Reload Editor

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Definition

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

(1) 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 web server.

See also the Telcert Content Re-Engineering Tool (dead project?) and Xerte which are spin-offs with more functionality. In particular, Xerte seems to be a good alternative. If you are looking for an easy e-learning content authoring tool, look at eXe

(2) The IMS Learning Design editor

Allows to edit IMS Learning Designs.

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 1.2
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.

Screen dump of the "normal" Content Packaging View

Reload Editor Workspace in default mode

Screen dump of the Learning Design View

Reload Editor Workspace in Learning Design mode

Installation instructions for the 2.5x Reload Editor

Make sure that you have Java installed, e.g. open a console window and type "java". Else, get it from JAVA
Get Reload editor from here (as of march 2007, make sure you take the 2.5x manual install and not some older version).
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

Once it works make it rather like this (you won't see the dos command window anymore)

start javaw.exe -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 -> execute" then type cmd

Reload Learning Design editor

This specialized Learning Design 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 Learning Design editor

It has several tools:

Overview: Define title, objectives and prerequisites
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 (resources used in the Content Package)
Export: Creation of an IMS Content Package for distribution

Reload Editor how-to

Reload Editors are structure editors that require from authors some initial investment and a basic understanding of how content packaging works. In addition, according to what you plan to do, you need to understand principles of SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004 (e.g. simple sequencing), or IMS Learning Design

See: Reload Editor Tutorial for IMS CP and SCORM 1.2

Comments

Defaults

Assembling a standard IMS content package is fairly simple if you stick to the defaults. At least with Reload Editor version 2.5.2 trying things like using IEEE LOM instead of IMS Learning Resources 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 nearly get the same structure as in a simple IMS Content Package).

We rather suggest to use eXe to edit SCORM-compatible contents, or if you want to assemble existing materials use an LMS that provides support for editing and export.

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