With digital technology gaining rapid momentum, it becomes imperative for organizations and educational institutions to digitalize their learning and development content. This being said, digitalizing content requires the combined effort of instructional designers, subject matter experts (SMEs), and technology experts. All this means considerable investment in technology and people. Therefore, it may not be feasible to develop content in-house. A better option is to outsource your content development to an eLearning company.
By outsourcing your content development to industry experts, you will stand to gain the following benefits:
Focus on your Core Strengths:
Content development is a time-consuming task. By outsourcing your content development you free up your instructors to do what they do best: Teach their students and focus on their core activities. It is also important to note that content development is a complex process and not restricted to simply digitizing lessons.
Apart from writing, it also involves research, fact checking, formatting, optimizing for search engines, and checking for grammar and inconsistencies. It is, therefore, prudent to outsource content to an eLearning company that has the subject matter experts to do justice to your content development. This will not only take the pressure off yourself and your teachers but also help you retain full editorial control.
Here’s all you need to know about Outsourced Content Development vs In-house Content Development.
Achieve Immersive Content:
One of the major benefits of online content is that it is more engaging and immersive as compared to print textbooks. Because it is created using a combination of rich media formats such as audio, video, graphics, animations etc.
For example, you may have a 3D diagram which brings alive an abstract Mathematical concept or animations that virtually show the human physiology. Going further, you may have lessons in the form of games that challenge the students to achieve some learning goals, motivated on by rewards and challenges.
Then again, you may have bulleted lists that summarize lessons and enable the students to recall the main points. Online resources, therefore, make lessons more interesting and engaging for the students by capturing and retaining their interest.
That being said, educational institutions may not have an in-house team of instructional designers who can create media-rich content. A better option for them is to outsource their content development requirements.
Scale with an LMS:
Simply defined, a learning management system or LMS is a system which is used to administer training. An LMS has a set of tools which you can use to convert your print documents into digitalized versions.
You can also create, upload and disseminate media-rich content on a cloud. Authorized students are provided login credentials, which they can use to log in and access the cloud-hosted content anytime and from anywhere. An LMS allows educational institutions to scale their operations and provide remote or distance education.
Besides, an LMS normally includes translation tools, which you can use to translate your course content into several languages and therefore reach a much wider audience. But, an LMS requires huge investment and also an IT team to run it.
To benefit from an LMS, you can outsource your content development to an eLearning company with their own LMS, which you can use not only to create your content but also to upload and disseminate it to your learners.
Guide
How to Choose the Right LMS for Your Business
Deliver Device-Agnostic Content:
Given that more and more people are now using their mobile devices to access information, it becomes imperative for educational institutions to ensure that their online content is mobile-friendly. By outsourcing your content development, you gain access to the right talent that can create mobile learning content.
Mobile content is different from eLearning content; it is in the form of micro- or bite-sized nuggets, which students can access on their phones anytime and anywhere. Mobile learning, therefore, frees up learning from the confines of the classroom, allowing students to learn at their own pace.
For example, the micro-learning nugget can be an audio file summarizing a lesson, which the students can listen to while they are commuting. Mobile content is not restricted to the mobile – it can also be accessed on tablets, PCs and laptops.
When you outsource your content development, you gain access to IT experts who are adept at creating responsive content or content that can take the shape of the device on which it is accessed, and therefore, is easy to read on all device types.
Here’s more on MicroLearning vs Mobile Learning – Similarities and Differences.
Deliver Blended Learning:
One of the learning methods most educational institutions are now adopting is the blended learning method. As the name suggests, blended learning is a combination of online and classroom learning.
An instructor in a classroom can supplement their lectures with online resources. Alternatively, they can use an online environment to deliver a lecture to students assembled in a classroom or a specified location.
Online resources are available in different media formats, for example, animations and videos which bring alive subjects such as Math and Science that are either difficult or monotonous, and also help to improve information retention.
But it requires a judicious combination of technology, skills, knowledge and experience to create blended learning experiences. By outsourcing your content development to an eLearning company, you gain access to a rich talent pool that can create blended learning resources that enable you to achieve the benefits of both online and offline learning.
Conclusion:
Digital technology has impacted all aspects of our lives including how we teach and learn. Creating and leveraging online content is no longer a choice but a necessity.
With online content development, educational institutions can benefit from the best of online and classroom teaching. Besides, they can also expand their reach and deliver distant education to a remote audience. (Best Practices for Effective Online Course Development)
However, content development is time-consuming and complex process which is best left to the subject matter experts. It is therefore a good idea to outsource your content development to an eLearning development company.
Before choosing a company, it is good to do some research and choose one with a good reputation and credentials so that you get good value for your investment. Here are things You Must Consider Before Selecting an eLearning Company.
Related:
Online Education Solutions & the Changing Learning Landscape
Digital Solutions for Universities and Higher Education Institutions
How Mobile Learning is Changing the Educational Landscape
10 Reasons Why Institutions Should invest in Online Learning Programs
The Making of Future-proof Online Learning Programs and Courses
Why Should Colleges and Universities Develop eLearning Programs?