I’m currently working on a new Lectora 2007 template with samples, tips, and guidelines for our courseware developers. We’re just upgrading to 2007 now, but it looks promising. I think one of the biggest challenges will be to build some samples in there that will help us think outside the standard linear page-turning type of navigation that we use most of the time, using the tools that are available within Lectora.
I remember a year ago when I attended the Trivantis user conference in Las Vegas, I was quite impressed with how courseware developers I met there showed a great deal of creativity and resourcefulness in the way that they stretched Lectora to the extent of its capabilities — they created engaging, interactive education using only Lectora. Of course, Lectora is NOT an animation or programming tool, and would still not be my choice if I had to create something that was really exciting. On the other hand, I am on a quest to find ways to enable courseware developers to create engaging materials using only the tools that they have, which includes Lectora.
I have to admit though, as a media developer that will resort to using Flash (and soon, Flex) for pretty much anything that requires interactivity and dazzle, it’s difficult to bring myself back down to the basics of a tool that doesn’t come from Adobe. I’m really trying though ;-)
