Modular content is at the core of DITA adoption in education and plays a pivotal role in transforming the creation and management of educational materials. It empowers educational institutions by breaking down content into smaller, reusable components that can be flexibly combined to create diverse learning resources.

Flexible Course Design

With DITA’s modular approach, educational organizations can design courses that are highly adaptable. Each module focuses on a specific topic, concept, or learning objective, allowing educators to mix and match modules to create customized courses. For example, a biology module about genetics can be combined with a chemistry module about the periodic table to design an interdisciplinary course on biochemistry.

Efficient Updates and Maintenance

Modular content simplifies content updates and maintenance. When educational materials are organized into independent modules, changes or improvements to a single module can be applied across multiple courses, ensuring consistency and accuracy. This efficiency is especially crucial when keeping up with evolving curriculum standards or academic advancements.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA’s modular content facilitates the creation of educational materials:

<topic id="biology-genetics">
  <title>Genetics in Biology</title>
  <content>...
</topic>

<topic id="chemistry-periodic-table">
  <title>Periodic Table in Chemistry</title>
  <content>...

In this example, two DITA topics represent modular content on genetics in biology and the periodic table in chemistry. These modules can be reused across various courses and are instrumental in offering a diversified curriculum.