Technical requirements
Information on guideline 5. technical requirements
Statement
About this guideline
The main NES learning platform is Turas Learn. This is a NES custom-built hybrid content management system/learning management system. It is important that any resources you produce are compatible with Turas Learn. The information below contains the correct technical settings and requirements for commonly used software and tools. If you need information regarding the technical requirements for other types of resource, contact the Digital Learning Help desk
Who is this guideline for?
What types of resources does this guideline apply to?
This Guideline is relevant to e-learning modules and video accessed via Turas Learn.
Suggested contacts for technical queries about other types of resource can be found below.
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Turas Learn – Training and information about the Technical Guidelines for Turas Lean should be requested from the Digital Learning Help desk. Turas Learn administrators will complete ‘Admin and course booking training’ prior to being given access to the system. This training is requested though the help desk.
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Live or recorded online sessions – contact the Digital Learning Help desk with technical queries.
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Virtual reality – contact the Digital Learning Help desk if you have queries about compatibility with Turas Learn.
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Presentation software - contact the Digital Learning Help desk with technical queries.
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Collaborative tools - contact the Digital Learning Help desk with technical queries.
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Websites – discuss technical requirements with your own website manager.
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Documents published online – contact the Digital Learning Help desk with technical queries.
Further enquiries and useful information
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Digital Learning Help desk (NES staff can contact the TEL team, e-Learning team, Learn Content team via this helpdesk)
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The e-Learning team can provide a SCORM upload form.
Sources of help and information for NES staff
- Information about video (including captions, Microsoft Stream and WeVideo) can be found on the NES intranet page Video and how to record page
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Follow procedures on NES intranet video and how to record page under the Vimeo section to request access to NES Vimeo account
Checklists
File naming convention
The SCORM file (zip file) for your module should be named in the format: Name of module followed by date in YYYY.MM.DD format (or YY.MM.DD).
The backwards date helps keep files in a meaningful order when they are stored. For example: Name of module_ 2022.01.26 or Name of module_22.01.06
Publishing your e-Learning module
The following publishing settings should be used for e-Learning modules to be hosted on Turas Learn (if your authoring tool does not appear here contact the e-Learning team for advice)
Export (or Publish) settings
Also referred to as LMS option.
The following settings should be used for e-Learning modules to be hosted on Turas Learn (if your authoring tool does not appear here contact the e-Learning team for advice)
Rise
SCORM 2004, 3rd edition
Evolve
SCORM 1.2
‘Send score to LMS’ – ensure this setting is checked
‘Display course in popup window’ and ‘Use advanced tracking’ - ensure these settings are unchecked.
Extensions- if you wish to select any extensions discuss suitability with the e-Learning team.
Storyline 360
SCORM 1.2
Storyline 3
SCORM 1.2 and ensure also that you publish as Html5 only (be aware that settings may need to be checked every time you publish)
iSpring
SCORM 1.2
Reporting options
The completion terms (also known as reporting options) used on Turas Learn are ‘Passed’ and ‘Incomplete’. Other completion terms may be available in your authoring software and it is important that you choose the correct option to achieve the desired results on Turas Learn.
Rise module that completes by course view
Use ‘Passed/Incomplete’ or ‘Complete/Incomplete’
Rise module that completes by quiz result
Use ‘Passed/Failed’ or Completed/Failed’
Storyline module that completes by slide view
Use ‘Passed/Incomplete’ or ‘Completed/Incomplete’
Storyline module that completes by quiz result
Use ‘Passed/Failed’ or ‘Completed/Failed’
Compatibility mode on Turas Learn
If you are uploading your own SCORM file to Turas Learn the compatibility mode on Turas Learn settings page is set to ’Edge’ by default. This should not be changed unless a good reason for doing so is identified during testing.
Exit buttons
In order for module to be exited and completion recorded consistently by Turas Learn across all versions of browsers, the following advice should be observed:
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Rise modules should have the Exit course link enabled (you will see this option when exporting) and include user instructions at very end of course to use the’ exit course’ link to exit module.
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Storyline modules should not have an exit button (the learner closes the browser window to exit the module).
Other technical requirements for e-Learning modules
e-Learning modules must be submitted to the e-Learning team for technical and accessibility testing (allow four weeks).
Establish where a new module will sit on Turas Learn at an early stage in the lifecycle. The Learn Content team can offer advice if required.
A SCORM upload form must be completed for any new modules that will be catalogued and uploaded to Turas Learn by the Learn Content team. Submit the SCORM upload form at the module testing stage.
Give careful consideration to content that will need frequent updates (updates to modules can be time consuming, and you may have to wait for the technical work of updating to be done).
Check your own self-built e-Learning modules or externally built modules before submitting for testing (spelling; web links working; documents links working; streaming video use; images meet copyright Guidelines and include appropriate references; navigation and usability Guidelines are met; accessibility Guidelines are met).
The authoring tool you use should produce a module that is suitable for mobile devices and all computers - i.e. the design should be responsive so that content adapts to different sizes of screen. Rise and Evolve modules are responsive. Storyline modules using the classic player are not responsive, and you will need to consider the implications of this for your users.
Any custom code, unusual plug-ins etc. must be discussed with the e-Learning team prior to module development.
Online logs and workbooks within a module, or interactive documents used as workbooks should be avoided. Discuss alternatives with the e-Learning team.
Technical Guidelines for video
Videos that you or NES have created (or you have obtained the video file for) should be uploaded to the NES Vimeo account.
Video used in e-Learning modules must be embedded (or linked) from a streaming platform (e.g. Vimeo or YouTube) rather than placed in the module itself. Links to videos on external websites are also permitted.
Video used on a page in Turas Learn should usually be hosted on Vimeo and the link (Vimeo or YouTube) can be added to the record during cataloguing. Captions should be added to the video on Vimeo. Speak to the Learn Content team for advice.
In certain cases the mp4 video file can be added directly to Turas Learn. And in this case the transcript file can be uploaded as a notepad file. Speak to the Learn Content team for advice. (Be aware that a transcript alone will not meet accessibility requirements).
Any video used in a resource must have a player with user controls. Video must not auto-play.
Captions must be provided for video that you or NES have created or commissioned. This is the minimum accessibility requirement. The .vtt caption file is usually created in Stream and uploaded to Vimeo.
A video transcript should be provided in e-learning modules wherever possible. NES requires this transcript so that an alternative version is available to any users who are unable to access the video. In Rise modules we suggest adding transcript to an accordion below the video.