E-Learning,eLearning Suite,CourseBuilder,Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 Extension

New CourseBuilder Features in Adobe Dreamweaver CS4

                  The CourseBuilder extension for Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 allows users to create Web-based learning interactions in a visual authoring environment. The CourseBuilder extension includes a set of easy to use templates and tools that simplify and accelerate the development of online learning content. Learning interactions created with the extension are 100% Web-native, enabling cross-platform and cross-browser delivery without plug-ins or applets.

                  The new CourseBuilder that ships with Adobe eLearning Suite is loaded with a set of new features like Compatibility with latest browsers, SCORM compatibility, new look and feel etc. This post will provide a snapshot of all the new features embedded in the new CourseBuilder.

New Features

• New Interactions

        The new version of course builder has 3 new interaction types. They are Matching interaction (includes Combo Box and Drag and Drop), Sequence interaction and Likert Interaction.

1. Matching Interaction.

CourseBuilder matching interactions require users to match a set of question statements with their answers. Although multiple questions can have the same answer, each question can have only one answer.

Use the matching interaction to have students demonstrate their understanding of concepts, terms, and complex relationships between objects. For examples, students can match cities with their countries. More than one city may belong to the same country, but each city can belong to only one country.

CourseBuilder provides two ways to implement matching interactions:

   2. Sequence Interaction.

CourseBuilder sequence interactions require the learner to identify the logical order for the members of a list. For example, learners may be required to decide the correct order of phrases in a jumbled sentence. Students use pop-up menus to indicate the correct order of the members of the list.

Consider the following jumbled sentence for example:

[in the solar system][the largest planet] [Jupiter is].

Learners can reorder the three phrases in their correct order:

[Jupiter is][the largest planet][in the solar system].

    3. Likert Interaction.

CourseBuilder Likert interactions require users to indicate their level of agreement with the statements presented.

Users can select one of the following options to respond to CourseBuilder Likert questionnaires:

Likert interactions find extensive use in Psychometric assessment.

• Compatibility with Latest Browsers

All the CourseBuilder interactions both new and old work in latest browsers like Internet Explorer 7, Internet Explorer 8, Mozilla Firefox 2 and Mozilla Firefox 3.

• SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004 tracking Compatibility

        All the interactions  support SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004 along with AICC; the user can make his selection using the “Tracking” tab. Appropriate actions are to be selected in the “Action Manager”  for successful tracking of interactions.

Enable LMS tracking

On the General page, enable Knowledge Track.   The Tracking tab appears.

On the Tracking page, specify the Interaction ID, Objective ID, and the LMS Standard.

Click OK to apply changes made to the interaction.

• New look and feel of CourseBuilder Wizard

        All the interactions are provided with a new set of images which can be seen on invoking Course Builder. For ex: Drag and drop interaction type has new “Drag” elements and “Drop” elements. The Tabs are moved to the top of the wizard thus removing the scroll bars from the previous version of Course Builder.

• Setting up the Tracking

Here is a simple procedure to enable tracking for Interactions on AICC, SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004.

Set AICC- trackable information for an interaction on one Page.

Create an HTML page with an interaction.

Add the following functions on the Action Mgr page.

• Send Objective Info

• Send Score

• Send Lesson Status

• Send Lesson Time

Add the course structure files and create a zip file with the folder contents.

Set SCORM 1.2-trackable information for an interaction on one page.

 Create an HTML page with an interaction.

 Add the following functions on the Action Mgr page:

• Send Objective Info

• Send Score

• Send Lesson Status

• Send Lesson Time

 Add the manifest files and create a zip file with the folder contents.

Set SCORM 2.0-trackable information for an interaction on one page.

Create an HTML page with an interaction.

 Add the following functions on the Action Mgr page:

• Send Core Data

• Send Lesson Status

• Send Completion Status

Add the manifest files and create a zip file with the folder contents.