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5CONSTRUCTORS OF ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOKS: A COMPARATIVE APPROACH TO RESEARCHING SOFTWARE AND MEDIA FOR CREATING
This article discusses informational electronic resources on the example of electronic books and electronic educational publications. The authors give a comparative description of promising constructors and software for the creation and construction of electronic textbooks. They study in practice the advantages and disadvantages of electronic textbooks constructors, which are reflected in the synchronistic table. An attempt has been made to classify electronic textbooks and classify constructors for electronic textbooks constructing. The constructors of electronic textbooks are examined to find the most comfortable and functional in constructing electronic textbooks for disciplines in the field of art education (convenience for including musical notation, high-quality display of paintings reproduction). The main difficulties in working with the constructors of electronic textbooks and the main conditions that are necessary to create high-quality textbooks in the field of art education disciplines are listed. The authors study scientific theoretical works concerning issues of electronic educational resources and peculiarities of electronic textbooks use in the educational process.
Keywords
informational electronic resources, electronic books and electronic textbooks, constructors of electronic textbooks, classification of electronic textbooks, classification of constructors for electronic textbooks constructing, disciplines in the field of additional art education
AUTHORS
Svetlana S. Titova
Lecturer; History, Theory of Music and Composition Chair; Social, Humanitarian, Psychological and Pedagogical Disciplines Chair; Postgraduate Student, South Ural State Institute of Arts named after P.I.Tchaikovsky, Chelyabinsk 41, st. Plekhanov, Chelyabinsk, 454091, Russia
Olga A. Figlovskaya
Educator, Children's School of Arts No.9, Chelyabinsk; Student, South Ural State Institute of Arts named after P.I.Tchaikovsky, Chelyabinsk 41, st. Plekhanov, Chelyabinsk, 454091, Russia
1. Introduction
The urgency of the problem. Due to the current requirements for supporting the educational process, the issue of using high-quality electronic educational resources that would conform to the specifics of the educational process and the scope of the studied disciplines is relevant. With all the variety of electronic resources and electronic software products available, there is a need to select high-quality educational resources.
Objective. To make analysis of existing electronic textbooks constructors and select the most appropriate functional services and media for use in additional art education to support the theoretical and musical disciplines.
The theoretical and methodological basis of the study is the works of Russian and foreign scientists on the use and construction of electronic textbooks, the official websites of software developers - constructors (services and media) of electronic textbooks.
The study was conducted in three stages. At the first stage, theoretical works on the selected subject were studied, a preliminary search and examination of existing of electronic textbooks constructors was conducted.
At the second stage, the analysis of electronic textbooks constructors was made; the issue of electronic textbooks classification and theoretical works in this area were studied.
At the third stage, the results of electronic textbooks constructors' comparison were summarized, a summary comparative table was compiled, and conclusions and recommendations were formulated on the considered constructors use for the musical-theoretical disciplines of additional art education.
Unlike conventional e-books, which are the simplest "substitutes" for print publications, the interest in diversity and functionality is increasingly focused on electronic textbooks. There are large databases that provide access to electronic book periodicals presented by electronic textbooks: "Rukont", "Lan", "Elibrary", "CyberLeninka". Some of the electronic databases also include electronic textbooks: "Drofa", "Prosveschenie", "Ventana-graph", "Astrel", "CET", "Binom laboratory of knowledge "," Academkniga "," Russian word ". In addition to paper products, they promote electronic textbooks as their reading, using not just PDF versions, but reading software — with the possibility to underline, bookmark, play audio and video applications, navigate through hyperlinks, etc.
The electronic textbook, in most cases, includes theoretical and practical blocks, reference books, dictionaries, task books, laboratory practical works, a diagnostic system and many other components, as indicated by a number of authors, for example: Diener E.V., Kurmanbaeva Sh.K. (E.V. Diener, 2016), (Sh.K. Kurmanbayeva, 2015). These characteristics are noted on the official site of the Logos Scientific Publishing Center (2018).
Let us consider the issue of electronic textbooks classification. The document regulating the types of electronic publications is GOST R 7.0.83-2013 SIBID. "Electronic editions. Main types and outputs" paragraph 4 contains classifications (SIBID Electronic editions, 2013).
One of the authors examining the classification of electronic textbooks is G.G. Shvarkova - graphic designer, e-education and computer graphics specialist, computer math systems researcher (Belarusian State University). In a number of works, her coauthors are Yu.V. Poznyak, V.M. Golynsky. For example: Shvarkova, G.G., Galynsky, V.M. "Modern interpretation of the electronic textbook. Typology, the necessary structural elements" (2006), and Shvarkova G.G., Poznyak Yu.V., Galynsky V.M. "Model of content organization and delivery in the virtual educational environment" (2012) (G.G. Shvarkova, Yu.V. Poznyak, V.M. Galynsky, 2012).
Classification of tools for constructing electronic textbooks
Tools for constructing electronic textbooks can be divided into groups, for example, using a wide-ranging criterion, including such indicators as the purpose and functions performed, requirements for technical support, and features of application. In accordance with the above-mentioned criterion, the following classification is possible: traditional algorithmic languages, general-purpose tools, multimedia, hypertext and hypermedia.
Depending on the goals that the authors set, and the capabilities of the developers, electronic textbooks may have a variety of qualities. We can find a classification of electronic textbooks, electronic manuals or methodological materials according to various criteria: interactivity, availability, according to the system in which the textbook was developed, etc. The following criteria are considered to be the most important in the classification today: accessibility and form of presentation (structuring) of the material.
From the standpoint of accessibility, all electronic textbooks can be divided into: online, which can be used only via the Internet, and offline, with which you can work offline on any computer or other electronic device.
Online e-textbooks are available for work on the Internet, or within smaller, corporate networks. Placing electronic textbooks in the network allows the developer (teacher) to make changes quickly, correct errors, which is their main advantage. Another advantage is the opportunity of communication between students and the teacher.
Programming languages such as HPP, C ++ Builder, Visual Studio, Ruby on Rails, Perl, Delphi, Java, JavaScript, as well as the language of hypertext markup documents HTML, PHP are used to construct electronic textbooks.
Offline e-textbooks are available for reading on any personal computer (sometimes you need to install a special program). The main formats of offline electronic textbooks are pdf, html, flash, nb (Mathmatica system format), various presentations (PowerPoint format and its analogues), text documents and various multimedia applications. You can construct offline e-textbooks at home using any available tools.
All electronic textbooks can be divided into four types according to the form of material presentation. This allows you to build a "pyramid" of electronic textbooks evolution from the simplest type of "text document" to the most modern "educational courses".
An electronic textbook of the "e-book" type is an imposed "text document" to which the simplest elements of navigation have been added: hyperlinks, bookmarks, table of contents. This type is most common, and it is called an electronic textbook in the literature. The most common e-books are in the formats html, pdf.
An electronic textbook of the "Multimedia" type is a more complex structure. It can have its own shell (previous types used navigation buttons and hotkeys of viewer programs), non-linear structure, video and audio materials. There may be interactive elements that adapt the presented material to the student's level.
This type of electronic textbooks allows you to realize fully all the possibilities of modern technology to intensify the educational process. However, the construction of such an e-textbook may require significant resources.
An "e-course" is usually constructed with the use of distance learning systems. Unlike previous types, it may have additional modules: games, references, entertainment. There are various forums for communication in the group, between the students and the teacher. The e-course has a binding system of knowledge control throughout the entire course of study, and, perhaps, some unnecessary information, for example, of reference or entertainment nature.
After conducting the study and comparison of a number of constructors (services and media), a summary table was formed. The authors admit the possibility of other constructors' existence, but for the time being, the services and media that are known to us are in the field of study and we do not exclude the existence of other resources.
The authors of this article are aware of some works devoted to reviews of services for constructing electronic textbooks, for example, the work of N.V. Buzhinskaya and Makarov I.B. (N.V. Buzhinskaya, I. B. Makarov, 2016). But the attention of this article authors is focused on the synchronization of data on the constructors (services and media) of electronic textbooks, compilation of data on supported formats and file extensions, regarding constructors, and attention to the analysis of services, interfaces and environments convenience.
TABLE 1 - COMPARISON OF SERVICES AND MEDIA FOR CONSTRUCTING ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOKS
No. Name Author Function Opportunities Requirements Access Versions, Official site
(Supported online/offl interface reference
formats of audio, ine language
video, text,
pictures)
1 ChmB • Text files • Create chm books Offline 5.7 https://small
ookCr • Microsoft Word • Convert from CHM free Russian web.ru/librar
eator files to TXT y/chmbookcre
• Rich Text Files • Conversion from ator.htm
(RTF) CHM to
• HTML files • • biographies for the
HTM files author and use it in
• BSF files (Book the chm book
Source File) • Create your own
design for chm books
• System integration
to simplify program
call.
2 Deswe • Web files: MHT, • creating new • installed Offline Russian https://soft.si
R MHTML, HTML, documents through Microsoft free bnet.ru/soft/
(deswe HTM, SHTML; interaction with Word 18208-
r89@m • video files: AVI, Microsoft Word; application constructor-
ail.ru). WMV, MOV, 3GP, • adding existing electronic-
MP4, MPG, MPEG; files; books/
• audio files: MP3, • searching,
WAV, WMA, MID, extracting and adding
OGG; files from specified
• graphic files: directories;
3MP, GIF, JPEG, • searching,
JPG, PNG, ICO; extracting and adding
• Rich Text files from RAR, ZIP,
Format files (not 7z archives;
directly • automatic file
supported): DOC, conversion (Rich Text
DOCX, RTF; Format files -> web
• archive files: files • a set of
RAR, ZIP, 7z; standard functions for
editing the content of
an electronic
textbook.
3 Cours WEBS • creating and • custom branding offline Russian https://www.
e Lab OFT editing (color templates, paid courselab.ru/
Alexei educational player) vozmozhnosti
Korolk material in a • interactive
ov, WYSIWYG medium simulators
Pavel • standards • non-linear content
Kovale SCORM, AICC • gamification
v, support. • tests and polls
Dmitry • Web fonts (results can be sent
Kosare • JavaScript to the DLS)
v access • creating courses for
• object interface mobile devices
• sound
accompaniment
• screen capture
• library of finished
objects
4 Docu Maxim • construction of automatic generation • Internet offline 1.77 http://jetdraf
ment Timche an electronic of electronic books Explorer free Russian, t.com/rus/ind
Suite nko textbook in SCORM and CHM help based English ex
format on user documents
• a set of • export of
commands to educational materials
construct a book to the Web site
in XML format • navigation support
• References in Microsoft Compiled HTML Htlp (chm) format • knowledge test function • batch add / delete / change of text information
5 Easy gener ator didactic sound templates for creating courses • zero learning authoring curve for subject matter experts • interactive question types, video and audio. • tracking, tracing, and LMS integration. • teamwork • branding • creating courses for mobile devices Internet Explorer online paid English https://www. easygenerator .com/features -2/
6 eBoo k Maes tro • file types: HTML pages, graphic files, Flash files, Java scripts, VB scripts, cascading style sheets (CSS), audio files, video files, etc. • constructs independent EXE books from websites (HTML pages) • protects your books from being stolen • may restrict access to the book if it has not been registered offline free and paid •eBook Maestro PRO 1.80 •eBook Maestro STANDAR D •eBook Maestro FREE, Russian http://www.e bookmaestro. com/ru/
7 eBoo ksWri ter .ITE • All standard formats of e-book files suitable for all PCs, smartphones and e-book readers, including Pad Nook Kobo Mac Kindle Palm Android, etc. • music and video: MP3 AVI MPEG WMV • plug-in capabilities (for example, 3D 3uttons plug-in for quickly creating headers and buttons) • fully featured optimized text word processor and editor • creation and distribution of compact and / or protected multimedia content • you can simultaneously create many e-books: exe mobi epub opf idpf • unlimited number of copies of your ebooks / ebrochure online and on CD / DVD • password creation • frames, text styles, pop-ups, rollover / mouse over sensitive images, visual communication • automatic image gallery / photo album / thumbnail generation Windows OS: 95, 98, NT, 20XX, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and 32 and 64 bits (as well as Mac and Linux with free variations and all other common PCs • Internet Explorer online paid English https://www. ebookswriter. com
8 iSprin g Suite • constructed courses comply with international standards SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, AICC, xAPI (Tin Can) and cmi5 and are compatible • built-in audio and video editor, screen, interactivity recording, test editor • constructing courses for mobile devices on any platform: iOS, Android and Windows Phone. Internet Explorer online paid Russian https://www. ispring.ru/ispr ing- suite?utm_sou rce=yandex.se arch&utm_me dium=cpc&ut m_term=isprin g%20suite&ut
with 130 distance learning systems. • save all PowerPoint effects • 50,000 ready-made templates • large content library m_campaign=i spring_suite_b rand&utm_co ntent=347302 5569&yclid=73 701208188548 0078
9 .earn ing Cont ent Devel opme nt Syste m • interactive tasks, questionnaires, games, test work, animation and demonstration videos and other multimedia 'esources. • insert image and video • templates Windows OS: 95, 98, NT, 20XX, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 and 32 and 64 bits offline free LCDS 2.8Simpli fied Chinese Hindi Polish Portugue se (Brazil) Russian Spanish (Spain) Turkish https://www. microsoft.com /ru- ru/learning/lc ds-tool.aspx
10 MOS Solo • En rich learning content by integration Documents (Microsoft, OpenOffice, Adobe) Photos, audio clips, videos, flash animations e-learning (AICC, 5CORM 1.2 and 2004, QTI) • Task manager for organizing collaboration between authors and authors. • all types of web content: translations (with integrated translation interface) MOS Chorus LCMS and LMS platforms MOS Chorus LCMS is an authoring tool that complies with 100% SCORM eLearning standards. • constructing courses for mobile devices on any platform: iOS, Android and Windows Phone. • content created in MOS Chorus LCMS can be exported to XLM and HTML. offline paid French https://www. mindonsite.co m/en/product /mos-solo/
11 Sun Rav 3ook Edito r • documentation in the form of EXE files, CHM, HTML, DOCX, PDF formats, as well as in any other (using templates). • insert tables, links, images, video, audio files, special characters, YouTube videos, Flash and GIF. • creation of documents in HTML, CHM, PDF formats, as well as documents in any format (using templates) • create EXE file • templates • distribution of electronic books on CD and DVD discs MS Windows 2000/2003/XP /Vista/7/8/8. 1/10. online and offline paid http://sunrav .ru/bookedito r.html
12 Sun Rav WEB Class SunRav Softwa re • To create and edit tests, you need the tMaker program, which works only under Windows and comes with SunRav WEB Class. • use of multimedia tools: images, gif and flash animations, audio and video files, YouTube videos, as well as tables, links to other books or web pages. • remote testing • providing access to the online library • organize users into groups. • restrict the rights of users, thereby providing them with certain opportunities (for example, testing, working with tests, creating reports, etc.). • manage configuration • constructing courses for mobile devices on any platform: iOS, Android and Windows Phone. Internet Explorer • WEB server Apache or MS IIS. DB • MySQL version 4.1 and higher. • PHP versions 5.0 - 5.6. • PHP modules: Iconv, MB Strings, GD, XML, MySQL. online paid http://sunrav .ru/webclass. html
13 Tilde a N.V.Ob ukhov • Zero Block -graphics editor for professional designers • maps, images, video. • library, 450 blocks • constructing courses for mobile devices on any platform: iOS, Android and Windows Phone. • Each textbook gets its own unique short URL. Internet Explorer online free Russian http://tilda.e ducation
14 Turb oSite • insert video files and JavaScript • design themes • support for comments, feedback form knowledge of hypertext markup language -HTML offline 1.7.1 Russian https://brull worfel.ru/tur bosite/
15 Writi ng Hous e • draws up citations in the basic standards of -MLA, APA, Chicago or Harvard. • automatically creates bibliography Internet Explorer online English https://writin ghouse.org
Based on the above presented comparative table, in our opinion, the most useful for creating electronic textbooks in the field of art music additional education are the following constructors (services and media): Constructor Electronic books, CourseLab, Easygenerator, eBooksWriter LITE "," ISpring Suite "," Tildee "," SunRav BookEditor "," SunRav WEB Class "," Learning Content Development System ".
The most functional constructors among those presented in relation to the supporting formats, in our opinion, are: "eBooksWriter LITE", "Learning Content Development System", "iSpring Suite".
Currently, constructors with the greatest functionality in terms of format are paid ones. Many of them are available in Russian.
At present, there are electronic textbooks on the subject "Music" for general education school programs. Unfortunately, not all theoretical disciplines of additional art education in the field of music are currently provided with electronic textbooks. Such disciplines as "Solfeggio", "Musical literature" (foreign, Russian, domestic), "Listening to music", "Theory of music", "Fundamentals of musical literacy", and "Rhythm" currently need their electronic textbooks to be constructed and approved in accordance with the requirements of additional education. Therefore, the teachers of additional education face a serious problem of independent constructing e-textbooks in order to provide modern educational process in the field of art music additional education. Having reviewed the functionality of a number of constructors, services and tools for the
construction of electronic textbooks and analyzing their functionality, supporting formats, accessibility of the interface, we came to the following conclusions.
There are some rare works among the exclusive, currently existing samples of electronic textbooks in the disciplines in the field of additional art music education, not yet approved for mass use (with the exception of e-books, which are the digitized analogues of printed ones). For example:
• Interactive visual aid on "Logo rhythm" for junior students - this textbook includes video materials, a glossary, textual content, audio tracks, practical tasks. The textbook is divided into sections: tempo, rhythm, dynamics, accent, articulation, melody, walking, running, jumping, coordination (Interactive visual aid "Logo rhythm", 2018).
• "Audio clavier" - this electronic textbook was edited in 3 volumes for 1-3 grades by M. Kushnir, the theme of the fragments was selected by A. Malyutin, computer editing by D. Koryakin (Creative laboratory of Mikhail Kushnir, 2006). This electronic textbook is presented by full packaged CD and DVD disc - as the introductory material, and the methodological material for teaching this discipline. It is also available on the Mikhail Kushnir Creative Lab website. In fact, this is an audio and video reader. This resource provides the opportunity to use about 300 fragments of quizzes during three years of learning. The study of discipline is impossible without the participation of a teacher. The guidebook does not contain navigation on the theoretical course, which would be accompanied by music video illustrations in the electronic textbook. At the same time, a noticeable advantage of this resource is the availability of multimedia quizzes, with the possibility of automatic score calculation. The use of this resource implies the availability of a PC, audio headphones, a synthesizer.
• "Musical literature" by E.V. Strigina. The course includes foreign, domestic musical literature, folk art. The textbook is available on the official website of the author «My3^UTepaTop. PO» (E.V. Strigina, 2014).
The authors do not deny the existence of other electronic textbooks on these subjects, but, unfortunately, we have not had the opportunity to examine them yet.
2. Results and conclusions
The main characteristics of an electronic textbook are the possibility of introducing illustrative multimedia material, using the function of notes and underlines, memorizing pages and bookmarks, the possibility to copy material from this resource, the possibility to use practical tasks (test forms, crosswords, rebuses, and gamification). Textbooks can serve as a distance learning platform for one or a whole group of students — a platform for communicating students and teachers, exchanging messages, verifying results bypassing third-party instant messengers and using other additional means of communication based on a single platform. There is an opportunity for background music to introduce elements of musical design and expand the student's audio experience. There is also an opportunity of using a glossary of personalities for a specific studied discipline with a function of electronic encyclopedias kind.
Along with the listed electronic functionality of textbooks, this resource has a certain number of flaws. These flaws were noted by M.P. Yakovich (Georgian Technological University): Electronic textbook, its advantages and disadvantages (2012) (M.P. Yakovich, 2012). Namely, the need to use some additional equipment (computer, speakers, webcam), increased load on the sense organs through the perception from the PC screen or communication device, the need for strict observance of a limited stay in working with PC devices and communication devices. Electronic means in most cases exceed the cost of printed analogues in the price category due to their high technology and additional human labor costs.
The relevance and novelty of the result lies in the compilation and comparison of data on the functionality of services and media for the construction of electronic textbooks, in proposing a number of the most functional, in the authors' opinion, constructors for practical use to support musical-theoretical disciplines of additional art education.
The perspective and significance of the study lies in practical recommendations and compilation of information on the use and construction of an electronic textbook for the music-theoretical disciplines of additional art education. It may be interesting to the teachers of additional art education, teaching the music-theoretical disciplines.
REFERENCES
Buzhinskaya, N.V. & Makarov, I.B. (2016). Reviews of software for creating electronic textbooks.
International Journal of Experimental Education, №.4-1. Russian State Vocational Pedagogical University Nizhny Tagil, Russia.
SIBID Electronic editions, 2013. The main types and outputs: GOST R 7.0.83-2013. Electronic fund of legal, regulatory, and technical documentation, Russia
Elena Diener (2016). Experience in the classification of objects included in the system of electronic books. Bibliosphere, 1 (19-25). https://dx/.doi.org/ 10.20913/1815-3186-2016-1-19-25
Interactive visual aid "Logo rhythm". (2018). Online catalog Retrieved 2018, from http://lenbaza.ru/catalog/detail.php?ID=11898
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