Jane Hart reports on the first learning management system for Facebook; an elearning shop - a 'marketplace' for elearning courses; software that can help in recruitment and training and new products from Adobe. All these and more in her round-up of new learning technologies.
First LMS for Facebook
Udutu, a provider of web-based elearning software and services, has announced the availability of the first revenue-generating application for the social networking site Facebook. It is a learning management system (LMS) that enables businesses, educators and government entities to manage the elearning process from start to finish, without the need for costly enterprise software or infrastructure. The new Udutu LMS for Facebook, which is built to integrate into other social networks such as MySpace, LinkedIn, Bebo and others, enables businesses and education that conduct training and/or certification courses to take advantage of the readily available features and functionality of Facebook. With the LMS, users can publish course material, control access, track learner progress, collect payment and see the results once users have completed a session - all without ever leaving the Facebook site.
Custom elearning Flash activities
Activity Spice is an online application that builds custom Flash activities to be inserted in whatever elearning platform you are using. Activity Spice is easy to use so you will be creating custom Flash activities within minutes of joining. Just select your activity, add your custom text and you’re finished! When you join up you will get access to 40 free activities that you can customise and insert in your elearning and new activities.
A marketplace for elearning courses
Learn HQ have launched a new service called the eLearning shop. They provide organisations with a platform to purchase a wide range of elearning solutions as well as developers a marketplace for their products. Whether an independent developer or organisation, if you have developed your own course material, own the IPR and wish to market your product to a worldwide audience the eLearning shop enables you to upload and sell your content through their site. The eLearning shop also provides organisations with any easy to use, easy to search, easy to purchase platform for elearning courses as well as development tools to enable you to build your own elearning content.
Online learning meets productivity enhancement
WorkNetSkills has announced the launch of its new website that delivers web-based skills modules for employees of all industries. The modules save considerable time when compared to conventional classroom training. Most modules take about 20 minutes to complete and each delivers 'what to do' and 'how to do it' instructions. The site includes links to other relevant areas and additional support materials.
Assess candidates for a job before you review their CV
The Test Factory has added a unique feature to enhance its on-demand solution, innovative online software that enables blue-chip clients to create their own questions and tests to aid recruitment, training, customer service and compliance. The technology allows users to create a web address for authored tests, so they can be accessed anytime from web pages. For example, by adding a link to adverts on a jobs board, clients can assess candidates with the right skills for each role before they have even reviewed a CV. The Test Factory application also provides an analysis of applicants’ performance, comparing candidates and highlighting individual strengths and weaknesses; such as recording the time spent on every question.
Two new products from Adobe
Adobe has release two major new products: Adobe Acrobat 9 enables users to share polished work with virtually anyone, anywhere – from spreadsheets and brochures to video and CAD files. Acrobat.com is a free suite of online services that includes Adobe Buzzword - an online word processor and Adobe ConnectNow - a personal web conferencing service (for up to three participants). It also offers online file sharing with access controls and online PDF conversion for up to five documents. Acrobat 9 users also have access to an online 'personal workspace' that can be used to share and collect forms data and conducting shared reviews.
LMS and authoring system vendors partner for the healthcare industry
Intellum, a hosted learning management systems provider and CourseAvenue, a learning content authoring systems vendor, have partnered to offer healthcare professionals enhanced access to online compliance training. CourseAvenue's (107-course) eComply for Healthcare Series was developed for a wide range of healthcare professionals, ranging from finance departments and compliance officers to medical directors, board leaders and CEOs.
LECTURNITY updated
IMC, has just released an updated version (3.0) of its interactive rapid authoring tool LECTURNITY. In comparison to its predecessor, this version now offers a simplified 'one click publisher' process for publishing content in various formats. LECTURNITY 3.0 simplifies the publishing process and saves time by enabling the creation and setting of publishing profiles. A profile covers all the necessary settings for the publishing process, including those for server transfer. Once a profile is created and activated, a single click is sufficient to create content in a pre-defined target format and to transfer it to a folder or a server.
Collaborative learning bundles
Elluminate, the live conferencing provider, has announced two new collaborative learning bundles - the Elluminate Next bundle and the Elluminate Learning Suite. The Elluminate Next bundle incorporates Elluminate Publish! and the new Elluminate Plan!, a tool designed to help instructors and instructional designers organise and package content for online sessions prior to the session being conducted live. The Elluminate Learning Suite is an expanded collection of Elluminate's collaborative learning tools and includes the Elluminate Next bundle and Elluminate's flagship Live! elearning software.
For a daily item of elearning interest, take a look at her blog, Jane's elearning pick of the day</strong.
Jane Hart is head of the Centre of Learning and Performance Technologies. For more information go to www.c4lpt.co.uk. Or you can email here at: Jane.hart@c4lpt.co.uk.
