How to create a learning guide
Contents
What is a learning guide?
A learning guide is a step-by-step procedure for a process; usually related to natural resources such as: Agriculture, Conservation, Grazing, Forestry, or Soil Sciences.
The steps it describes are done on a computer, using software such as a GIS or Excel. It is usually divided into exercises, which are divided into steps. By following all the steps in an exercise, and by following all the excercises in a learning guide, you should be able to accomplish the objective of the learning guide.
Structure of a learning guide
The structure below is recommended to create new learning guides. However, we suggest you to modify it according to your needs:
| Section |
Description |
| Description | A brief description of the learning guide, including the goals it is meant to accomplish. |
| Webcasts |
A video showing the steps necessary to complete an exercise. We suggest you to record one video per exercise. |
| Exercises | One of the many group of tasks necessary to complete the process described in the learning guide. |
| Tasks |
Each single step necessary to accomplish the goal of the learning guide. |
| Related articles | Articles in the wiki that may be related to the exercise; for instance, references to the tools used in the exercise |
| Categories | Categorization for the article. Categories are used to provide flexible article organization within the wiki. In a learning guide, at least one kind of categorization is required: you need to specify which course (or courses) will use the learning guide. |
Guidelines when creating a learning guide
- A learning guide is more practice-oriented than theory-oriented. You may include links to supporting background articles instead of explaining in the learning guide itself.
- Whenever possible, use the dataset included for practices, see Adding Data.
- Describe steps clearly and simply, using specific data, with a specific purpose.
- A learning guide shouldn't talk about all fhe possiblities of a given tool, only show what is needed for the objective of the exercise, with an link to a reference for more information. For example, show how to a zoom by rectangle and add a link to the Zooming Tools Reference.
- Learning guides should be short and granular. Instead of making one long learning guide consider dividiing it into shorter learning guides.
How to create a learning guide
A learning guide is just a type of Article in wikiagro, see how to create an article. You'll need to apply the learning guide template to the article; to do this, download the learning guide template, then open it with your text editor of choice (such as Notepad). Cut and paste the content of the template into your new article; make sure you are editing in Wikitext (by clicking on
)
Replace the content of the template as needed.
Example: Working with layers of information
Once a learning guide is created you may categorize it and add it to a Course or a Portal. Bear in mind that you must add at least one category, the area of knowledge code
How to create content for a learning guide
For the different components of a learning guide see:
