Adobe Captivate Core Skills: Level 2 (Live Online)

Overview

Adobe software operates virtually identically across Mac and Windows platforms. Courses at physical locations are taught on Windows-based PC hardware with Windows-compatible software. In-home or remote learners can use either Mac or Windows hardware to access the hosted, Windows-based Adobe application environment. The instructor will highlight important Mac-specific keyboard differences and interface variations as they arise.

Platform Compatibility Note: Available for Mac and PC users

Course Overview and Progression Path

After establishing a solid foundation using Core Skills training, you're prepared for Level 2 instruction. Important Note: To ensure you have the essential knowledge for successful Level 2 participation in Captivate, carefully review all topics covered in the Captivate Level 1 course.

Level 2 classes advance content delivery at a faster pace while emphasizing practical shortcuts and professional tips to streamline your workflow. Each lesson incorporates sophisticated, challenging project scenarios that simulate real-world eLearning development.

Software Version Compatibility

Our Adobe classes are updated to the current software version as Adobe releases new training materials. This Captivate training is compatible with Captivate 2019, 2017, and version 9. These products are functionally very similar at the course instruction level. Typically, updated training materials become available three to five months after software release.

Course Prerequisites and Recommended Background

Students should have working experience with Captivate and possess thorough knowledge of Core Skills Level 1 material. You should be comfortable with project creation, recording software demonstrations, writing and positioning captions, applying styles, managing timing, incorporating images, creating buttons, and building interactive elements. For complete information about Level 1 content, refer to: Captivate Core Skills Level 1.

Module 1: Caption Pre-Editing Techniques

Begin your Level 2 training with a practical review session. You'll record a software simulation using Captivate's Custom recording mode. The distinctive twist involves editing an obscure language file to predetermine the text content appearing in future Captivate captions. The efficiency gains from pre-editing this configuration file may very well justify your investment in this course.

Skills You Will Develop:

Rehearse and prepare scripts for recording
Configure advanced recording preferences
Record sophisticated software simulations
Modify text capture templates

Module 2: Video Demonstration Recordings

If you've studied our "Adobe Captivate 8: The Essentials" textbook, you've learned how to record individual screen interactions using Captivate's simulation and demonstration recording modes. However, when you need seamless, real-time capture of screen activities, Captivate's Video recording mode provides superior results. This section covers effective video capture techniques and helps you get started publishing videos for platforms such as YouTube.

Skills You Will Develop:

Capture video demonstrations
Add magnification and zoom effects
Create panning and movement effects
Refine mouse paths and enhance visual feedback
Divide video into segments
Edit video length and duration
Embed video projects within larger projects
Export and publish video content

Module 3: Custom Styles, Branching, and Project Aggregation

After creating multiple smaller projects, you'll discover you can efficiently combine them into a unified master project. Once combined, you'll learn to create navigation branches connecting different sections. For large lessons that are too extensive to combine, the Aggregator feature allows independent modules to share a single table of contents.

Skills You Will Develop:

Design and develop text styles
Apply styles across projects
Export and reimport style libraries
Create named slide references
Copy and share project assets
Establish branches using buttons
Navigate the branching interface
Organize slides in groups
Export Flash files
Combine multiple Flash files

Module 4; Random Quiz Questions and Question Pools

This module teaches you to import quiz questions in the GIFT format. You'll also learn to create question pools and randomized question slides that prevent learners from sharing quiz answers with others.

Skills You Will Develop:

Review GIFT file structure
Import questions from GIFT files
Establish question pools and categories
Transfer questions to pool locations
Create random question slide assignments

Module 5: Creating Accessible eLearning

Developing eLearning lessons accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, may be an organizational requirement. During this module, you'll learn Section 508 accessibility best practices and techniques for implementing them within Captivate projects.

Skills You Will Develop:

Configure document metadata and properties
Enable accessibility features in projects
Write descriptive text for slide elements
Integrate audio content into slides
Assign keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys
Add captions for audio content
Establish logical tab navigation order

Module 6: Using Variables and Interactive Widgets

Variables enable you to personalize eLearning content for each individual learner. You don't need programming knowledge to work effectively with variables. You'll also explore widgets and their application within your projects.

Skills You Will Develop:

Add project-level information
Insert system variables
Modify system variables
Define custom user variables
Collect data using variables
Add and configure interactive widgets

Module 7: Interactive Interactions and Smart Learning Objects

Interactions, known as Smart Learning Interactions, function as powerful widgets enabling rapid insertion of interactive components. Captivate includes numerous interaction types, including process diagrams and pyramid structures, with additional options available for download. While working with interactions, you can customize both content and visual design.

Next, you'll explore Captivate's Drag and Drop functionality for maximum learner engagement. You'll implement object states, allowing you to modify object appearance dynamically throughout interactions.

Skills You Will Develop:

Create process circle interactions
Build basic drag-and-drop activities
Design drag and drop buttons and captions
Create advanced retry mechanisms
Examine sophisticated drag-and-drop projects
Develop complex drag and drop interactions
Modify object states and appearance
Use states to swap images and elements

Module 8: Actions and Advanced Conditional Logic

When learners click buttons or interactive regions, actions execute. But what if you require multiple conditional actions triggered by one click? Captivate's Advanced Actions enable objects to perform complex functions responding to each learner interaction.

Skills You Will Develop:

Execute completed actions
Establish object naming conventions
Create masking effects
Manage object visibility
Build standard advanced actions
Connect actions to button interactions
Group timeline objects
Create and manage variables
Build conditional action logic
Create decision trees and logic blocks

Module 9: Masters, Themes, and Project Templates

Consistency and efficiency are maximized when you create master slides, apply and customize themes, and establish reusable project templates. These tools keep your Captivate projects visually cohesive and streamline development.

Skills You Will Develop:

Work with the primary master slide
Create content-specific master slides
Apply masters to presentation slides
Edit and customize masters
Select and apply themes
Create branded custom themes
Examine project templates
Base new projects on existing templates
Develop custom project templates
Create template placeholders

Module 10: Responsive Design and Multi-Device Compatibility

Learners access eLearning content on vastly different screen sizes and devices. Consider the size difference between typical mobile phones and various tablets, including Apple iPad, Microsoft Surface, and Amazon Kindle Fire. You could develop separate Captivate projects with identical content sized for specific devices, but this approach requires editing and updating multiple projects constantly. Who has time for that?

Additionally, it's impossible to anticipate every screen size for every device on the market. Even if you could develop lessons for every current screen dimension, what about devices not yet invented?

During this module, you'll master Captivate's responsive interface (distinctly different from standard projects) and learn to create responsive projects from inception.

Skills You Will Develop:

Review responsive project structure
Adjust and modify breakpoint settings
Convert standard projects to responsive format
Create and name flexible boxes
Populate boxes with content elements
Toggle between design modes
Utilize position inspector controls
Adjust specific breakpoint parameters
Exclude elements from specific views
Establish additional breakpoints
Position and link elements across breakpoints
Customize element styles per breakpoint

Module 11: Tracking Results and LMS Integration

When your eLearning lesson includes assessments, you'll need to track performance results. For learning management system integration, we provide comprehensive guidance. You'll learn to configure Captivate projects for LMS compatibility, preview lessons in SCORM Cloud environment, and upload lessons to an LMS for complete testing.

Skills You Will Develop: