eXe Authoring : Part II

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Starting eXe

To start the eXe, double click the eXe icon that should have appeared on your desktop after installation.  If you do not have the eXe icon on your desktop, you will need to find the application’s icon in your Windows start menu under Programs.  You should probably maximise the eXe window to utilise all the space you have available to work in.

eXe's authoring workspace is made up of two work areas. The left sidebar contains the tools that content authors can use to enter and organise content. While the authoring space behaves as a drafting board where content authors can edit and view content. Currently, a properties tab is also accessible in this work space. The properties tab is designed to enable content authors to define basic metadata and taxonomy for the project as well as add header graphics and a title.

  

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eXe Sidebar

Located at the far left of the screen, is the eXe sidebar, which contains the Outline and iDevice panes respectively.  The basic tree type structure allows users to add content pages (branches, children or nodes) to the trunk (Home page). Multiple levels can be added under this structure however guidelines for good content design suggest a fairly flat structure to be ideal for most learning content.

                                                                                                               

The sidebar contains the Outline and the iDevices panes as shown below:

Outline pane

The Outline tool set allows you to define the structure your project will take. This is particularly useful for large or complex projects that contain many parts or topics. The Outline pane uses a tree structure to organise related pages. This first page or node is the Home page. This is the top level page and will always display as your project's home page when published. 

·         Homepages

The Home page is the first page displayed when the project is exported to the web or an LMS. This is a parent page and additional child level pages can be added under this page.

·         Adding pages

To add additional pages select the parent node by highlighting the parent level and click the <Add Page> button.

·         Delete pages

To delete a page, select the page you want to delete and click the delete button. A dialogue message displays to check this action. Click OK to continue.

·         Renaming pages

Select the page you want to rename and click the rename button or double click on the node.  A dialogue message prompts you to enter the new name. Enter the name and click OK.

·         Extracting and Merging pages

Merging pages allows you to take an elp file and merge the content of that file into another elp file, or to take a page from an elp file and extract it to create a new elp.

To insert a file select the node you wish to insert the content into then select Merge, Insert Package from the File menu. Alternately, you can right-click on a node and select Insert Package. The Browser dialogue is displayed. Browse to the elp file you want to insert and click Open. The new file content will now appear in your open elp file.

To extract a node, select the node from your open elp file, select File, Merging, Extract Package (or right-click). A save dialog is displayed. Enter a file name for the node you are extracting and click Save. A confirmation message will be displayed.

·         Promote/Demote arrows

The promote/demote arrows are located beneath the outline pane. Selecting a node and clicking on one of the arrows will change the position of that node with the outline structure.

iDevice pane

The iDevice (instructional device) pane is a collection of structural elements that describe learning content. Examples of these include, objectives, pre-knowledge, case studies, free text. Learning content is created by selecting iDevices from the iDevice menu and entering your learning content. 

·         Activity

An activity can be defined as a task or set of tasks a learner must complete. Provide a clear statement of the task and consider any conditions that may help or hinder the learner in the performance of the task.

·         Case Study

A case study is a story that conveys an educational message. A case study can be used to present a realistic situation that enables learners to apply their own knowledge and experience to. When designing a case study you might want to consider the following:

v  What educational points are conveyed in the story

v  What preparation will the learners need to do prior to working on the case study

v  Where the case study fits into the rest of the course

v  How the learners will interact with the materials and each other e.g. if run in a classroom situation can teams be setup to work on different aspects of the case and if so how are ideas feed back to the class.

·         Cloze Activity

Cloze activities prompt learners with a piece of text with significant phrases or words missing. Learners demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the concepts presented in the text by filling in the missing phrases or words.  It is a useful device for testing reading comprehension and language skills.

·         External Website

The external website iDevice allows you to attach an external website url to your content.  This feature allows learners to browse the external website without the need to open a new browser window.

·         Free Text Area

The majority of a learning resource will be establishing context, delivering instructions and providing general information. This provides the framework within which the learning activities are built and delivered.

·         Image Gallery

                The gallery iDevice allows you to upload and label multiple images.

·         Image Magnifier

                The image magnifier allows the learner to view parts of an image in a magnified state.

·         Java Applet

                This is iDevice that allows users to load simple java applets into the eXe content.

·         Multiple Choice Question

Although more often used in formal testing situations MCQ’s can be used as a formative testing tool to stimulate thought and discussion on topics students may feel a little reticent in responding to.

When designing a MCQ test consider the following:

v  What learning outcomes are the questions testing

v  What intellectual skills are being tested

v  What are the language skills of the audience

v  Gender and cultural issues

Avoid grammar, language and question structures that might provide clues.

·         Multi Select Question

                This iDevice provides the ability to choose more than one correct response to a question.

·         Objectives

Objectives describe the expected outcomes of the learning and should define what the learners will be able to do when they have completed the learning tasks.

·         Pre-knowledge

Prerequisite knowledge refers to the knowledge learners should already have in order to be able to effectively complete the learning. Examples of pre-knowledge can be:

v  Learners must have level 4 English

v  Learners must be able to assemble standard power tools

·         RSS

The RSS iDevice allows users to import a snapshot of RSS content into your authoring environment where it can then be edited. This iDevice requires that the author be connected to the internet.

·         Reading Activity

Provide learners with structure to their reading activity. This helps put the activity in context for the learner. It is also important to correctly reference any reading materials you refer to as this models best practice to the learners. Not always essential if covered in the course content but providing feedback to the learner on some of the main points covered in the reading may also add value to the activity.

·         Reflection

The Reflection iDevice allows you to pose a question for the learner to consider of set an activity for learners to complete before receiving some guidance by clicking on the Feedback button.

·         SCORM Quiz

The SCORM Quiz iDevice bundles questions to form a quiz assessment. This assessment is then managed by the Learning Management System (LMS) to enable scoring.

·         True/False Question

True-false questions present a statement that requires the learner to determine whether or not the statement is true or not.

·         Wiki article

The wiki article iDevice takes a snap shot of an article and embeds it into your eXe content.  This iDevice requires that the author be connected to the internet. Changes made to the article will not automatically be updated to Wiki so changes made on your local machine to the wiki content in your content should be submitted back to the wiki where appropriate.