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New Features and Enhancements
Video AD (Audio Description) Caption Template
You now have access to a new Video Audio Description (AD) Caption template. This template has several major features:
Note: This feature is intended for future use, when new Skillsoft courses with AD files become available.
The template supports a single audio item and a maximum of two video items:
Smartphone Playback for Video-Based Courses
Smartphone-ready and video-based courses may now be customized. Custom video-based and smartphone-ready courses may also be created. Phone ready IT, Desktop, Six Sigma, and Business Skills stock courses can play on smartphones via the Skillsoft Learning App and Skillport Mobile. However, video-based courses that have been customized or newly created custom courses that are phone-ready, are only accessible from Skillport Mobile. These courses are available on SkillPort 7.3 and Skillport 8.0, Sumtotal Learn and other LMSs.
A new Phone Ready checkbox displays on the Properties page to identify courses that can be played on a smartphone.
Preview for Java-Free and Smartphones
A course Preview and Quick Preview can be launched in Java-free mode, in addition to Java-dependent mode, allowing you to preview courses in the new course interface. The Java-free Preview is available for desktop, tablet, and smartphone supported courses. The Java-dependent Preview will continue to show a desktop-only course in the traditional interface.
Additionally, when launching in Java-free Preview, you can select the desired launch mode to view the course in the appropriate device layout:
In addition to topic-level transcripts, SkillStudio can now generate course-level transcripts for Business Skills, Desktop and IT Skills courses for both traditional and newer video-based courses. The course-level transcript is a single file consolidating the information contained within the individual topic transcripts. Such transcripts are helpful for learners looking for a text-only version of the course, as well as for instructors who wish to use printed copies within a blended learning, classroom setting.
A Course Transcript option is now available on the View Menu.
A Course Transcript icon was also added to the toolbar.
The following new attributes are available for courses:
Thumbnail Image: You can assign a thumbnail image to a course via the Properties page using the Course Graphic feature shown below. The thumbnail is displayed in Skillport 8 from either the Library Browse view or the Content Details page. It is also displayed in the player next to the course title.
The Course Graphic image information will also be included in both the Localization Graphics and Live Reports.
Instructor information: A new Instructor tab is located at the course node page. You can define instructors for a course, provide instructor details and assign them to individual topics. Skillport will display the Instructor information on the Content Details Page.
The Instructor tab allows you to define an instructor for a course:
A warning audit checks if the name, about, and image fields all have values for all defined instructors. This audit only runs against courses selected as a Performance Support Video Course on the Properties page. A failed audit will not prevent the final publish of a course.
Note: You cannot edit the instructor Name, About, or Image information for instructors already configured in Skillsoft stock courses. However, you can create and edit new instructors.
Improved Course and Topic Duration
Enhancements to calculating durations allow you to provide additional information such as defining course, lesson and topic durations in minutes instead of hours. It also includes additional elements such as Overviews and Tests. The following new features are included in the enhancements.
Test Duration Field: Allows you to enter an integer to approximate the duration of a test.
Test Duration Word Count: The Tools>Duration menu includes a new menu item Test Duration Word Count that calculates the test duration for all topics under a selected node.
Updated Published Duration Field: The Published Duration field on the Course Properties tab was updated to display the duration in hours and minutes, instead of fractions of hours.
The Retina Scale drop-down menu in the Properties tab allows you to select a retina scale value for all new graphics added to a course in SkillStudio. For each graphic, its retina value will be used to translate the native resolution of a graphic to the desired display resolution.
Note: ‘Retina’ is a term that describes display products with high enough pixel density that the individual pixels are not discernible to the human eye. A Retina display uses pixels packed at a density of approximately twice the Pixels Per Inch (PPI) when compared with regular displays.
A new assessment report is available that displays test questions and correct answers.
Support was added for nine new languages: Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Indonesian, Norwegian, Romanian, Swedish, Thai and Vietnamese.
WCAG 2.0 Level AA Compliant Checkbox
The new WCAG 2.0 AA Compliant option on the Properties page allows you to easily find new courses which will include Audio Descriptions (AD) via the Online Course Catalog or Skillport.
