Case Study IBT ® Learning Content Management The Conception and Production of E-Learning Content Based on MS Word Templates

— This document gives you an overview of the features of the rapid e-learning production tool IBT ® Learning Content Management which has been awarded with the IELA 2017 in the section Business Division. To illustrate purpose and possibilities, we describe two examples as show cases.


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The toolset and its scope of application

What IBT Learning Content Management is about
IBT ® Learning Content Management is the server-and browser-based solution for the creation of learning content, based on the IBT ® SERVER-Software. The tool is used to create content nuggets for small learning units or classical Web Based Training (WBT). It serves as a platform for the production, management and delivery of learning content for a broad range of learning scenarios. The toolset is database-based and multi-user-capable, thus several authors can jointly develop a WBT. A Lifecycle Management takes care of the administration, versioning and archiving of the individual learning units. Wizards accelerate the process of didactizing the content provided by subject matter experts. You can combine existing learning units into new, customized SCORM-compatible WBTs. Learners use the learning content in online mode via a standard browser, from either the PC or a mobile device. A conversion module converts storyboards generated by experts in MS Word templates, into a fully functional WBT. Authors with an e-didactic focus and method knowledge enhance the learning content, that has been pre-produced in this manner, with interactions, multimedia elements and simulations. This practice of work-sharing increases the efficiency of the production process.

Scope of application
Companies who want to make use of expert knowledge within the process of producing e-learning contents are often in a dilemma. Either they must win over the experts to spend a certain amount of their -most likely expensive -expert time to learn the use of an e-learning authoring tool and provide a license for them. Or they have them deliver content in various formats (papers, slides, graphics, etc.) and the workload of creating an e-learning content weighs entirely on a specialized e-learning authoring team.
Getting approval for the subject matter aspects of the content created, to provide correct information at the intended quality level, needs cooperation between subject matter experts and e-learning specialists. If a company has a lot of content to produce and a bottle neck of time constraints on both sides involved, this isn't a satisfying and viable solution. With the toolset described above, companies are enabled to make the best use of the resources of each party involved. Subject matter experts provide quality secured content in a format they are familiar to use, which is MS Word, by using a simple formatting template. E-learning specialists apply their knowledge of web didactics and media use by enhancing the template accordingly, finalizing details and interactions within the user interface of the learning content management system. This process allows them to adjust scalability and velocity of the production and provision of e-learning content to their organization's needs.

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Case A: E-Learning content for e-bike sales personnel in hardware stores

The challenge
FISCHER die fahrradmarke is a German provider of e-bikes as city, trekking and mountain bikes. Their market segment ranges from 'leisure bikers' to demanding best-value-for-price customers. Each year new models have to be trained. At the same time, basic functions and features of an e-bike in comparison to a traditional bike have to be understood to answer the questions of more or less informed customers. Since a high percentage of their products is sold by DIY stores or big consumer electronic stores with a broad range of products and brands in stock, a short, appealing, efficient and effective training for those independent vendors' staff is needed, which transfers nearly expert knowledge for best consulting during the sales process in a light and easy way.

The solution
To achieve this, a media mix of short texts, lists, videos and animations has been combined to a set of e-learning modules. The storyboards have been co-authored in MS Word by e-learning experts, the marketing team and a highly specialized trainer of FISCHER as subject matter expert.   Globetrotter Travel Service is a Swiss travel company in the retail sector. Clients are assigned to an agent specializing in their travel destination, thus a high level of expertise is required as part of the company's consulting concept. Not every agent has had the opportunity to spend months travelling in the countries in which they specialize, becoming acquainted with specific areas. These employees are supposed to acquire the knowledge they lack about their assigned countries, as though they had been there personally. The country-specific Web-Based Training should train the employees of Globetrotter Travel Service effectively, expertly, and affordably, all across Switzerland. The employees will then have the opportunity to dedicate themselves to further in-house training, as time allows between day-to-day business and serving customers in their travel agencies.

The solution
The outcome is an interplay between the learning management system and the content solution. The content product is characterized by its explorative approach, its rich photo-illustrations, an ambiance of the destination created by a music intro, efficient orientation on geographical maps, and its degree of interactivity: entry test, interactive questions, a final test, and quiz units. By working with the WBT, the learner sets out on a journey in which he plans his "route" through the map, stopping at many highlights, "must-do" attractions, and points of interest along the way, and getting to know them. At the same time, the "Travel Agent -Client" setting is integrated via a situative approach. The WBT can also be used on mobile devices.
The employees of Globetrotter design and produce these WBT contents themselves. The specialist experts create the contents in the MS Word environment, and the WBT author converts the scripts into a SCORM-compatible, operable e-learning content, including interaction and animation. This production process enables Globetrotter to produce WBTS for more than 60 countries very efficiently.

Lessons learned
The production of e-learning contents based on the idea of rapid authoring enables companies to realize content projects very efficiently. That applies to companies that use the full service of a service provider -from conception, storyboarding to production of e-learning content -as it is displayed in case A. As well, it offers a guided and proven process to establish in-house-training production within a company as described in case B.
In both cases, production processes must meet high quality standards for the developed content products while considering limited resources and time constraints.