRA. draw.io saves data in Confluence and JIRA and does not rely on any cloud services. Instead, they use their own proprietary firewall-protected infrastructure.

3. XMind

XMind is a popular mind mapping tool that helps manage sophisticated ideas, clarify thinking, brainstorm and organize work.

Features

• Mind Mapping. Aside from the Mind Map structure, XMind includes Org-chart, Tree-chart, Logic-chart, etc.
• Fishbone Chart. This chart can help visualize relations between complex ideas. The matrix allows for detailed comparative analysis, and the timeline keeps track of milestones as they emerge. Org Chart provides an overview of the organizational structure.
• Brainstorming. XMind features a brainstorming tool to collect and record spontaneous inputs. There is a timer to help you stay within the limits of a predefined session time.
• Presentation. The Presentation Mode is sort of a full-screen view that helps you go over the map without external distractions. An additional sidebar allows the user to filter content and record audio notes.
• Gantt Chart. Gantt View reveals start, end, and progress for every task or topic in your mind maps. Every such task has a tree structure or a Work Breakdown System (WBS).
• Fonts and effects. XMind features 10 nice-looking open-source cross-platform fonts that will look great on both Mac and PC. The software also includes tons of new graphic themes.
• Export to Microsoft Office and PDF. Feel free to export your mind maps to a bunch of universally accepted formats: Word, Plain Text, RTF, Open Office, PowerPoint, Excel, Microsoft Project, PNG, JPEG, PDF, SVG, CSV, and HTML. You can also import easily from Microsoft Word, and save your projects in Evernote.
• 60K Icons. XMind lets you search and paste over 60,000 icons right from the Iconfinder.com library.
• Drill Down. Pick a specific topic, click Drill Down and view the selected topic and subtopics on a separate temporary mind map.
• Multi-page printing. Print out a large mind map into multiple sheets, put them together and don’t lose a single detail or idea.

4. Google Services

Google Drive/Docs allows you to create flowcharts just like in any dedicated app. After signing in to Google, feel free to add pre-built flowchart symbols, place objects and draw shapes to develop a chart that will help your course authoring process.

Features

• Easy-to-use diagram/flowchart editor within the familiar Google interface
• Rich object library with a bunch of industry-standard shapes
• Snap-to-grid, shape alignment, basic distribution tools
• Good for drawing a simple site map, business model, flow chart, SWOT analysis, general diagram, etc.

5. FreeMind

FreeMind is free mind-mapping software that helps you keep a personal knowledge base, prioritize your goals and plans, track project or course progress, etc.

Features

• • Smart drag and drop functionality that covers node copying (multiple node selections and dropping external texts and lists is also available)
  • Fast navigation that includes folding and unfolding in a single click
  • Easy Undo feature
  • Smart copy and paste, smooth format compatibility with plain text and RTF
  • Publishing to HTML
  • Ability to edit long multiline nodes and furnish them with icons, colors and fonts of choice
  • XML format support – easy to switch between various mind mappers
  • The File mode allows the user to browse the files locally and see the folder structure as a mind map.

6. Coggle

Coggle is another attractive online tool for building and sharing mind maps. Taking notes, brainstorming, or visualizing ideas in any form is perfectly easy with Coggle. Any changes are made instantly in the browser, so all stakeholders can closely follow the latest developments.

• Interactivity. The Coggle online service enables teams to interact and share data and ideas throughout the decision-making process. Multiple users can simultaneously add or edit branches on a diagram. Coggle stores the complete history of changes. Diagrams can be exported to PNG or PDF for greater compatibility; FreeMind files are also supported.
• Ease of use. Clear design that allows for easy creation of notes and diagrams. Users can sign in with a Google account. Coggle provides a nice color palette, resizing and highlighting options, and multi-line texts.
• Mobile support. HTML5-ready technology, Coggle works smoothly on smartphones and tablets.
• Free license. Coggle is free of charge and allows you to create unlimited diagrams. Otherwise, there are paid plans that factor in custom privacy and scalability options for large companies.

7. Chat Mapper

Chat Mapper is an example of an advanced mind mapper for solving complex problems in the fields of e-Learning, emergency response, healthcare, sales, strategic planning and others – without limitation.

Features

• Modern look and feel. There are several ways to solve tasks: menu options, on-screen buttons, shortcuts, context menus, etc. Chat Mapper offers a configurable layout with tabs and hidden interface elements so the user doesn’t get distracted from the content.
• Non-linear branching. With the root node being the entry point, dialogue options stem from the root resembling a tree structure. Links can be established between any two nodes. Chat Mapper also supports subtrees, links to other conversations, and project files.
• Conversation simulator. The simulator visualizes your dialogue tree as a multimedia game packed with imagery, audio and dialogue menus.
• Lua scripts to control conversation flow. Chat Mapper allows the user to manage available branches based on preceding choices with the use of Lua scripts.
• Screenplays for voice actors. On completion of a project, you may come up with a screenplay document to hand over to voice talents. If needed, the screenplay can be adjusted to reflect a specific character’s lines only.
• A wealth of export options. Chat Mapper supports export to a number of formats like PDF, JPEG, XML, JSON, RTF, Excel, etc.
• Command line automation. Commercial license holders can automate export by using command line tools without accessing the program’s GUI.

8. Adrift

ADRIFT Developer presents a different manner of storytelling. It’s a Windows-based app that enables creation of complex interactive fiction games. Games in ADRIFT are developed by putting together objects, locations, characters and tasks. The content can be sorted into folders and grouped in a logical sequence.

Features

• All essential tools in a dropdown list. The user-friendly GUI will bring peace of mind even to beginners and assist users to group related items, locations, etc.
• Layout creation with a 3D map. Users may take advantage of resizing, rotating, dragging and other features to better shape their concepts.
• Text Adventures or Interactive Fiction functionality that helps to create stories in a special environment in between reading a book and playing a game, where the author has full control of the protagonist’s actions.
• Support for all key interactive fiction concepts, e.g., walking from location A to location B, picking up objects, talking to characters, etc.
• Intuitive separate editors for each item. All you have to do is fill in descriptions and select actions on the dropdown menu.

9. BranchTrack

Moving on to more sophisticated authoring tools, let’s throw BranchTrack into the mix. This software adds realistic customer simulations to the learning process. BranchTrack also provides insights into learner response and behavior, highlighting common mistakes and progress made. The tool is about building complex branching scenarios with intuitive design tools and sharing the result in any convenient way including SCORM packages.

Features

• Web-based visual editor. Simple drag-and-drop editor to create branching scenarios and simulations.
• Ample character library. You can liven up your course with human characters and convey a plethora of emotions and ideas to the audience.
• Universal compatibility. The branching scenarios are compatible with Captivate, Lectora, Storyline, and other e-Learning programs.
• Branded simulations. Users can choose to tweak the visuals in line with their brand preferences.
• SCORM reports. You can track learner performance in an LMS via SCORM.
• Video scenarios. You can add footage to simulations and experiment with branching videos.
• Voice-over features. Add narrations to your selected characters and ensure a more engaging training environment.

10. iSpring TalkMaster

iSpring TalkMaster is another tool for building conversation simulations and effective e-Learning.

Features

• Dialogue script. Pick whatever case scenario seems appropriate and start off with dialogue scripts. Scenario scenes are grouped in a tree structure which makes for clear branching even with the most complex conversation scenarios.
• Extensive selection of characters. The built-in library hosts a multitude of characters for better course/scenario rendering.
• Voice-over feature. Train the audience’s listening skills and convey emotions by adding narrations to your dialogue simulation.
• Conversation simulations. TalkMaster offers simulations for practicing and evaluating communication skills.
• Information scenes. Elaborate on character behaviors or compliment learners for the right choice.
• HTML5 support. The dialogues will play back smoothly on any desktop or mobile device.
• LMS-ready. iSpring TalkMaster supports SCORM, xAPI and older LMS standards.

Now that you’ve come closer to selecting a planning tool, it’s time to take the next step and think of course development software. Making up your mind on a specific authoring tool might be an even more daunting task, so check out my recommendations from an earlier blog post.

In conclusion

As you can see, software used in scenario-based training is versatile and abundant. In some cases, you’d be better off with a simple mind mapper. Other situations require a more complex tool to design a decent plan for further course development. The choice is yours. Whatever you pick, don’t neglect the power of visualized ideas and concepts. Express your thoughts on the screen so they can become reality!

The post 10 Scenario Planning Tools for Building Branched e-Learning Courses appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

The point of this article is to provide a brief overview of SCORM 1.2 vs. 2004, and deduce how one version beats the other. Ver. 1.2 is probably the most widespread standard in the industry, and for a reason. With 1.2, uploading a course to an LMS is merely uploading a ZIP archive; what could be simpler? Back in 2001, it was a real breakthrough and a death sentence to the AICC format. Sadly, ver. 1.2 misses out on some essential modern features that SCORM 2004 takes care of, such as sequencing and navigation improvements.

Let’s get our feet wet in this debate and see which party we side with at the end of the day.

Which one wins the field?

To start off, we might speculate on the character length of suspend data: 1.2 supports 4096 characters, as opposed to 4000 in the initial 2004 editions, although the 3rd iteration of SCORM 2004 (released in 2006) waived the limitation by allowing 64,000 characters (a 15x increase!).

Other petty issues might come up if we do a little hairsplitting, however the substantial differentiators between the two editions are few. Simply put, SCORM 2004 delivers three crucial advantages over 1.2: content sequencing, status separation and read-write interactions.

What is this all about?

• Sequencing. Once incorporated in the SCORM 2004 spec, it sounded like rocket science to many, yet the principle behind this is easy as pie. Ver. 2004 provides a number of rules that define the order in which students access content. The rules restrict the learner experience to predefined paths and allow students to save their results and resume later. Plus, content developers can limit access to specific course units based on previous material-flow and learner performance.
• Status separation, or the Completed or Passed Conundrum. SCORM 1.2 offers a single value to store course statuses (complete, incomplete, failed, attempted, browsed). There is no way to discern if a learner who completed the course passed the final quiz or not. SCORM 2004 fixes this issue by separating completion and success statuses.
• Read-write interactions. For some obscure reason, interaction details in SCORM 1.2 have been made write-only. In SCORM 2004, all interactions are specified as read/write so you can look through the status of past interactions, pull the results and avoid confusion in the future.

On the plus side, SCORM 1.2 is easy to implement for LMS developers. There is no problem with server-side support or building hosts, it works on virtually any platform and covers the essential needs of many instructional designers and organizations.

The downside of SCORM 1.2 is the lack of details. In our age, it’s crucial to get as much information and feedback as possible to see if you can make improvements on the fly or adjust the course to your audience.

SCORM 2004 did address a good deal of 1.2’s deficiencies, yet it’s considered a more complicated solution to implement, so part of our conservative industry still neglects the value of metadata and content sequencing and sticks to the completed/passed/failed paradigm.

Here is a chart that unveils all the key SCORM features in a single place. Take a good look and judge for yourself.

In conclusion

The SCORM 1.2/2004 dilemma is best resolved based on developers’ and instructional designers’ actual needs. Ver. 1.2 does fall behind in terms of metadata and tracking options, yet ver. 2004 is, in its turn, inferior to the latest developments of xAPI. SCORM 1.2 simply does its job and may suffice within most use cases. Obviously, we are not talking e-Learning 4.0 here, but it’s a nice starting point for beginners or conservatives who do not require redundant information.

In my opinion, SCORM is here to stay as long as you can click the “Convert PowerPoint to SCORM” button in your authoring tool of choice and sit back in your chair. How long will it take to eradicate SCORM from the industry landscape? Well, it might be in my lifetime but I wouldn’t count on it…

Survey

[democracy id=”25″]

Many thanks!

The post SCORM 1.2 vs 2004: Pros and Cons of e-Learning Old-timers appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

Common features

Before we get down to unique features, here is a brief overview of what these learning management systems have in common.

Familiar interface

Schoology and Edmodo follow UX best practices and deliver a friendly, somewhat Facebookish interface that will cause no problems on either side of the e-Learning spectrum. No cluttered dashboards, no spreadsheet-style menus – everything is bright and clear. Likewise, an average Internet user will be at home with Google Classroom’s UI, which is reminiscent of Google’s other services.

Comprehensive products

First and foremost, Edmodo and Schoology are full-fledged LMSs. That means you will find therein all customary teacher modules like assessment, discussion panels, announcements, schedules, grading, etc. Google Classroom has some relevant functional limitations that we’ll discuss further in the article.

Google Docs integration

Not surprisingly, the Google solution harnesses the power of all relevant Google apps and services applicable to the learning and knowledge sharing process. Google Apps for Education is recruiting more and more schools and districts these days, and Google Drive integration is becoming a must. It’s worth mentioning that both Edmodo and Schoology allow instructors and learners to access their Google Drive accounts for educational purposes.

No costs associated

Although this part is not 100% true and there may be charges incurred for specific services, all three products are generally available free of charge. Schoology, Edmodo and Google Classroom enable students and teachers to register accounts and use the system without limitations. Otherwise, extras like enterprise support are paid. Both Schoology and Edmodo run app stores that help you to plug in external apps and programs for a certain fee.

1. Schoology

Schoology is a globally acknowledged tool that enables teachers to share e-Learning courses, administrate classes, keep online gradebooks up to date or just chat with fellow instructors or students. It has a great deal of collaboration tools; in fact, it’s a social network that magically adds “serious stuff” such as standards-based course building and detailed analytics.

What really sets Schoology apart is an impressive community of contributors. There is a huge database of guidelines, instructions and best practices from experienced teachers all over the globe. The Resource Center and Groups are a great opportunity to connect with other educators and exchange knowledge and ideas.

Insights into student performance. Elaborate reports and stats on learners’ performance and improvement scenarios. Students’ progress can be evaluated against existing standards (Common Core, NGSS and other) or specific instructor-defined objectives.

Native apps. Schoology offers mobile apps that largely duplicate its web functionality.

On the plus side:

• Great social tools: discussion boards, blog posts, announcements;
• Advanced configuration for assessment and quizzes (such as time limitation, retakes, etc.);
• Granular targeting for specific workgroups or classes;
• Cloud-based functionality for sharing assignments (similar to DropBox);
• Notifications by email and texting to keep the audience engaged;
• Synchronized with Google Docs;
• Online distribution and submission of assignments;
• Web-based gradebook and attendance monitoring;
• Top-notch paper grading and annotation feature. Schoology makes it easy to navigate between multiple versions, deliver feedback in various formats and, naturally, store grades safely in the framework;
• Schoology addresses the global market and offers customizable solutions for US and non-US schools.

Setbacks:

• Many users report a rather steep learning curve compared with the competition;
• Students have to enroll themselves in the system in order to start receiving assignments and checking up on their own performance;
• Sadly, there is no messenger for students. More features that entice open discussion between peers would do a lot of good.

Schoology is aimed at K12 schools and colleges as well as enterprises. The corporate plan adds unrestricted data storage, web conferencing and other nice pro perks for overall school management. Feel free to sign up for a free trial, and check whether you are satisfied with the standard functionality or prefer an extension.

Check out these Schoology tips for educators to learn how to get more from this tool.

2. Edmodo

Edmodo is another social network for e-Learning that brings all stakeholders together in a friendly educational environment. It’s a classroom, an assignment collection point, a quiz-maker, a gradebook and all you could hope for in a learning management system. Edmodo is mobile-ready and built with responsive design in mind.

As we mentioned, it offers all the standard functionality that coincides with Schoology and overpowers Google Classroom:

• User-friendly, familiar interface of a social site;
• Rich opportunities for sharing assignments, handouts, papers and worksheets;
• Online circulation of assignments along with smart annotation;
• Assignments with a due date and convenient task sheets;
• Interactive quizzes employing a wealth of options and question types, etc.

What makes Edmodo special? Here are a few differentiators I came up with:

• Teachers are invited to communicate with other teachers with the aid of Edmondo’s collaboration features;
• Edmodo’s Note allows students to shoot a quick question, share what we commonly know as a ‘status’ in social networks, or submit an exit slip, e.g. “One new thing I learned today.”;
• Well-organized storage for documents. Fast, secure, with personally sharable files and folders;
• The ability to create smaller student groups within a class (Schoology lacks this particular feature).

Now, more about the drawbacks:

• Free apps in the store are only available to teachers from the US, UK, Canada and Australia;
• As with Schoology, the instructor needs to make sure the students self-enroll before unveiling the course;
• The iPad app has been criticized as confusing. A simple operation like file uploading may take a number of seemingly redundant steps;
• News announcements and postings can only be displayed in chronological order. As a result, the dashboard may look fairly cluttered;
• Quizzes offer fewer options and types than the competition;
• Like in Schoology, there is no messaging between learners.

All in all, Edmodo is a great fit for schoolteachers. From a budgetary perspective, it’s free, but only up to a point. Some nice extras would set you back about $2,500/year per school. Check out Edmodo’s website for a trial. You can sign up with your Office 365 or Google account, or just type in the registration data.

3. Google Classroom

Google Classroom is available via Google Apps for Education. At this point, it’s intended for academic use rather than enterprise training. Apparently, Google is making inroads into all popular business domains, and e-Learning is no exception. Classroom kicks in as a prominent player in the LMS field, blending traditional perks with comprehensive Google services. And all that free of charge.

The goals of Google Classroom are pretty much the same as those of the other contenders. It’s crucial to facilitate instructor-learner communication, and ensure easy feedback and smooth document sharing. Google wouldn’t be Google without guiding both students and teachers through the process gently with the use of push notifications and emails. Someone might argue that the service is a real pest, but others admit alerts actually make it easier for kids to receive assignments and turn them in on time.

A headache for an average school teacher, assignment collection goes smoothly with Google Classroom. Students can submit their papers as-is, or provide a link to Drive. If needed, teachers can peek into revision history, manage deadlines and throw in quick emails should anyone need help with a particular assignment.

As much as Google is omnipresent, it’s not yet omnipotent, so you may be missing out on some key features that other LMSs take for granted. For instance, there is no such thing as a Google gradebook. Somehow, there is still no module that visualizes students’ grades across multiple assignments. Moreover, Classroom doesn’t include an automated quiz component.

However, first things first. Let’s see what makes Google Classroom stand out from the crowd. Here are just a few points I’d like to emphasize:

• All-around experience. With Classroom, you don’t have to steer away from customary Google services for yet another line of work or study. It’s easy to log in, post on YouTube, create documents in Docs, attach files from Drive, and so forth. Not to mention the familiar Google layouts and interfaces that require no extra learning curve;
• Granular assignment management. It’s quick and easy, and the teacher can always see who completed and turned in the assignment, and who is still struggling through it;
• Nice commenting capabilities. Students can leave comments in a number of ways for a multitude of e-Learning courses. It’s also easy to generate a URL for a useful comment and keep it as a reference point for further discussion.
• The Question feature. Google Classroom provides a question function that can be used for creating simple quizzes. Once you select the multiple choice option it turns into a Google form. Otherwise, it can serve as a plain topic or exit card.

Now, how does Classroom fall behind?

• Restricted account management. You need to register with Google Apps for Education; a standard Google ID won’t fly. In other words, you can’t get access to Google Classroom from various domains. For instance, should you decide to share a picture or document sitting in a personal Gmail account, you’d have to save it offline, sign off and sign in again;
• Editing peculiarities. Once an assignment is allocated to students, they become document “owners” with all corresponding editing rights. As a result, learners may accidentally or intentionally alter assignment content and potentially make a great muddle of the whole process;
• Poor online interactions. Somehow, the platform is not aligned with Google Hangouts, which would be a soft option. There is no chance to initiate a live chat in Google Classroom. The only viable tool for interaction is Google Documents.

All in all, the Google solution is a nice shortcut to easy learning management, avoiding the roadblocks of specific configuration or any learning curve. In this regard, Classroom is a great starting point if you’d like to play with the concept of e-Learning without totally revamping your traditional infrastructure and methodology. From another viewpoint, Google always catches up quickly. I’m sure the standard LMS features it’s missing now will not be long in coming.

Feel free to sign up for Google Apps for Education, and see if Classroom fits your immediate needs.

In conclusion

As always with LMSs, you need to define your particular goals and the size of your institution. Let’s assume we get to the selection process with standard requirements in mind – basics like assignment delivery and collection, messaging, grading, assessment and mobile support.

If you think of these input data, Schoology and Edmodo will be equal rivals, running neck-and-neck in all rounds. Tastes differ. Some are looking for a vibrant educator community, others are interested in new perks like gamification and motivation techniques, still others are willing to keep their workflow on mobile devices. Take a look at what the market has to offer, and judge for yourself.

It gets trickier with Google Classroom. LMS experts argue it’s merely jumping on the bandwagon. Indeed, reinventing the wheel is a daunting task in this business. Something will surely go worse than in the competitors’ camp, at least at the beginning. That said, Google will definitely pull a few strings to have a strong foothold in e-Learning. Many a teacher will switch to Classroom once it’s feature-packed enough to cater to their routine tasks. Why use something else when you get all you need in a single product family?

In any case, it makes sense to play with various options before you settle on a final choice. All three reviewed solutions are definitely eligible for your shortlist.

Don’t forget to check out our guide on how to choose an LMS for more useful info.

The post Schoology vs Edmodo vs Google Classroom – 3 Education LMS Comparison appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.

As any well-developed industry, e-Learning has embraced standardization and technical arrangements that enable easy content distribution and smart metrics. The pioneering SCORM and AICC formats were first introduced some 10 – 20 years ago, and were a revelation to the instructor community. When Tin Can (aka Experience API, or xAPI) came on the scene, many experts predicted the inevitable deterioration of SCORM. Some have actually pronounced the standard dead yet it looks pretty much alive, employed by the majority of customers and organizations.

In this posting, I intend to provide a quick overview of AICC HACP, SCORM 1.2 and 2004, and xAPI, their advantages, disadvantages and prospects.

AICC HACP

The AICC standard (from Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training Committee) was an early bird in the world of e-Learning technology. Its initial specifications date back to the 1980s. AICC’s “CMI Guidelines for Interoperability” was, in fact, the first widely recognized standard for interoperability between content and LMS. In 1998 the AICC standard added a web interface called HACP (HTTP-based AICC/CMI Protocol).

Like SCORM, AICC has gone through several revisions and updates. Apparently, AICC had a hard time keeping pace with the evolving market, yet some of its fundamentals still work in the modern environment. As the acronym suggests, the standard stems from aviation industry training that focused heavily on images and simulations. Years passed, and the AICC standards have ultimately helped LMS providers to deliver video content and simulations on mobile devices.

The HACP protocol has some unique features that even make it preferable to SCORM in specific cases. Since HACP is HTTP-based, it avoids cross-domain scripting issues typical for SCORM’s ECMAScript-based communication.

Known for its browser security limitations, SCORM prohibits communication between content served from one domain and an LMS served from another domain. AICC HACP is more flexible in this regard, offering a handy alternative in ambiguous deployment scenarios. It’s also worth mentioning that SCORM has actually borrowed certain aspects from AICC. For instance, the run-time communication in SCORM refers to AICC’s previous work.

In recent years, AICC experts have been working on a new specification – CMI 5 (Computer Managed Instruction). The updated standard adds support for EMCAScript-based data exchange and more “SCORM features”, yet we have to admit AICC is irrevocably dropping off the industry radar.

Pros

• Allows content to be hosted on a separate server
• Supports secure HTTPS data transfers

Cons

• Out-of-date and mostly abandoned by most e-Learning providers
• Limited functionality and lack of progress tracking capabilities
• Requires multiple operations to remove data from the string returned by the server.

SCORM (1.2 and 2004)

Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) is a suite of e-Learning specifications developed by the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative. SCORM defines communication between client side content and an LMS. It also stipulates the way content is packaged into a “Package Interchange Format” ZIP archive.

SCORM 1.2 was the first widely used edition that is still supported by most LMSs. Before the introduction of SCORM, integrating courses with a delivery framework was a rather daunting task unless the content was tailored to a specific platform. The situation entailed time-consuming customization and prohibitive deployment costs. In this sense, the SCORM specification made a radical change.

SCORM 1.2 neglects content sequencing by a runtime service, following the conjecture that the learner would be free to pick any part of the course. However, it delivers a solid specification for content packaging and migration between systems.

The latest version of the standard is SCORM 2004 (available in four editions, the fourth unveiled in 2009). It introduced sequencing, a set of rules that defines the order of content objects to be viewed by a learner. In other words, the standard restricts learners’ experience to a specified set of paths throughout the material. SCORM 2004 also allows users to bookmark certain milestones as they make progress, and store achieved test scores. To learn more about SCORM 1.2 vs 2004, read my recent blog posting.

Regretfully, SCORM doesn’t address all the challenges of a modern learning enterprise. It doesn’t define how tracking information is stored, what kind of reports are built or how student-generated data is compiled. That said, SCORM remains the most common e-Learning standard since most learning management systems know how to play SCORM content.

Pros

• Publish and play content across versatile platforms
• Track course completion and time spent
• Archive outdated content in a standard recognizable format
• Develop basic content or sophisticated courses with high production costs
• Blend content coming from multiple different sources and don’t worry about technical compatibility.

Cons

• Infrequent updates, the latest dating back to 2009
• Doesn’t allow elaborate reporting
• Misses out on in-depth analysis of user activity
• Traditional SCORM content is Flash-based, which may cause issues on new platforms and mobile devices.

These are the key upsides and downsides of SCORM. Feel like you need to render your content in an LMS-friendly format? Check out this article and learn how to convert PowerPoint slides into a SCORM package.

Tin Can API

Tin Can (xAPI or Experience API) is the successor of SCORM (even ADL heavily supports xAPI over the older format). What’s so special about the new standard?

In a nutshell, it registers learner activity and stores data for further use. To a large extent, Experience API owes its success to a feature named Learning Record Store (LRS). The data gleaned by e-Learning software is stored in the LRS to be later transmitted to the LMS when the user goes online. Otherwise, Tin Can does not require a permanent Internet connection or a web browser.

The main goal of SCORM and Tin Can is essentially the same: to keep elaborate logs of learners’ actions. From this perspective, xAPI gives you more leeway, whereas SCORM is much more restrictive about what instructors can track. SCORM 2004 takes care of completion, success and not much else. Meanwhile, Tin Can enables tracking and storage of information for a multitude of use scenarios, including mobile learning.

Experience API is a mobile-friendly e-Learning format that plays back smoothly on smart phones and tablets within major content platforms and LMSs.

xAPI adopted all key benefits of SCORM and added some really nice features. Here are a few advantages over the older standard:

• Capability to view in-depth assessment results
• Freedom of working outside of a learning management system
• Advanced portability due to LRS
• No web browser required
• No attachment to any specific browser-based applications or JavaScript
• Greater control over e-Learning content
• Ability to record any relevant activity, any mouse click, answer, etc. (SCORM can only track quizzes and completion statuses by contrast)
• Ability to track diverse learning scenarios, be it games, simulations or any type of blended learning.

The only viable drawback I can think of is the lower level of Experience API adoption among LMS providers compared to good old SCORM. It’s changing though, as more and more key players are jumping on the Tin Can bandwagon. Check out the list of xAPI-friendly LMSs in my other posting.

In conclusion

What’s the bottom line? On the one hand, older courseware standards can’t keep up with the interactive content and scalability requirements posed by today’s e-Learning. On the other hand, we are dealing with a highly conservative industry that doesn’t treat change lightly. When you choose an appropriate format, think of the type of content you are planning to deliver, and the LMS that will play back the course. Tin Can is definitely a step forward, yet it’s not globally accepted so far. SCORM is a ubiquitous soft option, but once we bump into a mobile device, be aware of possible glitches. AICC came a close second to SCORM 1.2 just a few years ago, but now it’s heavily underrated by top players.

CMI5 – a brand-new player on the field – might be an option worth considering yet it’s still too early to tell. You can get more details in my CMI5 article.

At the end of the day, it’s quality content that matters, so keep your courses engaging and the right packaging will turn up under the right circumstances.

Survey

It’s now time to learn what you think. Today’s question is:

[democracy id=”17″]

Thanks a lot for your feedback!

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