Does anyone have some good recommendations on organizing curriculum? For example, if you have a certain subject being taught that includes PPTs, job aids, elearning, workbooks, etc. How do you organize these files? And, what would you do if certain components we also used for other subjects being taught?
I'm always looking for better ways to do this too.
I've used wikis, which worked really well. Right now I'm using SharePoint, which I pretty much use the same way. Each program I roll out has multiple components (job aids, demos, practice activities, ppts and eLearning courses) so I use SharePoint to create Training & Support pages. Large topics get their own page, smaller ones are grouped. We have the landing page that is like a dashboard or menu with all available topics listed. Click one of those and you are taken to its Training & Resource page where they can access all of the resources. I personally don't like filling the page with document libraries. Instead I make separate web parts by topic and use link summaries to link to the uploaded resources. What I really like is that I can also list all of the related eLearning courses and link them to the LMS, where I have my tracking/reporting capabilities. SharePoint has those options too, but it's an add-on we don't want to buy.
Of the two, I liked using wiki pages better but my company is fully integrated through SharePoint so it makes sense to use that here. Both have their limitations. SharePoint is more powerful but wikis are more user-friendly (IMO) for my more basic needs.
I'm definitely interested in hearing what systems/products other folks are using
Are you asking about personal organization for your own benefit? I recently developed a 5 day ILT course where I organized all of the assets into the different "Day" folders. All the PPTs given on Day one go into the Day one folder. I usually followed a naming convention too that helped me keep everything in order. Example; CourseName_Day1_Slide#_BriefName.ppt. The slide # is the order in the day you give that presentation. I also created a Student Handout folder (in the main folder) and seperated the student handouts by the day that I would give it out and name it in similar fashion. All the references, training manuals, and anything that would might be accessed at anytime by the students/trainers would go in its one folder and in subfolders broken up by type of files. I also created a Trainers Material folder. This is where I put all of my original files. SInce I don't want the students to have the original Word Doc file I created (if I burn it to CD) I usually created a PDF for them. But I don't want to store the original Word Doc file seperately, I store it in this file, but make sure it doesn't get passed to the students. If you are doing a course based on modules, then you can break down your folders by modules, instead of days like I did.
Thanks for the replies! This is for my entire department. I am the curriculum designer, and we have a team of trainers that use the material. I'm looking for a way to house the information that is intuitive for the trainers to find the materials they need. I originally had the idea that everything would fit nicely into a main topic folder, in which I would include all the PPTs, job aids, workbooks, etc. However, I'm running into a kink with the materials that are used in more than one class.
Well, SharePoint is good for that since you can upload the document/ppt/etc one time but link to it as many times as you want from any other page. That would only be convenient if you guys are already on SharePoint tho.
Are the trainers always on the company network when they access files? When I need to access the same file from multiple locations, sometimes I just keep all of the source files in one location and then create shortcuts and copy them into all of the relevant folders. One note on this, I would lose track of which folder actually had the source file so I created one folder for ALL source documents. Then I knew right where to go to make any updates and then all of the shortcuts would still point to the updated file.
Thanks Natalie! I currently have the files organized in SharePoint in folders. When you say you created one folder for ALL source documents, do you have a specific naming convention so you can find the document you're looking for quickly?
I use sharepoint too. Instead of naming conventions, I make a new field and create a drop down list of types. This way the user can filter a list to see just what they want...
...and you can create document webparts using some of the extra features to just show certain types.
For the end of the MP grading project (I'm in a school district) I made one directory for one page help guides. When I created a document I just save it to the libraryand use the field to note what grade it attaches to. On the main page I had three web parts... one that filter for 1-3 documents, one for K documents and one for 4/5 documents.
I do use a naming convention since I am keeping all of my documents in one library. SystemName_#Topic_MaterialType. For example: SAP_1CreateNew_JobAid. The number is just if it's part of a series. Some programs have more identifiers.
Since you're already on SharePoint, you have all kinds of options. The good news is that whatever direction you choose to take, you can definitely access one resource from more than one place. You just might need to structure your pages with web parts to get to those options.
I had a pretty narrow perspective of SharePoint just based on how I had used it before. I still only know a fraction of what it can do. So when I decided I wanted to use it this way I scheduled some time with our SharePoint administrators in the IT department and they were SO helpful. Once I was able to tell them what I wanted to do, they were happy to help me put it together and teach me how so I could do the rest myself. Do you have those types of resources available? It could really save you some time. It's not exactly an intuitive tool.
If not, let me know and I'll get you more specifics.
While organizing the training materials in the most appropriate heirarchy is necessary, I think it is equally important to tag each material with some keywords and allow the learners to search based on these keywords.. I am sure some topics would overlap into different functions and department.. so if I was the learner, I would like to have the freedom to search for training material on some specific topic...
Here is an example of one of my support pages. The entire page is to support a system. The sections are just web parts divided by category/topic. The online courses link to the LMS but all other documents open from here. I have other pages that use some of the same resources, which is why I like to use summary Links. I also like that my source files are in the Document library and they have long titles with all of the identifiers I need to keep them organized.
I haven't used the drop down/filter web part Carrie suggested but that sounds like a good system too. I've been wanting to spend more time learning SharePoint options because there are so many different ways to use it that I don't even know about. I actually have a meeting coming up with the IT trainers to learn how to use the interactive & blog features.
If you think of it, let us know what you end up using!
Natalie, what type of web part are the sections? Also, can you provide more details on your summary links? To confirm, this is a wiki page that is linking to documents in a document library?
I am no SharePoint expert, so there could very well be other ways to do this but I'll definitely tell you how I did it.
They are just regular pages (Create Page). The web parts I'm using are called Summary Links. If you click to Add a Web Part, it's one of the options listed. The only things that can be included in Summary Links are group names and links.
Yes, I link to documents in a document library.
I started to type this out but decided a Screenr would be MUCH faster. So here's a "quick and dirty" tour. Let me know what other details I can include.
16 Replies
Hi Bethre!
I'm always looking for better ways to do this too.
I've used wikis, which worked really well. Right now I'm using SharePoint, which I pretty much use the same way. Each program I roll out has multiple components (job aids, demos, practice activities, ppts and eLearning courses) so I use SharePoint to create Training & Support pages. Large topics get their own page, smaller ones are grouped. We have the landing page that is like a dashboard or menu with all available topics listed. Click one of those and you are taken to its Training & Resource page where they can access all of the resources. I personally don't like filling the page with document libraries. Instead I make separate web parts by topic and use link summaries to link to the uploaded resources. What I really like is that I can also list all of the related eLearning courses and link them to the LMS, where I have my tracking/reporting capabilities. SharePoint has those options too, but it's an add-on we don't want to buy.
Of the two, I liked using wiki pages better but my company is fully integrated through SharePoint so it makes sense to use that here. Both have their limitations. SharePoint is more powerful but wikis are more user-friendly (IMO) for my more basic needs.
I'm definitely interested in hearing what systems/products other folks are using
Are you asking about personal organization for your own benefit? I recently developed a 5 day ILT course where I organized all of the assets into the different "Day" folders. All the PPTs given on Day one go into the Day one folder. I usually followed a naming convention too that helped me keep everything in order. Example; CourseName_Day1_Slide#_BriefName.ppt. The slide # is the order in the day you give that presentation. I also created a Student Handout folder (in the main folder) and seperated the student handouts by the day that I would give it out and name it in similar fashion. All the references, training manuals, and anything that would might be accessed at anytime by the students/trainers would go in its one folder and in subfolders broken up by type of files. I also created a Trainers Material folder. This is where I put all of my original files. SInce I don't want the students to have the original Word Doc file I created (if I burn it to CD) I usually created a PDF for them. But I don't want to store the original Word Doc file seperately, I store it in this file, but make sure it doesn't get passed to the students. If you are doing a course based on modules, then you can break down your folders by modules, instead of days like I did.
Thanks for the replies! This is for my entire department. I am the curriculum designer, and we have a team of trainers that use the material. I'm looking for a way to house the information that is intuitive for the trainers to find the materials they need. I originally had the idea that everything would fit nicely into a main topic folder, in which I would include all the PPTs, job aids, workbooks, etc. However, I'm running into a kink with the materials that are used in more than one class.
Well, SharePoint is good for that since you can upload the document/ppt/etc one time but link to it as many times as you want from any other page. That would only be convenient if you guys are already on SharePoint tho.
Are the trainers always on the company network when they access files? When I need to access the same file from multiple locations, sometimes I just keep all of the source files in one location and then create shortcuts and copy them into all of the relevant folders. One note on this, I would lose track of which folder actually had the source file so I created one folder for ALL source documents. Then I knew right where to go to make any updates and then all of the shortcuts would still point to the updated file.
Thanks Natalie! I currently have the files organized in SharePoint in folders. When you say you created one folder for ALL source documents, do you have a specific naming convention so you can find the document you're looking for quickly?
Hi Bethre et al,
I use sharepoint too. Instead of naming conventions, I make a new field and create a drop down list of types. This way the user can filter a list to see just what they want...
...and you can create document webparts using some of the extra features to just show certain types.
For the end of the MP grading project (I'm in a school district) I made one directory for one page help guides. When I created a document I just save it to the libraryand use the field to note what grade it attaches to. On the main page I had three web parts... one that filter for 1-3 documents, one for K documents and one for 4/5 documents.
Hope this helps...
cdb
I do use a naming convention since I am keeping all of my documents in one library. SystemName_#Topic_MaterialType. For example: SAP_1CreateNew_JobAid. The number is just if it's part of a series. Some programs have more identifiers.
Since you're already on SharePoint, you have all kinds of options. The good news is that whatever direction you choose to take, you can definitely access one resource from more than one place. You just might need to structure your pages with web parts to get to those options.
I had a pretty narrow perspective of SharePoint just based on how I had used it before. I still only know a fraction of what it can do. So when I decided I wanted to use it this way I scheduled some time with our SharePoint administrators in the IT department and they were SO helpful. Once I was able to tell them what I wanted to do, they were happy to help me put it together and teach me how so I could do the rest myself. Do you have those types of resources available? It could really save you some time. It's not exactly an intuitive tool.
If not, let me know and I'll get you more specifics.
While organizing the training materials in the most appropriate heirarchy is necessary, I think it is equally important to tag each material with some keywords and allow the learners to search based on these keywords.. I am sure some topics would overlap into different functions and department.. so if I was the learner, I would like to have the freedom to search for training material on some specific topic...
thats my 2 cents...
Thanks Sayuj! This particular question only refers to trainers who will be using and editing the content. But, I like the idea of tags!
B,
Here is an example of one of my support pages. The entire page is to support a system. The sections are just web parts divided by category/topic. The online courses link to the LMS but all other documents open from here. I have other pages that use some of the same resources, which is why I like to use summary Links. I also like that my source files are in the Document library and they have long titles with all of the identifiers I need to keep them organized.
I haven't used the drop down/filter web part Carrie suggested but that sounds like a good system too. I've been wanting to spend more time learning SharePoint options because there are so many different ways to use it that I don't even know about. I actually have a meeting coming up with the IT trainers to learn how to use the interactive & blog features.
If you think of it, let us know what you end up using!
I love that, Natalie!
Hello,
I follow @tomkuhlmann advices in his article:"Here’s Why You Need an E-Learning Portfolio"
http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/heres-why-you-need-an-e-learning-portfolio/
For a free portfolio, I am looking at http://eduportfolio.org/.
Natalie, what type of web part are the sections? Also, can you provide more details on your summary links? To confirm, this is a wiki page that is linking to documents in a document library?
I am no SharePoint expert, so there could very well be other ways to do this but I'll definitely tell you how I did it.
They are just regular pages (Create Page). The web parts I'm using are called Summary Links. If you click to Add a Web Part, it's one of the options listed. The only things that can be included in Summary Links are group names and links.
Yes, I link to documents in a document library.
I started to type this out but decided a Screenr would be MUCH faster. So here's a "quick and dirty" tour. Let me know what other details I can include.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/81591839
That was so helpful, thank you sooo much!
Anytime! Glad it helped
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