How Much Do YOU Know About Learning Technologies?

A recent Training magazine survey found that participants have a firm grasp on purchasing learning technologies used for courses and similar e- and m-learning projects. But grasp of technologies used to manage various aspects of the training function is more mixed.

(Please click below to download the full article with charts included.)

In its heyday, the tagline of one of the larger off-price retailers was: “An educated consumer is the best consumer.” Given that trainers are in the education business, how “educated” are we about one of our most significant purchases: technologies for learning?

The Training team wanted to find out. So we conducted our first survey about technology from the consumer’s perspective. We looked at two groups of technologies:

1. Ones used for courses and similar e- and m-learning projects —authoring tools, social media, and apps.

2. Ones used to manage various aspects of the Training function, including learning management systems, course management systems, learning content management systems, content management systems, and talent management systems.

To explore knowledge of technologies, we asked participants to match the technologies with their definitions, their ability to differentiate products and services in a given category, and to name some of the key products in a given category. To assess skills, we asked about their awareness of technologies and prices for each technology. To assess experience, we asked people about their role in the purchasing process for a given technology.

In general, we found that the 300-plus participants in the study have a firm grasp on purchasing in the first category of technologies: ones used for courses and similar e- and m-learning projects. Grasp of the second category—technologies used to manage various aspects of the Training function—is more mixed. The following sections present the results. A companion article in the next issue of Training will provide broader insights into the roles of trainers in the process of purchasing technology.

GROUP 1: TECHNOLOGIES USED FOR COURSES AND E- AND M-LEARNING
This first group of technologies is used for courses and similar e- and m-learning projects and includes authoring tools, social media, and apps (applications that run on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets).

Prices for authoring tools are generally the highest of the group; individual licenses for some products can run as high as $2,000 (though most are much lower). Prices for many social media applications are the lowest: Many are free, although site licenses for private applications can run into the thousands of dollars. Individual licenses for apps are typically low, either free or less than $10, although some specialized apps can cost more, especially customized apps.

In general, awareness of the technologies of authoring tools, social media, and apps is high, though comfort with—and participation in—the purchasing process is lower.

AUTHORING TOOLS
Most participants (76.2 percent) correctly responded that an authoring tool is “software used to create online courses.” A slightly smaller majority—70.5 percent—feels comfortable using and defining the term with groups outside of Training. Click below to download the full article with Tables 1 and 2 for a summary of participants’ ability to correctly identify the definitions of technologies and comfort in using the terms with groups outside of Training.

Participants primarily play an advisory role (61.2 percent) in the decision to purchase authoring tools, either serving as a primary advisor to the decision-maker (35.1 percent) or offering suggestions on a purchase (26.1 percent). Click below to download the full article with Table 3.

Nearly half, 46.7 percent, can easily differentiate products and services among vendors of authoring tools. Nearly a third, 31.9 percent, can differentiate some, but not all, of the products and services among vendors in this category. Click below to download the full article with Table 4.

In terms of awareness of authoring tool brands, two dominate this category: Articulate (publisher of both Presenter and Storyline), with more than 70 mentions, and Adobe (publisher of Captivate), with more than 30 mentions. Also receiving several mentions were Camtasia and Lectora.

Comfort level with purchasing authoring tools is somewhat higher than other technology products. Some 50.4 percent feel they sufficiently know the technology and the prices to knowledgeably make a purchase (Click below to download the full article with Table 5).

SOCIAL MEDIA
Nearly 93 percent of participants correctly determined that social media refers to software used to easily share content and communicate with people and provide status updates. And 83.2 percent are comfortable using and defining the term with groups outside of Training. However, fewer than one-third of participants—29 percent—feel they can easily differentiate products and services.

Three brand names dominate in social media. With more than 70 mentions, Facebook had twice as many mentions as the next two brands, LinkedIn and Twitter, with just over 30 mentions each. No other brand scored more than three mentions.

Of those making the purchase, only about a quarter feel they sufficiently know the technology and its prices to knowledgeably make a purchase.

APPS
When asked to define “app,” the overwhelming majority of participants responding (95.5 percent) correctly identified it as the name for software programs that run on mobile devices. A slightly lower percentage of participants, 83.2 percent, feel comfortable using and defining the term with colleagues who work outside of Training.

Slightly fewer than a third feel they can easily differentiate among products and services among vendors in this category. No app received more than 10 mentions. Those receiving multiple mentions are general purpose apps such as iTunes and iBooks that were not designed specifically for training.

Participants primarily play a consultative role (45.7 percent) in purchasing apps for training. Slightly less than one-quarter of participants feel they sufficiently know the technology and its prices to knowledgeably make a purchase.

GROUP 2: TECHNOLOGIES USED TO MANAGE ASPECTS OF THE TRAINING FUNCTION
This second category of technologies is used to manage various aspects of the Training function, including enrollments, student records, classrooms, and content that will be reused and tailored to the unique needs of learners. Specific technologies include learning management systems, course management systems, learning content management systems, content management systems, and talent management systems. Further complicating this group of technologies is the fact that many systems in one of these categories have capabilities that overlap other categories.

Prices for this group of technologies generally are significantly higher than for the first group, usually starting near $10,000 and, for a large organization, running in excess of $1 million. Even when open-source (free) software is available, it requires complex (and costly) customization and technical support.

In general, comfort with the purchasing process for all categories of technology in this group is mixed.

LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
The majority of participants, 76 percent, properly defined a learning management system as a system that automates the management of administrative tasks for training, including enrollment, reminders, and class lists. And 85.6 percent feel comfortable using the term with people outside of Training.

Only 37.6 percent feel they can distinguish among the products and services provided by vendors, while nearly 32 percent feel they can differentiate some of the products and services but not all. Participants were most aware of five names. Moodle was the most cited, with more than 20 mentions, followed by SumTotal, Saba, Cornerstone, and Blackboard.

Of those who participate in the purchasing decision, the majority (65.3 percent) serve in advisory roles. Approximately a third of participants feel they sufficiently know the technology and prices to knowledgeably make a purchase. But a similar percentage feels they know the technology but not the prices.

COURSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Only 17.5 percent of respondents correctly identified a course management system as a system that lets instructors distribute materials to learners online, as well as conduct online discussions with learners. Fewer than half, 44.6 percent, feel comfortable using the term outside of Training.

Only 9.5 percent of participants feel they can easily distinguish products and services in this category. Two brand names dominate this category: Blackboard with more than 30 mentions and Moodle with nearly 15. The other brands received fewer than five mentions, and many of them are actually learning management systems.

Half of the respondents do not participate in purchasing course management systems. And only 13.1 percent feel they understand both the technology and the prices for course management systems.

LEARNING CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Only 33.6 percent correctly defined a learning content management system as a system that stores digital files for courses and also generates a course from these materials on the screen for users. Larger percentages of participants mis-defined the term as either course management systems or content management systems. Nevertheless, 54.7 percent feel comfortable using the term with people outside of Training.

Participants do not feel confident differentiating products and services among vendors of learning content management systems. Only 14.8 percent feel they can easily differentiate products and services among vendors. Xyleme had the largest brand recognition among participants (more than 20 mentions), followed by Saba (15-plus), then SumTotal and IBM Kenexa (roughly 10 mentions each). Blackboard received nine mentions.

Only 16.8 percent of participants feel they sufficiently understand the technology and prices to knowledgeably purchase a system.

CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Some 60.4 percent of participants correctly defined a content management system as a system that stores digital files of organizational materials such as procedures, catalogs, product plans, and communications materials; manages the approval process for these materials online; and presents them online either on computers or mobile devices. Half of the participants feel comfortable using the term outside of Training.

Only 12.8 percent feel they can easily differentiate products and services among vendors of content management systems. Receiving nearly equal numbers of brand mentions were Microsoft Sharepoint, Drupal, and WordPress (close to 15 each). Receiving more than five mentions were Joomla and Documentum. Participants also named some learning management and learning content management systems on this list.

Only 12.8 percent of participants feel they sufficiently understand the technology and prices.

TALENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Nearly all of the participants, 94.2 percent, correctly defined a talent management system as a system that manages all employee information, including address, employment records, resumes, performance plans, performance evaluations, and education records. Approximately half of the participants, 47.1 percent, feel comfortable using the term outside of Training.

Only 14.8 percent of participants feel they can easily differentiate products and services among vendors. Taleo had the most brand recognition, with 19 mentions. Cornerstone PeopleSoft, and Saba had approximately 10 mentions apiece, and Halogen and Saba each received seven mentions.

Of those who play a role in making decisions on talent management systems, 32.6 percent play an advisory role. Only 14.8 percent feel they sufficiently understand the technology and prices to knowledgeably make a purchase.

CONCLUSIONS
The data from this survey suggest that, in terms of awareness, trainers have a strong general familiarity with many of the most widely mentioned technologies: authoring tools, social media, apps, LMSs, and talent management systems. But confusion exists around several categories of enterprise technologies, including course management systems, content management systems, and learning content management systems.

The data also suggest the possibility of a lack of awareness among consumers about technologies, products, and prices. Perhaps this is because only about half of trainers play any role in the selection of any given technology used in their work. In most instances, that role is an advisory one.

The next report from this study will offer additional insights by providing more data about the roles of trainers in the process of purchasing technology and their spending authority.

Please click below to download the full article with charts included. 

Saul Carliner, Ph.D., CTDP, is Research director for Lakewood Media and an associate professor of Educational Technology at Concordia University in Montreal.

David William Price is a Ph.D. student specializing in Educational Technology at Concordia University.