2019 #VWEDU: #DTA: DTA content pages: The plan: Initial DTA content on the web here. Can be used from here or copied for use elsewhere.

The plan: Initial DTA content on the web here. 
Can be used from here 
or copied for use elsewhere.
Updated 10/25/2019

Preliminary plan for Digital Teaching Assistant (DTA) content pages to support development.   This article is explicitly licensed Public Domain (CC0).

The Empty Classroom

Learning online

• Uses: By DTA and solo
• Design:  template and style

What is a DTA content page?

• DTA content pages are offered for instruction on using virtual worlds for education. 
• The page is explicitly licensed Public Domain (CC0).
• That means anyone can use it as is or modified with or without credit to the source.
• Digicoach might send people to this page with specific search terms.
• Educators might put this page on their own site and send students there.
• Educators might use this text in their own version of Digicoach.
• Viewer developers might use these pages in the Help system
• These content pages will be revised as needed or as improvements are identified.
• The pages are designed to maximize ease of search and minimize text.  
• The user is expected have an active viewer screen while reading the instructions 
• The user is expected to follow each step after reading the instructions.
• Published DTA content pages are cited here:
• The Digital Teaching Assistant (DTA) for MUVES (virtual worlds): Summary

Why on the web?

• Easily available to everyone.
• Easily revised or copied
• Directly usable as is
• Easily given to students via web link
• Uses hypertext to provide optional background links

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Uses

DTA development and use

• Easiest: DTA opens browser page and says: "Search for [THIS]."
• THIS is replaced by an appropriate search term.
• (Each page is headed by search terms and search-on-page instructions.
• Fancier: Items are copied into DTA control and DTA delivers them directly.

Other uses 

• Give newcomers links to the pages for them to use as needed.
• Copy/paste relevant sections when newcomers ask questions 

Design (template and style) 

Organized for search (template)

• Relevant search terms are given at the beginning of each page 
• Short sections match the search term with titles including search term

Organized by user need 

• To fit with JIT learning, each subsection is about something the user needs to do.
• The text is as short as possible and sticks to the required actions.
• Amplification may be added at the end of the instructions.
• The text covers everything a prepared person needs to know to do the task.
• A prepared person is one who has the prerequisites for the unit,
• Subsections carry all the information needed for using them.

Style designed for quick reading

• Use short, simple sentences. 
• Use short words where possible.
• Avoid saying anything not needed for how to instructions.

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Visit me on the web

• Drop by my web offices Weekdays: 12:-12:30 pm Central time (US)
• I am available for free consulting on any topic in this blog.
• Cybalounge and 3DWebWorldz (Orientation room)
• I will be in both places, so you may need to speak to get my attention.
• Web-worlds, 3D virtual worlds running in a browser. Summary
• And we can visit the Writer's Workshop on the Web
• Don't register -- enter as guest.  

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License

• Original text in this blog is CC By: unless specified public domain.
• Use as you please with attribution: link to the original.
• All images without attribution in this blog are CC0: public domain.
• Second Life, Linden, SLurl, and SL are trademarks of Linden Research Inc.
• Annotated screenshots made with Jing
• This blog is not affiliated with anything.   Ads are from Google.
• Selby Evans in Kitely and hypergrid, Thinkerer Melville in Second Life.