Session Descriptions

Monday: Captivate 4 Foundations

Session 1:  Captivate Workflow Essentials

With this jump-start session, you will be up and running with Captivate in no time. Even if you already use Captivate, this session will give you tips and tricks to speed up the development process.  Produce one full lesson in an hour – let’s do it!

*Attendee Bonus: Everyone will receive an eLearning guidelines template.

Session 2:  Captivate Overview

You will review the Captivate interface and some common Captivate development tasks. Learn how to control the Captivate 4 environment and be more productive.

Session 3:  Templates

Templates are the foundation on which Captivate content is created. Discuss how to set up templates for: soft-skill, simulation, quiz, and scenario based training. You will learn how to save development time by harnessing the power of Captivate 4 templates.

Session 4:  Adding Assets

This session will focus on the core elements that you add to a Captivate lesson. This includes: captions, images, flash animations, text animations and highlight boxes. You will receive best practice tips for each object while learning how to reduce your Captivate file size.   

Tuesday: Captivate 4 Accelerate

Session 1:  Building Interactions

Master Captivate’s built in interactions including Rollover Caption, Rollover Image, and Zoom Area. Discover how to use the Rollover Slidelet object. Be amazed by the sample Lodestone interactions and all the different ways they can be leveraged for your eLearning delivery.  

Session 2:  Recording Demonstrations

Learn the inside secrets to creating impactful demonstration recordings in Captivate. We will explore recording strategies, how to properly set up Recording Settings, tips on Full Motion recording and getting your audio to sound amazing.

Session 3:  Recording Simulations

Application simulations are one of the more difficult content items to build in any eLearning application. Watch how Captivate takes on the challenge and creates guided and assessment simulations for you. Discuss best practices and learn how to implement templates in order to streamline the recording process.

Session 4:  Branching and Scenario Training

Prepare to immerse your learners with engaging scenario based interactions in Captivate. Take advantage of the Branching tab by organizing structured question and answer slides.  Additionally, sample files, a detailed explanation of branching notation, slide grouping, and branching edits will be covered.

Wednesday: Captivate 4 Power

Session 1: Audio in Captivate – Adobe SoundBooth CS4

Recording audio has never been easier with Captivate 4. You will explore the differences between object and slide audio and how to take advantage of each type. Additionally, learn: techniques for recording screen captures; USB microphones, audio editing and exporting.

Session 2: Building Quizzes

Take a detailed look at all the various question types in Captivate, including:  Multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank, short answer, matching, hot spot, sequence and rating scale. Discuss the logic behind the “flow” of a quiz, Graded questions versus Survey questions, and how to start tracking student information. You will also learn strategies for setting up Captivate Quiz templates for reuse in other projects.

Session 3: Publishing

Review the proper way to publish your Captivate movie to web, DVD-ROM, and an Adobe Connect Pro Session. There will be tips and tricks on how to reduce your Captivate file size, and how to use the Advanced Audio and Interaction panels to your advantage before publishing.

Session 4:  Using Captivate Variables and Flash CS4

This session will take a closer look at Captivate variables and what you can create with them. You’ll jump into Flash CS4 and create animation widgets that: control the playback head, keep track of your current slide and exit out of your application.

Thursday: Captivate 4 Applied

Session 1:  Captions – In-Depth

During this session, you will take a detailed look at Captive captions and gain hands-on experience at creating a custom caption. You will learn how to add padding to a Caption by using the .FCM file, how to export and import caption text for multi-lingual delivery and determine the best methods for creating transparent text. 

Session 2:  Customizing Captivate Skins

Learn the nuances of Captivate’s Skin feature. Gain a better understanding of the interaction between your main .SWF file and the Captivate Skin .SWF. Customize your skin’s design, color and navigation bar, including removing the Info button. Discuss strategies for using Captivate’s Skin Menu for lesson branching and experience how the menu relates back to your course template.  

Session 3:  Captivate and Print Output

This session will cover the four main print outputs from Captivate: Handout, Lesson, Step by Step, and Storyboard. You will come away with advantages of using each print format and the options you can set. Learn how to modify your print document with custom headers and footers, including your corporate logo. Discuss how to use Captivate’s print output for both stand-up training supplements and for assistance during the development process. 

Session 4:  JavaScript and Captivate

A Captivate .SWF file has the ability to communicate to its holding HTML file via JavaScript. This option is available as a common function when a user clicks a button, click box, or even navigates a slide, or ends the movie. This offers up a few possibilities of controlling the web environment via Captivate. This session will focus on the communication path of JavaScript and give some implementation examples.  

Friday: Captivate 4 Media

Session 1:  Shooting Video for Captivate

Learn how to shoot sharp looking video for your training projects. Discuss how to use a green screen, lighting, audio and camera equipment. Get a primer for shooting video “on-the-fly” and how to keep your production costs low while producing high quality video.  

Session 2:  Editing and Publishing Video

Take your RAW video footage and learn how to make edits in Adobe Premiere CS4. Demonstrate how to add a key effect to your video, add a transition and export the final video out as .FLV. After this session, you will be able to explain .FLV video compression, and the differences between progressive and streaming video. 

Session 3: Captivate on Mobile Devices

Take advantage of Web 2.0 delivery by setting up your Captivate movies for iPod delivery.  Get the inside scoop on the best way to convert your Captivate .SWF files to AVI, convert them to MPEG, and how to load the files on to an iPod, Blackberry and Zune.

*Attendee Bonus: Pre-made Lodestone iPod templates.