[Year 12 IT Apps] User Documentation

Thu Jul 19 00:10:54 EST 2012

Why do thousands of companies (and I am being conservative here) use PDF technology to accompany their applications? It can do virtually anything you want it to within the multimedia authoring sphere.
PDF is a very powerful multimedia authoring environment. Having said this, in some school settings there may be a couple of issues to overcome.

One issue is that one normally authors in a preparatory program, for example InDesign or another desktop authoring application (has a learning curve) or in some cases Microsoft Word (more familiar, lesser curve) or some other program and then publishes to PDF. In some cases some (or all) of the interactivity can be authored in at the prep stage as with InDesign. But once the document has been published to PDF, Acrobat Professional can be used to add any kind of interactive element you need.

That brings up the other issue. Students need to have access to Acrobat Professional to add interactive elements. We have not allowed access in past years but this will change this year.

If someone wanted to use Word as the preparatory tool why shouldn't they if the end product satisfies the criteria listed? Personally, I would prefer PowerPoint because it is simpler to achieve a successful result. And shouldn't this be the point? If the teacher is comfortable with a certain application and directs student to utilise it to successfully meet the requirements then where is there an issue.

George

University High School
77 Story St
Parkville 3052
phone: 93472022
mobile: 0412934782

From: Mark KELLY <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au<mailto:kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au>>
Reply-To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List <itapps at edulists.com.au<mailto:itapps at edulists.com.au>>
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2012 19:49:07 +1000
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List <itapps at edulists.com.au<mailto:itapps at edulists.com.au>>
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] User Documentation

The problem with Word is that it is designed for printed output. It is not optimised for multimedia output, even if it can be forced to do so.
I do not count Word or PDF as "multimedia" tools - I use web editors, Powerpoint, Flash (and other multimedia editors) and the like.

To use Word is really stretching the definition of a multimedia tool, IMO - and I don't think it's what VCAA had in mind...

On 14 July 2012 15:12, Christopher Jansen <christopherj at sjc.vic.edu.au<mailto:christopherj at sjc.vic.edu.au>> wrote:
This is also my first time teaching ITA.

The functions for Multimedia authoring software in the study design is defined as below.
edit and format content
links
navigation
buttons
screen layout
incorporate images/sound

As far as I can tell Microsoft word 2010 satisfies all these functions.

I'm was going to use word with the styles and navigation tab to create the document. See (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U760OPASUA)
Then show them how to output this as a PDF file with navigation constructed based around the headings set up in word. (see attachments)

Thanks,
Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au<mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au> [mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au<mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au>] On Behalf Of Jackson Bates
Sent: Saturday, 14 July 2012 12:33 PM
To: <itapps at edulists.com.au<mailto:itapps at edulists.com.au>>
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] User Documentation

Can we use PowerPoint shows, set to kiosk mode, for onscreen user docs?

Jackson Bates
VCE IT Apps
Waverley Christian College

Sent from my iPad

On 14/07/2012, at 12:02 PM, "itapps-request at edulists.com.au<mailto:itapps-request at edulists.com.au>" <itapps-request at edulists.com.au<mailto:itapps-request at edulists.com.au>> wrote:

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> Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 11:00:32 +1000
> From: Mark KELLY <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au<mailto:kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au>>
> Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] User documentation
> To: "Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List"
>    <itapps at edulists.com.au<mailto:itapps at edulists.com.au>>
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> <CAGLnYS4A42PbW1M2qiyimFP+63t+abXP=CL-z7gtYZcWD9dteg at mail.gmail.com<mailto:CL-z7gtYZcWD9dteg at mail.gmail.com>>
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> Hi Kate. I'd be using Dreamweaver ('cos we've got it).
>
> On 13 July 2012 14:52, Smallacombe, Kate B <
> smallacombe.kate.b at edumail.vic.gov.au<mailto:smallacombe.kate.b at edumail.vic.gov.au>> wrote:
>
>> Hi,****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Quick question. What software do you recommend students use to create
>> the onscreen user documentation for Unit 4 Outcome 1? The study
>> design says Web Authoring or Multimedia Authoring ? do you recommend
>> Dreamweaver if that?s what you used for the Unit 3 prototype
>> website?****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Thanks for your help.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Cheers,****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Kate Smallacombe****
>>
>> Brighton Secondary College****
>>
>> 120 Marriage Road****
>>
>> Brighton East 3187****
>>
>> smallacombe.kate.b at edumail.vic.gov.au<mailto:smallacombe.kate.b at edumail.vic.gov.au> ****
>>
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> --
> Mark Kelly
> Manager of ICT, Reporting, IT Learning Area McKinnon Secondary College
> McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia Direct line /
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IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
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http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ict/schools - Swinburne University

--
Mark Kelly
Manager of ICT, Reporting, IT Learning Area
McKinnon Secondary College
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
Direct line / Voicemail: +613 8520 9085, Fax +613 9578 9253
kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au<mailto:kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au> << use this, not Edumail please!
VCE IT Lecture Notes: http://vceit.com
Moderator: IT Applications Edulist

--
The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn - Alvin Toffler.

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