Reload Editor

Draft

Definition

The Reload Editor tools are multi-standard IMS/SCORM editors.

The content packaging editor

• It allows to assemble contents (with different IMS Content Packaging versions, IMS/IEEE Metadata, and SCORM run-time instructions)
• Most recent versions add support for IMS Learning Design (level A), IMS Simple Sequencing

It also can produce a a simple stand-alone HTML-based preview package that can be deployed on a simple webserver.

The IMS Learning Design editor

• Allows to edit IMS Learning Designs.

See also: IMS Global Learning Consortium, SCORM, Educational modelling language

Tools and releases

Currently, (march 2007) there are two releases of the Metadata and content packaging editor and a release of the stand-alone Learning design editor.

Reload Metadata and Content Packaging Editor 2.0.2

This release includes support for

• IMS or LOM Metadata
• IMS Content Packaging 1.1.4
• SCORM 1.2 Specific Elements (prerequisites, maxtimeallowed, timelimitaction, datafromlms, masteryscore)

Reload Editor 2.5.2 nov 2006

The 2.5.2 release of Reload editor (nov 2006) includes support for

• IMS Metadata or IEEE LOM,
• IMS MD 1.2.4,
• IMS CP 1.1.4
• SCORM 2004 (3rd edition) and thus IMS Simple Sequencing and IMS QTI
• IMS Learning Design (level A)

This latest version is only available as manual install (files to dezip and there is no manual (as of 21:30, 29 November 2006 (MET)), but since the interface is the same we suggest to install this version.

Screendump of the "normal" Content Packaging View

Reload Editor Workspace in default mode

Screendump of the LD View

Reload Editor Workspace in LD mode

Installation instructions

• Make sure that you have Java installed, e.g. open a console window and type "java". Else, get it from JAVA
• Dezip the file somewhere
• If clicking on the *.jar file doesn't work (likely because the *.jar extension is associated with another program, you can write a simple "bat" or "cmd* file (on windows) or shell script (on Unix). Contents of the Windows reload.bat file should be something like:

java -jar reload-editor.jar

Alternatively type the above command from a command (DOS) window. To find the DOS window application in your Windows: "Start menu -> excute" then type cmd

Reload LD editor

• This specialized LD editor can do more than the 2.5.2 release of the "normal" Reload editor, i.e. it supports all levels of learning design.

Screendump of the Reload LD editor

It has several tools:

• Overview: Define title, objectives and prerequesites
• Roles: Define roles (specialize the 2 default roles)
• Properties
• Activities: Definition of activities (simple and composite/structures)
• Environments: Tools or Contents
• Methods: Definition of the play
• Files: File management (ressources used in the CP)
• Export: Creation of an IMS CP for distribution

Reload Editor how-to

This is a short "how to" for the IMS CP/Scorm editor based on the 2-page Reload Editor Step by Step Guide.

Starting a content package

1. Put all the resources (e.g. HTML and picture files) you plan to use in a directory.
   • You may use subdirectories.
   • You later may add other materials, but it's more practical to start with this step
2. Open the Reload Editor Software
   • See above for some installation hints.
3. Create a New IMS Content Package
   • Select File, New, IMS Content Package. You will be asked to select a new folder to store your package in. Select the directory you create above.

Getting familiar with the panes and the three main elements of the manifest

File:Reload-workspace-small.png

Reload Editor Workspace

1. Become familiar with functions of the three editing panes. The main Reload Editor window has three sections (look at the picture above :
   • The Resource Pane on the left lists all the resources that will be distributed with your content package and that you can use to define a a learning organization (i.e. content structure that a learner will see).
   • The manifest pane on the right will allow you define both meta data and a learning organization.
   • The Attribute pane (right bottom) will allow you fine tune things. For starters you only will use it to change titles of items (see below).
2. Edit some metadata that will describe your package.
   • Right-click on "Metadata" in the manifest pane".
   • Keep it to a minimum for starters. You don't need to fill in anything if you don't want to...
3. Add an organization
   • An organization will contain the learning sequence, i.e. it is here that you will define what contents learners will be exposed to !
   • Right-click on the organizations element in the manifest pane and select Add Organization from the menu which appears.
   • Usually, a content package will only contain a single organization (since most LMSs can't handle more than one).
   • You may change it's title from organization to anything you like. To do so, change "organization" in the attribute pane below (but do not change attributes and values!)

organization.

1. • All the content we add to our Content Package will be added to this Organization as Items (see below).
2. Do not worry about "Resources". For simple CP editing you will not need this! .

Adding contents to your organization

Comments

Defaults

• Assembling a standard IMS content package is fairly simple if you stick to the defaults. At least with version 2.5.2 trying things like using IEEE LOM instead of IMS Learning Ressource Metadata will cause you major headaches since the result will not validate (probably because LOM XSD files are missing but maybe for other reasons too

Scorm

• Assembling a SCORM 1.2 package that truly makes use of Content-LME communication is very difficult and needs programming experience. If all you need is just a SCORM-compatible content package, it's easy (i.e. you get nearly the same structure as in a simple IMS CP).

• Reload editors can not really handle SCORM 2004 (as of 12:40, 13 January 2007 (MET)), i.e. there is no way to define a simple sequence.

Links

• Reload Tools page (editor and player, make sure to pick the correct tool, i.e. don't get the Learning design tools !. These tools need Java)

• Reload 1.3 Manual - PDF) 2004, still useful !

• Reload Editor Step by Step Guide, a 2-page quick guide (very useful)

• Example Content Packages and Content