Progressive Disclosure

Description:

The intent of this RCO is to display a table of information which requires user interaction. To help obtain and retain user focus, and thus coerce interaction, disclosure of the table cell contents can occur progressively. Currently the first column is always displayed initially, with the intent to draw the user in and begin the exercise.

As an example, for the table shown below, an instructor could force a user to click a button to reveal the Characteristics table cell for the Geo Stationary row, and after that click a button to reveal the contents of the table cell directly below, so as to not overwhelm the user with too much information at once.

The last column always contains a set of Considerations each of which should be either checked or left unchecked for the intended exercise. When the button for the correct choice is clicked, the Considerations which should have been checked (i.e., the correct answers) are clearly revealed.

The disclosure can occur in row order, column order, or all-at-once if the instructor doesn't want to use that aspect of the RCO. This is a somewhat complex RCO due mainly to the flexibility and many configuration elements, some optional and some required. Practical table size limits are around four or five rows or columns, depending on amount of content in each cell.

The sample XML file provided below must be populated with appropriate data (a header, a question, row and column data, etc.) and placed in the same location as the HTML file used to access and present this RCO.

Example usage:

This link will bring up a separate browser window with a page that uses this RCO.

Snapshot of sample use:

How to use

1. Create an HTML file which will reference and load this RCO. Cut-and-paste the sample applet tag below and insert at the location in the HTML file you want to use the RCO.
2. Create an XML file with input data based on the example below.
3. Download the RCO by right-clicking the download link below and choosing "Save Link Target As..."
4. Edit the applet tag parameters to reference your new file names, and test.

Create your XML file one of two ways:

  Edit this sample Progressive Disclosure XML file

  Generate your XML automatically with this link.

This RCO bundled as a jar file