Does the industry need another live e-learning solution?
Perhaps so....
Macromedia just announced an additional module to their rapid e-learning system called Breeze Live. If you’re not familiar with Breeze, it is an integrated system that enables rapid development of elearning courses using PowerPoint as the authoring tool and Flash as the delivery technology (see my previous article for more information). Breeze includes basic LMS and LCMS capabilities for managing courses, administering assessments, searching for content, and reporting student progress.
Breeze is the latest in a new category of elearning products aimed at non-technical users. I’ve found that since the product is from Macromedia, it’s being compared to other elearning authoring tools. However, Breeze is different than most other products in this category in that it’s tightly integrated with a deployment and management environment that can be used by SMEs. This makes it much more powerful than a simple PowerPoint to Flash conversion tool Breeze can also be integrated with enterprise LMS systems such as Saba, Docent, Aspen, and Plateau.
The latest offering adds a “live” component that most closely resembles the virtual classroom technology from companies such as Centra, Interwise, Webex, and PlaceWare (Microsoft).
Do we really need another virtual classroom system?
Well, perhaps so. There are some key differences that make Breeze Live intriguing. First, the interface for Breeze Live is completely based on Macromedia’s ubiquitous Flash technology which offers a level of flexibility and performance not available in existing products.
Flexibility of the Interface. Breeze Live has the standard interface found in other products including the presentation material, chat, list of attendees, and even a live video of the presenter (more on that in a moment). Because it uses Flash, however, the windows can be moved around and resized according to what’s being presented on the screen. Flash uses what’s called a vector-based system for displaying images so as the windows are resized, the image inside will expand and contract with the size of the window. For example, if you want to make the image of the presenter larger or smaller – you can.
In addition, the "classroom" can be reconfigured for different activities. For example, once the presentation material is covered the layout can be instantly reconfigured for the Q&A session -- presentation slides reduced in size, video images of the instructor(s) take center stage, and the chat window enlarged. There are predefined layouts that come with the product -- and you can create customized layouts and store them for later use.
(Breeze Live's Customizable Interface with Video Window)
Ease of Deployment. Since Flash is already installed on about 99% of the world’s browsers so there is no need to preinstall any software to make Breeze Live work on learner’s desktops – eliminating a huge obstacle in the “ease of use” department. (Most other virtual classroom systems do require a "plugin" to download before you can view an event.) Although plug-ins are pretty non-intrusive, sometimes the plugin process discourages learners and takes time - so Breeze eliminates this obstacle.
Performance and Interface Quality. There are other interesting benefits of using Flash as the underlying technology for Breeze Live – performance and interface quality. Without getting into too much technical detail, Flash’s vector-based technology is able to display screen changes with such smoothness and clarity that the “classroom” interface looks and feels very natural compared to other products. When you reconfigure the screen, windows gently "slide" across the screen, for example.
Embedded Video! Using a webcam, the presenters in a live classroom session can all have live video images of their smiling faces up on the screen during the training session. Again, since the system is based on Flash, there is nothing to install on the desktop -- it all just works through the browser. (Flash MX includes this technology built-in to virtually every browser.) So using Breeze Live, non-technical SMEs can now author a course, place it online, send out email notifications, and conduct training sessions with a live video feed. Flash enables more efficient video transmission so a number of users can have their video images displayed on the screen.
Value of video. We have always been skeptical about the use of video in e-learning because of the impact on bandwidth and the difficulty of reusing video from a classroom event. In this case, however, video can be used simply to help communicate the facial expressions of instructors and participants, and make the experience "live!" Since webcams are now standard on most PC's, this use may prove to be very bandwidth efficient and easy to implement.
(Breeze Content Management interface)
Breeze Live includes all the other features found in most other live e-learning systems including:
• Session registration for users to sign-up for particular event
• Email notifications and reminders of upcoming events
• On-line chat sessions for communication between presenters and students
• Session archival and playback for those that missed the live session
• Assessment creation and management that’s good enough for almost any testing application
• Learner participation and performance reporting that’s better than many LMSs
Polling. The only obvious improvement I could find is the need for the assessment tool to be integrated with the presentation system so that instructors can conduct polls and have the results instantly displayed on screen. This is a nice feature that is often used more in the context of a meeting rather than a classroom. But it adds a level of interactivity that can be interesting for most any on-line session.
Comparing Breeze Live to other vendors. It is too early to tell, but my gut tells me that Breeze Live will be a very attractive alternative to Centra, Placeware, Webex, and Interwise. These other systems have been in the market for many years and have scalability, feature sets, and an install base which is significant. That said, their technology and interface is not nearly as flexible as Breeze Live. I think Breeze Live, if marketed and priced well, could easily become a significant player. Remember that in e-learning the "experience" is one of the single most important factors in success. Breeze's flexible interface, webcam video, and ease of deployment is a step forward in live e-learning solutions.
(Sample Breeze Offline Course, built from PowerPoint)
Overall, I found the experience of using Breeze Live to be much more engaging and less rigid than other products. Flash adds a tremendous amount of flexibility, deployment benefits, and usability that makes me wonder if classrooms really can become virtual!
More information about Breeze is available at http://www.macromedia.com/. Some additional resources include a product walkthrough at http://presentations.breezecentral.com/p69229210, and the Breeze overview presentation at http://www.macromedia.com/software/breeze/overview