So just what is the online instructional cycle? At Elluminate, we define it as what happens before, during, and after the live online session. While dynamic interaction in the live virtual classroom is key to transforming teaching and learning on a global level, we wanted to look at how to leverage this real-time opportunity to enhance the experience for teachers and students as well as to promote the use of the enabling technology throughout the department, campus, and institution.

Next stop: Elluminate Plan! and Elluminate Publish!
I talk to a lot of customers, and many want advice about how to promote and facilitate the use of live eLearning beyond those who enthusiastically embrace using new technology. For us, the answer was to develop Elluminate Plan! enabling instructors or course designers to organize content and activities before the Elluminate Live! session. Then during the live session, routine tasks, like starting the recording, advancing to the next slide, playing a multimedia file, or loading a quiz, are automated, so the instructor can focus on interacting with students. On an institutional level, even those less experienced online instructors can navigate the virtual classroom with confidence.

We also looked at what happens after the live session. Certainly, Elluminate Live! recordings can leverage content, but what if they could be more portable. Enter Elluminate Publish! allowing the creation of industry-standard podcasts and standalone recordings to use when not connected to the Internet. Now content is resuable and portable.

So there you have it: The Elluminate Learning Suite for planning, presenting, recording, and publishing plus the Elluminate Next> bundle, which combines Plan! and Publish! If you want to know more, here’s a few press releases and a Sneak Peek session recording. And you can try Publish! free for 30 days, too. Plan! is being formally launched at NECC 2008 at the end of June at which time a free 30-day trial for that product will also be available. So give ‘em a try.

We think we’re on to something here. Hope you think so too!

- Beth, Elluminate Goddess of Communication