Introduction

• Quandary Website
• Enables you to create linked decision points - useful for building branched tutorials for self-assessment.
• Brought to you by Half-Baked Software, makers of Hot Potatoes.
• $50. for a single license; price per user goes down significantly for multiple use licenses.
• Version 2 is Windows only; Version 1 includes Mac.
• Exports as an XHTML file so no plugin required for viewing.
• 3 source files: CSS, HTML, and javascript.
• Can embed multimedia.

Hands On - Basic Functions

• Open Quandary 2. Create 2 decision points and a link from the 1st to the 2nd decision link.

• Click Outline View icon. Click Xed tick-tack-toe icon (2nd from right in Outline view) to view links between decision points..
• To preview, navigate to the first decision point, then choose File and Quick Export.
• To export finished product, choose File and Export to XHTML.

• Quandary: Overview (Includes Basic How-Tos)
• Quandary: Options for Viewing
• Quandary: Embed Media

Designing Effective Simulations

Presentation

Hands On - Design a Simulation

Steps for Developing an Effective Educational Simulation

Hands On - Assets and Transactions

Assets are entitites that can be gained or lost during a Quandary tutorial. They exist independently from decision points and links. They can be used to add or subtract points or to acquire or lose items. They can also be used behind the scenes to control what paths users can take.

Transactions can change the value of Assets. They can also be used to hide or display options or to control the path users take based on the value of an asset. Transactions can be attached to links or upon entry to or exit from any decision point.

Example of acquiring assets
Pizza .2qn file (Right click and Save. Then view using Quandary.)
Exported Pizza file.

Templates in Quandary

It is possible to copy decision points including their links and transactions. It is also possible to copy an entire Quandary .2qn file. If your tutorials have a similar structure, then it is possible to set up templates at the decision point level or for an entire Quandary file.

Example template
Athletic Training Template 2qn file (Right click and Save. Then view using Quandary.)
Exported Athletic Training File

Miscellaneous

• It is possible to embed images as well as audio and video into Quandary decision points.
• There are example Quandary files (both .2qn and their exported counterparts) as well as a tutorial file that can be found in the Quandary folder under Program Files.
• To set the appearance of the Start page as well as the navigation buttons, click the Appearance icon (second from the left).