An Image Sequence Step allows the learner to scroll through a series of images until they get to a correct image/position.

Image Sequences are great for unidirectional movement of an object, tool, etc - showing one or two differences between each image. As the learner clicks and drags in a direction, the images in the sequence scroll through, showing that change.

From the example above as you click and drag from left to right, you are just scrolling through the 10 images uploaded for that step - the only differences between the images are the numbers and the background colors.

Some examples for using an Image Sequence Step...

Plus many, many more applications. Check out the other support pages on Image Sequences to get some ideas for how this step could liven up your training!

Creating an Image Sequence (Benny's Tech Tips)

Creating an Image Sequence (Step by Step)

1. Once you have added a new Image Sequence step from the "Add Step" menu, give your Image Sequence Step a name so that you can can distinguish the step in editor mode. This step name is not displayed to the learner - only for your reference. You must have a step name before you can add the step.

2. Upload your images to your Image Sequence Step. For our example (images already uploaded), we have about 50 images of a tap being slowly turned from right to left, with each image being incrementally different to the other. Ensure your images are named sequentially in the order you wish them to appear in. We recommend anywhere between 20-100 images per sequence. The more images you use, the smoother the sequence, but also the longer it will take to load for the learner.

3. Once your images are uploaded, you will be able to navigate between them, deleting any frame you wish. You can also add images in the middle of the sequence uploading them into the previous area where we uploaded our initial images. If you would like to remove all images and start again, you can hit the "Replace" button.

4. Change the instructions the learner will see, how long they will see those instructions before they auto hide, and the position of the instructions box on the screen.

You'll want to ensure these instructions give the learner a clear explanation on what they must do to complete this step. This is because when the learner loads into this step, they will see an image with no context (unless context is supplied in the image), so the learner will only have what you give them in these instructions. This is especially relevant for image sequences as learners may not know to click and drag.

5. The direction for moving through images defines the direction you must click and drag to scroll through the sequence of images. For our tap example, I am dragging the tap from right to left, so we should set the drop down to that. If I was doing a vertical movement, I would change this dropdown to bottom to top, or vice versa, depending which direction I am moving the object.

6. You can now add the step. This will load the images in, and take you to an image sequence editing screen. From here we need to click to add a range.

7. Drag the blue section bars so that they are within your "correct range". This means the area where the user must drag the image for it to be correct. For this example, lets say we were testing the learner to make the tap produce cold water. This means the tap should be turned to the right. Images 1-18 are roughly the images where the tap is on the right side, so that would be correct. The start bar defines what part of the sequence the learner loads the step into. Again for this example, we have them load when the tap is in a neutral (warm) position - roughly the middle of the sequence.

Scroll Area

If no scroll area is added (default), the user can click and drag anywhere on the screen to scroll through the images. Adding a scroll area will restrict the area where the user can click and drag. For example, we want the learner to be dragging the handle of the tap (the blue transparent box). This area should cover the entire range of motion.

Sometimes, the sensitivity of the image sequence step can be too high or low, this can be easily changed by extending the scroll area so that it is wider (if direction left to right/right to left), or taller (top to bottom/bottom to top). This means how many images the learner scrolls through for a certain amount of distance they click and drag for.

Image Sequence editing bar

1. Start of Range Marker - This defines the first step of this range. Frames after this but before the end of range marker will be correct. (Unless range is defined as incorrect, see below)

2. Preview Marker - This is purely for the editors view so you can see what a given image is in the sequence.

3. End of Range Marker - Defines the end of the range.

4. Range Properties - Adjust some settings about each range...

5. Start Position Marker - This defines which frame the step loads up on when the learner views this step.

Separate Audio

You can upload a .mp3 file to the HotSpot Step that will begin playing once the step loads. This can be of any length, but the learner can move on at any time. This audio can be paused, fast forwarded, or rewinded by the learner. If they choose to continue to the next step (by clicking the right part of the screen), the audio will stop and the next step will show.

This feature can be great for reading out instructions for the user, especially for those who have difficulty with reading.

Scoring

You can set the score the user gets when they get this step correct. With SimTutor, the scoring works by giving them a maximum score (3 in this case) if they get the sequence position correct on the first attempt. For each incorrect guess they can get points taken away from this maximum score (1 point per incorrect guess in this case). For example, if I guessed incorrectly twice, then got the sequence position correct, I would get 3-2=1 points total.

Help Image

When the learner answers a question wrong 3 times in a row, you have some options to assist them with answering that question. The text that you put in the "Help Text" text field will display to the learner, along to any image you upload to that help image section.

Help text should give the user a way forward for when they are stuck. Sometimes certain steps such as hotspots in order can be very hard to proceed with if you do not know the answer. In this example, giving the user a list of things to click on in order will help them get through this step. Alternatively, you could upload a screenshot of that step, and label the points the learner needs to click and in what order.

Visual Settings

You can change the colors featured within this specific step. These colors can be set using the color picker, or you can input a hexadecimal value to get the precise color you need.

The background color will change the area behind the background image (usually the far left and far right sections if using a widescreen monitor) to whichever color you wish. We recommend keeping this color pretty neural, as to not distract the learner from the more relevant image in the middle of the screen. Another good color to use if applicable, is the color of your background image. This works when you have a solid plain background for your background image, so the sides (background color) of the screen merge seamlessly with the background image.

The instructions font color changes the color of the font featured in the instructions box, whereas the background, to no ones surprise, changes the background color of said box. These two colors should have enough contrast so you can distinguish the text from the background.

The visibility of the step is for when you want to hide the step from the viewer, but not fully delete it. All navigation to and from this step will be disabled while hidden - it is effectively deleted except not permanent.

Lastly, making the instruction box transparent gives you to the option to have part of the background image that was behind the instructions box to show but in a low opacity.