Developing Web Based Instruction using Authorware

By Karl Bridges, kbridges@moose.uvm.edu

The objective was to develop an online, instructional module that would provide information and instruction about our online catalog, Voyager.  Using a multimedia authoring tool, Macromedia Authorware, a module was developed that would include an introduction to the catalog, call numbers/library locations/formats, author/title/keywords, guided/command keywords, relevance ranking, and saving/printing.  

Authorware is a widely used and well-supported authoring tool that has been used by a number of universities to develop instructional materials.  It can be used to develop modules using templates, as well as standalone applications.  Web based tutorials are relatively common.  However, the vast majority are simply HTML based and do not make use of multimedia elements or more sophisticated multimedia development tools.  There are other projects to which Authorware lends itself, such as a kiosk for the library entrance. The kiosk touch screen can provide directory information, maps, or other university and library information to visitors.  Such kiosks are increasingly common in new library construction.  This software could also be used to develop training for other electronic resources such as FirstSearch.  

The Voyager tutorial requires downloading of an Authorware plugin for the web browser.  We developed an initial login page that tests whether the user has the plugin and provides directions on how to download it.  We found that the loading time is acceptable even over a dial-up modem.  Authorware makes use of a streaming technology that allows downloading of “chunks” of data as the user moves through the tutorial.  

The end result justified the expense and trouble.  The final product initially presents the user with a simulation of the Voyager screen.  Having selected an author, title, or subject search, the user is led through a structured introduction to the search strategy, followed by an actual simulation of doing a search.  This is fully interactive and includes pull-down menus, button presses, and text entry boxes.  It was the development of these interactions that took the bulk of the development time.  

The public reaction to this tutorial has been very good, both internally within our campus and externally.  We received over 1000 uses of this tutorial within the first month. We used two methods of determining usage.  First, we built a small email program within the tutorial that automatically emailed us whenever the tutorial was used.  We also used a web based surveying tool, WebSurveyor, to collect data through use of a small optional survey.  

We are willing to provide the source code to interested libraries desiring to adapt this product for their own use.  We feel that this has been a worthwhile project, and we are interested in developing similar projects, possibly in collaboration with other institutions.

Karl Bridges, University of Vermont, Burlington.