Templating
From ElateWiki
Building online courses as part of a team or for a program or certificate often requires consistency. This means consistency of quality as well as of form.
Templates
Templates are master files that can be used to build content into. Templates offer form and predictability. They may include placeholder text to show where information goes. There may even be placeholder text with replaceable parts for tighter informational content. There may be "notes" or "checklists" indicating what the contents and technological requirements may be. Templates may be branded with logos and design features.
In instructional design, for example, there may be templates for slideshows, YouTube videos, case studies, and tipsheets.
Basic Contents
These templates involve
A design sensibility and rationale
Types and locations of contents
They may be expressed textually (as a set of directions or standards), or they may be embodied in a sample file…or they may be embodied in actual live examples. Sometimes, templates are embodied in multiple formats for clarity.
A Sample Template for a Slideshow
A slideshow template often involves the actual slideshow with the embedded contents or placeholder texts standing in for the various contents.
A slideshow usually involves the following elements for completeness:
A title page with proper labeling information
A header or footer with slide numbers
Images that are alt-texted
Slide titles
Text that describes the contents
Video and audio files that may be embedded into the particular slideshow
A Sample Template for a Video File
A video file template describes what are necessary parts to a video file, particularly if the video belongs to a series.
Part of the templating will appear in the finalized video. Part of the templating may be a back-end requirement such as a set time length for consistency.
For example, a video template may require the following elements:
A title slide with voice over or royalty-free music
An introductory sequence lasting 1 minute
The main contents of the video with explanatory audio, image stills, and other elements (including embedded interactivity)
A summary section lasting 1 minute
A closing slide with contact information and crediting information
A Sample Template for a Case Study
A case study is an online learning tool that draws from real life and may be used in an analytical way.
The usual contents of a case study involve the following elements:
An introductory context-setting paragraph or two
A summary of the contents of the case
Preliminary questions for consideration (for priming learners)
The case (whether it is an interrupted case—presented in pieces…or one long case…or a sequence..or some other type of case)
Questions for consideration
Debriefing the case
Various formal analyses
Back-end contents may be created for faculty who inherit case studies to help them use the cases in an effective learning method.
A Sample Template for a Video Transcript
A video transcript usually includes the following elements:
A title
Labeling relating the transcript to the video
A brief introduction of the context for the transcript
A verbatim transcript
Parenthetical references to environmental issues or sound effects or highlights to the video / simulation / audio track)
Contact information for those who want more information
A Sample Template for an E-Learning Module
E-learning modules vary in size (granularity) based on the work involved.
Generally, e-learning modules involve
Metadata about the specific points of the module
An introduction to the module
A pretest
Various learning contents (information, interactive experiences, and others)
A conclusion to the module
A post-test
Downloadables from the learning
Information about following modules that may be related to that learning
A Sample Template for an Academic Paper
The templating for academic papers is defined by the publication. Most publications require the following elements for an academic paper:
A title
An abstract (usually 100 – 150 words)
An introduction
Background of the issue
A review of the literature
Body text (with subheadings)
Future research
Future considerations
Conclusion
A Sample Template for Tipsheets
A digital tipsheet is a downloadable that serves as a handout. It has to present contents in a succinct and eye-catching way. It should be displayable for easy reference in a public setting—in some cases.
A sample template for a tipsheet involves
A basic introduction about the relevance of the contents
The contents
Contact information