Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com E-learning Tools and Technologies A consumer’s guide for trainers, teachers, educators, and instructional designers By William Horton and Katherine Horton Wiley Publishing, Inc. Wiley Publishing, Inc. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Wiley Publishing, Inc. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com E-learning Tools and Technologies A consumer’s guide for trainers, teachers, educators, and instructional designers By William Horton and Katherine Horton Wiley Publishing, Inc. Wiley Publishing, Inc. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Publisher: Joe Wikert Editor: Robert M Elliott Editorial Manager: Kathryn Malm Managing Editor: Vincent Kunkemueller Copy Editors: Karen Eddleman and Jane Aronovitch Media Development: William Horton Consulting, Inc. Text Design and Composition: William Horton Consulting, Inc. This text is printed on acid-free paper. Copyright © 2003 by William Horton Consulting, Inc. All rights reserved. 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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: 0-471-44458-8 1. Employees Training of Computer-assisted instruction. 2. World Wide Web. I. Title. HF5549.5.T7 H635 2000 658.3ȇ42404 dc21 99-088038 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Wiley Publishing, Inc. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com iii FAQ about this book Decisions about technology and tools for e-learning are being made by managers and instructors who know little about technology, or by information technologists without the participation or benefit of educators. E-learning Tools and Technologies will give teachers, trainers, instructors, educators, administrators, and instructional designers the knowledge they need to pick tools and technologies that support their e-learning efforts. It will also help information technologists understand the e-learning tools they may be asked to help select, combine, and maintain. This book represents the needs and viewpoints of consumers of these technologies. It will help consumers plan, select, and combine the tools they need for their individual projects. Readers will learn to identify the range of hardware, software, and services needed for e-learning projects, understand major categories of tools, see what each category produces, learn the major vendors in each category, and develop criteria for picking specific products. In addition, the book contains chapters to help readers combine separate tools into effective systems, ensure a rational purchasing process, and pick and implement e-learning standards. The book is supported with a Web site containing evaluation checklists, design forms, tips and tricks, and an extensive list of e-learning tools. WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR? More and more technology is being purchased and used by people with little technical training or knowledge. The phase of techno-maniacal early adopters is passed. The people who are tasked with buying technology and getting it all working are not just information technologists but instructional designers, training department managers, school administrators, teachers, instructors, and trainers. Wiley Publishing, Inc. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com iv W FAQ W E-learning Tools and Technologies At the same time the complexity has increased. Those wishing to deploy e-learning must choose from hundreds of tools in many separate categories, including learning management systems, learning content management systems, authoring tools, and collaboration environments, all of which are evolving at a bewildering rate. People who are not technology experts need a systematic way to identify the types of tools they need, find vendors, evaluate their products, and combine them into useful systems. This book fills that need. It is essential to get purchasing decisions right the first time. These products are expensive and you must justify your decision. It is hard to switch once a product has been implemented and integrated into your operations. There will be less money available after your first purchase proves inadequate. And you may lack credibility the second time around. Who should buy and read this book? Anyone involved in e-learning, that’s who. Here are some specific groups and what we hope each will get out of this book. Group How they need and will use the book Teachers, instructors, and trainers To understand the technologies they are now required to use to deliver their courses over networks. Instructional designers and course authors To select tools and technologies to carry out their plans and designs for e-learning. Managers, supervisors, and team leaders of training groups To plan the mix of tools they need to create original e-learning or to convert their existing classroom training to e-learning. University students in programs in education, instructional technology, related fields As a textbook for a course in e-learning technology or as independent study of technologies that underlie their chosen field. University and school-district administrators To understand the technology they must purchase and install. Be able to communicate with their information technology specialists. Executives, directors, and chief learning officers To set policies and strategies for the technical infrastructure needed to support their e-learning, performance support, and knowledge management initiatives. Wiley Publishing, Inc. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com E-learning Tools and Technologies X FAQ X v FAQ Group How they need and will use the book Information technologists To broaden their understanding of tools and technologies so they can support their organization’s e-learning, online information, and knowledge- management efforts. Vendors of e-learning technology To understand how their specific products fit into the overall scheme, to be able to discuss technology with buyers, and to better suggest solutions to buyers. Subject matter experts who want to create a course To help them figure out where to start and what tools and services they will need. IS THIS JUST MORE HYPE? This is a consumer’s guide to technology—not a collection of press releases from vendors and researchers. No company has paid to have its products included in this book (Darn!). The mention of a product is not an endorsement and absence of a product is not a condemnation. All products have merit and all can be improved. You’ll find no science fiction here. All the tools and technologies mentioned here are commercially available products—except for those in the last chapter which unashamedly speculates on trends. Universities and research labs are working on neat ideas that someday might turn into reliable, easy-to-use products—but you won’t find these ideas here. This book will help you decide if you really need a tool and then arm you with facts and criteria to pick the best product. WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT THIS BOOK? In addition to its basic content, this book contains some extra goodies to enhance the reading experience. f Lists of potential vendors. For each category of tools discussed, the book lists the major vendors and provide contact information. f Questions to make vendors squirm. For each category of tools, the book lists questions potential buyers should get answered before signing on the dotted line. Wiley Publishing, Inc. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com vi W FAQ W E-learning Tools and Technologies f Rants and opinions. A cartoon curmudgeon pops up now and then to colorfully point out the limitations of current categories of products and to add a dose of appropriate skepticism. f Tips and tricks. Although this is not a how-to book, it does include tips on using the major categories of tools. The authors offer their advice on how to get the most from a tool and how to avoid the most common mistakes new users make. WHAT ABOUT A WEB SITE? This book has its own Web site at horton.com/tools. There you will find the following items. f Lists of tools and vendors. These lists are periodically updated so the material in the book remains current. f Design forms for picking and configuring tools. These include forms for listing users’ current tools and technologies; for cataloging the required hardware, software, and network connections; for combining software tools to create a complete system. f Spreadsheets for evaluating tools, calculating amortized costs, computing return on investment, estimating download speeds, predicting needed storage space and connection speeds, and other common computations. f List of file formats including the names, nicknames, extensions, and other interesting information about the file formats widely used in e-learning. f Updates and new information to round out the material in the printed book. Wiley Publishing, Inc. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com [...]... create e-learning, educational Web sites, online tutorials, and knowledge management solutions Where do you begin? 1 Wiley Publishing, Inc Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com 2 Tools and technologies for e-learning E-learning Tools and Technologies You first must understand the technologies that underlie such efforts You have to be able to combine separate tools. .. Contents Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com x Contents E-learning Tools and Technologies TOOLS FOR CREATING E-LEARNING CONTENT 277 14 COURSE AUTHORING TOOLS 279 What course authoring tools do 280 Quick tour of a course authoring tool 280 How course authoring tools work 284 Popular course authoring tools 285 Alternatives to standard course authoring tools 292 Choosing... e-learning Instructor-led e-learning Embedded e-learning Telementoring and e-coaching For each type of e-learning, this chapter examines its structure, suggests where to use it, and discusses the technology needs for each approach 13 Wiley Publishing, Inc Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com 14 Types of e-learning and the technologies required E-learning Tools and. .. Inc Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com E-learning Tools and Technologies PICKING TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES 403 19 STRATEGIES FOR PICKING TECHNOLOGIES 405 Overview of a strategy 405 Set your technology goals 407 Form a team 411 Identify needed categories of tools 412 Set policies 415 Pick tools 423 Get money 424 Buy 426 Implement 430 What now? 432 20 PICKING TOOLS 433... let others do? 10 Now what? 12 TYPES OF E-LEARNING AND THE TECHNOLOGIES REQUIRED 13 Learner-led e-learning 14 Facilitated e-learning 16 Instructor-led e-learning 18 Embedded e-learning 20 Telementoring and e-coaching 22 What now? 23 CATEGORIES OF TOOLS 25 Levels and tasks 25 Categories of software tools 29 What now? 32 HARDWARE AND NETWORKS 33 4 HARDWARE FOR E-LEARNING 35 What to look for in hardware... processors 400 Alternatives to converters 400 What now? 401 Contents Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com xii Contents E-learning Tools and Technologies Packaging standards 479 Communications standards 483 Metadata standards 488 Quality standards 493 Other standards and regulations 496 Make standards work for you 498 What now? 499 23 WHAT THE L IS XML? 501 What is XML?... learners’ actions in a central database and to include Internet resources In learner-led e-learning, all the instruction must be provided through the Wiley Publishing, Inc Here’s a diagram of the components of learner-led e-learning Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com E-learning Tools and Technologies Types of e-learning and the technologies required 15 course materials... required Here is a list of the technology this type of e-learning might need, grouped by the type of people involved Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com 16 Types of e-learning and the technologies required E-learning Tools and Technologies The example course you viewed before (horton.com /tools) requires all the types of tools listed under Producer in the list Hosting... Gbps 543 Hertz and going around in cycles 544 APPENDIX B FILE FORMATS FOR E-LEARNING 545 INDEX 553 Wiley Publishing, Inc Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Tools and technologies for e-learning You’re on a mission—to make skills and knowledge available to anyone, anytime, anywhere You will need a generous budget and people to help you spend it And, you will need... 15 WEB SITE AUTHORING TOOLS 305 Why create e-learning with Web site tools? 306 Quick tour of a Web site authoring tool 306 How Web site authoring tools work 310 Popular Web site authoring tools 310 Alternatives to Web site authoring tools 313 Capabilities needed for e-learning 314 Blogging tools 318 Related tools 324 What now? 325 16 TESTING AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS 327 How testing tools work 328 Quick . Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com E-learning Tools and Technologies A. Inc. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com x W Contents W E-learning Tools and Technologies TOOLS FOR CREATING E-LEARNING CONTENT 277 14 COURSE AUTHORING TOOLS. W E-learning Tools and Technologies Packaging standards 479 Communications standards 483 Metadata standards 488 Quality standards 493 Other standards and regulations 496 Make standards work