authoring tools

Based on the author Volker Lichtenthäler,

Adapted by common sense – eLearning & training consultants GmbH

1 Quality in Digital Learning

The quality of education and training products is based on the interaction design (e.g. user-friendliness
of the system, support for users), the didactic design (instructional design) of the learning format or
course (e.g. didactic approaches to the design of learning activities, tutoring concept) and the
information design, i.e. the preparation of the learning content and the knowledge to be conveyed.
The technical platform (interface design) is available with Moodle and represents quality features of
interaction design. The responsibility for designing the course according to the target groups and
learning objectives lies with the implementing partner or service provider (e.g. an educational
institution). Decisive for the quality of the learning content offered in eLearning is the degree of
interaction and the information design (especially the visualisation of complex content).

2 Course production
Course production is one of the technical processes required to implement ICT-supported learning
(information and communication technology i.e., eLearning, mobile learning, blended learning, etc.).
In many cases, the terms course development, course production, authoring tool and assessment tool
are not clearly differentiated and thus the technical processes are mixed up in descriptions and the
specification of requirements for course production. In addition, the term "tool" can also refer to a wide
variety of technical processes and functional requirements. For digital learning one needs a learning
platform, technically speaking a socalled Learning Management System.
A learning platform or Learning Management System (LMS) serves the digital support of teaching and
learning processes. These systems enable the provision of learning content, the organisation of learning
processes and the communication between learners and teachers as well as the organisation of learning
processes. It also enables communication between learners and teachers and between learners
themselves.1

The open-source LMS Moodle, for example, has integrated tools for communication (forum, chat, round
e-mails, file exchange; wiki), which must be considered and used during course production, but also an
integrated assessment tool and tools for course production with pdf files, which can be uploaded to the
server (or to a cloud) in the Moodle system for this purpose. These functionalities are called "built-in
LMS authoring tools. Moodle also provides an integrated tool called H5P2.
This is an open-source framework often used by instructional designers and educators to
create interactive content combining quizzes, games, videos, drag and drop activities, and
more in an interactive learning resource. H5P allows trainers to develop learning content,
upload it into Moodle courses and natively play it back.
In many cases, however, these tools are not sufficient to include interactive, multimedia
Web Based Training (WBT) in the course to be created on the LMS and this can therefore be done using
an external authoring tool.

In this respect, an authoring tool is software that can be used to create digital, interactive learning
offerings and content.

There are currently a large number of different authoring tools on the market that are used via licenses
and with which different types of content can be produced - for example, classic Web Based Training
(WBT) or content for mobile devices. Common authoring tools allow not only the development of text
and image content, but also animations, interactions, exercises, integration of videos or audios, which
can be combined as desired within a WBT. In this context, interactivity refers to an interrelation
between objects or persons. The term is used to define the extent to which a learner interacts with the
learning content - that is, the extent to which he or she is involved in the processing of the learning
content. Learning formats with a low degree of interaction are, for example, information that is
conveyed using pure text or image and text information and is only passively absorbed by the learner.
Such learning content can be created with the built-in tools of the common LMS. WBTs, on the other
hand, have, for example, multi-level interactions (or "queries") in which the learner must actually
become active or actively acquire knowledge. Learning activity is an important factor for the success of
eLearning and distance learning formats and promotes motivation. After (external) completion of the
Web Based Trainings (WBT) or interactive learning offers with the authoring tool, these contents are
integrated or "uploaded" into the course set up in the LMS.

1
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_management_system
2
Picture: https://h5p.org
3 Interfaces and standards
For the technical integration of a WBT into a course on an LMS, the SCORM standard has become
generally accepted. The abbreviation SCORM stands for Sharable Content Object Reference Model.
This is a framework that enables the development of reusable eLearning content or WBTs. The aim is to
produce the interactive learning content (WBT) described above, which - in contrast to online lectures
or webinars - can be accessed at any time and from any place, and to ensure the executability of the
content (WBT) via various LMS (interoperability). This is achieved by SCORM defining a uniform
framework for the creation of content packages, the "communication" (data processing) with the LMS
and the navigation and running sequences of a course unit.

The SCORM standard is particularly important if Web Based Trainings (WBT) are to be integrated into
an LMS, such as Moodle and the learning status of the users is to be tracked.

Most of the current authoring tools take this into account and enable eLearning production according to
SCORM. Since 2015, the Experience API (xAPI) project has been trying to enhance the SCORM standard
with new functions, such as editing eLearning modules outside a browser or within mobile applications.
Standards that are supported by the SAP Limos system currently in use and also in the next version:
SCORM 2004 V1, V2, V3 and V4, SCORM 1.2, AICC, xAPI, tin can.
In order to ensure interoperability with future LMS and with LMS of partner organisations, it is
recommended to define a standard output format for the production of WBT for your LMS. However, it
is recommended to additionally output developed learning content as a stand-alone version
(html+JavaScript) for offline use and in xAPI format for the archive.

4 Selection of the authoring tool

As already explained in chapter 1, interactive high-quality content is an important success factor for
the success of eLearning measures and the selection of the authoring tool should therefore be made
with care. In general, the selected authoring tool should cover the following functions:
❖ Interactivity and navigation - menu-controlled content and the possibility of moving
through the entire content;
❖ Editing - publishing content for easier changes/updates;
❖ Visual developing - use of buttons, icons, drag and drop graphics;
❖ Preview - ability to view or test a running project;
❖ Cross-platform interoperability - can run on all platforms;
❖ Cross-browser interoperability - can run on different browsers;
❖ Integration - output of the created content in the SCORM standard (cf. chapter 3).
For the selection of the authoring tool, the degree of interactivity and multimediality (see chapter 2)
are the most important criteria, which generally also determine the required budget.
The production of WBT of low interactivity and multimedia and their output in SCORM format is possible
with open source tools. In the following, please find 4 license-free available authoring tools, which
can be downloaded or used online for WBT authoring in non-commercial projects and seem particularly
interesting to the author:

• Adapt Learning (www.adaptlearning.org) is a free, easy to use e-learning authoring tool that
creates responsive, multi-device, HTML5 e-learning content using the Adapt developer
framework. The Adapt authoring tool allows users to quickly build content using the Adapt
Framework. However, the installation of the framework requires an available server and
profound technical knowledge. Once installed developers can create an account, log in, create
courses, add interactive elements then preview and publish the content.

• eXeLearning (https://exelearning.net) can be installed on a PC and then used offline. It is

characterized by very good descriptions and supplementary information on didactics and is easy
to learn. No programming knowledge is required to use it. The tool is also suitable for the
creation of WBT on scientific topics due to the simple integration of formulas. Due to a fixed
design and the format templates, an individual adaptation, e.g. position of the navigation menu,
 integration of logos in the background or similar is not possible. Images, texts and various test
formats can be used.

• Hot Potatoes (https://hotpot.uvic.ca) was designed to create exercises and learning success
controls. It consists of six separate modules: JQuiz for the creation of simple exercises (single
choice, multiple choice). JCloze for cloze texts. JMatch for pairing exercises. JCross for the
generation of crossword puzzles. JMix for generating so-called shaking sentences. With the
Masher the generated exercises can be sequenced. Hot Potatoes is particularly suitable for WBT
for foreign language acquisition.

• Xerte (https://xerte.org.uk) from the University of Nottingham enables the creation of

interactive learning units. Text, images, videos, flash animations and other multimedia content
can be easily added to Xerte. In addition, the tool offers many interaction possibilities. However,
complex interactions, which include learning success controls, can only be realised using the
existing JavaScript connection. It is possible to create script objects in which one can program
freely. This offers a wide range of possibilities but requires programming skills. The tool can be
used online or must be installed on a separate server (or localhost on your own PC).
These are a few examples of tools that are available free of charge. However, for interactive scenarios
and branching (different decision paths with different results, i.e. non-linear), for example, such tools
as the ones described above are limited. For the production of higher quality WBT, which is usually
carried out by a service company, the use of a professional - and chargeable - authoring tool might be
the better choice. When selecting the most suitable tool for the learning scenario to be realised, the
output device of the learners - PC/notebook, tablet or mobile phone - plays an important role in addition
to the desired forms of interaction. Although Moodle can recognise browser and device settings and
display the WBT responsively some display and interaction forms are not or only partially usable on
mobile devices or are not didactically meaningful.
Below you will find a few authoring tools that seem particularly interesting to the author and which can
be used with subscription licenses (Software as a Service)3

• Articulate Storyline 360 (https://articulate.com/) is a software package for creating

sophisticated and varied e-learning content, including complex learning programs. It starts on a
blank white page. If you fill it with images, shapes, media, interactive elements, etc., a
customized WBT gradually emerges, but it is difficult for laypersons to use, despite the available
templates.

• Adobe Captivate (www.adobe.com/de/products/captivate.html) is an e-learning tool for

quickly creating and managing demos, interactive simulations, branching scenarios, and testing.
The strength of this tools lies in this respect in the creation of software training and simulations.
When creating interactive learning content that is to be used exclusively on mobile devices, we
recommend a product variant or web app from the Articulate software package, which can also be
purchased separately:

• Articulate 360 Rise (https://articulate.com/360/rise) is a web-based tool with templates or

ready-made blocks for the creation of interactive, mobile-optimized learning programs. Forms
of interaction created with Storyline or complex designs do not work on a mobile phone or
tablet, or only to a limited extent. Rise omits these possibilities and is therefore limited in its
functional range in comparison. Languages that require character sets from right to left, such
as Arabic, are also not supported very well by this tool.
Many authoring tools like Articulate Storyline and Adobe Captivate offer the possibility of screen
recording (via screen recorder) and the integration of the recordings into a WBT. This functionality is
especially important for interactive software simulations or software training. However, if the WBT to
be created is limited to screen recordings and video editing, the following tool might be interesting:
Camtasia 2020 (www.techsmith.de/camtasia) is a real-time screengrabbing program that records every
action on the screen as video. The screen can be recorded in whole or in part. Parallel to the screen

3
Recommended is the collection and commentary on tools for digital learning by Jane Hart:
https://www.toptools4learning.com/top-tools-by-category/ This page also offers a comprehensive overview:
https://elearningindustry.com/directory/software-categories/elearning-authoring-tools
recording, you can choose to record audio commentary, the output system sound and/or
webcam/camera recordings.

As mentioned above, the authoring tools listed here are only examples and there is a wide range of tools
you can use to create your course content.