Web design is easy
Web design is easy
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EDPB530 FINISHED ON DEC 10TH. HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY!
Unless otherwise indicated, all images on this page are CC0 Public domain from pixabay.com
Some of the benefits of Web Design:
I have had students (Undergraduate and Graduate) come back to me with this interesting observation: The design principles you look at as part of the Web Design quests can be directly transferable to instructional design. For example, the idea of intuitive design, or visual design can be used to make projects and assignments more accessible to more students. An example of that: The use of icons and graphics helps students to cognitively organize information more intuitively.
Websites are a terrific way to showcase your skills and have your resources easily accessible.
In our current situation, a professional, well-designed site can show a potential employer that you have skills that will be useful for hybrid learning scenarios.
The ability to create a Web site can be used by you as a way to provide information for students, parents, and other teachers.
Web Design can be very pleasurable and put you in a state of flow.
Once students see how easy it is to develop a Website, many end up creating a few Websites for various projects during the program and beyond.
You will see details regarding aspects of your Website as you scroll down the page, but here is a quick list of some sections you will include in your site:
REQUIRED SECTIONS:
An ePortfolio (section) for the program;
A Teacher Site or Class Site (section) to use with your practicum students and as you move forward in your career;
A Resource Site (section) where you collect resources and post your own resources, lesson plans, unit plans, ideas...
OPTIONAL SECTIONS
A project in another course;
An Instructional Website (Like this one);
Or, for the Secondary Cohort: you have an assignment in Mr. Sufrin's Math Methods class that can be started this semester if you wish to create a Web Site for it. Click here to see the project.
OR SOMETHING ELSE:
Talk to Avi if you wish.
VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF YOUR SITE: REQUIRED SECTIONS
VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF YOUR SITE: REQUIRED SECTIONS
YOUR SITE WILL INCLUDE:
A main landing page (Quick intro to self and seamless, obvious navigation to...)
Section landing pages (Teacher/Class "site", ePortfolio section, & Resources section are the required sections)
Each of these pages will include a quick intro and seamless, obvious navigation to pages within each section.At least five pages within each section with seamless and obvious navigation for this section of the site, as well as a means of navigating to all other important and relevant areas of the site.
TIMELINE
TIMELINE
THE WEBSITE IS NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR SEMESTER ONE
The Website Build and Design is optional for this semester.
EDPB 530
THE WEBSITE IS NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR SEMESTER ONE
SEMESTER ONE IS ALL ABOUT:
learning to build a site and building it;
Understanding the Website principles of design we utilize for this course;
Using the design principles to redesign your site; and
Building a seamlessly navigable site with all of the required pages.
REQUIRED BY THE END OF SEMESTER ONE (EDPB 530):
About 20 site pages, including:
A home page
A minimum of three landing pages for the other sections of your site
A minimum of five pages for the content of EACH section (total of 15 pages)
Significant efforts to implement design principles.
Enough content in one of your site sections (or one page) to demonstrate your understanding of ALL of the design principles. You can use real content or placeholder content for Semester One. The page(s) has/have clear attempts to utilize a variety of content types: headings, text, images…
Need some text content to fill in the gaps? Use a "Lorem Ipsum" text generator: https://loremipsum.io/generator/
CLICK HERE to view the self-assessment and assessment criteria for the Website build and development over the two semesters.
You will receive your own copy for class.
EDPB 531
Develop your site by adding content and usability. Please scroll down the page to access more information on each section.
‼️ For the end of Semester Two, you are required to have at least two of your sections developed with enough content to "be of use". It is difficult to quantify how much is required "to be of use", as each person will have a different approach to each section. How about an example...
Let's take the Teacher/Class Site Section as an example. There needs to be enough content to make the site usable by you, your students, and their parents. Here are some ideas:
a calendar with important dates,
homework page,
content resources,
wellness resources,
newsletters,
about the teacher,
school events,
learning/study advice,
extra activities or content support activities,
students work...
Find out what others have included in a teacher or class site by doing some research; perhaps a search phrase like: What to include in your classroom website might work.
‼️ The site should reflect our design principles.
‼️ The site should provide seamless navigation, with the audience clearly knowing where they are at all times and finding navigation between the pages and sections smooth, obvious and efficient.
REQUIRED AREAS: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
REQUIRED AREAS: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Your site will be a combination of an ePortfolio, a class/teacher site for your practicum (or future class), and a resource site (and anything else you choose to include)
ePortfolio (Click to Expand)
ePortfolio (Click to Expand)
Your ePortfolio can be a hybrid of all three types of ePortfolios:
Developmental or Process ePortfolios. Purpose: Demonstrate development over a period of time.
Assessment ePortfolios. Purpose: demonstrate competency as defined by program standards and outcomes.
Showcase ePortfolios. Purpose: demonstrate exemplary work and skills.
THE FOCUS:
In your ePortfolio, it is recommended that you focus on the nine BCTC Standards (Linked here). Provide evidence pieces (class work, practicum work...), reflections, rationales for how you are evidencing your commitment to the BCTC Standards. If you like, consider your ePortfolio as a potential aid in your employment quest. This would make a lot of sense in the shifting growth of hybrid and fully online education. Consider adding content that may help an employer understand you better and see your value. As a former administrator, I looked for very specific ideals and skill-sets and was always looking for "proof" of commitment to ideals like: relationship building as classroom management, formative assessment, a constructivist mindset, and more.... Your ePortfolio could be a terrific tool to help you process what you might need, but also to “sell yourself” to a potential employer (If utilized appropriately).
What about:
Classroom management. What are your experiences, beliefs, theories to which you subscribe…? How would you motivate and engage students? How would you build a positive learning climate and a positive relationship with the students?
Assessment. Assessment is a huge area of interest for administrators. Assessment FOR, AS, and OF learning.
Indigenous Ways of Knowing; inclusion; reconciliation...
Instructional Strategies. Preferred methods and strategies; example lesson plans. Do you subscribe to inquiry learning? Gamification?
Special Education/Differentiating Instruction/Teaching to Diversity. Integration of special needs students, accommodations, modifications, adaptations, gifted, ESL...
Planning. Lesson, unit, year…
Communication with and involvement of parents.
Professional development and Collaboration. Examples and traits.
Why you want to be a teacher? What are the qualities you bring to the profession?
When someone walks into your classroom, what would they see?
Want some more ideas?
Here are some Credos which include aspects of the ideas above:
These examples provided with permission.
Some of these sites also have specific evidence pieces included, as well are rationales. These are a couple of years old, so you will only see eight standards. (Also, they were called TRB standards instead of BCTC standards.) Have a look at Madeleine's pages. NOTE: this is not required... just some ideas for you in developing your ePortfolio section.
Class or Teacher Site
Class or Teacher Site
There are so many benefits to having a class site we will not be able to do it justice here. All you need to do is to use your search engine to find benefits and a host of ideas for inclusion.
A site might include:
An introduction to you
A gallery of student work (very popular)
Homework
Newsletters
Calendar
Safe educational resources, activities, sites and games
Information for parents
Reading lists
Behaviour protocols
Tip of the week
Advice
And a host of other ideas... simply type "what to include in a classroom website" into your search engine and scan for ideas and tips.
You do not need to make up “fake” student projects, lessons, images….
Some pages of your site will have placeholders for these items.
But, you will want to develop the site to the best of your ability. What CAN you include now?
Parent volunteer information?
A calendar?
Behaviour expectations?
Resources for a variety of ages and topics?
Newsletter...
Why not have a look at what others recommend and decide for yourself what you can include that is not too specific for any Grade or Subject… think of age ranges and broad topics.
Internet safety and privacy?
Misinformation and Disinformation
Outdoor pursuits
Health and well-being
Math
Reading
Here are some ideas from others. I simply typed “What to include in a classroom Website” in my preferred search engine:
https://ditchthattextbook.com/20-ideas-to-jump-start-your-class-website/
That is just a start….
Video showing example class site
This site was an example from previous years when the expectations were different, although it does provide a good example of the classroom or teacher site section of your Website.
pixabay.com
RESOURCE SECTION OF YOUR SITE
RESOURCE SECTION OF YOUR SITE
The resource section of your site can be something very general for your own use and for use by other teachers. It can also be quite specific about a topic or area of interest.
A few ideas:
Your shared unit and lesson plans
Great resources and tools you would like to use
Wellness resources for your students, parents, and other teachers
Content resources (Math, Social Studies, Indigenous resources...)
Regardless what other resources you provide, this would make a terrific
Evidence piece for Standard 8 (or 6, or 7)
Showpiece for potential employers.
To consider: Intuitive design is very important to this type of site. When thinking about how the site is approached by your audience, decide:
Is your audience going to engage in something like a “choose your own adventure story”, where the content unfolds naturally, or
Is your audience going to get a large set of choices at the start, and enter your site this way. Be careful in this case to follow Hick’s Law and Fitt’s Law (Design principles quests)
In terms of design, this may be the most difficult type of site to develop. Discuss with Avi as needed.
OTHER OPTIONS
OTHER OPTIONS
CC0 pixabay.com
Project for another course
Project for another course
Once you see how easy it is to create Websites, you might find you are building sites quite regularly. Many students have used sites as projects in other courses. Here are a couple of examples (with permission):
Megan's Science, Art, and Tech project demonstrates a deep engagement and exceptional products. All work on Megan's project is original work. Very impressive. Megan received credit in three courses for this one project. Smart. Here is a link to the whole resource: http://worldwaterstories.weebly.com
Aaron's Math in Our World project integrates Math, Music and Tech.
Ginny's project integrates Science and Tech
NOTE: This project is on hold for the 2021-22 academic year. For the Secondary Cohort: you have an assignment in Mr. Sufrin's Math Methods class that can be started this semester if you wish to create a Web Site for it. Click here to see the project.
SELECTING A WEB DESIGN TOOL
SELECTING A WEB DESIGN TOOL
GOOGLE
GOOGLE
RECOMMENDED
Some school districts use GWFE
Avi can help & includes tutorials
Easy to use
Fully integrated with GWFE tools
Allows you to limit viewers
Secure, no ads, fairly robust sharing options (You can limit who sees it.)
Part of VIU GWFE, so also part of your completed FIPPA consent form
OTHER
OTHER
NOT part of our signed FIPPA consent form?
NOT supported by Avi (You are on your own)
Examples: Wix, Wordpress...
Ads? (Example: Wix is supported by ads. Free version has limitations)
NOT part of FIPPA consent form you already signed (It is something you choose, rather than a requirement of the course.)
Select a Web Site Building Service
Claim this Quest
Move on to the next step: Building your site. (Use ByteDeck to move through the material... it is what guides your progress. These links are here for future reference if needed.)
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