Getting started

After downloading Learning Score from the Tribal web site, and installing it to your computer, follow the steps below to create your first learning score.

1. Launch Learning Score
Double click on the Learning Score icon on your desktop. It will launch by default in Edit
mode (at top right of screen).

2. Set your score properties
Add key information about your lesson. To do this, select Edit > Score Properties, and
complete the information required:

• Title: Give your lesson a title.
• Main objective: Write a brief objective for your lesson. (You can expand the
  objectives by dragging the module item ‘Objectives’ under the Activities tab onto
  your track. The module items will be discussed later.)
• Author: The name of the author.
• Duration: Set the length of the lesson/session (in minutes or hours, though it is
  possible to set longer time periods). This will then be represented as a timeline at
  the top of your Learning Score screen.
• Tags: Add keywords to remind yourself later what the lesson is about (e.g. Key
  stage 1, maths, fractions).

3. Create your lesson
Learning Score uses a music score metaphor to show planned activities on a graphical
time line. The ‘tracks’ have the following titles: Grouping, Activity, Media, Review,
Extension (but you can change these titles by selecting the pencil icon in Edit mode
according to your needs).

You can have a maximum of six tracks in your lesson plan. The tracks correspond to
some of the ‘module tabs’ (Groups, Activity, Review, etc.) in the module store at the
bottom of the screen.

You create lesson plans by dragging and dropping items from the relevant module tabs
onto the appropriate place. You can then adjust the length/timing to your requirement
by dragging the arrow on the right of each module item.

To start creating your score, work out the rough flow of the lesson, and then:

• select the Group type (from the Groups module tab at the bottom of the screen) for
  your first activity and drag it onto the start of the Grouping track
• select a type of Activity (from the Activity module tab) that describes this first
  activity, and place it on the track
• add resources you need, such as Media: images (JPEG, PNG, GIF files), web links,
  audio clips (MP3 files), documents (PDF files), movies (SWF or FLV files); you can
  do this by going to the Media module tab at the bottom of the screen, selecting
  accordingly and dragging onto the tracks.
• add notes by dragging the Annotation module item onto the relevant places on
  your score
• use the Review items to indicate where you will do any formative assessment; you
  may also want to add some additional items as extension activities for those who
  need stretching or consolidation work
• continue building up your plan in this way until you’ve completed it.

4. Play your score

• Select Play, at the top right of the screen, to change to Play mode.
• A panel of buttons will appear at the top left of the screen:
• The score will not start automatically. Use the start button to launch your
  score from the beginning, or simply double click a module item on the track.
• Then use the arrow keys to move backwards and forwards through the score.
• You can start the timer by selecting the timer button. The timer icon will then begin
  to move in real time. It can also be paused and resumed. (Note: We understand that
  lessons don’t always go as planned, so you can also drag the timer icon to your
  desired position on the timeline. Once you release it, the timer will continue.)
• Use the annotation button to show or hide notes when in Play mode.

5. Edit your score

• To make changes to your score, select Edit at the top right of the screen.

6. Save, print and other standard features
In Edit mode, a button bar at the top of the screen offers standard features:

• To save your score, use the Save button, or select File > Save. Your score will be
  saved, with all the linked resources, in My Documents > My Learning Scores.
• To print, select the Print button, or select File > Print Lesson Plan. This will print out
  your lesson as a text summary, allowing you to see all your notes and timings. This
  output can be useful for audits and inspections.
• To start a new score, select the New Score button, or select File > New Score.
• To open an existing score, select the Open Score button, or select File > Open
  Score.

7. Export as a .txt file or for online use
You can package up your score, together with linked resources, and ‘export’ it in
different ways for different purposes.

• Export the lesson plan as a plain .txt file: this could be particularly useful for those
  who may not be able to access the visuals in your learning score (e.g. students with
  low or no vision). To do this, select File > Export lesson plan.
• Export as a learning object to use on a web site or learning platform. To do this,
  select File > Export for Web (SCORM).
• Export your learning score for others to use and edit. To do this, select File >
  Export Learning Score.

Note: If you are trying to package a video, it might take a long time if the file size is
large. As an alternative, you could upload your video onto the web and use the web
resource icon to show the video.

You can also import scores/lesson plans by selecting File > Import Score.