A New Open-Source Approach to the Rapid Authoring of E-Learning By: Reuben Tozman [email_address]

What is….. Hi Reuben: I apologize for the delay in getting this to you however; I have not been successful in setting up the FTP site for the transfer of the klx file.

Rapid Authoring – What are they saying? Many trainers are finding the solution is at hand with rapid authoring tools which allow non IT specialists to write their own, high quality , e-learning in record time. Mike Alcock As Reuben Tozman points out, ‘Tools are not skills. Word processors don’t turn bad writers into good ones.’ Agreed, so take a little time to provide the skills. Rapid e-learning may be disposable, but it still has to be fit for purpose. Clive Shepherd

Many trainers are finding the solution is at hand with rapid authoring tools which allow non IT specialists to write their own, high quality , e-learning in record time.

Mike Alcock

As Reuben Tozman points out, ‘Tools are not skills. Word processors don’t turn bad writers into good ones.’ Agreed, so take a little time to provide the skills. Rapid e-learning may be disposable, but it still has to be fit for purpose.

Clive Shepherd

Rapid Authoring – What am I saying? Getting To The Heart Of The Problem E-learning is multidisciplinary. E-learning is about learning theory and it is also about technology . To create an e-learning program you must be able to create content that is consistent with the academia, literature and best practices around learning theories. You must also be able to create a piece of technology that is consistent with the literature, academia and best practices around electronic communications. Myth About Tools

Getting To The Heart Of The Problem

E-learning is multidisciplinary. E-learning is about learning theory and it is also about technology . To create an e-learning program you must be able to create content that is consistent with the academia, literature and best practices around learning theories. You must also be able to create a piece of technology that is consistent with the literature, academia and best practices around electronic communications.

Myth About Tools

The Problem – Current Rapid Authoring Poorly designed courses Short term savings, long term hassles Proprietary formats at the source Devaluation of expertise at all levels

Poorly designed courses

Short term savings, long term hassles

Proprietary formats at the source

Devaluation of expertise at all levels

The Solution – Future Rapid Authoring Team based approach Open source technology Separation of content from presentation and delivery Instructional design templates versus technology based templates

Team based approach

Open source technology

Separation of content from presentation and delivery

Instructional design templates versus technology based templates

Rapid Authoring the Next Level We can author content for multiple delivery platforms in a single file. We can re-brand and convert 1000 courses to a new learning management system at the same speed as converting 1 course. We can author content for a flash exercise without ever opening flash to do so. We can do all this using non-proprietary software.

We can author content for multiple delivery platforms in a single file.

We can re-brand and convert 1000 courses to a new learning management system at the same speed as converting 1 course.

We can author content for a flash exercise without ever opening flash to do so.

We can do all this using non-proprietary software.

The Basics - HTML vs. XML XML is not a replacement for HTML. XML and HTML were designed with different goals: XML was designed to describe data and to focus on what data is. HTML was designed to display data and to focus on how data looks. HTML is about displaying information, XML is about describing information.

XML is not a replacement for HTML.

XML and HTML were designed with different goals:

XML was designed to describe data and to focus on what data is.

HTML was designed to display data and to focus on how data looks.

HTML is about displaying information, XML is about describing information.

What is the Structured Content Development Model

Content Structures <BH2007><page><list> <bulletedPoint> Content Structures define content type. </bulletedPoint> <bulletedPoint> For example, we could define this bullet as a “bulleted point”. </bulletedPoint> <bulletedPoint> The “bulleted point” is part of a “list”. </bulletedPoint> <bulletedPoint> The “list” is part of a “page”. </bulletedPoint> <bulletedPoint> The “page” is being seen by “BH2007 attendees”. </bulletedPoint> </list></page></BH2007>

<BH2007><page><list>

<bulletedPoint> Content Structures define content type. </bulletedPoint>

<bulletedPoint> For example, we could define this bullet as a “bulleted point”. </bulletedPoint>

<bulletedPoint> The “bulleted point” is part of a “list”. </bulletedPoint>

<bulletedPoint> The “list” is part of a “page”. </bulletedPoint>

<bulletedPoint> The “page” is being seen by “BH2007 attendees”. </bulletedPoint>

</list></page></BH2007>

Content Structures – Rapid Authoring Example: Content Structure for a multiple choice question .

Example: Content Structure for a multiple choice question .

Content Structures – Rapid Authoring Example: Content Structure for a puzzle exercise

Example: Content Structure for a puzzle exercise

Content Structures – Rapid Authoring Example: Bloom’s Taxonomy and DITA

Example: Bloom’s Taxonomy and DITA

Delivery Templates – ‘Processing’ Dictate what to do with content structures and elements. Made up of Style Sheet and Delivery. How it looks, How it behaves, How it’s delivered. LMS Standards are found here. Multiple delivery templates (processing) for a single content structure.

Dictate what to do with content structures and elements.

Made up of Style Sheet and Delivery.

How it looks, How it behaves, How it’s delivered.

LMS Standards are found here.

Multiple delivery templates (processing) for a single content structure.

Rapid Authoring Demo Changing Puzzle with Notepad View It YOUR TURN Modify the existing notepad file, save it under a different name and return to me. Choices – Multiple Choice or Puzzle?

Changing Puzzle with Notepad

View It

YOUR TURN

Modify the existing notepad file, save it under a different name and return to me.

Choices – Multiple Choice or Puzzle?

Getting Started “ That’s great but I don’t think we’re ready for that ”. Everybody

“ That’s great but I don’t think we’re ready for that ”.

Everybody

Getting Started Like any other change, it requires commitment. Implementation requires one (1) to two (2) months. Team members include: Project Manager, Instructional Designer, Writers, Schema Developers, Web Developers, QA, SMEs. Design a content model.

Like any other change, it requires commitment.

Implementation requires one (1) to two (2) months.

Team members include: Project Manager, Instructional Designer, Writers, Schema Developers, Web Developers, QA, SMEs.

Design a content model.

Getting Started – Tools XML Editor (XML Spy, XML Mind, Infopath, etc) Stylesheet Editor (Stylevision) DITA Opensource Toolkit ( http://sourceforge.net/projects/dita-ot )

XML Editor (XML Spy, XML Mind, Infopath, etc)

Stylesheet Editor (Stylevision)

DITA Opensource Toolkit ( http://sourceforge.net/projects/dita-ot )

Getting Started – Standards DITA ( http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev =dita ) ( dita.xml.org ) S1000D ( http://www.s1000d.org/ ) SCORM ( www.adlnet.org )

DITA ( http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev =dita ) ( dita.xml.org )

S1000D ( http://www.s1000d.org/ )

SCORM ( www.adlnet.org )

Questions? [email_address]

Questions?

[email_address]