MCS E-learning Development Overview

Presented by

Brajesh UpadhyayJordan BerkowTerri Sanborn

Points We’ll Cover

MCS Workflow Types of Lesson Players Prioritization LMS vs. Hosted Lessons Instructional Design Multimedia Development & Technology;

QA Web Development & ID/templates; QA Planning 2008 Enhancements

MCS Workflow

ProductOwners

Development LMS

E-learning planning & scoping

Source content

Peer review

Editing

Copyediting/proofing

CD duplication/inserts & marketing materials

ClientServices

Instructional design (formatting only)

Web development (internal only)

Media production

Assembly & QA

Online reviews

Revisions & updates

Custom work & demos

Maintain source files & templates; back-end

Lesson database mgmt.

MCS online catalog

Library cards

Certificates

Evaluations

User management

Build releases

‘Skills’ & non-content activities

MCS Change Control Committee

Learner support

Client support

MCS E-learning Development

Brajesh(Director)

LearningMate (production related)DHD Entertainment (video & audio)

Contract media developers (Flash media)

Jordan(Multimedia &Technology)

Terri(Web

Development)

Staff of 3 Vendors Contractors Staff of 3Instructional

Design

(formatting only)

Types of Lesson Players(a.k.a. “interface” or “skin”)

1. KDS I – Old style MCS lessons (open browser) (content model 1)

2. KDS II – New style lessons (closed browser) (content model 2)a. Limited Service - SME uses simple SME Guidelines; core templatesb. Full Service - Trained ID must be involved; all templatesBoth can use all our Flash exercise templates (6-8 new in 2008)Two new lesson players coming in 2008 (1 open; 1 closed)

3. Hosted or hybrid (content model 3)(a.k.a. “linked” or “third party”)

_________________________________________________________________

Non-Web friendly or built via authoring tools Conversion issues w/non-Web types (Director, Authorware, ToolBook) Should avoid authoring tool generated (Lectora, Trainersoft)

How We Prioritize

1. Scoped internal project work2. Scoped custom client work3. Change requests for LMS lessons4. Change requests for hosted lessons (SBN CE, ENA ENO, etc.)5. Courseware features/functionality enhancements6. Out-of-scope project work (including custom screens &

media)7. Special requests for product owners (demos, one-offs, etc.)8. Special requests for clients (unless paid for)9. Special requests for MNS (L. Zacks), MNC/MNI (L. Pilla) or

others

Elsevier ‘Multimedia Task Force’

John Wheeler (book ancillaries), Jim Twickler (Evolve) and Brajesh Upadhyay (MCS and MNS)

Global Elsevier supplier consolidation Cost control for commodities Standardization

‘Preferred Vendor’ status Elsevier Chennai (India) office

Pros/cons of LMS vs. Hosted Lessons

LMS Integrated

- Smoother functionality; fewer bugs- MCS owns the back-end- Efficient (ASP/database; load-once

elements & centralized media)- Benefits from LMS build releases (all

parties get same features/functions)- Easier to make change requests; no

external cost for most

- Not portable (better copy prevention)- Must rely on Kevin for most

enhancements (takes longer)(but no external cost)

Hosted

- More customizable (design & functionality)

- Portable(but no copy protection)

- Integrates into any LMS w/SCORM(but not always smoothly)

- Quicker development of features/functions

- Total filesize generally larger; less efficient

- SCORM issues- Vendor owns the back-end; proprietary

authoring system is used- Changes/updates take longer & cost

money- Version control issues- Possible backward compatibility issues

later

Importance of Instructional Design (ID)

Develops blueprint for web development, media production & assembly (storyboard)

50% content manipulation; 50% technical/formatting Content manipulation

Ensures all the learning objectives are addressed in the content, exercises, and post-test

Infuses innovative, engaging, and interactive learning (fully aware of development parameters and customization capabilities)

Organizes the content topics and exercises in a logical manner for online learning (may change content; rewrite)

Ensures the content and corresponding media clearly support the content topics

Validates the content is clearly and concisely written for the online medium

Designs, creates, or reviews exercises and the post-test to successfully check the learner’s knowledge of actual presented content

Importance of Instructional Design (ID)

(contd.)

Technical/formatting Full knowledge of screen/media templates (storyboard tool)

and development capabilities Cannot design in a vacuum; dictated by delivery format Consequences of non-compliant SBs to scope

Internal resources (time) External vendor/contractors (time & cost)

Multimedia DevelopmentJordan Berkow

StakeholdersStandards

Content Vs. LMS ChangesIT Development

2007 Accomplishments

Standards

Media Standards Templates Current Trends Storage

Back up, source files

Exercise Standards Templates Version control

Content Dev. vs. LMS/Platform

Lesson Info Page Library Card Lesson Screens Screen QARs Test Questions

Choices Answers Rationales

Lesson Assignment Pages

Test Instruction Page

Test question layout Format pages load Evaluations Certificates

Potential User-end issues

Items outside our control User’s Browser Monitor size Resolution/aspect ratio ISP Connection speed

IT Development/Applications

Reliant on IT/Apps for certain enhancements

Handle all platform issues Work with Skills, etc. Posts Linked Content to server

Back-end vs. Front-end

LMS Database HTML Flash - Action

Script

Lesson Screens Screen Text Images Exercises

Support of Hosted Content

Approx. 40 SBN CE Lesson revisions to date

Minor changes in ReadyRN, ENA, Periop & Neonatal

Receive Change Doc Evaluate internal vs. LM Make changes Evaluate on internal site Alpha Review IT Dev. Update Live site Beta Review

2007 Accomplishments

1806 LMS Lessons 1067 – Segment Owned

(Nursing, Coding, CDS, USA Prepare)

739 – Customer Owned (primarily Joint Commission customized work)

AHM – 18 Buck – 94 AHA Coding Clinic – 24 CME Doc – 11 Faye Brown 8 – 35 HFMA – 552 Jems Prepare – 140 Joint Commission – 15 eBDLS – 10 EMT Basic - 35

2007 change requests (total): 15,735

Current 2008 Accomplishments

397 LMS Lessons 78 – Segment Owned 319 – Customer Owned

Buck – 27 Joint Commission – 12 Spanish JC – 5 ENA Triage – 8 2008 CPT Changes – 6 Wound Management

Tests - 10

2008 change requests (to date): 3,806

Web Development Dept.

Role in Production & AssemblyTerri Sanborn

3 Types of Development Tasks

Projects Change Requests Custom Lessons

Projects

Scoped and scheduled Take priority Assigned to a lead person – others

may help as permitted in their schedule

Workflow in Projects

Word document/storyboard Create block name info (lesson id) Create screens and test questions Copy screen/test information from SB Tag screens for layout and functionality Lesson added in SQL Posted and added to module Reviewed/QA’d Sent to product owner/client

Block Name

Block Name Information

Screens and Test

Once the block name is created its time to add the screens and/or test screens

Standard naming convention for the screen and test numbers

Screen or Test

Screens

Test

Tagging Elements

Once the information is copied to the screen it is then tagged with HTML code for functional and visual output

Time spent on a screen is determined by the type of elements the screen has Subscreens PDFs Tables

Sample codingfor a ‘Did You Know’ note

Sample codingfor embedding an interactive media

Sample codingfor a simple table

Sample codingfor a text-top/icons-bottom screen

Change Requests

Updates to lessons already created Each team member is assigned a

group of states and projects Checked daily Notification with 72 hours of when

change(s) can be completed

Web Editor

How We Get Change Requests

Types of Custom Lessons

Customers unique lesson material Joint Commission for repurposing

Custom Client Lessons are assigned to staff when there is an open slot in the development schedule

*custom development work is 2nd priority to segment owned work

Enhancements for 2008: Web Development

Pre/post-test enhancement for learners Support for multi-select choices (checkboxes) Support for an optional final only feedback to questions Addition of media icon next to any question (embedded or opens new

window) Removal of unnecessary 'go to question n' anchor links Graphical banner

Mouse-over glossary pop-up boxes Via JavaScript layers, as in old lesson types) Not manually created, rather pulled dynamically from the same Glossary list

Enhancements for 2008: Multimedia

Two new lesson players (interfaces/skins), so we have 4 total to offer (1) open size any screen resolution higher than 800x600

One would have a drop-down menu design to reduce button clutter (1) fixed for 800x600 screen resolution Both would employ a curvy and/or retro look (more polished) Both would use same color scheme to match current players/exercises

New set of Flash exercise templates/engines Between 6-8 new types A branching case study Image map

Global/common enhancements to existing Flash exercise templates/engines

Addition of a pop-up layer for longer feedback in applicable exercises (as in old ENA lessons)

Up to 2-screen exercises, for those applicable (as opposed to creating separate 2-part exercises)