PGDEL/DECP02/Unit3/05

 Unit 2.3 Collaborative development Tools  Content Authoring System

The term Authoring System to refer to a computer based system that allows a general group (including non-programmers or author) to create content for intelligent tutoring systems(Wiki 2012).

 Authoring tool “is a program that helps you write hypertext or multimedia applications. Authoring tools usually enable you to create a final application merely by linking together objects, such as a paragraph of text, an illustration, or a song. By defining the objects' relationships to each other, and by sequencing them in an appropriate order, authors (those who use authoring tools) can produce attractive and useful course content materials”(WebOpedia 2012).

Content Authoring Tools (Wiki 2012) is a web-based authoring system that gives users the ability to create online course content rapidly. To create or edit the course contents, the Author requires a PC, web browser with internet connection only. This is done by compiling text and multimedia resources into structured and reusable learning objects and courses.

Collaborative Content Authoring Tools are effectively utilized for Elearning Application developments. Some of key benefits of Content Authoring Tools are given below:


 * Users can create and modify online courses rapidly without having to be computer programmers, or understand complicated code
 * Content can be updated from any internet-connected computer and then published live to the entire student base.
 * Learning objects and resources can be reused so authors can rapidly customize courses as per latest requirements.
 * Users can also take advantage of learning objects and resources created by authors from around the world
 * Powerful search-driven navigation of courses, learning objects and resources
 * Content Authoring Tools also supports International Standards Compliant (SCORM) formats. CourseLab and Exelearning.org are Collaborative Content Authoring Development Tools, these details are covered in following sub units.

Reference :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoring_system, (Wiki 2012), Accessed on 20-June-2012.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/authoring_tool.html (WebOpedia 2012), Accessed on 20-June-2012. Additional: http://www.intuto.com/page/cats.aspx