eLearning Templates: 5 Things You Need To Know

How to effectively use eLearning templates

Creating engaging eLearning content is time consuming, only worse when design elements are considered. It takes time to create a clean, easy-to-use, and professional e-learning course. In an effort to cut costs, many eLearning authors decide to skip the design aspect and create everything on their own. Also, many make the mistake of simply transferring their PowerPoint files without considering that most are just presentations not adapted to eLearning. An unprofessional-looking eLearning course is bad news: if it takes hours to set up that course, you're wasting on two fronts. This is where eLearning templates come in. Templates allow you to take pre-existing layouts and insert your own eLearning content inside. They often come fully loaded with interactive tools and navigation, so you don't need to spend hours repeating the same settings for each course.

Templates can help you and your organization:

• Reduce the cost of developing eLearning content
• Produce iterations of eLearning content faster
• Test concepts quickly and inexpensively without compromising design and usability
• Maintain a consistent appearance throughout your content

With all that said, here are 5 things to keep in mind when looking for your next template.

1. You need variety in design models

The more options you have for creating eLearning content on the go, the better your results will be.
That is why you must know the style models before choosing an eLearning template.

Some templates only contain one style model type. While this model may look good, it may not be versatile enough for all your eLearning content needs.

If you buy a template that works well for a single use case, you will probably need to splurge again when you realize you have a new use case in mind. Either that, or you'll have to spend time modifying your template to suit your needs, which is the exact opposite of what templates are supposed to help you do: save time.

2. Implement your brand's style guide

Branding must be a non-negotiable part of eLearning content creation.

Before committing to a specific template, play around with branding elements to see how simple (or difficult) it is to implement your own branding, such as:

• Your color palette
• Your company logo
• Relevant graphics

If you need to manually change the color of each slide in a course, you'll waste a lot of time when this template is supposed to save you. On the other hand, the best eLearning templates allow you to change the color scheme of the entire course in its global settings, simplifying the process.

The same principle applies to fonts. Make sure there is a simple and comprehensive way to change fonts throughout the course.

3. Check the variety before choosing your choice

For example, does your template support advanced question types like drag and drop? Does it allow you to create scenarios that involve more than one fictional character? The most versatile templates will have sections for many possible scenarios that you can create, not just one. This means you can take it, delete the ones you don't need, and paste your content into a pre-existing layout. Neat, right?

What if your template only allows you to create, say, one-person scenarios? With some work, you could edit the design and create your own two-person stage. Or, you can continue to search for a template that is more versatile and suitable for your needs.

4. Easy to use for students

Let's say you choose a great-looking eLearning template that is flexible, customizable, and easy to use for your team. That's great! However, you must ensure that the template also provides a positive experience for the student.

For example, the eLearning template should be easy to navigate from one section to another. If the content is too crowded or busy with visuals, it can be difficult for students to spot the navigation icons. You can always modify these elements if you need to, but it will save more time if you choose a template that is already easy to navigate.

Also, consider how your students will consume their eLearning content. If there is a possibility that you are viewing content from your mobile devices, your template must be compatible with mobile devices. This is especially important for students who need to travel for long periods of time, work outside the office, or travel frequently. Reviewing the content of eLearning is a great use of your time during daily commutes, but it is not always so easy to get a laptop out on a crowded bus.

5. Your eLearning template must be customizable and easy to use

This seems like an obvious thing to know. But you will be amazed at how limiting some templates are! Make sure you can move items within your course. You may be happy with the way the images and buttons are positioned now, but you will be very limited in the future if you can't drag things. However, customization shouldn't come at the cost of usability. Let's say, for example, that it is actually possible to edit the position of elements in your course. But if the only way to move things around is to manually enter numbers on a graph, chances are you'll spend a lot of time ripping your hair out in frustration. With so many drag and drop options available today, you don't need to settle for anything more complicated than that.

Remember that e-learning templates are just a starting point

Versatile, professionally designed e-learning templates, like the ones you'll find at Koantic, are amazing time-saving tools. However, to get the best results from your eLearning authoring process, be sure to spend at least a little time customizing your content by adding custom images, bookmarking your course, and additional graphics that can provide much-needed context for your students.

ELearning templates are a great starting point, and will certainly cut the costs of producing eLearning content with your help. But your content will start making the impact you're looking for only if you populate those templates with engaging, high-quality content that simplifies your students' lives.