CMS

That subset of CAL that entails C ourse M anagement S ystems. This software is defined by the "core" attributes listed in Chapter 3. Chief among these attributes are utilities that allow instructors to keep student records, call up examination templates and questions, administer examinations, track student learning in course modules, and randomly access lecture and case materials. CMS software options compared in Chapter 3 are Quest, TourGuide, LessonBuilder, Tencore, Course Builder, HyperGraphics, Authorware, and Peak . Present CMS leaders are Quest for Windows and DOS and Macromedia Authorware for Mac operating systems. It is common to build custom CMS features into hypertext/hypermedia developments. For example, the Arizona State University accounting lab simulation package marketed by McGraw-Hill has core CMS attributes that were scripted into that package by the author even though ToolBook is not a full-featured CMS package. McGraw-Hill can sell the package without paying a royalty fee since ToolBook has no runtime usage fee. There are some CMS packages such as Quest, LessonBuilder, CourseBuilder, and Peak that have no runtime/royalty fees. But CMS options have drawbacks in spite of their utilities for educators. Except for Quest and Tencore, the other CMS packages do not have full-featured scripting options of such major hypermedia competitors as Multimedia ToolBook, Apple Media Kit, HyperWriter, Icon Author, etc. CMS options do not cross platforms to run on multiple platforms as well as hypermedia GainMomentum, ScriptX and Icon Author. Especially see the concept of a shell . (See also Runtime , Hypertext and Hypermedia )