Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to show how the integration of several software tools in a virtual platform can help both students and teachers to improve the quality of the material they use for teaching and learning. As it is well known, the teaching material has changed during the last years. Nowadays the students need high quality presentations of the different subjects in order to get them to study, especially regarding technical subjects. Even the understanding of the subjects is sometimes related not only to the teacher but to how the content is presented. However, not all teachers have time and motivation to design the material in the way it results attractive and easy to read for the students. Here is where an authoring system can be useful. Together, all the tools that comprise an authoring system offer a modular and comprehensive solution for structured knowledge transfer in any organization. This is especially necessary when this documentation is to support changes as it happens in the educational environment, where the notes are updated every year with new contents, examples, etc.

An authoring tool is a software package which developers use to create and package content deliverable to end users, both documentation and learning programs (web based training) in a single operation. They are also used to generate tutorial for self-learning and e-learning training. They are mainly use for educational purposes. In the development of educational materials, authoring tools allows authors to create documents for different subjects in a very easy way (easy graphics placement, color, animations, etc.). These modules are generally written to conform to some international standard.

TT Knowledge Force has been chosen to show this educational approach as it offers a high-performance object-oriented recorder and comprehensive functions to support the creation and animation of media objects and re-re¬cording allows fast and cost-effective updating of content. Besides, it provides a collaborative, project-based framework for authoring and content management. The latest is an important point because many of the subjects of several degrees are taught between several teachers and coordination is a crucial point.

We propose to use it for developing notes, manuals and books well structured and well presented. It is a way to professionalize the teaching materials with a small effort, even the notes that a teacher gives to the students. The document is organized at different levels, an index is created, a list of figures, tables, key word, etc. On the other hand, students can learn how to present their works and essays with high quality, with a specific format and structure. As an example, the implementations of this proposal on some subjects that are taught in the Computer Science degree at the University Complutense of Madrid are shown.

Keywords:

Teaching material, Authoring tools, Innovation in education.