In addition to the <learningContent> elements, <learningContent> topics can contain embedded topics.
Your instructional content might include a series of steps for the student to follow to complete an activity. In this case, you can embed a task topic within the <learningContent> topic to handle these steps:
<learningContent id="watching_ducks"> <title>Watching ducks</title> <learningContentbody> <lcInstruction> <p>Read this to learn more about what you need to have a satisfying duck-watching experience.</p> </lcInstruction> </learningContentbody> <task id="how_to_watch_ducks"> <title>How to watch ducks</title> <taskbody> <steps id="steps_watching_ducks"> <step> <cmd>Choose a location to watch ducks.</cmd> </step> <step> <cmd>Pick a field guide to identify the ducks.</cmd> </step> <step> <cmd>Find some good optics.</cmd> </step> </steps> </taskbody> </task> </learningContent>
There are several benefits to embedding a topic within a <learningContent> topic:
- Reuse. If you need to reuse content in your training materials, embedding topics allows you to use that content as written rather than restructuring it into learningContent-specific elements. Embedding topics can be especially useful for training departments that reuse a lot of content from other departments, such as tech comm or sales.
- Control. The <lcInstruction> element in the body of a <learningContent> topic allows a limited element set. Embedding another topic type inside the <learningContent> topic allows you to use its element set instead. For example, you cannot use the <steps> element inside <lcInstruction> for step-by-step instruction, but the <steps> element is available inside an embedded task topic.
- Flexibility. You can embed more than one topic into the body of a <learningContent> topic, which adds flexibility to your <learningContent> topics. For example, you might embed a concept topic to explain an idea to your students, and then embed a task topic to provide hands-on instructions to enhance their understanding of that concept.