What’s new in TalkMaster 8.5

This update transfers and improves some of QuizMaker’s functionality, such as sending results to email and server, inserting hyperlinks, and spell check. It makes it easier to evaluate how your staff performs with assigned dialogue simulations, and lets you make these simulations more functional and with a smoother workflow.

While it sounds pretty clear and simple, let’s see how you can take advantage of the new features in the TalkMaster user interface.

Send results to email

If you use QuizMaker, you might already be familiar with this capability which has now been added to TalkMaster. It’s a great option to get your learners’ details if you don’t use an LMS, but instead put your dialogue simulation on a regular website.

In the new version, you can email results to dialog creators or teachers as well as to students who complete dialog simulations. The configuration will take two steps.

Step 1. Turn on the login screen

1. Open an existing dialogue simulation or create a new one.

2. Click Properties on the main ribbon.

   

3. Check the checkbox next to Ask for user information where it says User Info. Click Customize if you need to customize the login form, and then click OK.

   

   Read more about login screen customization

Step 2. Setting up emails

1. Switch to the Result section on the left.

2. Check Send result to user’s email if you want a learner to get a copy of the dialog simulation results. A user must be authorized with his or her User Info, which includes email.

3. Check Send result to email and type your email address, which will collect all results.

   

Other options

You can set up other options for results in the Properties window.

Sending results to a server is a complex scenario that requires additional development and server configuration. That’s why we won’t review it here in detail, but you can read the respective article in our Knowledge Base:

Learn more about sending results to server

Also, you can add a finish action for different outcomes: If user passes and If user fails. You can close the browser window, or go to a URL. For example, you can create User Passed and User Failed webpages that include some additional information or steps. Alternatively, you can point to the index.html file of another course and create some sort of a learning path.

Insert hyperlinks

With this update, you can now select words in the character’s speech and assign a link. This option might come in handy to better describe some words with other learning materials.

Note: You can’t have hyperlinks for reply options because they are already clickable, and adding clickable hyperlinks will interrupt the normal behavior.

To add a hyperlink:

1. Select part of the character’s speech or a description, right click, and select Hyperlink.

   

2. Set either Web page or E-mail and paste the Address to the webpage link or email, respectively. You can Test it from here or Remove Link. Click OK.

   

After the link is added, publish or preview the simulation and test out the hyperlink.

Spellcheck

The option to check your spelling is turned on automatically, so there is no need to configure it before using. As you type text into the Scene, incorrect words will be underlined. Right click on them to select the correct spelling.

Manage dictionaries and spelling

By default, your TalkMaster has a built-in English dictionary. You can add more dictionaries (e.g., Spanish) and control some other spelling options. To open spelling options:

1. Click on the main menu item on the upper-left corner and then select TalkMaster Options.

   

2. Then click Spelling Options.

   

3. Select the dictionaries you want to use and manage other options. For example, you can Hide spelling errors to turn the spell check off.

   

You can download and add other dictionaries in a .dic format.

Summary

These updates are fairly standard, but nevertheless very important. Please check out how they improve your workflow, and leave comments below.