Editors 101: course overview
Editors 101 is the course for people who will write and publish content with Exponential and have never used it. It starts with what a content item is and ends with each learner producing a complete article on their own. Every exercise happens on a training installation, in a course folder of the learner's own, so nobody changes anybody else's work and nothing reaches a live site.
Who it is for
- New editors, authors and communication staff of a site built with Exponential.
- Team members who will use the Editor, the simplified administration for editors.
- Administrators who want to know what their editors are taught (they may skip modules 1 and 2).
Outcome
After the course, learners can sign in, find any item, create and edit folders and articles, format rich text in the online editor (TinyMCE 8), add images with good alternative texts, upload many files at once, preview and publish, compare and restore versions, hide items and use the trash, search, keep bookmarks, look after their account, and work in the Editor.
Format and length
| Lessons | 27 lessons in 9 modules |
| Lesson time | 19 hours 30 minutes (presenting and exercises) |
| With breaks | about 21 hours, as in the modules' timing plans |
| Format | Classroom with a projector, or online with screen sharing; every learner at their own computer |
| Group size | Up to about 12 learners per trainer, so the trainer can look at every screen during the exercises |
| Level | Beginner |
Prerequisites
- Learners: a computer with a current browser; no knowledge of Exponential.
- Trainer: experience as an editor on the version they teach, and the train-the-trainer course or equivalent experience (Train the trainer: course overview).
Lab setup
- One training installation reachable from every learner's computer, for example installed with
php bin/php/console exp:install --apply(7. The console install); with the editor siteaccess if you want to teach module 9 hands-on. How to build and reset a lab: Module 2: Building the lab of Train the trainer. - One account per learner with the Editor role, e-mail addresses at
example.invalid, and a folder Training in which that role may create folders, articles and images. - A few published folders, articles and images on the training site, and neutral sample images (no people) on each learner's computer.
- No real mail: the training installation must not send e-mail to real addresses.
Modules
| Module | Lessons | Duration | Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Module 1: Signing in and the tour | 3 | 2 h 20 min | Content items, drafts, roles; signing in and out; the screen |
| Module 2: The content tree and navigation | 3 | 2 h 10 min | The tree, an item's page, tabs, sub items, Content finder, keyboard |
| Module 3: Creating and editing content | 4 | 3 h 35 min | Folders, articles, the edit form, many items at once |
| Module 4: The Online Editor | 3 | 2 h 40 min | Rich text, links and anchors, embeds, tables, choosing the editor |
| Module 5: Images and media | 3 | 2 h 25 min | The media library, the upload page, images in articles, alternative text |
| Module 6: Publishing, versions and drafts | 4 | 3 h 10 min | Version states, preview, comparing, going back, hiding, the trash |
| Module 7: Finding content | 2 | 1 h | Quick search, scope, advanced search |
| Module 8: Dashboard, bookmarks and your account | 3 | 2 h 10 min | The dashboard, bookmarks, password, two-step sign-in, notifications |
| Module 9: The editor siteaccess | 2 | 1 h 30 min | The Editor, the capstone exercise |
Reading path
For a trainer preparing the course, in this order:
- Getting started and A tour of the administration: the whole course in two pages.
- Logging into the Editor, Logging into the admin and Your account and signing in.
- Creating and editing content and Publishing, versions and the trash.
- Images, media and uploads, Searching and Keyboard shortcuts.
- The online editor on TinyMCE 8 and The content model and editing content.
- My drafts and my pending items, Versions of an object and Bookmarks.
- The setup wizard's new look, and the editor siteaccess.
- Then the modules in order: each module's overview first (its preparation list and timing plan), then its lessons. Rehearse every exercise on your training installation.
Suggested schedules
Lesson times add up to 19 hours 30 minutes; the schedules add breaks and a short daily review.
Three full days
| Day | Morning | Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Module 1, Module 2 | Module 3 |
| 2 | Module 4, Module 5 | Module 6 |
| 3 | Module 7, Module 8 | Module 9, open questions |
Six half days (for example one a week)
| Half day | Modules |
|---|---|
| 1 | Module 1, Module 2 (lessons 2.1 and 2.2) |
| 2 | Lesson 2.3, Module 3 |
| 3 | Module 4 |
| 4 | Module 5, Module 7 |
| 5 | Module 6 |
| 6 | Module 8, Module 9 |
Between half days, ask learners to repeat one exercise of the last session on the training installation.
One day, essentials only
For teams that need a start today and the rest later: lessons 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.3, 6.1 and 6.4 (7 hours 45 minutes of lessons, a long day with breaks). Schedule the remaining lessons within a month.
Assessing learners
- Each lesson's quiz and expected result check understanding during the course.
- Lesson 9.2 (the capstone) has a seven-point checklist for a final practical check.
- The assessments course (Assessments and practical exercises, in this section of the help) has further material. All assessments are the trainer's own material, not an official certification (Certifications says what the partner program publishes).
Related pages
- Trainers: start here
- Course catalogue
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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