Adobe Captivate Core Skills: Level 2

Once you gain a foundation and some experience using Core Skills, you are ready for Level 2 training. IMPORTANT: To ensure you have the necessary skills for successful participation in the Level 2 training for Captivate, please carefully review the topics included in the Level 1 course for Captivate.

In Level 2 classes, content is covered at a faster pace and additional focus is placed on use of shortcuts and real world 'tips and tricks' to improve your workflow. Each lesson includes unique and challenging project files.

Version Note

Our Adobe classes upgrade to the latest version as soon as new training materials are released from Adobe. This Captivate class is relevant to users of Captivate 2019, 2017 and version 9. The products are almost identical at the level that is taught in this class. Typically new training content is available within 3 to 5 months of a software release.

Prerequisites

Students should have experience with Captivate and working knowledge of the skills covered in Core Skills: Level 1. Specifically, you should be familiar with the creating projects, recording demos, adding captions, styles, and timing, as well as images, buttons, and interactivity. For more information on the Level 1 course, go to:

• Captivate Core Skills: Level 1 

Course Outline

Module 1: Caption Pre-Editing

You'll get your advanced class started with a bit of a review. You'll record a software simulation using Captivate's Custom recording mode. Where's the twist? You'll edit a little-known language file and control the text that appears in future Captivate text captions. The time you'll save by pre-editing this little file just might pay for this class.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Rehearse a Script
• Set Recording Preferences
• Record a Software Simulation
• Edit a Text Capture Template

Module 2: Video Demos

If you worked through our “Adobe Captivate 8: The Essentials” book, you learned how to record individual screen actions using Captivate’s demonstration and simulation modes. However, if you need to record seamless, real-time screen actions, nothing beats Captivate’s Video recording mode. This session will teach you how to effectively capture videos, but you’ll get a jump start on publishing your videos for use on video sites such as YouTube.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Record a Video Demo
• Add a Video Zoom
• Add a Video Pan
• Smooth a Mouse Path and Show Visual Clicks
• Split a Video
• Trim a Video
• Insert a Video Project into a Standard Project
• Publish a Video Demo

Module 3: Custom Styles, Branching and Aggregating

If you've created several small projects, you'll learn that you can easily combine them into one master project. Once you've combined projects, you'll learn how to create jumps (branches) between different parts of the bigger lesson. And if you've created large lessons that are too big to combine, you'll learn how to use the Aggregator to allow independent lessons to share a TOC.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Create a Text Style
• Apply a Style Globally
• Export and Import a Style
• Name a Slide
• Copy/Paste Project Assets
• Use Buttons to Create a Branch
• Explore the Branching Tab
• Create a Slide Group
• Publish SWFs
• Aggregate SWFs

Module 4: Random Quizzes

As you begin this module, you’ll learn how to import questions into Captivate using the GIFT format. Then you will learn to create question pools and random question slides that will make it difficult for learners to share quiz content with each other.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Review a GIFT File
• Import a Question from a GIFT File
• Create Question Pools
• Move Questions to Pools
• Insert Random Question Slides

Module 5: Accessible eLearning

Creating eLearning lessons and courses that are accessible to citizens with disabilities may be a requirement in your organization. During these lessons, you'll learn some Section 508 best practices, and how to implement them within a Captivate project.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Set Document Information
• Enable Accessibility
• Add Accessibility Text to Slides
• Import Slide Audio
• Add Shortcut Keys
• Add Closed Captions
• Set a Tab Order

Module 6: Variables and Widgets

Variables allow you to customize an eLearning lesson for every student. And you don't have to know a single programming code to work with variables. You'll also learn about widgets and how to add them to a project.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Add Project Information
• Insert a System Variable
• Edit a System Variable
• Create a User Variable
• Use a Variable to Gather Data
• Insert and Format a Widget

Module 7: Interactions

Interactions, also referred to as Smart Learning Interactions, are powerful widgets that allow you to quickly insert interactive objects onto a slide. Captivate ships with a wide range of Interactions, such as Process Cycles and Pyramids, and you can download others. As you work with Interactions, you’ll find that you can customize not only the content but also the look and feel of the Interaction.

Next, you’ll learn how to use Captivate’s Drag and Drop feature to engage your learners like never before. And as you do, you’ll implement states that will allow you to change the appearance of objects at will.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Insert a Process Circle
• Create a Basic Drag and Drop Interaction
• Manage Drag and Drop Buttons and Write Captions
• Create a “Trick” Retry Slide
• Explore an Advanced Drag and Drop Project
• Create an Advanced Drag and Drop Interaction
• Change the States of a Smart Shape
• Use States to Swap Images

Module 8: Actions

When a learner clicks on a button or click box, an Action occurs. But what if you want multiple, conditional actions to occur? You'll be introduced to Captivate's Advanced Actions that will allow objects to perform multiple tricks for every learner click.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Use a Completed Action
• Name Objects
• Create a Mask
• Control Object Visibility
• Create a Standard Advanced Action
• Attach an Action to a Button
• Group Timeline Objects
• Create a Variable
• Create a Conditional Action
• Create Decision Blocks

Module 9: Masters, Themes, and Templates

Efficiency doesn't reach much higher than this... learn to keep the look and feel of your Captivate projects consistent across slides and projects when you create master slides, apply and customize Themes, and create and use Project Templates.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Work with the Main Master Slide
• Work with Content Masters
• Apply a Master to Filmstrip Slides
• Edit a Master
• Apply a Theme
• Create a Custom Theme
• Review a Template
• Base a Project on a Template
• Create a Project Template
• Insert a Placeholder

Module 10: Responsive Projects

The size of the screen that learners use to access eLearning lessons can vary widely. Consider the size of a typical mobile phone compared to the various shapes and sizes of tablets, such as the Apple iPad, Microsoft Surface, and Amazon Kindle Fire. You could develop several Captivate projects that contain the same content but are sized to work on specific devices; however, the problem is that you’d have to edit and update several projects! Who wants to do that?

Additionally, who could possibly consider every screen size for every device? Even if you could build lessons for every screen size known today… what about the screen sizes for devices that have yet to be invented?

During this module, you’ll learn how to navigate Captivate’s responsive interface (which is very different than working in a standard project), and how to create responsive projects from scratch.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Review a Responsive Project
• Customize Breakpoints
• Save a Standard Project as Responsive
• Insert and Name Fluid Boxes
• Add Content to Fluid Boxes
• Switch Design Modes
• Use the Position Inspector
• Modify a Single Breakpoint
• Exclude from View
• Add a New Breakpoint
• Position and Link Objects
• Edit Breakpoint Object Styles

Module 11: Reporting Results

If you've included a quiz in your eLearning lesson, it's likely you'll need to track the quiz results. And if working with an LMS is a requirement, we've got you covered there. You'll learn how to prepare a Captivate project so that it will work with an LMS, preview a lesson in the SCORM Cloud, and actually upload a lesson to an LMS and test it.

In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Set Quiz Reporting Options
• Create a Manifest File
• Report a Button Interaction
• Adjust Slide Object Interaction
• Preview in SCORM Cloud
• Publish a Content Package
• Create an LMS Account
• Create an LMS Course
• Attach a Lesson to a Course
• Test an eLearning Course