An Implementation of Interactive Objects on the Web.

With the release of ShockWave, MacroMedia Director animations can now be incorporated directly into Web pages to provide high quality animation and interactivity, to support, for example, tutorial style questions and instantaneous feedback. This paper looks at the application of this technique in the translation of a traditional computer-based tutorial, Ariadne's Thread, into an online version. A significant change was evident in its development and implementation processes and impact on the student learning and departmental infrastructure. This change was seeded in part by the increased modularity and open delivery of online Web materials, and in part by the development of specialized interactive learning devices and support tools. In particular, the shift from authoring to writing tools has moved the locus of project control from the technical to educational, involving teachers more directly in development and implementation. A simultaneous shift from a development-centered project approach to one that is implementation-focused, has increased the potential of responding to learning needs on an ongoing basis. Five figures illustrate the program. (AEF)