Step-by-Step Guide
Create an interactive syllabus for your students
In a world of instant messaging and social media, many instructors find the traditional text and paper approach to publishing a course syllabus lacks luster and is unpopular with today’s tech savvy students. For many, moving to something more interactive is a good step toward helping students stay on track and it’s something students will view regularly throughout the term.
I
n this document, you see that you don’t have to be a graphic designer to make a lasting first impression and excite your classes. By using InDesign®, you can produce a visually appealing, easy to navigate, engaging, and informative course syllabus. In this example, you use sample assets to create an interactive course syllabus that includes video, and links to course information, assignments, resources, or anything else you choose.To view an example, open the sample file named interactive_syllabus_final.pdf (Figure 1). It includes a short welcome video, course
information and links to additional information.
You can design your syllabus any way you like, and then include links between pages, or to other content such as assignments, pre-reading, online articles, recorded lectures, videos, web sites, and other resources. To complete the steps in this guide, you can work with your own syllabus content, or use the sample file named interactive_
syllabus_start.pdf.
For more information on designing documents with InDesign, view the tutorials available on Adobe TV:
http://tv.adobe.com/show/learn-indesign-cs6/
Figure 1 Sample interactive syllabus pages
Creating a new InDesign document
When you create a new InDesign document, you can choose from presets for print, the web, or digital publishing.
To create a new InDesign document:
1. Start Adobe InDesign.
2. Select Window > Workspace > Interactive For PDF.
3. Select File > New > Document.
The New Document dialog box appears (Figure 2).
4. Open the Intent pop-up menu and select the type of document you want to create.
5. Open the Page Size pop-up menu and select a preset or use the Width and Height boxes to enter custom width and height values.
You can indicate how many pages to include in the Number Of Pages box. You can also add or remove pages later.
6. Click OK.
You can now add the contents of each page. You can also create buttons and hyperlinks to add page navigation or link to additional resources.
Figure 2 New Document dialog box
Adding video and audio to a syllabus
You can add video to your syllabus by linking to an external file or web address, or by placing the video file into your PDF document.
To add video and audio to a syllabus:
1. Select a location in your document where you want to place the video.
2. Expand the Media panel on the right.
3. Click the Place A Video Or Audio File icon in the lower-right corner of the Media panel (Figure 3).
The Place Media dialog box appears.
4. Select your video file and click Open.
For practice, you can use the sample video named MarineBio_welcome.flv.
The pointer changes to a filmstrip to indicate that you are placing a video file. If you were placing audio only, the pointer would be a speaker icon instead.
5. Position the pointer where you want the upper- left corner of the video to be and click to place the video.
The video appears in a new frame. You can use the Selection tool or arrow keys to adjust the position of the video on the page.
The video properties appear in the Media panel (Figure 3).
6. In the Media panel, open the Controller pop-up menu and choose SkinOverAll.
7. Select Show Controller On Rollover.
8. Select Play On Page Load so the video plays automatically when the page opens.
Figure 3 Media panel
Place A Video Or Audio File button
Adding video and audio to a syllabus
9. Make sure Loop is deselected so the video plays once and then stops.
The preview in the Media panel shows the video frame students see when they view the syllabus.
You can select a different frame or another image as a placeholder for the video by changing the Poster Frame in the Media panel.
You can also add Navigation points and then create interactive buttons that, when clicked, plays a specific frame or location in the video (or audio) file.
10. Click the Preview Spread button in the lower-left corner of the Media panel (Figure 4).
The SWF Preview panel appears (Figure 5).
You can make the panel larger by dragging its lower-right or lower-left corners.
The video plays and the controls appear over the video.
11. Collapse the SWF Preview panel.
Figure 5 SWF Preview panel Figure 4 Media panel
Preview Spread button
Adding interactive navigation buttons
Your syllabus can include interactive buttons for navigation between pages or for linking to additional content.
You can link to content in the same document, in other documents, or on the web.
To add interactive navigation buttons:
1. Expand the Buttons and Forms panel on the right.
2. Using the Selection tool, click to select the graphic object or group you want to make into a button.
If your’e working with the sample interactive syllabus file, select the artwork for the third navication button that reads “Lecutre Schedule &
Reminders” (Figure 7).
3. In the Buttons & Forms panel, open the Type pop-up menu and select Button.
The object or group becomes a button with a Normal state (Figure 6). The default event that triggers the button action is On Release Or Tap.
4. Click the plus sign to open the Actions pop-up menu, and select an action for the button, such as Go To Last Page.
Note: Some actions, such as Go To Page, are supported by Liquid HTML5 and SWF only and will not function properly in PDF documents.
5. Click Rollover in the Appearance section of the Buttons and Forms panel.
You can change how the button appears when someone rolls the pointer over the button.
6. With the Rollover state selected, edit the buttons appearance. For example you can make the button’s color slightly lighter or darker to show that it’s clickable.
7. Click the Preview Spread button in the lower-left corner of the Buttons and Forms panel.
8. In the SWF Preview panel, open the Options menu and choose Preview Document.
9. Rollover and click the button to test it.
Figure 6 Buttons and Forms panel
Figure 7 Select the artwork for the button
Adding hyperlinks to open external files and web resources
You can turn any text into a hyperlink that opens other files, such a lesson plans, videotaped lectures, classroom reading assignments, or links to content on the web.
To add a hyperlink:
1. Select some text you want to convert into an email link. The text doesn’t have to be an actual email address. Any text will work.
2. Expand the Hyperlinks panel on the right.
The Hyperlinks panel appears (Figure 8).
3. Click the Create New Hyperlink button (Figure 8).
The New Hyperlink dialog box appears (Figure 9).
4. Open the Link To pop-up menu and choose Email.
5. Click in the Address box and enter a valid target email address, such as jsullivan@darbyuniversity.
com.
You can also enter a default message subject so you know where the email originated.
6. Click in the Subject box, enter a default subject, and click OK.
7. Deselect the text.
The text has no visible indication that it’s a link.
You can change its text color or modify its properties in the Hyperlinks panel so that it appears as an active link when you publish the document.
8. In the Hyperlinks panel, double-click the hyper- link to edit its properties.
9. In the Appearance section of the Edit Hyperlink dialog box, open the Type menu and choose Visible Rectangle.
10. Open the Color pop-up menu, select a color, and click OK.
When you publish the document, the link will appear with a colored border around the text.
Figure 8 Hyperlinks panel
Figure 9 New Hyperlink dialog box
Create New Hyperlink button
Exporting and previewing the syllabus
You can export your interactive syllabus as a PDF document and then share it by email, or by posting the syllabus on a web site.
To export and preview the syllabus:
1. Select File > Save to save the document before exporting.
2. Select File > Export.
The Export dialog box appears.
3. Open the Save As Type pop-up menu and choose Adobe PDF (Interactive).
4. Enter a unique name for the new PDF document and click The Export To Interactive PDF dialog box appears.
5. Select All Pages.
6. Select Pages.
7. Make sure View After Exporting is selected, and click OK.
8. Test the navigation buttons and text links you created.
If needed, you can open the Hyperlinks panel and double-click any link to edit its properties.
If you link to lessons plans and other resources online, you can update those resources as needed and your students will always have access to the most current information.
Adding hyperlinks to open external files and web resources
11. Use the Type Tool to select the text you want to link to a web page.
12. In the Hyperlinks dialog box, click the Create New Hyperlink button.
13. Open the Link To pop-up menu and choose URL.
14. Click after http:// in the URL box, enter the web address, and click OK.
For more information
Find teaching materials for using Adobe software in your classroom on the Adobe Education
Exchange: http://edexchange.adobe.com. Adobe Systems Incorporated 345 Park Avenue
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