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Tag: SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5

Multiple language directions in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5

Posted on by Shalin Hai-Jew

Going global in e-learning has often meant using the global language of interchange: English. However, as e-learning has reached into ever more complex marketplaces, the need to translate some materials into first languages has become even more important.

Machine translations of language are limited, with awkward syntax, confusing colloquialisms, and sometimes very funny turns of phrases.

SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5 has a feature which changes the directions for how to interact with its various learning objects and activities.

Continue reading “Multiple language directions in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5” →

SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5’s connections to usable digital contents

Posted on by Shalin Hai-Jew

Faculty and subject matter experts (SMEs) who are building online learning objects or whole courses or even degree programs will find some software authoring programs are connected to digital content repositories. One leading authoring tool not only connects to a number of photo sharing sites, learning object repositories, digital libraries, and online encyclopedias, but it facilitates the integration of these resources (as links) into a learning product.

First, open SoftChalk LessonBuilder. Go to Tools in the Menu Bar. Go to Media Search, or click the F8 key.

MediaSearchF8

Continue reading “SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5’s connections to usable digital contents” →

Attaching metadata to digital learning objects in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5

Posted on by Shalin Hai-Jew

“Metadata” refer to “data about data”. These identifiers help potential users more easily see the possible usefulness of a particular digital learning object, module, or learning sequence. Metadata often appear in catalogs of digital collections, for example. They are often used for computers to understand what particular digital objects contain and how these may be used.  Some metadata may be captured automatically: Newer-brand digital camcorders and digital still cameras capture GPS and time information of a particular capture and store that as part of the digital output. There are human ways to add value-rich metadata.

Some authoring tools now make it a regular part of the work to add metadata. One example is SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5’s metadata field.

To access this field to label a particular digital learning object, open SoftChalk LessonBuilder. In the menu bar, go to Properties and then Metadata.

PropertiesMetadataThe Metadata table will appear on the screen.

Continue reading “Attaching metadata to digital learning objects in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5” →

Creating a slideshow using SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5

Posted on by Shalin Hai-Jew

A slideshow is a type of digital learning object that focuses on images and textual captions. Some slideshows include captions on the same slide, while others include captions in separate slides or pop-up windows.

The following is a slideshow titled “An Outdoor Walk through K-State.”

To begin making a digital slideshow in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5, open this authoring software. Go to the menu bar. Go to Insert > Activity > Slideshow.

InsertActivitySlideshow

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Creating a digital timeline using SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5

Posted on by Shalin Hai-Jew

In online courses, digital timelines may offer learners a sense of historical progression, important time influences, and time relationships. While these may be created as static visuals (using Microsoft Visio, for example), those who want a minimally interactive timeline may want to build one using SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5 (an authoring tool).

Partial screenshot of MDC timeline
Partial screenshot of MDC timeline


A sample timeline is above. This timeline showcases a brief history of the Media Development Center (MDC), which is a university-wide resource supporting multimedia development. The timeline information has been provided courtesy of Phyllis Epps, MDC manager.

Continue reading “Creating a digital timeline using SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5” →

Creating a photo album in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5 (Part 4): Previewing and uploading the photo album to the Web

Posted on by Shalin Hai-Jew

This addresses how to preview a photo album in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5 and then how to upload it onto a website or learning / course management system (L/CMS).

Previewing the (draft) photo album

To open your saved photo album, right-click the Inline Photo Album Activity Placeholder.  Click Modify Activity.

ClickModifyActivity

The window with your photo album will open. Once all finalized changes have been made, you may want to preview the photo album.

To preview your current photo album to see what it looks like, open your project. Go to the menu bar and click Preview, and then View in Browser (Ctrl + P). This preview should be fully functional. Click a photo album page to turn the page. Click the inner spiral ring to turn the page back. This digital photo album has a continuous scroll, so it will merely repeat once you’re at the end of the photo album.

SplitTreeTrunkPreview


Continue reading “Creating a photo album in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5 (Part 4): Previewing and uploading the photo album to the Web” →

Creating a photo album in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5 (part 3): Captioning images and adding annotations

Posted on by Shalin Hai-Jew

This addresses how to caption images and annotate the photo album in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5.

Captioning the photos

Most photos will likely need to be properly captioned or labeled. To get a sense of what the photo album looks like, let’s look at a preview of the existing photo album from the previous work. This will help users conceptualize the relationship between the image and the caption in the photo album. (More on how to preview the photo album will follow in the next installment.)

PhotoAlbumPreview

Continue reading “Creating a photo album in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5 (part 3): Captioning images and adding annotations” →

Creating a photo album in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5 (Part 2): Uploading and ordering images

Posted on by Shalin Hai-Jew

This short article will address how to upload images to a photo album and to order the images.

Uploading the images

Launch the SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5 software. In the menu bar, go to Insert, select Activity, then select Photo Album. Continue reading “Creating a photo album in SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5 (Part 2): Uploading and ordering images” →

Creating a Photo Album using SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5: Part 1

Posted on by Shalin Hai-Jew

A digital photo album may be used to present images sequentially that have informational or learning value for learners.  A photo album is browsable, and it makes images fun to view.

Educational Photo Albums

Photo albums may be collections of images from fieldtrips, experimental sequences, student performances, events, or other types of learning activities.  The images themselves may be video stills, blueprint designs, machinima images, photos, digitized drawings, and image scans.

Collecting Images

To create a photo album using SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5, it is usually a good idea to collect the images you want to use. These images have to be Web compatible.  One Web compatible standard would be to render .jpg images at 72 dpi and with an RGB (red, green, blue) color mode.  (If the image types are wrong, the colors and the image itself will not show up when you render the photo album).  Images that need to be more fine-grained may benefit from a higher resolution than 72 dpi.

Continue reading “Creating a Photo Album using SoftChalk LessonBuilder 5: Part 1” →