My eLearning World is about all things eLearning. These include training technology and innovation; reviews of LMS and authoring tools; offline, online and blended instruction models; expert opinions; tips and tricks for educators and business trainers; learning-themed surveys, and much more!
The key goal of this site is to understand where today’s learning is headed and help myself and others keep up with the changes. My eLearning World encourages interaction and open discussion, so feel free to contact me with any questions and suggestions.
Getting Started
The power of eLearning and its usefulness became even more vitally important because of the pandemic. Suddenly, everyone was scrambling to implement eLearning programs in many areas. If you are facing some challenges with eLearning, don’t worry. You have found my current updates. Here you will find all the information you need to rapidly get up to speed with my evaluations of toolkits, instructional design courses, tools for teachers, and equipment for voice-overs that I love to record for my eLearning courses.
eLearning Toolkit
An important tool needed by teachers to create vibrant eLearning experiences that engage students is video presentation software. Students appreciate real-life examples to learn the practical application for any course. Teachers can organize the presentations using scenario planning tools. PowerPoint is an extremely popular presentation tool to make “decks.” Teachers can learn how to make PowerPoint presentations more polished presentations by using free PowerPoint add-ins and plugins.
If you want to completely understand the learning management system software protocols, learn more about the Tin Can API for eLearning system management. You can see my reviews of authoring tools to see what I think is the best way to produced engaging eLearning courses.
- Best Video Presentation Software →
- 10 Scenario Planning Tools for Building Branched eLearning Courses →
- 11 Free Plugins for Your PowerPoint-based Course →
- Best Tin Can API LMS →
- Best eLearning Authoring Tools to Deliver Engaging Courses →
ID Tips & Tricks
Instructional Designers are in high demand, so if you consider this career path, you can read my reviews about certification courses that can get you on the fast track toward success. If you really want to earn a top salary in this field, consider getting your master’s degree in instructional design. With a master’s degree, you can land a top position in higher education and be an attractive candidate for corporate hire.
The alternative pathway to success is taking courses and using the skills you learn to build up a portfolio of projects and then work as an independent contractor (freelancer). You show your portfolio to potential clients to land jobs based on the skills you have and the quality of your completed projects.
Tools for Teachers
Teaching is an ancient profession that is highly respected. Technology changed, but the student’s needs remain the same. Teachers need to have the skills and equipment to make demonstrations and presentations to engage the students. Quizzes are needed to check the level of the students’ comprehension of the material. Gradebooks are needed to record the student’s progress.
I reviewed all of the tools that I found very useful for teachers to make this work much easier.
- What Is a Document Camera? →
- How to Use a Document Camera with Google Meet →
- Best Document Cameras for Teachers and Distance Learning →
- What Type of Phone Charger Do I Need? →
- Why Is My Phone Charger Making a High Pitched Buzzing Noise? →
Voice-Over Equipment
Are you ready to do some voice-overs? Repeat after me, “How low can you go?” and say it in a deeper, lower tone each time to warm up your voice. I find that doing voice-overs is super fun, especially if you have a nice home studio to record in at any time.
Sometimes, I dream about teaching my classes and wake up in the middle of the night to record a voice-over in my home recording studio. I reviewed the best voice-over equipment to help you choose what is best for your needs.
Record in Your Home Studio
I reviewed all the different equipment needs for a home recording studio, including mics, acoustic panels for sound treatment, headphones, and studio monitors. I give my opinion on the best desks to use in the limited space usually found in a home studio setup. I took a look at preamps that are good to consider and gave my suggestions about reflection filters and isolation pads. Even if you never set up a home recording studio before, you can follow my advice and feel confident in your ability to set one up properly.
Microphones for Your Needs
I cannot emphasize enough how important is your choice of microphone for creating high-quality voice-overs. There is no perfect microphone for all uses because a lot depends on the recording environment and the tone of your voice. Most professional recording studios have several mics in their inventory to use for different purposes. This section will help you understand the differences between dynamic mics, condenser mics, and ribbon mics. You will also learn about polar pickup patterns and what they mean.
Conclusion
If you follow my list and read the guides, you will quickly have the knowledge needed to make informed decisions. You will be able to set up a home recording studio. You can work on voice-overs for eLearning projects. If you can instruction design skills, you can put together an entire eLearning program for a school or create a state-of-the-art training program for a company. Learning about these things provides the knowledge base to enter this field and expand your career.