1 Integrating Adobe Creative Suite to Maximize E-Learning Development ASTD TechKnowledge 2009 Thomas A. Toth.

1

Integrating Adobe Creative Suite to MaximizeE-Learning Development

ASTD TechKnowledge 2009

Thomas A. Toth

Integrating Adobe Creative Suite to Maximize E-Learning Development

Rules of Engagement What kinds of software do you need? What is in the Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web

Premium? Should you buy it?

Review of the Rules of Engagement

Open forum – want this to be interactive

Interrupt at any time – please raise your hand and ask questions at any time during the presentation or, just shout it out!

I’ll be asking lots of questions – please respond

I know a lot, but I don’t know everything. I’ll be honest if I don’t know, I’ll hypothesize when appropriate, but I’ll never guess!

What kinds of software do you need?

Graphic design software Photo editing software Audio recording software Video editing software Screen capture software Animation creation software HTML/XHTML writing software 3D creation software

Do you need to learn ALL this software?

YES OR NO?

Web Development Software

Individual Software – Create your own “suite” of best of breed tools– May be less expensive – you buy only what you need– May be easier to learn – only learn what you need to

know

Web Development Suites– Integrated set of tools– Similar look and feel– Lots of development options

Graphic and Photo Design Software

Essential Role– Create and edit graphic elements

• Buttons• Navigation elements• Interface design• Pictures and graphic art

– Create and edit photos• From digital camera• From web sites

– Optimize photos and graphics• Bring them down to web safe format• Import and export all types of graphics

Audio Recording Software

Essential Role– Create and edit audio elements

• Voice overs• Audio loops• Edit music files

– Optimize audio files• Bring them down in quality to web safe format• Import and export all types of graphics

– .wav to .mp3– .aiff

Video Editing Software

Essential Role– Create and edit video elements

• Import video from the web• Import video from a digital camera

– Optimize video files• Bring them down in quality to web safe format• Import and export to all different formats

– .mov– .mpg– .avi– .mp4

Video Editing SoftwareNeed Good Hardware!

Only as good as the video equipment you purchase!– HD or regular format?– DVD or Digital tape?– Hand held camera or large professional recorder– Lighting?

Only as good as the videographer you hire!– Video work is an art form– Can look “cheesy” if you do it yourself– Hire good actors– Write a script

Screen Capture Software

Essential Role– Capture still screen shots or recorded interactive mouse

movements• Great for software training/demos• Some software allows for complete immersion in the

recording

Animation Software

Essential Role– Create moving images or complete graphical interfaces

• Becomes the entire platform for eLearning• Used to create spot animation/subtle elements

– Usually exports to a .swf file• Small Web File

– Has an internal programming language to allow for interactivity

• ActionScript• Scripting Editors

HTML/XHTML Writing Software

Essential Role– Write the “engine” code for your eLearning program– If its on the web, it needs to use HTML/XHTML– Easy User Interface

• WYSIWYG• Hand Code• Snippets• Code coloring and tag assistance

The Adobe Creative Suite CS4

Web Premium Design Premium Production Premium Master Premium

New – Just last week – eLearning Suite

Web Premium vs eLearning Suite

Web PremiumDreamweaverFlashPhotoshopIllustratorFireworksAcrobat ProContributeSoundbooth

$1699

eLearning SuiteCaptivate (no Mac)FlashDreamweaverPhotoshopAcrobat ProPresenter (no Mac)Soundbooth

$1799

Dreamweaver CS4

Essential Role– HTML/XHTML Writing

• WYSIWYG as well as code view• All the code that the browser uses to display content

is done here• “Big Pot” software - everything created everywhere

else comes into• Has lots of sample code, code hinting and Spry coding

samples (AJAX)

Flash CS4

Essential Role– Animation creation– Interface creation– Powerful multimedia elements - video and audio editing

and manipulation– Powerful coding language – ActionScript– Great for interactions, gaming and graphic intensive

experiences

Photoshop CS4

Essential Role– Graphics creation– Photo editing and manipulation– 3D Object creation and painting– Video and multimedia savvy - you can create elements to

use in your video projects– Great for both print and online elements

Illustrator CS4

Essential Role– Clip art and illustration creation - great for logos– All vector graphic creation– Strong drawing tools

Fireworks CS4

Essential Role– Graphics creation– Web site prototype creation– Creates code and graphics simultaneously - buttons, fly-

out menus and disjointed roll-overs are easy to create– Strong optimization tools– Photoshop’s “Little Buddy”

Acrobat 9 Pro

Essential Role– Create PDF files from multiple image and document

sources– Security features to protect your documents– Import and use Flash files inside the PDF– Collaboration tools

Soundbooth CS4

Essential Role– Create audio tracks for use in voice over work– Create and edit music files– Multiple tracks– Exports to all audio formats

Contribute CS4

Essential Role– Allows non-programmers to edit web pages– Simple interface - like MS Word– Edit pages within the browser– Works with Dreamweaver Templates

Live Demonstration

Simple interface in Photoshop Button states and fly-out menus in Fireworks Simple animation in Flash Creating a simple audio track in Soundbooth Creating a simple interaction in Flash Bring the audio track into Flash Bringing everything together into Dreamweaver Publishing to the Web in Dreamweaver

Why Should You Buy CS4? If you have the budget, it is a complete set of tools

Professional web development suite – everything you need is included

You are tired of fighting with eLearning development tools that don’t allow you to do exactly what you want

All the interfaces are similar – learning one tool will help you to learn another

Support materials – lots of people are using the tools so there are lots of folks to help

There isn’t anything you cannot do – you have full creative power to build as you see fit.

Why Should You NOT Buy CS4

There isn’t anything you cannot do – you have full creative power to build as you see fit – sometimes this can be overwhelming!

Expensive if you have to outfit an entire department

Learning curve is large – getting everything to do what you want will take hours of practice

If you need something built quickly, until you get up to speed, it will take you time

If you need to only build eLearning – Trivantis, Atlantic Link and others may be good enough

Questions?

28

Q&A Session

Thomas A. TothdWeb Studios, Inc.

[email protected]

Thank you for your participation!