Authoring tools enable the creation of digital courses through an e-learning platform. They enhance the learning experience by including multimedia to make the courses more interactive and engaging for their users. Given its functionality, an authoring tool has become a necessity even for industries outside the field of the academe.
Today, it also benefits healthcare workers or corporate professionals in need of a convenient way to deliver virtual training.
What Are the Benefits of Authoring Tools?
An authoring tool contains features essential for content creation, making it feasible even for non-tech users to produce quality digital courses. While its design and solutions may vary, companies can benefit from its access to multiple features that make e-learning convenient for users, like cloud-based collaboration, interactive courses, or virtual training.
Using an authoring tool eliminates the need to outsource software development services or hire an instructional designer. Yet one cannot simply settle for the average. To take full advantage of the software's benefits, choose the top 5 best authoring tools in 2023.
1 360Learning LMS
Overview
360Learning believes in the collaborative approach where learners and course authors can interact. It rejects the idea of outsourcing to upskill. Instead, it encourages everyone to upskill from within through its LMS platform. 360Learning LMS streamlines workflows and ensures data accuracy by connecting all business systems. It unifies essential workflow tools, software integrations, and more in an all-in-one authoring software.
Features
360Learning LMS contains user management automation making it easier to distribute e-learning materials according to users' assigned roles. This saves time and controls access to exclusive materials as learners gradually progress. Networking is also possible with its nested groups feature. Admins can build unlimited layers of groups and subgroups for collaboration at different scales.
This authoring software also contains pre-made course templates. They are designed based on digital pedagogy for optimal e-learning. It also allows file importations or access to multiple online sources for multimedia content. Moreover, users can also embed web-based files like Google Documents or Prezi directly into the course for diverse digital content.
Network connection is also not a problem for users of 360Learning LMS. The platform enables offline access and automatically syncs its digital content when a connection is present. Also, learners are not chained to their desktops because they can use the 360Learning mobile app. Online or offline, web or mobile, 360Learning is at anyone's fingertips 24/7.
2 iSpring Suite
Overview
iSpring Suite is an e-learning authoring tool for online course creation. It is an award-winning platform that combines animation software and presentation maker into one comprehensive authoring tool. With its features and adaptability, iSpring Suite injects creativity and versatility into course creation.
Features
iSpring Suite is built into the platform of PowerPoint. It preserves all the latter's features while offering its variety. It provides over 2300 ready-made templates, over 81000 photos of characters, and over 25000 background locations, offering multiple options for multiple creations.
Creativity is also greatly encouraged. This authoring software allows building personal characters where course authors can customize their design and other elements, perfect for creating specific scenarios. To test the user's knowledge, iSpring Suite also enables the creation of assessments with its QuizMaker. Users get instant feedback whenever they choose the wrong answer as they take the assessment.
This authoring toolkit also contains a video studio for delivering tutorials or recorded lectures. Course authors can also voice over the narration of their lessons, making it more engaging for the learning audience. Yet, they may also choose to use its text-to-speech feature to narrate the sequences of the video lesson.
iSpring Suite is the recommended authoring software for an endless variety. Not only does it allow cross-platform support, but it also integrates well with other LMS. From the thousands of free elements to interactive features like voiceovers and instant feedback, iSpring Suite is one of the best authoring tools in the market.
3 7taps
Overview
7taps brands itself as a microlearning platform. It's been used by global brands like Johnson & Johnson, Cisco, Giorgio Armani, and many more. It simplifies course creation in three steps: creation, sharing, and tracking. It's easy to use with its pre-designed canvas, quick to distribute among learners (no login necessary), and effortless to extract data from statistics and other reports.
Features
7taps is free to use yet limited in its content creation abilities. Users must upgrade to the Pro version to access exclusive features essential for creating quality e-learning content.
With the Pro version, 7taps becomes free for an unlimited number of learners and is limited to one editor. It also has a built-in AI feature for course creation. The owner can simply type in the topic or upload existing content, and the authoring software automatically generates content in mini-course or video format.
7taps also contains features necessary for user evaluation, like quizzes and forms. In addition, it also allows customization and personalization by attaching logos and other brand assets. The platform also allows voiceovers, yet editors are limited to a 60-second timeframe.
7taps also caters to organizations of large scale with its Enterprise version. It contains every Pro version feature and offers more integrations and customizations necessary for internal collaborations. Overall, 7taps is the recommended authoring tool for bite-sized courses due to its simplicity and affordability.
4 Absorb LMS
Overview
Absorb LMS is a cloud-based authoring software branded as a learning management system. It contains all the necessary features for optimal e-learning. The platform has been recognized as one of the top LMS with awards from eLearning Industry, Training Industry, PC Mag, and G2.
Features
The unified platform of Absorb LMS contains features designed for learners and admins. It is highly customizable from its personal messaging, logo, and language options, which are essential for company branding. Learners can have social profiles, enabling them to rate courses, interact with others, and even flaunt their success.
Meanwhile, admins can enable or disable these interactions anytime through the smart administration feature. They also have Intelligent Assist to manage their tasks more efficiently using natural language. Admins can also configure the hierarchy to limit LMS users' access. They can also track the performance of each user from their enrollments, certificates, and competencies.
Absorb LMS also enables the selling of online courses with its e-commerce feature. Course authors have over 70 payment gateways to choose from and can sell their material either at a flat rate, with tax, or at a discounted price for exclusive members. They can also choose to integrate their course creations with other e-learning content from the platform's content libraries.
Absorb LMS is the recommended authoring software with AI assistance. While it offers a comprehensive set of features essential for organizational e-learning, it lacks the variety other authoring tools offer for user creativity.
5 Panomio
Overview
Panomio is a professional authoring tool for creating digital content focused on virtual training. It enables companies to replace dangerous hands-on training and use visual procedures for safe and improved learning retention. Using Panomio also allows companies to reduce their costs spent on on-premise visits.
Companies need a powerful authoring tool to create virtual training content at par with industry standards at an affordable price. With Panomio, they can leverage its features to deliver quality digital content.
It offers an immersive experience through its virtual training environment. Course authors can also create interactive content by including procedures or exploration of on-site premises or equipment displayed in high resolution. They can also export courses in industry standard formats, enabling them to streamline their course delivery and management in any learning management system (LMS).
Panomio offers a more cost-effective and accessible alternative to VR solutions. Unlike VR headsets that restrict access, Panomio allows learners to access content on any device. This cross-platform support means that learners are not confined to their desks but can utilize Panomio on their mobile devices. They can conveniently access the latest materials anytime and anywhere, enhancing their learning experience.
Given its many attributes, Panomio has been adopted in many industries worldwide, including aviation, railroad, and even healthcare. It is advanced in its innovation to showcase complex procedures yet also simple in its functions to make e-learning accessible to anyone.
Features
360° Images
Virtual courses are often limited to slideshows or animated videos. While these are useful and conventional, learners are confined to their limitations. However, with the 360° feature of Panomio, users are immersed in the learning experience. Course authors may also opt to utilize regular pictures instead of panoramic ones. Both options are displayed in optimal quality.
With 360° Images, effortlessly recreate the environment of the training location and experience autonomous learning with its open navigation.
(Photo : Panomio )
Lesson Types
Lesson types are divided into three categories: linear flow, hotspot map, and quiz. These three categories improve the quality of virtual training courses produced in Panomio.
Linear flow offers a guided experience through specific actions or environments. It delivers step-by-step instructions similar to slide-based content. This feature is beneficial for procedural training, especially in operations that require a particular order of actions.
Hotspot map is designed for autonomous learning. It gives learners the freedom to explore digital content. It is designed for environment familiarization, enabling them to interact and learn from its various elements. This also allows companies to deliver an interactive onboarding experience, especially for new employees who are yet to see their new working environment.
The Quiz tests the user's knowledge of its virtual training through questions or hidden areas. The questions in the test consist of classic multiple-choice questions. In addition, there are hidden areas within the 360° image that assess the user's ability to remember and follow multi-step procedures.
To demonstrate their understanding, users must complete the procedures directly within the immersive 360° image, adding an engaging and immersive element to the testing process. The authoring software tracks each answer and requires learners to meet the passing score to finish the quiz.
With the quality of digital content it can produce, Panomio is unmatched in its ability as an authoring tool to deliver immersive experiences to its users. To use the healthcare industry as an example, the private hospital Selandia Clinic created an interactive digital guide for its patients to inform them of their treatment procedures.
By using the hotspot map feature of Panomio, the clinic could guide its patients on the procedures they should follow once they come in for diagnosis or treatment. This improved the productivity of its staff as it reduced the concerns of its worried patients, making them better prepared for their check-ups.
By simply using the authoring tool, Selendia Clinic was able to increase the motivation of its staff, reduce the anxiety of its incoming patients, and improve its clinic efficiency, allowing them to meet over 300 patients more. Similar results were seen in the situation of Air Greenland.
By creating three custom procedure training models on Panomio, the flag carrier was able to lessen its aircraft time by 60%, save more than €100,000 for training costs, and earn each cabin crew a 100% pass rate. Truly, Panomio is unmatched in its ability to offer comprehensive virtual training content on its platform.
Conclusion
Each of these authoring tools has its unique selling points for course creation. While they cater to different audiences and offer different sets of solutions, ultimately, all these tools aim for an improved e-learning experience for every user.
Authoring tools exist to make the creation of quality educational content more accessible and convenient to the market. Without them, everyone is confined to the traditional methods of learning. With these top 5 best authoring tools, everyone can experience a different form of education that's innovative and mentally stimulating.
