As a corporate trainer, creating and designing training content forms a large portion of your workload. Your sessions need to be detailed, but at the same time they shouldn’t overwhelm learners with information.
NeoOffice is a full-featured set of office applications (including word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation programs) for Mac OS X. Open source NeoOffice productivity Tags: authoring tools content authoring content development e-learning elearning content open e-learning environment use of elearning utilities elearning content. Jun 11, 2020 ActivePresenter is a great screen recorder that includes all the tools that are needed to record the screens, edit screencast videos and create interactive e-Learning courses for Mac. By now, to become a best screen recorder on Mac, it also adds webcam recording and green screen effect features. Features: Full motion recording is best. Choosing the right software will save you lots of time and money. Thanks to our careful reviews of the most popular e-learning software and authoring tools we found on the market now, here are our best picks: The list of 14 useful e-learning software and authoring tools for Windows and Mac. List of 14 E-learning Software For Windows and Mac 1. Nov 29, 2017 The Best eLearning Authoring Tools. Online training is easier and more efficient than packing your employees into a conference room.
5 Best Content-Authoring Tools for Trainers (listed alphabetically)
In an e-learning setup, ease of use and learning flexibility become key. Your training content must be intuitive, easily accessible, and mobile friendly. You must also customize course elements based on the learning requirements of your trainees.
The Learning Management System (LMS) and Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) have become increasingly common in education. While there is a time and place for.
E-learning content authoring software is designed to help you manage these tasks efficiently. With this type of software, you can develop and publish tailored training content. You can also add different types of media elements (text, videos, slideshows, etc.) and assessments to your courses. These elements not only improve the quality of your training material but also make designing and publishing easier.
Some LMSs have content authoring functionality built-in, but if you’re seeking a stand-alone e-learning authoring tool, here are the five top solutions to get you started.
Products are presented here alphabetically. Read more about our selection methodology here.
1. Adobe Captivate
Adobe Captivate is one of the most well-known content authoring tools (based on the volume of Google search queries). It supports a wide range of media formats, such as images, videos, animations, and PowerPoint presentations. It also has various game templates, design layouts, and stock images available in its asset store.
Types of courses in Adobe Captivate (Source)
Adobe Captivate offers master slides and templates that help users maintain content guidelines and standards across training materials, which you can modify to fit your design and interaction needs. A key feature of the tool called “multistate object,” allows you to create multiple versions of an image/object for designing interactive courses. You can also create immersive simulations and use complex branching to direct your trainees on individualized learning paths.
The platform’s multidevice preview feature allows you to preview how your training courses will look on different devices. You can publish your courses on Adobe PhoneGap’s iOS, Android, and Windows apps. Based on the location of your trainees, you can even customize courses to offer different language options.
We analyzed user reviews for Adobe Captivate to understand what buyers like and dislike. Here’s what we found:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Wide range of features Software license provides access to the asset store, which includes several design elements | Steep learning curve Application interface can be slow to load |
Bottom line:Adobe Captivate is a feature-rich content authoring tool, but you’ll need some technical know-how to leverage its wide-ranging functionality. | |
2. Gomo
Gomo is a cloud-based e-learning content authoring solution for businesses of all sizes. It allows users to design online training courses using customizable templates, collaborate with content creators, and create responsive content.
Content dashboard in gomo (Source)
Gomo’s course management feature lets you define training layouts and authoring tasks, as well as add rich media assets to your training material using a drag-and-drop interface. You can also create quizzes that have questions with different answer options, such as multiple choice, typed input, and numerical input.
Mac speak and type software. The software follows a task-based approach for developing training courses, allowing you to assign content creation and editing tasks to different team members. And since the solution is cloud-based, comments made during a review are visible to all members in real time. You can also share your training courses via email or QR code.
We analyzed user reviews for gomo to understand what buyers liked and disliked. Here’s what we found:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Creation of mobile-responsive training content Centralization of resources for better team collaboration | Costlier than other similar products Course authoring feature not as intuitive as that of other similar products |
Bottom line:If your course authoring tasks involve collaboration among many stakeholders, you can consider this product. | |
3. iSpring Suite
iSpring Suite is an on-premise e-learning solution that offers different themes, animations, and effects to let users create online courses on Microsoft PowerPoint.
It lets users design training content using different elements, such as video narration, e-learning interactions, and assessments, and it offers mobile-responsive layouts to create mobile-supported learning content. You can also embed webpages in your training content, so users don’t have to open a new window. With iSpring Suite, courses can be published in the HTML5, Flash, and MP4 formats.
PowerPoint integration in iSpring Suite (Source)
iSpring Suite also offers dedicated training apps for iOS and Android devices, allowing learners to download courses on their mobile devices and take them offline. Built-in screen capturing lets you record screencasts and paste them in slides. You can also use predefined templates to style training content in the form of books, stories, and FAQs, among others.
For training delivery, you can use the recommended settings or rely on separate sliders to compress image, audio, and video files as needed. You can also adjust all the panels and buttons in the iSpring player to customize guidance for individual learners.
We analyzed user reviews for iSpring Suite to understand what buyers liked and disliked. Here’s what we found:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to learn Effective customer support | Fewer templates and icons compared to other similar products Lack of Mac OS support |
Bottom line:If you primarily use PowerPoint to design your training courses, you should evaluate iSpring Suite. | |
4. Lectora Online
Lectora Online is a cloud-based content authoring tool that helps users design training material using conditional branching and sequential logic. Its automatic versioning feature lets users view all the versions of a designed training course. The tool also offers responsive design options to support mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
Getting started page in Lectora Online (Source)
The software has a drag-and-drop interface that allows you to move elements as you design your course. It features a centralized media repository for uploading and using media files across courses. It also lets you add notes and create assignments for team members so that you can delegate tasks and collaborate effectively.
In Lectora Online, you can preview your training courses before publishing by scanning a QR code with your smartphone. The tool also provides free access to online forums and how-to articles along with a toll-free customer support number.
We analyzed user reviews for Lectora Online to understand what buyers liked and disliked. Here’s what we found:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Interactive and engaging courses Mobile-responsive course design | Steep learning curve compared to other e-learning solutions Outdated UI |
Bottom line:If you use extensive branching logic for designing training content, you should consider Lectora Online. | |
5. Storyline 360
Best Mac Software Free
Storyline 360 is an on-premise content authoring solution for businesses of all sizes. It supports only Windows OS and allows authors to design training material using templates and multimedia content. It also features motion path animations, action-based triggers, and interactive sliders.
Action-based triggers in Storyline 360 (Source)
The software lets you import course assets directly into its media library. It supports uncompressed videos, a beneficial feature if your training content requires high visual definition. It also offers dockable panels that you can move anywhere on the desktop or even to a second monitor.
The tool’s “what you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG) text editor allows you to modify content as needed and view the real-time effect of the changes made. Software simulations and an assessment builder are also included in the package.
Articulate, Storyline 360’s software vendor, hosts “E-Learning Heroes,” a community where you can find free templates, guidance, and posts on software-related queries.
We’ve analyzed user reviews for Storyline 360 to understand what buyers liked and disliked. Here’s what we found:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Intuitive user interface E-Learning Heroes community is helpful for technical queries | Costlier than other similar products Lack of Mac OS support |
Bottom line:If you use Windows and are looking for a user-friendly e-learning solution, you should consider Storyline 360. | |
Next steps
Now that you’ve read about these top five products, the next step is to find one that suits your e-learning requirements. To get started, use the following approach:
- Set an annual budget for a content authoring tool. Eliminate products that exceed your budget.
- Determine the content authoring features required for your business. Shortlist products that offer these features.
- Contact software vendors and set up a demo for each shortlisted product. You can also read user reviews on Software Advice to assess the usefulness of the product in your line of business.
Go through our e-learning software catalog to explore more solutions.
Product selection methodology
- We shortlisted products from our e-learning software directory that offer these core features: content authoring, course tracking, and course management.
- Then, we ranked the products in the shortlist based on monthly search volume to arrive at the top five products.
Note: Listed pros and cons are derived from features listed on the product website and product user reviews on Gartner Digital Markets domains (Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice). They do not represent the views of, nor constitute an endorsement by, Software Advice or its affiliates.