Wednesday, November 24, 2010

PDF Assignment Builder

For a while now I have been building assignment files for instructors using Adobe LiveCycle and Adobe Acrobat Pro. I have also been building Instructional Design tools in PDFs, such as the Online Syllabus Template Tool (OSTT).

Creating assignments in PDF format came from my frustration at instructors receiving submissions in an endless variety of formats (.docx, .doc, .wpd, .txt, etc.) in spite of putting very specific language about acceptable file formats in their syllabi. With PDF files, that problem was eliminated.

As I created more assignments in PDFs, I began to realize the potential of these files:

1. No software to buy: They open in Adobe Reader, so there is no need for students to purchase Microsoft Word if they are working on a personal machine, as many distance and non-traditional students do.

2. Built-in accessibility tools for disabled instructors and/or students (more on this in a future post).

3. PDF files work with all browsers, on all operating systems.

Anyway, for me the "holy grail" was to build a tool that would allow instructors to create assignments as PDFs, WITHOUT having to purchase Acrobat Pro.

And I think I've gotten there with the PDF Assignment Builder.

Click here to watch a tutorial on using the Assignment Builder. You can download the file here.

15 comments:

  1. Awesome tool George. I followed the thread from Adobe forums. Then googled PDF assignment builder and came here. I spent the last 2.5 hours researching adobe forms, signing up at acrobat.com, and realizing that acrobat x's learning curve was a bit steep for my needs, plus I don't have $299. You're solution is perfect. Thank you for your time and effort.

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  2. I have a 600-page book I'm proofreading for a client; I also have it in PDF form, but it was originally created using Adobe Creative Suite software which I don't have. I do happen to have Adobe Pro (version 7). I know that I can indicate text edits on the PDF file with Adobe Pro, but is there a way to make actual changes to the file? Would your Assignment Builder work for this?

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  3. Anonymous #1: Sweet!

    Anonymous #2: You should be able to edit the actual text on the PDF with Adobe Pro. You may have to save a copy of the file and re-enable the editing capabilities.

    You could do a "select all" on your PDF file, "copy" the text, and "paste" into the Assignment Builder, but then you would lose all the page formatting, because it would be in one big field.

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  4. What a wonderful tool! Thank you so much!

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  5. Hi George, I would like to download the pdf assignment builder to create editable pdfs from InDesign files, is this possible at all and can I download the program somewhere coming from an Australian IP address? Unfortunately the link above is blocked for me...

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  6. The link goes to a PDF.
    The message 'please wait' never changes, and absolutely nothing occurs.

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    Replies
    1. Please email me at george.joeckel[at]usu.edu, and I will send you the file.

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  7. Adobe Pro makes your job easier every day with the trusted PDF converter. Purchase real software from here

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  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  9. Great tool. Can We use this tool as well? or it's paid tool?

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