These online tutorials about the basics of online learning (learning while doing, what a great instructional match!) give you a chance to see what one person can do with limited resources and time -- and you'll learn a little something about elearning in the process. What could be a better use of your time?!?

• You don't have to register to access access the tutorials. This means I'm not collecting your information, tracking what you're viewing, etc. You're free to explore and learn as you wish.
• Neither this site nor the blog are linked to vendor companies -- everything is provided as peer-to-peer insight and exchange. And because you're not registered in any way, even if I wanted to turn your info over to vendors (which I don't), I couldn't.

Don't forget to check out the "Behind the Scenes" segments that explain how and why these were created so you can learn to develop similar, inexpensive tutorials.

What You Can Access From This Page

You'll notice that these tutorials contain nearly the same content. This is to show you different ways the same instructional material can be presented. Read each description for more detail and click a tutorial image to get started.

PowerPoint-Based Tutorials

Facing the prospect of selecting an LMS for your association? Wondering where to even start?!? Well, you've found it! Learn the basic choices you're facing -- whether to focus on hosted systems or an internal system, for example -- in this comic book styled tutorial. Explore: What you need to know before you start your search A seven-step plan for your selection process Why cost isn't the most important selection factor The benefits and drawbacks of internal and hosted systems Why selecting the vendor is as important as picking the system Ways to evaluate the vendor and system How to handle pricing issues Using a scorecard to narrow your possibilities ...and more! What it won't tell you? How to write your RFP... (maybe that will be a future tutorial). This tutorial does not use audio and will take about 15 minutes to complete. It was compiled for Web delivery using iSpring Presenter's Banner Player. To get started, just click the image!

Looking for more information on selecting an LMS? Here's a list of a half-dozen important places to start, including references cited in the tutorial. Don't forget to include the aLearning Blog in your RSS feed so you can stay up to date with the resources posted here. Have your own resources to share? Send info to Ellen for posting via the blog!

LMS? LCMS? CMS? TMS? What?!?! Sociologists will tell you that one way groups distinguish themselves is through language -- and that's certainly true in the world of work. Doctors spend years learning the special language of medicine, but you only need a few minutes to learn the key acronyms to speak the language of elearning. This tutorial of 38 screens takes about ten minutes to complete, and includes a few quizzes so you can see if you can tell your Ps from your Qs (or, more accurately, your LMSes from your LCMSes!). No audio is used. iSpring Presenter's Crystal player template was used to compile the PowerPoint slides for this Web. Don't forget to take a look at "Behind the Scenes: eLearning Alphabet Soup" to see how this tutorial and its quizzes were put together. To get started, just click the image!

The three primary types of elearning are covered in this quick tutorial. This version does not use audio and takes less than five minutes to complete. It was created using PowerPoint and other easily available. iSpring Free was used to compile the PowerPoint files for delivery over the Web.*

Learn about the three primary types of elearning through this quick tutorial. Note that this version uses audio, so make sure you have your speakers turned up or have your headphones on. Because it includes audio, the files are much larger, so the tutorial (though nearly the same length as the text-only version) will take longer to load into your browser -- exactly how long depends on your bandwidth and connection speed. It will take less than five minutes to complete this 15-screen tutorial. This version of the tutorial was Web-enabled through use of Windows Movie Maker and will play best with the Windows Media Player.*

*Note that you might want to view both of these short tutorials to see how they have been designed differently depending on whether the session uses audio or text. Then check out the "Behind the Scenes" option to learn more about why certain choices were made for each.

Other Rapid-Development Options

Higher-end asynchronous courses of this type can include more advanced and complex interactions and graphics, and usually require professional developers to create them. Consider hiring a custom content development company if you need a more robust course.

This version tutorial was created using FlashForm from Rapid Intake. It's a simple, quickly-made example that includes the standard features of most asynchronous courses and is best viewed using a high-speed connection and a Windows browser. Rapid Intake offers a free 30-day trial, during which this example was created.

This version was created online at www.udutu.com. Udutu's free site and content creator allow you to create a fairly complex (considering it's free) lesson or module using their varied templates and methods for easily uploading your own images. Though this tutorial doesn't include audio, you can include it in your course if you have the means for creating audio files and uploading them.

How does Udutu make money? It offers a hosting option for a small fee, so you don't have to upload your files to your Web site if you prefer not to. You can also load your files into your own LMS for tracking purposes, if you have that need as well.