Going online with WizIQ
Updated December 03, 2015
Going online with WizIQ
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with WizIQ Online Academy Builder
I use WizIQ Online Academy to offer online learning programs or courses. I help other tutors and trainers to launch their services through my online academy service and provide consulting services for teaching and learning.
I am an author of teacher training and professional development programs that are used by teachers in the K-12 segment. My courses are being marketed to retail teachers across South Asia. Being the owner of my own courses and contents I did not want to invest my time and efforts into e-learning platform development etc., and hence explored an online learning platform that could serve my purposes and help me reach out to the world without compromising my copyrights and content.
I am an author of teacher training and professional development programs that are used by teachers in the K-12 segment. My courses are being marketed to retail teachers across South Asia. Being the owner of my own courses and contents I did not want to invest my time and efforts into e-learning platform development etc., and hence explored an online learning platform that could serve my purposes and help me reach out to the world without compromising my copyrights and content.
- Creating online courses. Putting together and designing courses is quite easy if you have structured content that is pedagogically fit. I have a 6 week course, a 10 week course and short duration programs that go up to one year.
- I can help create online academies for my education institutional clients and launch their online learning service as a part of my academy or with a new academy. That is a good facility but it's expensive.
- The online assignment and assessment facility is good as each and every lesson of mine has an accompanying assignment and assessment to prove or establish learning before the candidate can move forward.
- Quick access and a good virtual class experience help me reach out to clients and learners at will.
- Keeping a record of learner feedback and discussion inputs within the course platform saves a lot of trouble to track what went on through long duration courses with each and every learner. Great convenience for teachers/trainers.
- The course management is reasonably good but one can not control the learners path and navigate based on success criteria and allow progress into the course.
- Analytics and learner performance records as a database etc., is quite elementary and inadequate. This is crucial for professional education programs for schools and colleges and higher education like engineering etc.
- Storage restrictions seem a little unreasonable especially at a time when all mail providers and education ERP service providers have no limits. Though there may be an upper limit to have some control. A 1 GB storage for an online academy with own courses, partner courses and multiple academies seems out of sync with the actual market and operating requirements.
- Pricing could be more reasonably done and could be volume based like 'pay-per-use' and NOT 'discount-on-volume slabs'. This seems risky for first generation online learning service providers who do not have any idea of registrations or users that will come on board.
- The flash based platform is tough to handle on multiple browsers and we can't control the remote users laptop or system. So, HTML based platforms seem better on any browser and ease of use. Of course the WizIQ desktop app seems to do the job.
- Lesson content files published in PDF have less clarity and get slightly distorted/pixellated. I am better off uploading my content in PowerPoint or Word files for better clarity but they end up consuming more storage space.
- Increased reach and response to learners.
- Speed of launching online courses is very high and good.
- Pricing difficulties for short duration courses as usage charges are charged annually. It's not easy to predict traffic for private courses. Though schools and college clients know their user base, independent course providers face a risk.
- Limited and focused features seem a limitation but they are safer and do not confuse with too many unwanted and under used features. Essential features are adequate and the launch experience is quite good.
Have not tried any other product so far but intend to review some which allow easy creation and addition of online academies for a consultant like me. Yes the pricing factor is a major driver but one needs to check how to transfer/migrate and re-upload content and courses etc., and the convenience for existing users who may have become used to the existing platform and interface. The option of controlling or influencing my own user interface on the online academy as per my course requirements would be great.
Using WizIQ Online Academy Builder
3 - Co-owners who help in the design and uploading of client content to the online academy. They have been core promoters and I can trust them with my clients' content and course strategies etc. As we are using others copyrighted materials for their online learning programs, we have to be careful not to lose it to others.
3 - Graduates with idea of basic office software (MS Office), idea of flash, Instruction design, business management, library and customer relationships for learning management services. I oversee all activities as an MBA, author, content creator and pedagogic consultant to institutions. I have experience in content creation for K12 segment and also helping with engineering content. Hence, I manage most of the work which is supported by my team for usual processes on the WizIQ platform.
- Design and development of 4 courses authored by me.
- Adding online academy users in formal higher education like engineering and schools.
- Holding virtual class sessions for my clients.
- Creating online learning services for institutions in one week.
- Leading to training and orientation services and billings.
- Integrated consulting services for helping conventional course providers to go online with deep process level support and mentoring.
- Induce free trials for larger number of clients and users.
Evaluating WizIQ Online Academy Builder and Competitors
Yes - GoToMeeting. As it was not a stable product to serve serious learners in long duration courses. It was good for meetings of short duration only. Did not have a good experience.
I was using Skype for remote sessions and did not find it stable on a broadband of 10 MBPS. Hence there was a need for a dependable platform that would work in Indian internet conditions.
I was using Skype for remote sessions and did not find it stable on a broadband of 10 MBPS. Hence there was a need for a dependable platform that would work in Indian internet conditions.
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
- Product Reputation
- Positive Sales Experience with the Vendor
Product features and usage experience. Followed by a detailed product presentation in the context of my course needs and market served. Usage realities and actual test cycle took some time as there was limited on-boarding support for building my courses on the platform. However, in the end I found the process simple and best at hand at that point of time.
Go through the product usage scenario of one month at least and test everything now that I know what to look for. I would also like to test with a sample user and check the features that I am missing. Product features and usage convenience are central and key for me and my learners.
WizIQ Online Academy Builder Implementation
- Implemented in-house
Yes -
- Course descriptions and information section
- Course structure and contents
- Course assignments
- Course assessments
- Launching and inviting the learners in our contact
Change management was minimal - Initial orientation and routine usage is enough to use the product. With a little bit of support WizIQ is easy to handle. Once you get going then you don't need any support unless something doesn't function or gives a problem. Understanding and adapting instruction design was essential to fit into the limits of WiziQ and find a way to blend with my own offerings and service model.
- Understand what is required. A sample site or course detail view could make things clear for the new user. Or a upload manual and guide for each template item with sample.
- Virtual class settings and compatibility. If internet speeds are suspect then I had to switch to Skype and other video chat tools.
WizIQ Online Academy Builder Training
- Online training
- In-person training
- Self-taught
One has to keep exploring and learning. It is possible to learn by oneself but it could get frustrating for people who can't get themselves around the product features and their actual issues for creating courses and launching them. However, a little bit of remote query handling from the vendors support may be very helpful in this process.
Configuring WizIQ Online Academy Builder
Yes. For assignments, assessments, course content design/structure, reports and analytics that may be useful for educational institutions and usage models that may help the Online academy owner to market and serve their market/clients.
No - we have not done any customization to the interface
No - we have not done any custom code
None done on the platform. However, I manage them separately as a service from my end.
WizIQ Online Academy Builder Support
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
No escalation required Support understands my problem Quick Initial Response | Slow Resolution Not kept informed Difficult to get immediate help |
No - I have already paid for a service package and expect services. What is a 'premium support' if the basic service is not functional and there is little assistance to help you use the product/online academy for mutual gains. Even if one pays $1 for the service there is an expectation and support needed to help the client use the service. Where is the service or customer commitment factor.......premium service is a real spoiler of a concept. Clients may be offered additional services beyond basic SLA and deliverables. There can be no premium for a response from support team.
Yes - For example the 'Course Completion Settings' and Assignment Feedback limitation of characters/text box. These have not been solved as yet and confirmed to us against our ticket.
While building my course during launching my public course which has a revenue share with WizIQ. This was a very good experience and I hope it is extended to all the courses of the client as it leads to revenue anyways. However, for private courses, my experience is that I am expected to use the features on my own and get started.
Using WizIQ Online Academy Builder
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using | Lots to learn |
- Creating courses
- Creating assignments and assessments
- Using Virtual Classes
- Ensuring settings of Virtual Classes at client end
- Uploading branding logo and banner. Instructions could be better.
- Registrations to private courses are not yet easy and well understood.
Yes - Very basic reference as of now. Haven't really used it much but have to project its use and demo it for clients though. It is a necessary feature for viewing courses and taking assessments (the mcq types). Also if the internet speeds are good then viewing virtual classes is a good option.
WizIQ Online Academy Builder Reliability
Integrating WizIQ Online Academy Builder
- None
Not applicable
- None as yet
Yes they do.
- File import/export
- Single Signon
- Javascript widgets
Should be explained and made easy and available by default for not technical users and academicians to use it better.
Relationship with AuthorGen Technologies
Annual fee for the Online academy with custom storage space, one virtual class, and limited number of 10 learners at any point of time.
The sales and offer models could be more streamlined and flexible to address user needs on a easy payment model. Annual commitments mean that short duration course providers are at risk of spending for annual commitments upfront. Rest is fine.
Upgrading WizIQ Online Academy Builder
- I am a current user and found it useful while other tools are always there to fall back.
- Reach and market presence is better
- Service quality and standards have improved
- Flexibility to use, expand and grow
- Easy models to launch private courses for full cycle sales, registrations and service. Marketing tools shall help both the course and service providers/vendors.
- Give a digital certification facility with simple digital certificate templates to chose or create and upload and share or issue to learners of our courses. That makes it a single service destination for academics like us who wish to focus on their course related work and research etc.
Yes - I am using a professional model and as I grow I shall move to the enterprise model soon after acquiring some clients. However, prior to that I need to sort out few operational issues before I reach out to the market. I need a simple and clean online academy service. Existing features are adequate to move to enterprise model as soon as I have the features functional in a better manner as described earlier. Commercials are to be reviewed though.
Yes - As already indicated in the previous section but with time and a better working model and experience.