https://sites.google.com/site/2011holidayusa/

and post your comments below.
Thanks.
Skip, Cody (and Snowy)

Captivate Walk-through support notes

Dr. Anthony ‘Skip’ Basiel, Adobe Education Leader
abasiel@gmail.com (m) 07771998799
http://abasiel.wordpress.com
http://www.informatology.com/
 

Disclaimer Note: Please be aware that any newer ’30 day trial’ versions of Adobe software will over-write your current older software! Do not install the samples on PCs with earlier versions of Adobe CS.

Intro: This ‘quick guide’ walk-through aims to support the Adobe Captivate Workshop at the Informatology Conference, London – April 2010. It is a series of screen grabs and short notes to help recreate the sample Captivate Induction resource used to accompany the eLearning design models paper on my blog. The full Captivate Flash example file can be found on our Adobe Education Leader’s Flash Communication Server (Adobe Connect Pro) at:
http://mme-v5???

STEP 1:
To avoid problems of your Captivate Flash file not fitting on your screen it is helpful to do your design and development work at a lower screen resolution such as 800 x 600. This will mean that it will only take part of your screen if you are at a larger resolution (e.g. X 1024).

You can change the screen resolution on a PC by right clicking on the desktop:
Properties > Settings > Screen resolution
and drag the slide bar to the far left.

Figure 1 PC Screen resolution

Figure 2 Set screen size of the Captivate file

In Captivate, start a new Blank Project from the centre ‘Create Project’ menu. Please note that templates can be made if you create a generic design to save time with branding and house style design.

Step 2: Next, we will get our Introduction slide ready. You may use what ever software you are capable to use such as Photoshop, PowerPoint, etc. and then go to the top menu to ‘Insert’ > ‘Other slides’. Alternatively, you can use the Captivate tools to add text, animation, etc. to the opening slide. It is also easy to add and edit some sound for your ‘Splash page’:
Audio > Import to slide > [choose a sound file from the Captivate library or make your own].

Figure 3 Opening slide with sound

Step 3: Create a visually inviting opening slide. You can do this using the Captivate tool in the toolbar to the right or import a graphic or PowerPoint slide. In .PPT the web links are live.

Insert > Other Slides > PowerPoint Slides

Background sound can be added as well.

Right click on the slide to import a premade sound file: Audio > Background Audio > Import. To change the sound file click Audio > Edit > Slide. This will allow you to get your image slide to finish at the same time as the sound.

Figure 4 Add a recording with voice

Step 4: Add recording to the next part of the demonstration. This can be done with sound during the recording of added later.

Record> Follow the prompts to capture the events on the screen. You can speak over the slides – or

Add you voice to the slides:

Select the slide > Audio

Then identify how many slides will play as you record your voice over the images.

Figure 5 Quiz or survey section

Step 5: Add a quiz / survey segment to get engagement or feedback from the participant. Select your last slide.

Select: Quiz > Question slide > Question types

For example: Short Answer > Survey will open a new short answer question box.
Enter the question you wish and then ‘set the preferences’ for the responses.

For example: Enable reporting > Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro – will let you send the data to the Flash Communication server where is can be downloaded as a database (.csv) file. You can adapt the layout as needed for your design. The results page can be hidden for surveys and shown for quizzes. See the next figures 6:

Figure 6 Adapted survey

Step 6: Publish your resource as a local file or online. A local file can be .html, PDF or a stand alone .exe file for a DVD. To publish online you will need to have an Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro server account.

For online access and survey data collection you need to create a folder in the Content area. Then publish the Captivate file to that folder. A Flash .swf file will be generated with a web address. The learner only needs a web browser with a Flash player to use your Captivate resource and enter their feedback.

Click: Publish > Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro > Select the server name > (You may need to add your server web address the first time) Publish

The files will be converted. And your server log in window will appear. Select your content area and publish to that folder. Give the file a clear name (e.g. AdobeCaptivateDEMO). Set the access to ‘Allow public viewing’ if anyone can use it. It may take a few minutes to publish the file depending on its size and your bandwidth access.

Click ‘OK’ when complete to get the web address to use:

http://mmse-v5.emea.adobe.acrobat.com/cap1/

Hybrid Group Model

Dr. Anthony ‘Skip’ Basiel

This proposed eLearning model is for groups of online learners that are collaborating on project work. They may be a team or a group of individuals that work independently but can share knowledge and resources.

In this online learning design the use of Web 2.0 systems and professional social networks are used to support the stakeholder interactions. This peer-review approach sees the course content to be learner-fortified and in-part learner-generated.

1) Starting point -

This group or cohort style eLearning design sees content as a ‘pre-set’ curriculum that the learners can ‘dip into’ as needed. It is not a procedural knowledge that must be done in sequence or a scaffolded design that sees incremental increase in the difficulty of the information base.

Because this is a project-based model there is no one set solution. The online learners will come to different solutions each time the problems and challenges are analysed based on the knowledge at hand and the expertise of the project team. In this way there is a flexible learning outcome for each module or project.

The evaluation criteria for the solutions to the projects must also be flexible. The knowledge and themes to master would be set by the learners to comprise the assessment criteria.

So, in this way the overall aim of the eLearning event can be represented as a circle in figure 1.

[ image of an outlined circle ]

Figure 1 Overall aims of eLearning events

2) Pre-test or ‘team member profile’

Next, we need to establish what components each member of the team brings to the table. Identify what elements of the theme of the project / problem are needed.

(e.g. do you need a technical ICT person or an artist / graphic designer? ). This set of experiences, knowledge and skills can be represented as a ‘slice of the pie’ in figure 2.

[ image of an outlined circle with a triangle filled in ]

Figure 2 Add the knowledge of a team member

A pre-test or skills assessment can help determine what expertise that may be of value can be brought to the table. These contributions can be than mapped against the needs of the project to identify what other people and skills are required. This activity may be also part of a feasibility study or needs analysis.

3) Team induction

We then need to establish the blend of personalities and leadership roles of the project stakeholders to get the right balance or receipt. How can we get a clear link between what needs to be done in the project and which people have the skills to get the job done.

4)  Action Plan / Gantt Chart
The next phase of the project model design is to set the milestones and benchmarks against a time line for delivery. The risk assessment tasks can be done here as well to plan back-up actions in case the project has problems.

5) Project proposal to project resolution

Presentations (oral viva) and written reports can be assessment activities. There needs to be good support resources on how to do these properly. Assessment criteria can be in-part pre-set, but should also have active input from the learners.

This model is linked to the Informatology conference talk at

http://mmse-v5.emea.adobe.acrobat.com/informatologytalk/

Dr. Anthony ‘Skip’ Basiel

I hope to share with you my moments of wisdom, madness, innovation and inspiration about ways we can encounter and engage with meaning making in this ever changing media.

You are invited and challenged to be a critical friend in this narrative journey together. Don’t hold back – tell me what you really think, as I will do the same for you.

Let’s begin this adventure together then……

Dr. Anthony ‘Skip’ Basiel
Adobe International Education Leader,
eLearning Research and Development Champion