Authoring environment

Draft

Definition

• An authoring environment is toolkit to build software or digital contents.

• An educational authoring environment allows to create artifacts like web sites, interactive hypermedia, microworlds, simulations,

Some authors make finer distinctions, e.g. in Locatis and Al-Nuaim historical review and analysis (1999), “the term authoring tool refers to a range of software products having utilities for composing, editing, assembling, and managing multimedia objects, while the term authoring system refers to a subset of these products allowing multimedia development without having to program.”

A short history

• PLATO-like systems
• Videodisks
• Programming toolkits with multimedia extensions
• Multi-media authoring systems

See also: Educational technology

Genres

According to difficulty, e.g.

• Programming toolkits, often used together with an integrated development environment (IDE)
• Visual languages to author interactive systems
• Content authoring systems

According to formats

(see various entries)

• Multimedia formats in various forms (bitmap graphics, vector graphics, etc.), e.g. tools for formats like:
  • Macromedia Flash
  • Macromedia Director
• Interactive educational multimedia
  • Macromedia Authorware
  • Hypercard and followups like Revolution
• E-learning
  • Most LMSs do include an authoring environment through web-based forms. See IMS Content Packaging.
  • Activity-based systems like LAMS and the IMS Learning Design Reload editor.

Editors for microworlds, e.g

• Squeak, in particular its visual eToys scripting language.
• LEGO Mindstorms
• ToonTalk

Editors for simulations

• STELLA

References

• Locatis,Craig, Al-Nuaim,Hana (1999), Interactive technology and authoring tools: A historical review and analysis, Educational Technology Research and Development, 47, 3, 9/18/1999, Pages 63-75, DOI 10.1007/BF02299634 (Access restricted)