ACTIV presentations are an interactive form of training content, they are useful when you need to present information with a lot of images included. There is interactivity available and it can be used as a widget on the dashboard or attached to E-Learning.
The ACTIV authoring tool was designed so you can quickly create more engaging training right from your browser without the need to download additional software.
Managing ACTIV
ACTIVs can only be managed by an existing 'RTO Admin' account. Please see instructions below:
1. Log in with your 'RTO Admin' account
2. Go to 'Training → ACTIV Library'
Here you will see a list of existing ACTIV Presentations (if any), as well as be able to create new ones.
Creating an ACTIV Presentation
1. Click on the New Presentation button
2. Complete all required fields
3. Enable the 'Active' option to make the presentation usable on the platform [optional]
Note: Unlike other tools in the platform, the 'active' status does not mean it will become visible to other users. It simply means it is going to be visible to be attached to other tools in the platform (e.g. E-Learning).
4. Click on the Save button (once done)
Editing an ACTIV Presentation
Once a presentation has been created, it's time to edit it and add your content. Please see instructions below:
1. Click on the ACTIV name
2. Once you are in the ACTIV creator you will be asked to select a 'Background' image. You can select stock backgrounds or upload a custom background image. When you have selected the image you require click the OK button
3. Then you will be asked to select the 'Slide Template' – these are pre-set arrangements of content. If you prefer to start from scratch, you can choose a blank template and build up the ACTIV.
4. Once you have selected a 'Slide Template' you will see a simple interface to produce the slide based learning content. The left side will show slide thumbnails – allowing you to browse through, create, view and rearrange slides. The right slide contains several items that can be placed onto the slide.
5. You can give each slide a name by filling out the 'Slide Title' field in the in the right-hand toolbar (this helps when adding interactions, which you will see further into this presentation) [optional]
ACTIV Elements
Below is an overview of the different elements that make up an ACTIV Presentation, and should give you an understanding of what you will be able to achieve using ACTIV.
Slide
Background
The background chosen for a presentation has a big effect on the overall feel of the module, as it is applied to every slide in the presentation. You are provided a number of stock backgrounds to choose from, or you are able to upload your own custom background (dimensions of an ACTIV background is 900 x 550).
For information on how to set the background, please see Setting the Background.
Slide Templates
When you create a new slide, you are able to choose from one of a number of slide templates. These are preset arrangements of content that let you hit the ground running when starting with ACTIV.
If you prefer to start from scratch though, you are also able to choose the blank template, which begins empty.
Media
This part of the library holds all the different types of media that you have uploaded into the presentation, ranging from images, video, and audio. Whatever media you have uploaded once will be reusable in other slides without having to upload it again – all you have to do is find it in the media library. See section Library for more information.
Content
Text
Rich text can be added using the Text content type. You have the ability to format the text similar to other text editing applications, including changing the text's size, colour, alignment, etc. You are also able to adjust the colour of the background and border that surrounds the text.
Shape
The Shape content type lets you easily display four different shapes on your slide: rounded rectangle, rectangle, circle, and ellipse. Once you place the shape on the slide and choose the type, you can adjust its size, border colour and thickness, and background colour.
Image
You can use the Image content type to place images on your slide. Once you place this on the slide, click it to choose an image from the media library.
Video
Use the Video content type to place videos on your slide. Videos used in ACTIV presentations must be formatted as MP4 files, be below 100 MB in size, and must fit within the slide dimensions of 900 x 550 pixels.
Tip Text
Tip Texts are used to add extra information to your slides that can be accessed by clicking on the TIP icon. When users click this icon, the information pops up in a small box. This text can be richly formatted, allowing for size change, colour change, etc.
Audio
Each slide in an ACTIV presentation can have sound added. They can have up to one MP3 file, which will start playing automatically when the user visits the slide. To add audio, go to the slide that you'd like to add the audio to, click on an empty part of the slide (the slide's background), and click Change Audio at the bottom of the page.
This will open the Audio section of the media library, where you can choose an item that has already been added, or upload a new MP3.
Interactions
Interactions let you engage with your users by getting them more involved with the content. They also allow you to control the flow of the ACTIV presentation, with a number of direction settings.
All interactions share the same direction settings for navigation. See Controlling the flow of ACTIV to learn more about these settings.
Button
Buttons are a quick and simple way to let your users navigate your presentation by clicking or tapping. You can add a textual label to the button, and change the visual properties of the button such as its colours and roundness.
Clickable Area
Clickable Areas are very similar to buttons, in that they are interacted with by clicking or tapping, with the main difference being that they are invisible. This is great for slides where you would like the user to be clicking on parts of an image for example – simply place the image on the slide, and then put Clickable Areas on the different parts of the slide.
When setting up the clickable areas using the creator tool, they appear as orange highlighted squares with a dotted border. When being viewed by users however, it is invisible.
Note: Clickable Areas can only be clicked if there is nothing in front of it. To make sure that your users can access these Clickable Areas, it is recommended to adjust their depths so that they are above all the other slide contents.
Text Entry
Text Entry interactions let you set some text that the user must enter. Once the user enters the matching text with their keyboard or mobile device, this will trigger the interaction and allow them to continue with the presentation.
Key Press
Key Press actions can be used to let the user navigate the presentation by simply pressing a key on their keyboard. Up to six keys can be used on a single slide, and can be letters, numbers, or symbols.
Library
The library acts as the repository where you can find the backgrounds and media (images, videos, and audio) available for you to use in your ACTIV. It can be accessed by clicking the Library button at the bottom right of the ACTIV creator.
This is also where you can upload the content you would like to use. The library is divided into two versions – local and shared, and you can switch between them by clicking the button in the top right of the library.
Local
The Local library is where you can find the backgrounds and media available for the specific ACTIV presentation that you are editing. To include some media on the slide itself, just drag the content onto the slide where you would like it to appear, and you will then be able to choose the media.
If there is content here that you would like to use in another ACTIV presentation, you can make it available there by highlighting the content, and clicking the Share button.
Shared
The Shared library is where you will find content that is available to all ACTIV presentations in your ACTIV library. Before you can use something from the shared library, you will have to copy it into your local library first. You can do this by highlighting the content in the shared library, and click Get Shared.
Note: If you do not have an existing 'RTO Admin' account, please contact our Support Team at wmsupport@franconnect.com for assistance.