To create a Random Lesson, on the Lesson dialog:

  • highlight the blank Lesson Type icon in the Lesson structure list
  • select the Add a Random Sequence button above the list.

 

 

The blank Lesson Type icon will be replaced by a Random icon.

 

With the Random icon highlighted, the Contents list will show the Preferences, Random Selection, Introduction, and End icons for the random sequence. Highlight any of these icons and click the Edit button to display the Random dialog.

The Preferences, Introduction, Element and End and Response tabs function almost the the same as those in the Sequential dialog. However a random lesson adds a further tab called the Random tab.

You can view detailed information about the Preferences, Introduction, End and Response tabs in the Help topic Creating a Sequential Lesson.

Random tab

The Random tab allows you to define in which order the Elements contained in the Random Lesson are presented to the trainee.

Note: Generally you would not define the settings on this dialog until all of the Elements have been added to the lesson. Detailed information about this process is covered in Adding Elements to a Lesson .

 



The dialog contains two lists: an Element list and a Display list.

 

Element list

The left list is the Elements list which displays the Elements you have created. The Element list retains the order of the Elements as they appear in the content list of the Lesson dialog.

Display list

The list to the right is the Display list where you define which Elements will be presented during a lesson.


To add an Element to the Display list:

  • Highlight the Element you wish to add in the Element list.
  • Click to highlight the position in the Display list where the Element will be added.
  • Click the add button.

The Element will then appear in the Display list.

As that Element has been selected it will now appear grey in the Element list.


To remove an Element from the Display List:

  • Click to highlight the Element you wish to remove.
  • Click the Selete button to remove the Element and place it on the clipboard.

 

To paste the Element in a different position within the Display List:

  • Click to highlight the position in the Display List in which you would like to paste the Element.
  • Click the paste button to paste the Element.

Display order

When you have added Elements to the Display List you have the choice of displaying them in the order in which they appear in this list or in a totally random order.

To display the Elements in the order in which they appear uncheck the Random Check box.

Select the Check box to display the Elements in a random order. With the check box set, a field will appear allowing you to define how many Elements will be presented from the Display list. Set the value of the field to the number of Elements from the Display List you wish to have displayed to the user.

Multiple Lists

You are also able to define multiple Display lists. For example you can create one Display list containing Elements 1, 2 and 3. Then create another Display list, (list two) with Elements 4, 5 and 6. You could then decide to present list one in the order in which each Element appears and present the Elements in list two in random order. Alternatively you could choose to display only one of the three Elements in list one and all three of the Elements in list two and so on.


To create multiple Display lists:

  • First add the desired Elements to Display list one, which is the default.
  • Set the Random check box to true or false, and if true, define the number of Elements in the display to show.
  • Increment the value in the Current List field to two.
  • Repeat the process followed for Display List one.
  • Create more Display Lists as necessary.

When the Lesson runs AUTHOR™ will execute each Display list in numerical order starting with Display list one.

 

To remove a Display list:

  • Make sure that the value in the Display list field matches the list you want to remove.
  • Click the Remove list button.

 

To insert a Display list between two existing display lists:

  • Set the value in the Current List field to the display list that will appear after the list you are about to insert.
  • Click the Insert list button.
  • Add Elements to the new Display list.