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Based in the Denver area, Thomas Toth is an e-learning developer with more than 20 years of training, management, and design experience. He is also the president of dWeb Studios, a web and e-learning design and development firm in Parker, Colorado. Toth has designed and programmed online training courses using Adobe products combined with modern authoring tools, and has personally created and maintained hundreds of individual e-learning courses for corporate clients around the world. He holds a BA in human communication and an MA in education with a focus on educational technology.

Thomas Toth

Flash Is Dead! Long Live Flash for E-Learning!

Programming Is Back: The Rise of HTML5 for E Learning

“What is e-learning?” “It’s a PowerPoint deck with a quiz at the end of it.” Does this exchange sound familiar? In March of 2010, I started to experience a dilemma regarding the use of e-learning authoring tools. Clients were beginning to ask that I use a specific tool to build their e-learning projects. Until that point, they didn't seem to care; the final, SCORM-wrapped package was all that mattered. Program it in HTML? Flash? C++? As long as the final solution or offering worked in their LMS, the client was satisfied. Here was my dilemma: Do I advertise the specific authoring tools that I used—in an effort get more customer interest? Should I tell potential customers that I was capable of programming their content in Captivate or Lectora? Does it make me more marketable because I use these tools? Does it make me less of an e-learning programmer because I use authoring tools? Read that last sentence again: Does it make me less of an e-learning programmer because I use authoring tools? Fast-forward to 2015. Everyone seems to have their favorite authoring tool. What’s more, vendors are stepping up to deliver even more. In fact, I have consulted with organizations that are building the “Next Best E-Learning Authoring Tool” on the market—so I know what cool things are coming down the pike. And e-learning and training conferences host a multitude of hands-on sessions regarding these tools, and talk frequently about their benefits, features, and best practices. Fortunately, I jumped on the authoring tool bandwagon in a big way in 2012—or my business would have been negatively affected. But then, in addition to my original dilemma, I became concerned that with everyone using authoring tools, the profession would start turning out cookie-cutter solutions and simple interactions. Would instructional designers start to dumb down their storyboards to suit documented functionality of a chosen tool? Would companies simply import training PowerPoint decks and add quick voice-over explanations and a quiz and calling it e-learning?Would course developers embrace the limitations of a specific tool rather than create e-learning programs that best supported learning goals—and potentially break the rules of what the tool could do? I imagine that many of you have experienced a similar dilemma. This begs the question: Do you “program” e-learning courseware using an authoring tool, and do you find that you’re locked into the primary functions and capabilities of the tool—failing to bring in engaging, interactive elements? All of this is to say: Is lousy e-learning simply the result of L&D professionals using authoring tools, or is it the outcome of developers failing to pair the full potential of these tools with all of the other programming expertise and learning tools at their disposal? What about video? What about original or adapted game elements? What about Flash or HTML 5 animations that can be built externally?        “What is e-learning?”        “It’s a PowerPoint deck with a quiz at the end of it.” Is that how you want your e-learning projects described? Not likely. Instead, let’s commit to going beyond the limits of our authoring tools and incorporating additional elements that make our e-learning solutions extraordinary! To learn how to use all the e-learning development weapons in your arsenal, check out Technology for Trainers, 2nd Edition. This updated ATD Press book guides technology-hungry trainers through e-learning development—without the jargon. With brand-new chapters on mobile devices, learning management systems, and e-learning development software, Technology for Trainers illuminates the techniques and processes needed to build any technology-based learning solution.

Breaking the Limits of Authoring Tools

Learning professionals have tons of technology tools and platforms at their disposal: e-learning authoring tools, learning management systems (LMSes), video, mobile, animations, and much more. Learn how to make the best use of them all.

Technology for Trainers, 2nd Edition

SOFTWARE BEST 2 BUY

Gail Anderson, president of Applause, is on a mission to help you find your inner superstar speaker so you can create and deliver presentations that deserve applause. After more than 20 years of coaching people from a wide range of organizations and functions, Gail knows she can teach anyone to create compelling content and deliver meetings, training, or presentations with confidence and credibility. She is determined to help others who struggle to find their confidence, and who find it difficult to organize their thoughts and their words. No matter what you do, if speaking clearly and confidently is a critical skill, she can help you master it. Gail has worked with individuals from a wide range of organizations and industries, including Agropur, BAE Systems/United Defense, Cargill, the city of Minneapolis, Delphi, Emerson Process/Rosemount, Faegre Baker Daniels, the Metropolitan Council, Optum, The Mosaic Company, the University of Minnesota, the University of St. Thomas, and others. Gail has a MA in human resource and change leadership from the University of St. Thomas, and a BS in business from the University of Minnesota. Gail has served on the board of directors and is a past president  for ASTD-TCC. She is the author of the forthcoming book, SuperStar: How to Create and Deliver Winning Presentations.

Gail Anderson

Thomas Hartmann is creative content producer for Reflection Software. He has worked on a variety of film projects including feature-length documentaries and corporate training projects. He attended the University of Notre Dame, and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Cinematography and Editing from Columbia College in 2001 when he began to freelance as a videographer and film producer. Since that time, Thomas' experience in both production and post-production has allowed him to create truly unique and memorable films and training videos.Sessions

Thomas Hartmann

Julie Thomas, president and CEO of ValueSelling Associates, is a noted speaker, consultant, and author of ValueSelling: Driving Sales Up One Conversation at a Time. She credits her mastery of the ValueSelling Framework® for her own meteoric rise through the ranks of sales, sales management and corporate leadership positions and takes pride that Gartner has positioned ValueSelling Associates as a Leader in the 2021 Magic Quadrant for Sales Training Service Providers.Julie’s work is devoted to helping sales organizations compete confidently on value, not price. She teaches a simple process to manage the conversation with prospects and customers that develops a mutual understanding regarding how sales representatives can add value to the buyer and their business. Julie believes in the power of the human-to-human connection. She is passionate about helping sales professionals master communication skills to compete and win in an increasingly technology-enabled sales environment.Because of Julie’s leadership, ValueSelling Associates has been recognized by both SellingPower and Training Industry magazines as a leader in the sales training industry.

Julie Thomas

Sherri Thomas is a career strategist. As the founder/president of Career Coaching 360, Sherri teaches training professionals, managers, and executives how to change, reinvent, or advance their careers. She teaches others how to think differently and more proactively in their career. Her book, The Bounce Back –Personal Stories of Bouncing Back Higher and Faster After a Layoff, Re-Org or Career Setback  was named “2013 Best Career Book” by the Indie Book Awards. Her first book, C areer Smart – 5 Steps to a Powerful Personal Brand has been #3 on AMAZON’s TOP 10 LIST for personal branding books.

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