EDTC 6030: Authoring Tools for Instructional Product Development

This page is one person's (Martindale's) descriptive guide and approach to the course.

This course is an introduction to the use of authoring systems, tools, and methods for the design, development, and implementation of instructional courseware.  Prerequisite: EDTC 6020 (Principles of Instructional Design). This course is designed to give students exposure to and experience with various authoring tools for creating instructional products and learning environments.

The primary focus of this course is how to build effective computer-based instruction. The most recent times that I've taught this course, I've incorporated these authoring tools, in order of emphasis: Dreamweaver, Flash, PowerPoint, HyperStudio, Audacity (audio), and some basic video tools.

Sample Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, a student will be able to:

  1. Describe the relationship between computer-based instruction and instructional systems design
  2. Describe the relationship between computer-based instruction and learning theories
  3. Summarize important events involving computer-based instruction
  4. Describe principles of hypermedia, tutorials, simulations, educational games, and open-ended learning environments
  5. Create a flowchart and storyboards for an instructional product
  6. Describe the similarities and differences between various current computer-based authoring tools
  7. Describe features of current computer-based authoring tools
  8. Use an advanced HTML tool to create computer-based instruction
  9. Describe features, affordances, and constraints of authoring tools for digital audio, video, and images
  10. Evaluate an existing computer-based instructional program
  11. Evaluate the usability of a computer-based instructional program

Sample Class Assignments

  1. Class Activities and Participation: online activities, readings, discussion, chat, etc.
  2. Tutorial using PowerPoint as an authoring tool
  3. Computer-Based Instructional Project (using Dreamweaver or other web authoring tool)
  4. Exam

Sample Required Materials and Texts

  1. Alessi, S. & Trollip, S. (2000). Multimedia for learning: Methods and development. (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
  2. Green, G. (2003). Dreamweaver MX 2004 Hands-On Training. Peachpit Press.
  3. Other readings as assigned.

Sample Schedule

Week Topics Major Assignments

Week 1

  • Course introduction, policies, and tools
  • Student introductions
  

Week 2
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 1: History and Foundations of Computer-Based Instruction (CBI) and Multimedia
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 2: Learning Principles and Approaches
  • Authoring tools: PowerPoint

Week 3
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 3: General Features of Software for Learning
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 4: Tutorials

Week 4
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 5: Hypermedia
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 6: Drills
  

Week 5
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 7: Simulations
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 8: Games
 Tutorial using PPT

Week 6
  • Authoring tools: Macromedia Flash
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 9: Open-ended Learning Environments
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 10: Computerized Testing
  

Week 7
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 11: Web-based Instruction
  • Study for Exam

 

Week 8
  • Exam
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 12 and 13: Planning, Design, and Development of CBI

Exam due

Week 9
  • Alessi & Trollip Chapter 14 and 15: Planning, Design, and Development of CBI
  • Green Chapter 1 Background
  • Green Chapter 2 Interface
  • Green Chapter 3 Site Control
  • Green Chapter 4 Basics
  • Flowcharts and Storyboards

Design Document Narrative

Week 10
  • Usability Testing
  • Green Chapter 5 Linking
  • Green Chapter 6 Typography
  • Green Chapter 7 Tables

Flowchart

Week 11
  • Green Chapter 17 Templates and Libraries
  • Green Chapter 9 Cascading Style Sheets
  • Green Chapter 18 Accessibility
Storyboards

Week 12
  • Green Chapter 11 Rollovers
  • Work on CBI
  • Authoring tools: Image editors
 

Week 13
  • Authoring tools: Audio
CBI

Week 14
  • Authoring Tools: Macromedia Authorware
  • Authoring tools: HyperStudio
  

Week 15
  • Authoring Tools: Video