It is a fact that there are thousands of Open Source software, tools and plugins to choose from in order to create interactive content without the need of costly software, costly infrastructure or coding. Even so, converting course materials to online digital interactive courses can be time consuming since a trainer (who may also not be very ICT literate) needs to research for the right tools/software in a vast variety of open source software as well as low cost software, evaluate them, master their usage and then transform the content into a digital interactive content. Even if the cost for buying a software may be low, in some cases you find out that the downloaded software is not the right tool for the job. And then we have one more difficulty to overcome: in most cases, open source and low cost software are not well documented, you may find fragmented information on the internet on how to use them and a lot of trial and error is required until you learn how they work. Moreover, it is a fact that usually not one tool can do the job. In many cases, tools may need to be combined in order to achieve the desirable results. Not all tools can work together or be compatible. Again, testing is needed for compatibility issues and this can be extremely time consuming. This output is a toolkit for creating interactive and SCORM content for an LMS/CMS platform (Learning Management Systems/ Content Management Systems) using a set of open source software, free ware and low cost software.

(WHAT IS SCORM? SCORM, which stands for Shareable Content Object Reference Model, is the de facto industry standard for eLearning interoperability. Specifically, SCORM governs how online learning content and Learning Management Systems (LMSs) communicate with each other. There are many software available online which are in many cases free and can deliver the content into a SCORM format which enables the course creator to use this content in any type of LMS platform.)

The i – CONTENT INTERACTIVITY toolkit will include a)a selection of open source software, freeware and low cost software, plugins for the creation of interactive content and teaching and classification based on the software’s capabilities b)a set of comprehensive training guides on their usage c) links to download and d) examples on how various software may be combined in an LMS or CMS platform to achieve desired results (for example to deliver a course through both synchronous and asynchronous routes would require a software within an LMS platform for webinars as well as other software to develop the asynchronous part of the course) and compatibility guidelines.