| | E-Learning Solutions (Content & Assessment Authoring) Performance Analyzer™ v3.0 Features and Benefits (At a Glance ...) | Highlights of Performance Analyzer™ v3.0 include: | Page 2 of 5 | -
Integration with RapidBuilder and RapidExam Files - Simulation-based assessments can be deployed independently, and they may also be linked to course/simulation files (created with XStream's RapidBuilder technology) and question-based exam/assessment files (created with XStream's RapidExam technology) for complete end-to-end e-learning solutions. - Multiple Deployment Options - Performance Analyzer files may be deployed locally, on CD-ROM, over a network (LAN/WAN), or over the Web (Internet, Intranet, or Extranet). Local deployment is accomplished with XStream's RapidPlayer Runtime player, and Web deployment is accomplished with RapidPlayer ActiveX (for Internet Explorer) or RapidPlayer Plug-in (for Netscape). In addition, Performance Analyzer files exported to Flash format can be played in browsers without requiring a separate/proprietary plug-in.
- Automatic Web Streaming - Automatic streaming capabilities enable Performance Analyzer files to play smoothly even across slow Internet connections
- 100% Programming-Free Drag-and-Drop Editing - Performance Analyzer makes it easy to author and edit interactive simulation-based assessments. There is absolutely no programming or scripts involved. Developers may modify and/or enhance the simulation-based assessment using Performance Analyzer's extensive multimedia edit suite, which includes drag-and-drop object palettes (including edit objects, button objects, and draw objects), a large variety of multimedia elements/options, and a large variety of properties, options, and effects available for each object/element.
In Performance Analyzer, developers have full flexibility in determining how each and every element is placed and displayed on each screen. Each element can be moved around and defined using the mouse (drag and drop) or keyboard.
- User-Friendly WYSIWYG Environment - In Performance Analyzer, developers truly have a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) environment. The layout of each screen is completely under the control of the developer. At runtime, each screen will appear exactly the way the developer designed it and laid it out.
- Screen Templates - Performance Analyzer provides extensive capabilities for customizing and using screen/frame templates. The built-in Template Editor provides a large number of pre-designed templates (i.e., background screens, text screens, navigational elements, and more). Developers may also create their own custom templates (containing any type of object/element that is available in Performance Analyzer ) and share them across multiple developers and files. The developer also has the capability to save any frame from any Performance Analyzer file as a template and then use it across many different files. Essentially, any frame (containing a variety of reusable objects with pre-set properties and events) can become a template.
- Design Tree - Performance Analyzer's Design Tree organizes and maps out all the frames, tasks, and steps contained in each simulation-based assessment. The developer may easily browse the tree to view, navigate, and edit the different components of the simulation-based assessment.
- Splash Screen - The developer may customize an introductory Splash Screen that is displayed at the beginning of the simulation-based assessment. It is typically used to display such information as the title of the assessment, the name of the company or educational institution, logos, and other graphics, an introduction or overview message, etc. The developer has full control over the layout and look of the splash screen.
- Login Screen - The developer may create a Login Screen for authenticating end users of the simulation-based assessment (registered in XStream RapidShare LMS). At runtime, an end user will enter a valid login ID name and password in the login fields, which will automatically link to the web-based XStream RapidShare LMS in order to check the entries against the information in the database and authenticate the user. The developer has full control over the layout and look of the login screen.
- Ending Screens - The developer may enhance the simulation-based assessment with Ending frames (presented after the end user has completed the tasks), which are ideal for displaying post-assessment summaries, feedback, and additional information. The developer has full control over the layout and look of each Ending frame.
- Prefabricated Performance Evaluation Report - Performance Analyzer features a ready-made performance evaluation report that the developer may include within the simulation-based assessment. The runtime report is automatically displayed to the end user once he/she has completed all of the tasks included in the assessment. It includes such data as the end user's final score and grade, the total amount of time taken to complete the assessment, a Feedback Table (showing the score achieved, number of attempts, time taken, and feedback for each task and step within the assessment), and a Summary Table (displaying various pieces of statistical information about the tasks and steps).
The report may also include an "Attempts History" button (which generates a report outlining the history of all previous attempts on the assessment), a "Print" button (for printing the report), a "Retake" button (for retaking the assessment), and an "Exit" button (for proceeding to the Ending frames or exiting the assessment). The developer may customize the report by altering its title as well as showing or hiding various components of the report. In addition to Performance Analyzer's user-level performance evaluation report, system administrators using the web-based XStream RapidShare LMS may generate a large variety of administrator-level reports on registered assessments. - Tremendous Flexibility During the Authoring Stage - Performance Analyzer developers may perform a variety of edit actions to easily customize a simulation-based assessment, including the following:
- Changing the order/sequence of tasks, Step/Content frames, and Ending frames.
- Converting Step frames into Content frames, or converting Content frames into Step frames.
- Temporarily or permanently deleting certain frames.
- Importing frames from other Performance Analyzer files and RapidBuilder files.
- Cutting/Copying and Pasting frames (to reuse frames multiple times). The capability of cutting/copying and pasting Step and Content frames is particularly useful for splitting a set of existing Step/Content frames among different task files as well as quickly populating new task files with existing Step/Content frames.
- Recording another series of steps from within an existing task file (which prevents having to rerecord the task if steps were missed or errors were made during recording). If the developer made some errors during recording, or there were some steps the developer forgot to record, the developer has the capability to correct any mistakes made or to record any missing steps (from within the existing recording) during the authoring stage. This prevents the developer from having to rerecord anything from scratch.
- Disabling captured mouse clicks and keystrokes on Step frames.
- Specifying a frame delay (from 1 to 60 seconds) on any Content frame. This represents the amount of time the Content frame is displayed on the screen during playback.
- And more. . .
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