| In the past, before the craze of e-learning tools | | | | and the instructor. |
| like learning management systems, people who | | | | But make no mistake--although it's possible to find |
| wanted to create instructional material either to | | | | user-friendly and simply LMS tools, preparing the |
| sell or for use within an organization created | | | | actual learning content for uploading to an |
| paper-based material like textbooks, and enriched | | | | elearning platform doesn't happen instantaneously. |
| the program with audio and video material. Of | | | | Even the most knowledgeable subject matter |
| course, textbook publishing, is still a big business. | | | | experts require time and a great attention to |
| And the idea of making a living by creating | | | | detail to create learning content for an online |
| knowledge to be used in an academic or | | | | course. Just like preparing a semester's worth of |
| professional setting is still exciting for many | | | | lesson plans, the information won't travel directly |
| people. | | | | from an expert's head and onto one's computer. |
| If you're one of those people, remember that in | | | | But that's part of the fun. In fact, oftentimes |
| this information era, writing and selling instructional | | | | when you're collecting and organization material, |
| material in the traditional fashion may not be as | | | | you'll discover holes in your understanding of a |
| easy as you imagine. | | | | topic. Taking the time to fill these holes will not |
| Textbook prices have reached new highs, | | | | only enrich your online course, but your own |
| indicating a competitive market in publishing and | | | | expertise. Furthermore, these filled holes could be |
| distributing paper-based material. According to a | | | | platforms for further research. |
| report by the Government Accountability Office, | | | | Some LMSs allow courseware system developers |
| textbook prices have outpaced inflation 2-to-1 in | | | | to create and migrate training modules free of |
| the past twenty years. | | | | charge. In this kind of system, developers retain |
| We can see this effect in universities and other | | | | ownership and copyright of all their IP and learning |
| higher education systems, where students must | | | | content, and the LMS provider gains a small |
| reach into their own or their parents' wallet to | | | | percentage every time courseware is purchased. |
| pay for learning material. For students working | | | | Once you've migrated your online courseware, it |
| their way through college and paying out of their | | | | isn't set in stone. You have complete control over |
| own pockets, being taken back hundreds of | | | | your course, and the power to modify or delete |
| dollars for one semester's worth of books is | | | | some or all of it. You can also choose to |
| especially difficult. | | | | syndicate it, meaning that other relevant web |
| Combine a competitive industry, publishing | | | | publishers can publish and sell your online |
| companies taking advantage of writers, and | | | | courseware on their websites. An elearning |
| increasingly expensive publishing with the hardships | | | | platform that helps you syndicate your |
| of getting published in the first place, and it's not a | | | | courseware should provide you with complete |
| pretty picture for textbook writers. ---the life of a | | | | control over which sites you want to publish your |
| textbook writer is not smooth sailing. | | | | elearning content. You'll decide how much revenue |
| Creating instructional material using online tools is | | | | you'd like to share with them each time you |
| the answer for many subject matter experts. | | | | make a sale. |
| Learning management systems (LMSs) and | | | | Syndicating online courseware is a smart choice |
| courseware platforms are instructional formats | | | | for a few reasons. First, doing so gets your |
| increasing in importance, while the 2-D, wasteful, | | | | product out there on the market and expands |
| paper-based instructional medium of textbooks is | | | | your audience. Equally importantly, it can greatly |
| on the decline. | | | | expand your revenue. Online courseware creation |
| LMSs give course material creators a great deal | | | | means a learning experience not only for your |
| of power and room for creativity, using | | | | future learning management system students, but |
| multimedia tools like video and audio, simulations, | | | | for yourself. Creating great elearning material is a |
| animations, screen and audio recordings, and the | | | | financially, professionally, and personally rewarding |
| integration of Web 2.0 tools for student | | | | enterprise. |
| interaction and communication with each other | | | | |