Mark Tomlinson

AC&S Ltd
 Introduction
Presenter: Mark Tomlinson
Company: Aerospace Consulting & Services Ltd
URL: http://www.acns-group.com

Authorware since V2
Previously Authorware ACE then eLearning ACE

Subject: Xerte (eLearning Development Tool)

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 Overview
1. What is Xerte?
2. Xerte History
3. Xerte Facts
4. The Xerte suite
5. Fundamental Technical Features
6. Page Icons
7. Xerte Template Wizard
8. Xerte Online Toolkits
9. Xpert Repository
10. Authorware -> Conversion Tool

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 1. What is Xerte?

Xml
Engine
Run “A suite of open source rapid eLearning tools”

Time
Editor
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 2. Xerte History

• Created by Julian Tenney of Nottingham University

• First released in 2006 BETA – Development from abt

2003

• Released as an open source product in 2008

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 3. Xerte Facts
• Created in the search for a tool after Authorware but
a faster and cleaner solution than flash.

• Accessibility ‘built in’ from the start

• Originally one standalone tool

• Now evolved into a suite of rapid eLearning tools

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 4. The Xerte Suite

• Xerte Standalone v2.6

• Xerte Template Wizard v2.6

• Xerte Online Toolkits v1.5

• Xpert (New Release)

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5. Fundamental Technical Features
Standalone Interface
• Built in Flash
• Hosted in Zinc framework

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5. Fundamental Technical Features

• Easy to use tree and icon structure…

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5. Fundamental Technical Features

• Built in Action Script 2.0 and content publishes to the

Flash Player and Xerte standalone desktop player.

• Xerte natively packages to SCORM 1.2 & 2004 from

a menu button.

• All lesson content is stored in an XML file.

– Reuse later (Silverlight??)

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 6. Types of Page Icons
• Graphic
• Text
• Draw
• Sound
• Movie
• Interaction
• Framework
• Decision
• Component
• Script

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 6. Graphic Icon
• Graphic
• Text
• Draw
• Sound
• Movie
• Interaction
• Framework
Supports:
• Decision • GIF, JPG, PNG, BMP
• Component • On-screen positioning & re-sizing
• All other AS2 functions for graphics
• Script

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 6. Text Icon
• Graphic
• Text
• Draw
• Sound
• Movie
• Interaction
• Framework
• Decision Supports:
• CSS Style Sheets
• Component • HTML
• Script

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 6. Draw Icon
• Graphic
• Text
• Draw
• Sound
• Movie
• Interaction
• Framework
• Decision
• Component • Many more options compared to Authorware
• ‘Vector’ Format
• Script

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 6. Sound Icon
• Graphic
• Text
• Draw
• Sound
• Movie
• Interaction
• Framework
• Decision
• Component MP3 & Sound Synchronisation
• Script

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 6. Movie Icon
• Graphic
• Text
• Draw
• Sound
• Movie
• Interaction
• Framework
• Decision
• Component FLV & Movie Synchronisation
• Script

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 6. Interaction Icon
• Graphic Types of interaction:
• Text • Button
• Draw • Radio Button
• CheckBox
• Sound • ComboBox
• Movie • HotObject
• HotSpot
• Interaction • TextEntry
• Framework • TargetArea
• TimeLimit
• Decision • TriesLimit
• Events.
• Component
• Script

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 6. Framework Icon
• Graphic
• Text
• Draw
• Sound
• Movie
• Interaction
• Framework
• Decision
• Component Includes Entry Pane
• Script

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 6. Decision Icon
• Graphic
• Text
• Draw
• Sound
“A Decision icon allows you to control the
• Movie sequencing of content and present a series of
pages to the user in a number of different
• Interaction ways.”
• Framework
• Decision
• Component
• Script

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 6. Component Icon
• Graphic
• Text
• Draw
• Sound • SWF files that have been designed to work
• Movie with a Xerte piece

• Interaction • Create your own in flash with the

• Framework components template

• Decision
• Component
• Script

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 6. Script Icon
• Graphic
• Text
• Draw
• Sound
• Movie
• Interaction
• Framework
• Decision • Action Script 1.0 (ish)
• Code auto-completion
• Component • Quick-key pop-up list for functions
• Script

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 7. Xerte Template Wizard
• Part of the Xerte standalone development tool

• An effective solution for non-developers to create

content rich eLearning

• Based on a customisable template system

• All content stored in separate XML file

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7. Xerte Template Wizard

Interface

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7. Xerte Template Wizard

Directory Structure for Xerte Template Wizard

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7. Wizard Demo

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8. Xerte Online Toolkits - History

• During 2008, after development of Xerte

templates and Wizard interface, work began on an
online authoring solution
• September 2008 beta release of Xerte Online
Toolkits
• April 2009 Version 1.0 released
• September 2009 Version 1.5 released

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8. Xerte Online Toolkits - Purpose

• A web browser based eLearning authoring suite

• A tool suite for non-technical authors

• A tool suite for collaboration and sharing

• Repurposing and reuse of content

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8. Xerte Online Toolkits – Manager
• Choose from a list of existing templates

• Templates can be created in Xerte standalone

to be added to the Xerte Toolkits list

• Create, edit and publish projects and lessons

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8. Xerte Online Toolkits – Manager

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 8. Xerte Onlnie Toolkits – Authoring
• Non-technical content creation

• Styles and options dictated by template

• Can be accessible to other users for

collaborative authoring/review

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8. Xerte Online Toolkits – Authoring

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 9. Authorware -> Xerte
• Is it possible to convert existing Authorware
content to Xerte?

• Yes!

• Dave Burnett’s Authorware -> Xerte converter

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 Dave Burnett

• 1969-1974  OSSHGD (SCIENCE AND TECH)

• 1977-1980  CARLETON UNIVERSITY (POLI SCI)

• 1993-1994  C. N. E. (NETWARE ENGINEER)

• 2002 & 2003 Career Education Corporation – Dedication to Student

Service Award. 

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 Dave Burnett
Introduced to Authorware in 1995, and used to produce CBT for the colleges Open Learning Center.
Became addicted to Authorware, spending the next 14 years producing both CD and web delivered programs such as:
- Conference pre-training modules for Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations.
- Safety training materials for British Nuclear U.K.
- Course delivery engine for American InterContinental University, a totally online, fully accredited U.S based university.
    
- Software simulation training for CampusVue, one of the most popular Student Management systems used in colleges and universities.

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Short Video Example
 The future?
• Xerte 3.0 (alpha release now)
• Flex framework
• AS3
 Get Xerte!
• Download @ http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/xerte/

• Join the mailing list:

http://lists.nottingham.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/xerte
(or select “Community” on the Xerte website)

• Wiki @ http://wiki.xerte.net

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Questions

Any questions?

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