A “Sneak Peek” at Cengage’s New Office 365/2019 Pr...

[Danielle_Klahr]

Are you curious about what our new product offerings will look like? See it here first, with an early look at the new user experience in SAM.

Our content player is at the heart of our SAM product, training students on application tasks in a simulated environment. These trainings consist of task-based questions with unlimited attempts for each task. They include four modes to provide scaffolding, and students can complete any modes they choose, in any order:

• Intro/Guide: Provides context and lists multiple methods for completing task
• Observe: Video walks students through steps to complete task
• Practice: Students guided through task process, clicking all the steps themselves
• Apply: Student completes task on their own

Keeping student and instructor needs in mind, we’ve implemented a new content player design to make your experience easier. The previous design (shown directly below) opened into the Intro mode, which gives a basic overview of the task at hand.

The new design (below) opens into Observe mode, skipping the Intro mode and diving right into the task demonstration. The “Observe,” “Practice,” and “Apply” options are now located across the top of the content player to maximize screen space. If students want to access the information previously found in “Intro” mode, they can click on the “Guide” button in the very top right of the screen. This allows the user to access to contextual information and alternate click paths.

We have also placed the “Submit” button more prominently at the top right of the screen to deter students from exiting the player without submitting their assignment. We anticipate that the assignment submission process will be much smoother as a result!

[eshepard]

 I have polled students and they like the Intro. Many of my students use the Intro mode to view what they are going to learn. They also like to see the short cuts prior to starting the task. If you start at Observe you don't what the task is. I think that Intro should be on the same line as the other modes. There is always the option to click on one of other modes after the Intro.

[Danielle_Klahr]

@eshepard thank you for the feedback! Your students will still have the option to click on the guide to get the context of the task, and observe mode shows them the task they will be performing. Does that help?

[eshepard]

I don't think it is intuitive to call it a 'guide'. I also think it is important to read what you are going to do prior to doing it. If you want to start on Observe, then at least put Intro on the same line. You could also give the instructors the ability to set the training to start at the Intro mode  or whichever mode they feel is best for the students.

[Danielle_Klahr]

@eshepard great feedback! Thank you!

[Sandy_Keeter]

Can't wait!  When is the release and will there be a webinar about this ahead of time?  I remember seeing a preview of this at CCE last year..

[Danielle_Klahr]

Thanks @Sandy_Keeter! Intro content will be available in March. I'll keep everyone posted in the community about plans for any webinars or additional updates.

[TerriGee]

Really liking the look and the prominence of the Submit button is fantastic! In reading previous comments, I wonder if the word Overview would be clearer than Guide. When students are new to the simulations they may interpret Guide to mean using the player and not the specific task. 

I will also be looking forward to any webinars as they become available. 

[eshepard]

Great comment, using Overview instead of Guide is a good suggestion.