Are you looking to transition some of your resources online, or perhaps looking to widen participation so that your resources are more accessible for a wide range of roles or abilities? Then read on to discover how Kate Holmes and the NERUPI team did just that using the content authoring software, Xerte.
“We really valued the immediacy of Xerte…it was easy to update quickly and easily, even when it was already embedded.”
Kate Holmes, NERUPI.
Students working together in a group.
Published on: 02/09/2024 · Last updated on: 17/09/2024
Background
This case study outlines the NERUPI network’s project to transition to online resources, the rationale behind it and the pros and cons of using open-source software Xerte for the task.
We asked Kate, who ran the digitisation project, a few questions about the team’s experience building the resources.
Aims
Why did you want to build new online resources?
The motivation behind digitising some of NERUPI’s resources was to ensure that they would be accessible to a larger audience with a wide range of roles and abilities. We wanted to increase engagement with the resources themselves and use the new resources to develop our users’ abilities. While the process was accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, we felt that online and interactive resources would be the best way to cater to the range of roles and abilities amongst our users.
We wanted to foster a reflexive cycle of evaluation, making sure that the resources were accessible but also engaging. The challenge was to maintain simplicity and cost-effectiveness while enhancing interactivity.
What made you choose to work with Xerte?
Xerte offered a solution that was both easy to use and cost-effective. As well as being the most digitally accessible option available, it also had the added advantage of being free and supported by the University. Although there was an initial learning curve to understand how to use the software. While our task was to adapt our originally book-like resources into more engaging and interactive ones, it was necessary to keep the maintenance of the resources and their creation simple so that they would be sustainable going forward. The resources also needed to be easy to embed, as this would be the main way they would be used.
Approach
How did you approach taking resources from ‘book’ to interactive?
The key was to breakdown the information. This meant the content became much better suited to being online and it was then easier to make interactive and include ways for people to use what they’re learning.
Benefits
What were the activities that you built into your Xerte resources?
We used a variety of elements in our learning resources, including:
- Quizes
- Videos
- Reflective questions
- Situation based questions
We wanted to make sure we were encouraging users to think about how to use the information provided and helping them to practically apply what they’re learning within the reflective/quiz elements of the resources as well; so, it was really a two-pronged approach. We also made sure to chunk the material to make it more digestible for our users.
How did the use of Xerte support your desired outcomes of engaging and interactive resources?
We’re finding that it’s really helping to give people the opportunity to apply the knowledge they’re learning. The use of Xerte templates has been something that’s been really useful, allowing our team to produce consistent resources in a more time-efficient way. We’ve also utilised Xerte with elements of Team Based Learning and it’s been a valuable tool to encourage thinking about problems and processes as a team.
Challenges
How did you find using Xerte for the creation of interactive resources?
While it’s an ongoing project, we’ve found Xerte easy to use. We did have to get our heads around the platform initially, and so this was probably our biggest challenge as a team as it involved a bit of an initial time investment but once we’d got the hang of it, Xerte was easy to use and understand.
The only other challenge we faced was that while it’s very easy to collaborate in Xerte, two people can’t edit the same object at the same time, but this was only a minor challenge for us.
Recommendations
What functions did you find most useful to know how to use in Xerte?
How to embed and use your resources (called Xerte Objects) on websites, using a style sheet and how to change the fonts and colours etc. to suit your needs (top tip: make sure they’re consistent!). We really valued the immediacy of Xerte and found that it was easy to change and update quickly and easily, even when it was already embedded.
What sources of support did you access?
Xerte forums were really useful, as were the Xerte workshops and one-to-one support offered by TEL.
What advice would you give to people embarking on a similar project in Xerte?
We found that Xerte was good for streamlining resources. I’d say keep it simple and effective, don’t be afraid to get stuck in and use trial and error – and definitely don’t be afraid to ask TEL for help! Focus on a handful of page types that work for you and your aims or project. So far, we’ve had some very positive feedback from our users!