Import from Book mod
Both Lesson and Book provide a means to navigate through a package of content via next/previous page links and a left hand menu of pages. In order to reduce the duplication of these two modules, Lesson will have several features added from Book module. In order to import content from Book modules into Lesson, Lesson will support the import of IMS Content Packages from Book. IMS CP import will also enable the of use of content from many sources as the basis for Moodle Lessons. IMS CP import will replace the current Powerpoint import function - which has been unreliable due to various changes made in Powerpoint's HTML export.
IMS CP Import
This will provide a tab for importing IMS CP files similar to the current tab for importing Powerpoint files (upload/browse button, success/error reporting).
IMS CP is a structured format with a defined navigation defined in an XML file - this navigational structure will be imported to Lesson as a sequential series of Lesson pages. Once the page structure is created in Lesson, the pages can be moved around, used with checkpoints and question pages, and otherwise function as regular branch table pages.
Possible uses
- Content can be exported from Book modules versions that support IMS CP export and imported into Moodle Lessons.
- Content may be importable from other IMS CP files (non-Book module) directly or with minor updates to the IMS CP XML.
Changes to the lesson module
Here is a quick list of the changes that would take place if Check Points were implemented:
- Powerpoint import function removed.
- IMS CP function created instead.
Advantages
- Primary:
- IMS Content Package is a standard format used by many content authoring tools
- IMS CP is a standardized format with a navigational structure defined by an XML file.
- Gives a defined, standard method for importing content packages into Lesson.
Disadvantages
- Lesson users will have to learn a new way to
- Migration to the use of Check Points would require Lesson users to redefine their lesson's navigation. Although, some aspects of the navigation can be migrated automatically.
- Lesson question will strictly be used for grading, no customized jumps depending upon a specific answer.
Conclusion
Check Points would provide a simplification to the design of the lesson yet allow for more advanced learning experiences. A simple example would be if a student is answering all or most of the questions correctly, then the lesson could adapt to a harder set of questions in order to challenge the student (Adaptive Learning). Also Check Points appear to solve the support problem by centralizing the navigation at both the user level and at the code base level.
