digital text & e-content development

1. DIGITAL TEXTS & E-
CONTENT
DR SAJEENA S
POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW (ICSSR)
SPS, MG UNIVERSITY, KOTTAYAM

2. • Digital textbooks, originally known as electronic books (e-books), are
defined as the digitalized forms of printed textbooks, which can be read, seen
and listened through wired or wireless networks.
• There are three types in which digital textbooks exist as follows:
• The first type may be defined as the simply scanned pictures of the print
version of the book.
• Secondly, the digital textbook may be considered as a digital book with some
kind of additional functionality like interactivity, term searching, and links to
more information and related web sites.
• The last type may be a digital offering from a publisher that may not
reassemble a book at all.

3. • A key element of the revolution in education is the emphasis on
interactive, exploratory, and collaborative learning activities.
• Many of these activities will be implemented using tablet devices
that are connected, through the cloud, to the systems and devices
used by other students, teachers, parents, content publishers, and
educational institutions.
• Digital textbooks can support richer learning content with a
combination of various learning materials, including not only
textbooks, reference books, workbooks, dictionaries, and
hyperlinks, but also multimedia content, such as audio, 3D
graphics, animations, video, and virtual and augmented reality.

4. • Creating Digital Textbooks
• Step 1: Select the Layout Template
• The layout of a digital textbook depends on the grade for which it is being
made and the subject of the eBook.
• The first thing need to determine about the type of eBook do you want to
create? Is it going to be text heavy with images used sparingly? Or is it going
to contain a lot of diagrams and charts? Based on this, you can decide which
layout you should go for- fixed or reflowable.

5. • Also, here you can decide upon other aesthetics of your
digital textbook. The font style, font size, color, page border,
etc. With an eBook creation software, all this can be done in
a very efficient and simple manner.
• It’s as easy as drag and drop. At the click of a button, you
will have your layout ready. eBook creation software has a
lot of inbuilt templates which you can choose from, and
which you can tweak as per your liking.

6. • Step 2: Select the Cover Image
• The cover image is always crucial as it’s the first thing that attracts the
reader to a book. Even in the case of educational books, you need to give
importance to the cover image as there are many other digital textbooks
available on the eStore for students to browse through.
• Make the cover image relevant and interesting. You can either upload a
design of your own choice or go for an existing template, if available.
• To compete with the big publishers, you need to make a feature-rich digital
textbook that covers all the relevant topics that a student requires. Cover
image/thumbnail image is just something that gives out the first impression
of your eBook. Ensure that the thumbnail image is clear enough to be seen
on a small screen device.

7. • Step 3: Add Content and Interactivity
• You can either add a PDF or doc file to the software, which will then be
converted to an ePUB file. Or you can start writing directly on the eBook
creation software, whichever suits you.
• A lot of the digital book creation platforms have the authoring feature
which allows the user to write content directly on the software and then
enhance it further. Once the ePUB file is ready, you can now start
enriching the digital textbook.

8. • Step 4: Add Table of Contents
• And finally, once everything is done, you create the table of contents. This is
to be done last. In digital textbook creation process, the TOC is automatically
created with all the topics corresponding to the correct page numbers. Once it
is created, ensure that it links to the right pages.

9. • Step 5: Publish
• After ensuring that everything’s in place, hit publish. Your digital
textbook is now ready to be distributed.
• The licensing and distribution bit is taken care of in this stage.
• It’s up to the publisher and educational institute whether they
want to create a group license or an individual license.

10. • While you’re creating the digital textbooks, you also need to plan on how to
make the digital eBooks available to the students. Publishers are adopting
various means to make profitable deals out of digital textbook sales. They are
not only selling books on eStores, but are also renting out eBooks on
subscription basis.
• But the first thing you require to create digital textbooks is an eBook creation
platform. Selecting the right eBook creation platform is extremely important as
without the right platform you might not be able to create a book that you
intended for. Here are a few things to consider before selecting an eBook
creation software.

11.  Ensure that it has an easy-to-use interface
 Check whether the software accepts different input formats
 The software must ensure secure creation and delivery of content
• The software must be compatible with multiple operating
platforms
• Check the types and formats of interactive elements that the tool
supports

12. • With the help of eBook creation software tools and packages, it
has become very easy for educational publishers to create and
publish eBooks. Although the print book sales are dwindling,
eBook is a safe investment as people are evidently going for a
digital future.
• With smartphones and tablets becoming almost a necessity, it is
convenient to leverage these mediums to create and deliver
interactive eBooks for students. Using digital textbooks will help
publishers to create cost-effective eBooks and sell them to
students at an affordable price; while students get access to
quality learning materials, complete with interactivities and
engaging content, providing them a better learning experience.
•

13. • E-Learning Approaches
• There are two general approaches in e-learning.
• The self-paced and facilitated/instructor-led.
• E-Content is any form of learning material available digitally which a learner
access or interacts with so as to achieve related learning outcomes.
• E-Content is becoming popular because it allows flexibility in terms of time,
place and pace of learning. A resource rich environment is necessary for
teaching and learning to be effective.

15. • Process of developing e-Content
• E-Content design and development depends upon the nature of the content and
its target learners.
• It will also depend on the quality and complexity of the learning to be
achieved.
• Instructional design is the practice of creating instructional experiences that
make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective and
appealing.
• The process broadly consists of determining the current status of learners’
understanding, defining the end goal of the instructional material and creating
some ‘intervention’ to assist the transaction.
•

16. • This systematic approach provides a step by step process for the analysis of the
learners’ needs, the design and development of the material.
• There are various instructional design models available. Most of the models
involve the process of analysing the learners’ needs and goals of the instructional
material development, development of a delivery system and content, pilot study
of the material developed, implementation, evaluation, refinement of the materials
etc.
• In designing and developing the e-content, a suitable instructional design
approach based on our requirements can be adopted. One of the most generic,
common and popular approaches for instructional design is ADDIE.

17. • Phases of e-content development
• In e-content development aspects consists of six phases viz., Analysis, Design,
Development, Testing, Implementation and Evaluation.
• The Analysis Phase: It is the most important as it identifies areas in our current
situation. This phase’s accountability is considered by the views of subject
experts, target audiences, objectives and its goals. In this phase, we must know
the audience, and their skill, budget of the e-content, delivery methods and its
constraints with due dates.

18. • The Design Phase: It involves the complete design of the
learning solution.
• It helps to plan of an e-content preparation.
• In this phase, we must know the planning, use of relevant
software; required skills; creative and innovative interactions of
subject contents like texts, pictures, videos and suitable
animations.

19. • The Development Phase: It concerns the actual production of the e-content
design. It helps to create the e-content by mixing of texts, audio, video,
animations, references, blogs, links, and MCQs (multiple choice questions)
with some programming specifications like home, exit, next etc.
• The Testing phase: It helps to administer the e-content in the actual educational
field. In this phase, we must test the spelling mistakes, content errors, clarity
of pictures, relevant videos, appropriate audios, timing of animations, and
hyperlinks.

20. • The Implementation Phase: It helps to administer the e-content to the target
audience. This phase explains how to install and how to use it and their
difficulties experienced while using e-content. It checks the product accuracy
and quality maintenance.
• The Evaluation Phase: It helps to satisfy the e-content and its effectiveness.
This phase considers feedback from both learners and instructors. After the
feedback reactions, the e-content is designed again as post-production for
effective delivery of e-content.

21. • Four Quadrant Approach in E-content Development
• Quadrant-I (e-Text): Content Writer is expected to write detailed write-up on
the topic of module as per content structure. The textual description should
also be enriched with multimedia supplements, wherever applicable.
Multimedia supplements may include images, animations, graphics, video or
audio clips, line drawings, hand drawings whichever applicable/possible. For
each topic or subtopic, Content Writer should use examples to explain the
module, if required.

22. • Quadrant-I (e-Text): Text should consist of at least 8 pages or minimum 3000 words with
detailed write-up on the topic of module in the .rtf/.doc/.odt format.
• The number of words/pages must be sufficient to make the narrative of the topic clear
such that independent learning is also possible.
• Language should be very simple.
• Topic should be presented in systematic and logical manner.
• The module must consist of the following elements:
 Self-check exercises
 Examples & Applications from day to day life, if applicable
 Illustrations (Images, Maps, Graphics (2D & 3D)
 Appropriate URLs wherever required
 Latest Developments and Trends
 Summary

23. • Quadrant-II (Self-Learning): In this quadrant, Content Writer is
expected to provide video tutorial which will explain the topic of the
module. The tutorial may also include Multimedia, Animation,
Documentary, Simulation, Virtual Lab, etc.

24. Quadrant-II (Self-Learning - Audio/Video) Content delivery through Video to
explain the topic is an essential component (self-learning) of each module of the
e-Content.
• It may include Multimedia, Animation, Documentary, Simulation, Virtual Lab,
etc as may be appropriate.
• The Video must not be like a spoken tutorial (audio narration / voice-over of
text mention in presentation slides).
• A clear visual description as well as text is required. Training demonstration,
illustration of examples, case study, documentary, etc should be added
wherever applicable / possible. It is possible that a content writer / domain
expert is not fully acquainted with art of creating multimedia / graphics.
• In such cases, content writer should describe his / her multimedia requirement
using a story board. The duration of Video should be 30 Minutes.

25. • Quadrant-III (Learn More / Source for Further reading / Web
Resources): This quadrant contains supplementary material of the
topic of the module in different forms like other related reading
materials, source of further reading (such as books, articles etc.)
and links to websites dealing with the topic etc.

26. • Quadrant-III - (Learn More / Web Resources / Supplementary Materials):
Learn more quadrant is about the supplementary material of respective
modules in different forms.
• These may be in the form of:
 Books, articles, research papers, journals, case studies etc.
 Links to web sites giving additional readings, Wikipedia, blogs, open source
content etc.
 Glossary.

27. • Quadrant-IV (Self- Assessment /Evaluation): Content Writer should
provide minimum 10-15 questions for each module in Multiple
Choice Questions with Answer or True & False Statements. Make
necessary changes and enhancement in the content as suggested by
the reviewer.

28. • An e-content module has following elements:
• Home
• a. Subject Code
• b. Subject name
• c. Title
• d. Objectives
• e. Introduction
• f. Concepts/Principles
• g. Number of Short Learning Objectives
• h. Practical Objectives

29. • Short Learning Objectives (SLO)
• These are a new way of thinking about learning content. They are much
smaller units of learning, typically ranging from two to three minutes. SLO
may be a description about an item, a concept, an equipment, a property,
characteristic feature, process, form, definition, activity, reaction, plan, cause
and effect relations, causative factors of events, results of events, applications
of phenomena or processes, explanation of components in a subject of
learning.

30. • Content Development
I. Storyboard:
1. The storyboard should be based on the Curriculum Specification of the related subject and should use the mapping,
content script etc.
2. The storyboard should conform to the Instructional Design Standards.
3. Layout a) The screen layout should portray the courseware to be developed.
• b) The storyboard should include:
• i. Title and version as the header
• ii. Page number as the footer
• iii. Category / illustrations
• iv. Voice over Script.
• v. Text Script
• vi. Descriptions of media objects

31. II. Instructional Design
1. Each lesson should be matched to one or more learning outcomes in the Curriculum
Specifications.
2. The introduction section should give a short overview of the lesson and acts as a set
induction to motivate the learners to the lesson.
3. The Content / Concept / Skill Learning section should be based on learning theories that
will enable learners to master the concept. Explanations should be kept to the minimum;
however, should more information be required an option should be made available.
Activities that elicit responses from learners should be used as much as possible to engage
them to learn. In this respect, the approach should always be that learner should be guided
to discover or construct the concept or skill.

32. 4. The Practice / Activity section should contain guided exercises. These exercises
should elicit responses from learner as much as possible and not merely show
animated explanation.
5. The Test / Evaluation section should have the following features:
• a) It should contain a variety of question types, including but not limited to
multiple choice, matching, drag and drop or fill in the working / answers.
• b) The questions should be chosen randomly generated by the system.
• c) Templates for worded questions should not be reused.

33. • III. Audio Standards: There are three types of audios - Narration or Voice-Over
(VO), Music/Speech (M) and Sound Effects (SFX). Specify the types of audio to be
used. Specify the kinds of music and sound effects required. If voice over is to be
used, prepare the script of the voice and write it on the module. It may be noted that
the chunk text would be delivered as audio object. Volume, tone and pitch of audio
should be consistent and clear though-out the learning object.
 Voice over should be synchronized with text, video, animation or graphic.
 Voice Over used must be appropriate according to gender and age of the character
portrayed.
 The voice talent used should be appropriate to the characters appear in the learning

34.  Pronunciation must be correct and intonation must be clear and with neutral ethnic accent.
 Language used should be linguistically correct, relevant to the subject and appropriate for
the target group.
 Background music used should adhere to the copy right act.
 Sound effects should be relevant to the content.
 No overlapping of the audio.
 Short sentences should be used wherever possible and appropriate.
 The voice-over should tell only what is relevant.
 Short and simple audio script should be used.

35. IV.Video Standards
• A brief description of the video content is to be included.
V. Image/Graphics (2D & 3D) Standards
• The Content Writer may provide a hand drawn image or a reference to an
image available publicly on the web that needs to be modified. Otherwise
he/she may also give a brief description of the image to be developed.

36.  Graphics should be logical and not contradictory to real life situations.
(Example: showing shadow of an object).
 Graphics should enhance and support learning.
 Graphics or animation can be used to highlight key information.
 Bias or stereotypes in graphics or animations (gender, ethnicity, religion, etc.)
must be avoided.
 Lines in diagrams / graphics should be straight, neat and the choice of
thickness should be suitable to the graphic.
 Diagrams should be in proportion to actual size.

37. VI. Labels: a) All diagrams should be neatly labeled. b) Dashed lines, when used, should begin
and end with a dash that intersects with the relevant points.
VII. Animation - 2D & 3D Standards Explain the nature and purpose of animation in the module
with specific movements (fade in, fade out; zoom in, zoom out, etc.) of different elements or
flow charts describing the process.
 Animations used should be rendered as smooth as possible.
 Blinking texts: Colour of the blinks should be contrasting.
 Animation should be related to content and must be accurate.
 Animation should be used with purpose to support and enhance learning.

38. VIII. Simulation
• Simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time.
• The act of simulating first requires that a model be developed that represents the key
characteristics or behaviours of the selected physical or abstract system or process.
• The model represents the system itself, whereas the simulation represents the operation of the
system over time.
• Good simulations provide the maximum level of interactivity as they allow the user to explore
a concept, process, relationship, etc. by changing input parameters and watching the outcome
in a graphical representation.
• A computer simulation is an attempt to model a real-life or hypothetical situation on a
computer so that it can be studied to see how the system works

39. IX. Display Standards
 In designing colours for the display, there should be a contrast between the foreground and
the background.
 Text Display: Fonts: a) Colours used for text should be prominently visible against the
background of the screen. b) Consistent text size should be maintained throughout.
 Presentation: a) Text should be positioned accordingly. The amount of text on screen
should be optimized to avoid clutter. b) Blocks of information should be separated by
sufficient space. c) Use margins, alignment, and spacing to emphasise important points. d)
A pop-up screen containing explanations/calculations should only appear on demand basis
to avoid cluttering on screen e) Highlighting effects should be used sparingly/occasionally
to maintain emphasis.

40. REFERENCES
• Anurag Saxena. (2011). Pedagogical Designs for Generation of Contents for the Community, Community
Development Theme, Indira Gandhi National Open University publications, New Delhi. p.1-3.
• Junco, R. & Clem, C. (2015) ‘Predicting course outcomes with digital textbook usage data’, The Internet
and Higher Education, vol. 27, pp. 54–63.
• Van Horne, S., Russell, J.-E. & Schuh, K. L. (2016) ‘The adoption of mark-up tools in an interactive e-
textbook reader’, Educational Technology Research and Development, vol. 64, no. 3, pp. 407–433.
• Warschauer, M. (2015) ‘From computers and the web to mobile devices and e-texts: the transition to
digital reading continues’, in Reading at a Crossroads: Disjunctures and Continuities in Current
Conceptions and Practices, eds R. Spiro et al., Routledge, New York.
• Weisberg, M. (2011) ‘Student attitudes and behaviors towards digital textbooks’, Publishing Research
Quarterly, vol. 27, pp. 188–196.