From: Julian Tenney [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 21 February 2012 14:13

From: A list to facilitate and support teachers using Xerte Online Toolkits [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alistair McNaught

Subject: New page types - reasons to be excited

Hi all

I know there’s been a bit of traffic about the name of the new pages Johnathan has been creating but just to explain the pedagogical benefits (and I rely on Johnathan to correct me if I have over egged the pudding and let my imagination run away!):

Up until now it has not been possible to set up easy alternative route ways through a learning object.

When these new pages are in place in the main Xerte toolkits build you will have the opportunity to create learning objects that take learners on different routes according to either their interests or their abilities. This could be used in a fairly simple way, for example

·         if somebody gets a question wrong you take them back to the relevant content page to refresh their memory

·         if you're interested in pursuing one case study you click here but another case study you click there

but it could also be used in very sophisticated ways by

·         connecting several of these pages together allowing an "adventure game scenario” where choices determine subsequent choices - something that can be excellent for problem based learning.

·         Connecting pages to illustrate alternative approaches to solving the same problem

·         connecting pages to provide walk-throughs of constructing a good essay answer by giving choices about what to write next

·         connecting pages to allow diagnosis of engine faults, hair and beauty problems, customer service issues, cow diagnosis etc

An obvi cooking failures etc etc ous question is "what do I tell my IT team to do in order to make sure I have the most up-to-date version including the connector templates”.

Personally I do not know the answer (I'm allergic to technical issues)  but I know that it is fairly straightforward for those who don't have the allergy. I will ask Johnathan, Ron or Julian to give a brief summary for technical teams once the new page type is the embedded in Xerte toolkits.

Alistair