One great way for educators to leverage their knowledge and expertise on a subject is by creating short lessons or learning management system courses and putting them on the Coggno e-learning marketplace. Coggno’s intuitive UI (user interface) and simple-to-use tools provide easy course creation for all educators, with no need for IT help at any point.

Coggno’s online learning marketplace was created to facilitate the fast and effective transfer of knowledge. Learning material and online training courses are increasingly simple to create–and are no longer simply fun additions to a traditional classroom. In fact, online course content is beginning to make the difference between a good class and an amazing one.

Recent studies have blown out of the water the antiquated notion that online education is simply “better than nothing,” or an on-the-side supplement to a traditional classroom. A recent report tells us just the opposite.

The 93-page study on online education, conducted by SRI International for the Department of Education, found that “On average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.” Just a few years ago, e-learning wasn’t much more than a lesser, electronic version of traditional in-person courses. Now, online education is beginning to actually surpass the face-to-face versions.

We have to look at the tools that are available now on LMSs for educators and trainers. For example, using Coggno’s text tool, video tool, SCORM publisher, template tool, audio tool and assessment tools, educators are able to easily and quickly create dynamic e-learning material either for in-class use or for publishing on Coggno’s e-learning marketplace. And choosing from Coggno’s apps such as BB FlashBack, Rapid Unison, and the Apple Podcast Producer, educators can engage their audience in active, visually- and audibly-interesting learning content.

Podcasts are one exciting medium, offering a host of pedagogical possibilities. Podcasts are convenient and optimally portable, and appeal to many different kinds of learning styles. They can be used to both supplement and reinforce course learning material, or renew learning activities. They can also serve as announcements, reminders, and updates to be heard by everyone using the learning management system.

In addition, many educators and trainers find that responding to learners’ unique cultural backgrounds, interests, and world knowledge results in a more interactive and dynamic learning experience. An LMS can be an invaluable tool in not only tracking learners’ progress, but in providing an organizational and educational tool that caters to the needs of all learners.

Coggno’s suite of course development tools enables interactive learning that lends itself to differentiated instruction. Coggno is a growing LMS course platform that understands that all learners are distinct–and that this fact enriches, rather than detracts from, the quality of a learning system that caters to all learners.

Studies show that about 70% of students are strong visual learners. While listening to someone lecture for hours doesn’t suit many visual learners, watching a dynamic speaker demonstrate an idea will. Visual learners are sensitive to body language, and often have an advanced ability to “read” people. So in your content, include videos with demonstrations, simulations and screencasting.

The effectiveness of a course depends on the designer’s tapping into the right resources. These include not only the tools offered by the learning management system, but the students themselves. By understanding learners’ needs and learning styles, educators and subject matter experts are better equipped to create more helpful, engaging, and successful online courseware.

With more organizations and schools adopting their own learning management system, the traditional style of creating and distributing knowledge is being redefined. Whether it’s online corporate training or classroom pedagogy, Web 2.0 technologies, LMSs and other online tools are seeing an end to the days in which one person dominated the floor and simply dispensed information to an all-ears audience. The classroom now involves the student, and holds their attention and interest, in ways it was never able to before.

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Coggno.com offers premier online education world-wide.