I suspect I will get some very definite view points on this subject. The last couple of years eLearning tools have gone from something that only a specialist could use, to tools that literally anyone can use. Is this a good thing? Or is it a bad thing? It reminds me of the transition that happened many years ago before PowerPoint when Training Specialists created “training presentations”. Then PowerPoint made it possible for everyone to create “training presentations”. Is it good that now a non-ISD person can create eLearning? Or should the creation of eLearning be only done by ISD persons? I would be very interested in your opinion.

People who are responsible for creating learning should be skilled in doing so. Doesn't mean they have to have the title or that job, but it does mean that they should know ISD and what it means to analyze, design, develop and analyze/evaluate learning.

It's not the tool; it's what you do with it.

Thanks your comment. I have had some interesting points made on other discussion boards. For example Dave Geoghegan points to a tool KBridge www.omnibuslearning.com (based on Microsoft Word) that allow fast and easy eLearning creation. Other pointed out that a great application of this tool is to have the SME do the draft creation, then pass to an ISD person who will apply ISD to the draft ending up with a solid eLearning module. Because the tool is so easy the resultant module is built in a fraction of the time. Another very interesting point was based around an analogy of Mercedes who in the early days stated that the total worldwide market for their cars was about 10,000 because that was the total number of chauffeurs in the world. Then along came cars for the masses and the rest is history. An interesting view is will a tool like KBridge become an eLearning tool for the masses and radically change the way we view authoring tools?? interesting thought..

Already participated in the LinkedIn group where you posted this question. :-)

Free Webinar on the topic of easy to use eLearning Authoring Tools

There has been a lot of discussion on this topic and so I approached a Subject Matter Expert who works with Rapid Development tools and he has agreed to present a Free Webinar on this topic for those who desire to learn more. The Webinar is titled "If you can type, you can create eLearning! - Using Microsoft Word to author eLearning" This webinar will approach the whole topic of rapid development from a completely different viewpoint of using Microsoft Word as the bases for developing eLearning.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST 1.
Click here to join: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/p.../722781771/105244130