Where can I learn InDesign's eLearning functions?

[AnotherMe]

I need to quickly pick up Adobe InDesign's eLearning functions. Can anyone suggest the best online video content to pick up these skills?

Thank you for your help.

[BobLevine]

InDesign is NOT an eLearning application.

Adobe’s eLearning package is Captivate. Articulate Storyline is another.

[maxwithdax]

Integrated Learnings: eLearning: Discovering Adobe InDesign for eLearning

Looks like the OP is referring to the interactive features of InDesign.  This (2012) post talks about:

What InDesign Cannot Do

InDesign is not for creating eLearning or SCORM-compliant standalone courses. It will not interact with an LMS for scoring. However, it can easily be incorporated into an eLearning course using one of the several export options mentioned above.

Tips for Using InDesign

In the brief time I have been using Adobe InDesign, I have found it very useful for creating an online resource guide or job aid to partner with other eLearning elements. For example, in two recent projects, we created eLearning courses for deployment via the LMS. However, squeezing too much information into a web-based course can be overwhelming for the learner and impact retention of the information. So, we created resource guides with an interactive web-based feel to be available via an online tool to partner with the eLearning courses. These resource guides are accessible at any time and include more detail and information than the web-based courses.

So... if that is the goal, AnotherMe​ I would suggest looking at:

InDesign: Interactive PDFs by davidblatner​

It really just depends on what kind of project you are looking to create. Please note that video embedded Pdfs are VERY problematic and should not be relied on as a major feature of an elearning pdf or InDesign document.

[BobLevine]

It’s seven years old so I’d say there’s not much there that’s all that relevant for this.

I’ll stick with my original answer. InDesign is NOT an eLearning application. The right tool should be used for this. Captivate or from what my eLearning friends tell me, Storyline.

[maxwithdax]

Bob.. for sure it is still relevant. You didn't read the post, but that's okay. No one is suggesting using InDesign to CREATE an elearning course or as an elearning PLATFORM. Instead, in the post they are telling how they used the interactive features like buttons and such to create supplemental study material with the same feel that complemented their elearning course.

-Dax

[BobLevine]

I most certainly did read it and anything using Flash and interactive PDF is irrelevant.

Besides, that is not what the OP is asking for. There is zero reason to even be looking at InDesign for this.

[JonathanArias · Accepted solution]

I am creating elearning materials with indesign. I export files using IN5 and there are quizzes and questions in them. You can inject a crossword puzzle and so forth. I may be of help to you.

with that said. as far as interactivity for quizes and multiple choices you must watch Keith Gilbert's video for interactive techniques on lydan.com.. here:

Adobe Digital Publishing Suite: Interactive Techniques

you will also want to learn MSO's and Bob is the teacher to learn from. here:

InDesign: Multistate Objects

however, you need the essential training so you can understand the DPS work spaces and how they work. Again Bob is the teacher for that. here:

Adobe Digital Publishing Suite Essential Training

There are plug in competitions to IN5 like Aquafadas that comes with pre-made drag and drop activities and you would just have to change graphics and customize. here:

https://www.aquafadas.com/

i hope this answers your questions. Please tell me what you want to make so i can try to help you.

It is correct that Indesign is not an eleaning authoring tool. But you can make some thing work. so yes, you can Mcgiver indesign layouts to look and function like something made in captivate or articulate. However, you can't plug any of this to TINCAN/LMS systems.

[JonathanArias]

my workaround for getting quiz questions with SCORM to work is to make the quizes in articulate or captivate, post and host that aside from my exported html indesign document. (via IN5). Next i do a web overlay and link that to where i have the articulate html file.  This way the quizes can now collect answers for the LMS system. That works for me.  i had all files to the client and they host from their end behind their firewall or i host it for them.

[Steve Werner]

You should drop Digital Publishing Suite from your list of resources. It's is now dead or almost dead. It was moved to Enterprise where what's left of it can be charged to large companies at very high prices. It's not for the "rest of us."

[JonathanArias]

well. it does teach you the panels and how they function. as in how to use the tools. those are not dead.

That is the only solid training course i would recommend since it covers everything as far as how the panels work and how to use them.

Maybe Lynda.com should have Bob make a new course.

[BobLevine]

Right, Steve, but the interactive features in the overlays still work with AEM and more importantly for this discussion with in5.

That said, I’ve seen Jonathan’s work on this what he’s effectively doing (and he can correct me if I’m wrong) is taking real eLearning material and embedding it using a web overlay. It still requires dedicated eLearning applications.

[Steve Werner]

Thanks for the update. Since I've not found a use for the in5 tools, and haven't really worked with them, I tend to forget that.

And the AEM stuff is definitely not in the realm of anyone I usually teach or work with.

[BobLevine]

That makes two of us, Steve.

[JonathanArias]

the advantage i find in "forcing" indesign into an elearning authoring tool like i have done with my jobs is that Indesign is amazing when it comes to styles. that is the true power that indesign has over captivate and articulate, those programs don't come close to the things you can control and do with styles (object, table, cells, nested, grep.. cross-references, end notes so on..)

If captivate gets its act together and can offer the same power/capability with styles as indesign it would be the number one tool in my opinion.

Just like acrobat, indesign is a victim of its own success.