Instructional Templates
Xerte is an authoring tool that allows you to build online, interactive learning resources. Xerte provides such a large number of page types for authors to choose from that it can be a little daunting to get started.
In 2018, staff from Deltion College (Netherlands) shared a range of instructional templates (via creative commons licence) which we have used as the basis for six instructional templates. These can be directly accessed from within Xerte.
For details on using templates and to see what they look like, please visit the Xerte Instructional Templates resource.
Themes
- Online learning
- Independent learning
- Interactive learning
- Revision
- Assessment
Guidance
UK Professional Skills Framework
Contacts
For advice on using Xerte to enhance learning, teaching and assessment contact the TEL team: tel@bath.ac.uk
Why use them?
The aim of the templates is to provide authors with the ability to create small (one concept) learning resources, which include some element of interactivity.
- Concepts can be explained via text (plain, columns, accordion), images, video or audio.
- Interactivity can be introduced via quizzes (self-marking with substantive feedback), short written answers (with model answers) or ordering activities.
| Template | Xerte pages | Content type | Instructional purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flipped Teaching | |||
| Aim: students watch a video, check their understanding, and reflect on what they know because of watching. When to use:
|
Title | Text (+image) | Set context |
| Columns | Text (+image) | Technical instructions and approx. timings | |
| Columns | Text (+image) | Lesson instructions and learning objective | |
| Media lesson | Video | Watch/listen to media content | |
| Quiz | Text (+image) | Media content knowledge check | |
| Model answer | Text (+image) | Reflect on learning | |
| Results | Text | Review results and download | |
| Columns | Text (+image) | Not applicable – credits and CC licence info | |
| Case Study | |||
| Aim: students read about a sole case, or multiple cases, and reflect on related questions to critically analyse a situation. When to use:
|
Title | Text (image) | Set context |
| Columns | Text (image) | Technical instructions and approx. timings | |
| Quiz | Text (image) | Prior-knowledge check | |
| Multi-navigator | Text (image) | Case description | |
| Model answer | Text (image) | Reflect on case details | |
| Multi-navigator | Text (image) | Case description | |
| Model answer | Text (image) | Reflect on case details | |
| Multi-navigator | Text (image) | Case description | |
| Model answer | Text (image) | Reflect on case details | |
| Results | Text | Review results and download | |
| Columns | Text (image) | Not applicable – credits and CC licence info | |
| Test to Learn | |||
| Aim: To test knowledge from 6 randomly generated questions (from a bank of 12 or more). Feedback is immediate allowing students to reflect on any misunderstandings.
When to use:
|
Title | Text (image) | Set context |
| Columns | Text (image) | Technical instructions and approx. timings | |
| Quiz | Text (image) | Knowledge check | |
| Results | Text | Review results and download | |
| Columns | Text (image) | Not applicable – credits and CC licence info | |
| Determine Prior Information | |||
| Aim: To test prior knowledge of a topic. When to use:
|
Title | Text (image) | Set context |
| Columns | Text (image) | Technical instructions and approx. timings | |
| Quiz | Text (image) | Prior-knowledge check | |
| Model answer | Text (image) | Open-ended knowledge check | |
| Results | Text | Review results and download | |
| Columns | Text (image) | Not applicable – credits and CC licence info | |
| Learn a Concept in 5 Minutes | |||
| Aim: To allow students to quickly learn a new topic. When to use:
|
Title | Text (image) | Set context |
| Columns | Text (image) | Technical instructions and approx. timings | |
| Media lesson | Video | Explanation | |
| Plain text | Video | Explanation | |
| Multi-navigator | Text (image) | Explanation | |
| Audio slideshow | Audio (text) | Explanation | |
| Graphics & sound | Text (image) | Explanation | |
| Quiz | Text (image) | Knowledge check | |
| Results | Text | Review results and download | |
| Columns | Text (image) | Not applicable – credits and CC licence info | |
| Practical Skills Procedure | |||
| Aim: To allow students to check their prior learning of a given procedure, then after some explanation check their new understanding. When to use:
|
Title | Text (image) | Set context |
| Columns | Text (image) | Technical instructions and approx. timings | |
| Timeline | Text (image) | Procedure explained | |
| Model answer | Text (image) | Open ended knowledge check | |
| Media lesson | Video | Explanation | |
| Plain text | Video | Explanation | |
| Multi-navigator | Text (image) | Explanation | |
| Button sequence | Text (image) | Explanation | |
| Timeline | Text (image) | Procedure knowledge check | |
| Quiz | Text (image) | Knowledge check | |
| Results | Text | Review results and download | |
| Columns | Text (image) | Not applicable – credits and CC licence info | |
What are the pros & cons?
Pros
- Built with accessibility in mind, Xerte can support the creation of accessible online material.
- The templates are based on some common learning activities that you may already be familar with, and therefore adapting mateiral you already have should be straightforward.
- Authoring time is saved in the initial structural set up of your resource, whilst still retaining the flexibility for you to adapt and change it.
- It's possible to adapt existing material you may have (in Word or PowerPoint formats) into online resources that enable students to carry out activities to consolidate their understanding
- The resources can be used for formative learning and embedded in Moodle or provided from a direct web link, allowing students to access resources without the need to log into a service.
- Any extraneous material in the templates can easily be hidden or deleted.
Cons
- Although there are six templates, you may not find one suitable to the online activity you want to create. The templates are flexible in that they can be adapted to suit your needs, however you may want to consider sharing your activity idea with TEL so we can work with you to create a new template.
- Although the Xerte tool has been specifically developed for non-experts, there is still a learning curve in being able to use it effectively. There is a Xerte Guide to help get authors started, but TEL can provide training so please get in touch.
- Accessibility in online resources is key, and although Xerte was built with accessibility in mind, the content added by authors still needs to meet the relevant standards. Using header styles, adding alt text to images and being careful with contrast between text and the background can overcome this issue.
Ideas for future template designs
The six templates described above are the first attempt to provide such a feature in Xerte. Please share your feedback with the TEL team via tel@bath.ac.uk and if you have an idea for a new template, please submit it via the form in the Xerte Instructional Templates resource.