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Making Good Simulations Using Macromedia Captivate |
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Presented by Jerry Day, Assistant Director of Learning, Financial Planning Association, Denver CO. He formerly worked at HP as Project Manager and Technical Writer.
Download: Jerry's Presentation (PDF Format)
Captivate is an effective e-learning authoring tool. It is used to capture screenshots and then to utilize them to produce e-learning programs. Captivate produces three types of output movies, demonstrations and simulations.
An assessment simulation is used for testing purposes. It keeps score and provides the score at the end. It can be programmed to provide the score to only the tester or to both the tester and the individual taking the test. Assessment simulations can be used to determine if students learned during a training session. Training simulations provide guided instructions on how to use software applications and can be used to provide safe interactive training without concern for loss of data or causing other glitches in real programs. For example Boeing uses them to train pilots.
Demonstrations are not interactive whereas simulations require the user to interact with software in a learning process. However they can be mixed. An example of that would a be a simulation program used by Microsoft to show how to use its’ software. When you do something wrong it points out your mistake and suggests a solution. Captivate demonstrations include captions, highlight boxes and mouse movements, hot click boxes entry text and more and is appropriate for introduction to new software programs. Gives an overview of program features and can be used to assess if individuals are learning from the simulation.
Before creating a training simulator consider the type of instruction and feedback to be provided in that context. Captivate provides a number of options. Defaults include click boxes with hint and failure captions. Mouse movement is not included. Can be customized to show success captions, text entry, active buttons, rollover options. Screen capture does not have interactive screen. Login ID’s and password displays can be created. Audio input can be part of the demo.
Captivate allows text captions using different colors with arrows pointing in any direction the programmer chooses. Adding rollover options can be used for identifying menu items or icons, or to identify different parts of a photograph or diagram.
Considerations in creating an assessment simulation: how much feedback to provide to the students, ranging from providing feedback to giving no feedback. Does the student get to see the score or not. Defaults include click boxes with failure captions.
These simulators can be used to keep score and assess the students’ mastery of the software application. A training simulator can be turned into an assessment simulator. This provides instant non-threatening feedback. Can be customized to so that the question has to be answered correctly before it allows the student to move to the next question. This can be used in training situations.
Different kinds tests can be constructed: multiple choice, right or wrong etc. Provides feedback of the test and allows students to do the module again until they have it right.
Captivate can track student scores by mouse click or writing in box. Reports of student activity can be delivered to learning management systems, macromedia authorware or e-mail. .
The quiz manager in Captivate offers a number of options. The quiz manager can track scores, allow students to go back and review or try a question again.
Captivate is SCORM and AICC compliant.
Learning by doing: Simulations in general. By Clark Aldrich
Simulations and the future of learning. By Clark Aldrich.
Essentials of Captivate. By Kevin A Siegel
Macromedia Captivate for Windows: Visual quick start guide. By Tom Green.
www.macromedia.com
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