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flash (macromedia) : Is Flash the right approach?
Real newbie here looking for some advice. I am going to be developing various CBT and eLearning applications that will require user interaction, video, questions and answers, navigation and animation. I have spent a few days investigating the options and it seems that Macromedia Authorware is designed for the job but this is out of my budget. Flash8 Pro appears very flexible but *may* require more work to get to a finished application. I am very computer literate, have experience of programming, graphics and some web design but I have never used Flash - just started doing some Flash tutorials with the demo though. My question is, is Flash a suitable alternative to AUthorware for creating web and CD based training applications? I would really appreciate any experience or examples as to be really honest I am a little confused. Many many thanks in advance. Steve
Flash is a great tool for developing training applications. There are many
free downloads at the push of a google button (or even on the MM site!). However, if you want to send results and track a user's progress, you'll need to interface with a backend app. I've used php/mysql for this purpose, and it works well enough.
Both myself and my colleague put together learning materials for psychiatry and
mental health courses. We both statred off using authorware which, as you suggested, is very suitable for this type of task and has many built in components that are specifically aimed at building learning interactions. However, I later moved away to using Flash which I think is more flexible but it does mean you are required to develop more elements like navigation etc. All the user requirements you have suggested can be met using flash and once you get the hang of it. I would personally suggest flash over authorware if you are prepared to put the work in kind regards
[quoted text, click to view]
SteveR27 wrote: > Hi All, > > Real newbie here looking for some advice. I am going to be developing various > CBT and eLearning applications that will require user interaction, video, > questions and answers, navigation and animation. > > I have spent a few days investigating the options and it seems that Macromedia > Authorware is designed for the job but this is out of my budget. Flash8 Pro > appears very flexible but *may* require more work to get to a finished > application. > > I am very computer literate, have experience of programming, graphics and some > web design but I have never used Flash - just started doing some Flash > tutorials with the demo though. > > My question is, is Flash a suitable alternative to AUthorware for creating web > and CD based training applications? > > I would really appreciate any experience or examples as to be really honest I > am a little confused. > > Many many thanks in advance. > Steve > I sent a lengthy reply to your other post on this subject, directly to your email. In case you didn't get it, here's my position on this subject, as I've been developing elearning full-time for a few years now: 1. Authorware is an overpriced dead-end that will undoubtedly eventually go by the wayside. In the near future I believe Adobe will try to squeeze as much as they can from a combination of Breeze, Captivate, and the Studio Suite (including Flash) for maximum revenue. 2. The shockwave plug-in requirement is, by itself, a disqualifier. That plug-in is way too big and will pose problems unless you are targeting a specific, flexible audience with broadband. Even then, I'd steer clear. 3. Authorware is robust, but not as flexible. 4. Flash is as flexible as you can get, but there is a steeper learning curve. But once you have the basics of the timeline down, and a couple of months' time learning basic to intermediate-level actionscript, you can do anything you can dream up for your learners. 5. As others have mentioned, and this is really important: don't forget the back-end. Tracking students and scores, etc., cannot be done solely by flash. You need a back-end database and middleware such as the oft-mentioned PHP/MySQL combo. My company won't have anything to do with those and is an ASP/MS SQL Server shop (unfortunately for me). Authorware's only value, in my opinion, is that it is fairly easy to learn and it simplifies the tracking/reporting side of things. Check out the elearningguild.com mark
Hi Guys,
Many thanks for your answer (thanks for re-posting Mark, I honestly did not receive your personal email). They've been very helpful - really confirming what I was beginning to conclude after reading the forums and other research over the last week or so. As I have to learn Flash from the beginning it was a difficult one for me to asses. But getting feedback from people who have done exactly what I want to do confirms that I would not be wasting my time learning Flash. Thank you - helps enormously. Clearly I need to understand the back end side of things better, but I understand traditional databases and have written Access applications before and so I guess it should not be too difficult - just need to learn the Web/Flash integration thing. One more question if I may, is the MySQL/PHP database an expensive thing to deal with? Many thanks again Steve [quoted text, click to view] mark (sixstringtheoryDOTcom) wrote:
> SteveR27 wrote: >> Hi All, >> >> Real newbie here looking for some advice. I am going to be developing >> various CBT and eLearning applications that will require user >> interaction, video, questions and answers, navigation and animation. >> >> I have spent a few days investigating the options and it seems that >> Macromedia Authorware is designed for the job but this is out of my >> budget. Flash8 Pro appears very flexible but *may* require more work >> to get to a finished application. >> >> I am very computer literate, have experience of programming, graphics >> and some web design but I have never used Flash - just started doing >> some Flash tutorials with the demo though. >> >> My question is, is Flash a suitable alternative to AUthorware for >> creating web and CD based training applications? >> >> I would really appreciate any experience or examples as to be really >> honest I am a little confused. >> >> Many many thanks in advance. >> Steve >> > > I sent a lengthy reply to your other post on this subject, directly to > your email. In case you didn't get it, here's my position on this > subject, as I've been developing elearning full-time for a few years now: > > 1. Authorware is an overpriced dead-end that will undoubtedly eventually > go by the wayside. In the near future I believe Adobe will try to > squeeze as much as they can from a combination of Breeze, Captivate, and > the Studio Suite (including Flash) for maximum revenue. > > 2. The shockwave plug-in requirement is, by itself, a disqualifier. That > plug-in is way too big and will pose problems unless you are targeting a > specific, flexible audience with broadband. Even then, I'd steer clear. > > 3. Authorware is robust, but not as flexible. > > 4. Flash is as flexible as you can get, but there is a steeper learning > curve. But once you have the basics of the timeline down, and a couple > of months' time learning basic to intermediate-level actionscript, you > can do anything you can dream up for your learners. > > 5. As others have mentioned, and this is really important: don't forget > the back-end. Tracking students and scores, etc., cannot be done solely > by flash. You need a back-end database and middleware such as the > oft-mentioned PHP/MySQL combo. My company won't have anything to do with > those and is an ASP/MS SQL Server shop (unfortunately for me). > Authorware's only value, in my opinion, is that it is fairly easy to > learn and it simplifies the tracking/reporting side of things. > > Check out the elearningguild.com > > mark
Yes Flash is the way to go.
Please read some of our case studies and how they are making most of Flash. http://flashjester.com/index.php?section=case Hope this helps. Regards FlashJester Support Team e. - support@flashjester.com w. - http://www.flashjester.com There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Many thanks for the link - much appreciated.
I am surprised that nobody mentioned Macromedia Captivate.
Overall consider Flash your free reign to do things the way you want to do
them. Most other programs build in some sort of constrant or have limits. Once you get the hang of Flash, you can build anything and everything your mind can create. Its one of those learn one program and be able to do anything deals. I use flash at work for eLearning courses which create a working copy of any system we use at work. Takes a long time to get the "pretend" system built but once I do I can build hundreds of courses around it in no time. I used authorware and captivate while they provide excellent easy to use tools for image capturing / motion capturing with ease, I can build the same level of detail as both those programs just about as fast or faster then with those programs. I also build other things as well not only courses but reference libraries, and trainer feedback forms for live classes, interactive learning games, you name it I can make it. while flash seems so overwhelming and complex its not really. Its bark is much worse then its bite. I have took zero classes for flash, all I have done is read 3 books a general high level guide for flash, then a full indepth look at flash, and then finally a book which covered indepth actionscript. 3 books about a month of hardcore studying / working and now while still learning everything, I am able to build just about anything I want. Also while flash has a big start up effort, if you build "resource" libraries like cursors, buttons, navigation menus, etc you can load those libraries and use them in other flash projects. Heck I have not created a new user navigation piece in months, just load the ones I have already made. So I say if you are willing to invest just a bit of time and effort that you will be glad with using flash. Also with flash 8's new graphic rendering which happens at runtime you can do amazing graphic effects with little to no effort / file size. If you looking for a quick tool which does the work for you, then captivate / authorware is quick easy, and fast as they have small learning curves.
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