E-Learning Curve Blog

A Toolkit to Develop E-Learning in an Open (XML) Environment

Returning from content development theory, the gratis/libre debate, and the pros and cons of each approach, this post will focus on the range of tools that you need to develop e-learning content in a (relatively) open environment.

Now read on…

The key to developing courseware in an open environment is to use a production model that liberates instructional design and content authoring from your final media outputs. In my view, this means taking an XML-based approach to your e-learning development environment. I would suggest that you need applications and technologies like the following those listed below to create an effective authoring and delivering system:

Content Creation Tools

• DocBook
• XMLmind XML Editor (XXE)
• GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)
• FreeMind

Content & Media Creation and Integration: OSS Tools

• Audacity
• Screen Toaster|VirtualDub|CamStudio (and many more)
• Kompozer
• OpenOffice.org
• NeoOffice
• GIMP (see above)
• Xerte

Media Creation and Integration: Free-to-use Proprietary Tools

• Microsoft Producer 2
• Windows Media Encoder / Developer’s Kit
• Wink
• Jing Pt.1|Pt.2|Pt.3
• Kaltura

Content Delivery Platform

• Apache / MySQL / PHP
• Moodle
• Joomla
• Drupal

Content Packaging Tools

• Reload

I’ll be discussing developing a production model using this toolkit, starting tomorrow.
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October 06 2009 03:22 pm | e-learning

5 Responses to “A Toolkit to Develop E-Learning in an Open (XML) Environment”

1. Open Environment E-learning: DocBook and XXE | E-Learning Curve Blog on 07 Oct 2009 at 4:00 pm #

   [...] Click here for a full list of the applications and utilities. [...]

2. Open e-learning development: is free software really free? | E-Learning Curve Blog on 12 Nov 2009 at 2:27 pm #

   [...] free software really free? Open e-learning development Thus far in this series of posts about an open environment for designing, developing and delivering e-learning, I’ve focused on “pure” open source applications and programs. In the next few [...]

3. Daily Bookmarks 11/12/2009 « Experiencing E-Learning on 12 Nov 2009 at 9:16 pm #

   [...] A Toolkit to Develop E-Learning in an Open (XML) Environment | E-Learning Curve Blog [...]

4. Open Source E-Learning Development 20: Reusable E-Learning Object Authoring and Delivery Suite | E-Learning Curve Blog on 10 Dec 2009 at 4:01 pm #

   [...] of the tools and technologies that I have featured in this E-Learning Curve Blog series on e-learning content development using open source and free-to-use authoring applications and that you will consider using them in your current and future e-learning [...]

5. Top 20 E-Learning Blogs for 2009 | E-Learning Curve Blog on 14 Dec 2009 at 3:13 pm #

   [...] Blogs for 2009 Before I complete the last tranche of open source applications for my series on Open Source E-Learning Development Tools, I thought I’d beat the pack and publish my list of the twenty e-learning blogs I found most [...]