Throughout this research several workflows for authors have been extracted and are based on different scenarios: Extending content, merging content, and adding new structures without new content.
All of the following workflows need one prior step: At least one content that has been already authored into a Coherence structure like that described in the previous sections.
4.3.1
Adapting Existing Content
This scenario assumes that a module is based on preexisting content like a book, script, or slide set. The content is then adapted to the lecturer’s needs: Some parts will not be changed, while others will be edited and moved onto other positions, deleted, or created.
If these steps are done with Coherence or tracked and then imported, a new structure is built automatically. Also most relations are set without additional effort and only new created parts have to be related.
In this scenario nearly no additional work is needed as most of it would have been done anyhow.
An example for different orders of explanation is having first an overview and then practical tutorials, the opposite way, or a mixture. For example, an online tutorial [129] for the open source 3D modelling, animation, and game engine software Blender [18], explains its particle system in this order:
1. Overview 2. Fire 3. Fur 4. Fireworks
4.3. Authoring Workflows 5. Particles forming Shapes
6. Billboard Animation
A lecturer who prefers to give examples first, followed by an explanation of the background of particles, might use these pages as source, change the order and adapt the content until it flows. His order would be:
1. Fire 2. Fur 3. Fireworks
4. Particles forming Shapes 5. Billboard Animation 6. Overview
Another lecturer might give a jump start, give technical details after that, followed by more practical tutorials. His order then might be as follows:
1. Fire 2. Overview 3. Fur 4. Fireworks
5. Particles forming Shapes 6. Billboard Animation
Figure 34 illustrates the steps. If all editing steps are done within a Coherence based authoring environment, copying would automatically create all relations that
Overview Fire Fur Fireworks Particles forming Shapes Billboard Animation Overview Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes
Billboard Animation
Overview Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes
Billboard Animation Overview Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes Billboard Animation 1. Copy 2. Edit Overview
Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes
Billboard Animation Overview Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes Billboard Animation Result Source Copied Source Edited Source Edited
Figure 34: New structure based on an existing one: First the source structure is copied and all relations are created automatically. These relations are kept through the whole editing process.
4.3.2
Adding Content
Some more effort is needed if existing content has to be added to an existing Coherence content structure. In this case, the structures need to be related by content types. This could be done very coarsely by only linking the high level repeats. However, adaptation quality increases by relating more (correct) elements. Of course, the best case would be linking all the structures’ content sections. However, this also means the largest amount of work.
Although the effort needed to create an adaptive structure is reduced, this amount of extra work should not be underestimated. Including eLearning 2.0 aspects may reduce the workload for lecturers (vide infra).
4.3. Authoring Workflows Figure 35 illustrates this workflow. First the new content is added to the system and then it is related to the already existing structure. In this example all the content sections are related, which is the finest but also the most elaborate way of doing it.
4.3.3
Adopting Learner Structures
The following scenario adds new structures, but in most cases no new content: Each individual path reflects a personal way to learn. Sometimes it is the same as the author’s structure but it can also be completely different. Sharing this path with other students by adding it to the corresponding Coherence structure enhances the overall structure without any additional effort. It already includes the right relations and the right order. Figure 36 gives an overview.
4.3.4
eLearning 2.0 Aspects
According to Ghali and Cristea, eLearning 2.0 aspects could be included by “allowing students to contribute in the authoring process of e-learning, with different privileges” [49]. This method of student participation is comparable to Atlantis University’s CoCoMa (see section 1.1.2 Technological Platform to Support the Learning Process
Overview
Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes
Billboard Animation Overview Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes Billboard Animation 1. Add 2. Relate Overview
Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes
Billboard Animation Overview Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes Billboard Animation Source Added Source Added
Figure 35: Structure added to an existing one: First a new structure is added to the system. Then it is related to an existing structure.
on page 27 for further details). A typical scenario explains how students could contribute to the structure creation process of the Adding Content workflow (vide supra): Nowadays it is common that students, especially learning groups, send links to alternative content to each other, for example in case they need additional explanations. If these are integrated into an environment based on the concept, they would delinearise the structure step by step without adding any extra work. Also the Adopting Learner Structures workflow (vide supra) can be seen as similar to eLearning 2.0.
To motivate students to contribute to the authoring the technology should be accessible. Editing should be easily possible whenever it is useful, following Alan Cooper’s axiom: “Allow input wherever you have output.” [29, p 231] Therefore, an in-place editor meets those needs. Also templates should be provided to give anyone an idea of how to start. A well balanced rights management system is crucial: “Don’t make users ask permission.” [29, p 230] It should be as open as possible to support sharing and any kind of restriction should be easy to grasp.
1. Run
2. Add
Overview
Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes
Billboard Animation Overview Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes Billboard Animation Author A Author B Overview
Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes
Billboard Animation Overview Fire Fur Fireworks
Particles forming Shapes Billboard Animation Author A Author B
Overview Fireworks Fire Fur
Particles forming Shapes
Billboard Animation Student
Figure 36: Adopting Learner Structures: The learner follows his individual path through the content. His path is recorded for his own history and can be added as an additional path to the structure.