Introductory Assignment (On-Line Web Development Tools)
Part 1 (Weebly Component)
With this assignment, you will be creating a website using the weebly.com website developer tool
The focus is not only on creating specific content, but also on figuring out how to use weebly.com. Eventually you will be creating an analysis that compares weebly to other web developing tools. With that in mind, you might also want to take notes as you develop your site.
What features of weebly were easy to use?
What featuers of weebly were difficult to master? How did you overcome the challenges?
What were the positive and negative aspects of the weebly site?
Your suggestions for improving weebly?
Within your site, you should create the following pages:
An Introductory Splash page introducing yourself, hopefully it will include a photo of yourself. Try not to include personal information such as last name, school, address, phone number, etc.
3 specific content pages that tell me something about who you are: interests, values, experiences, etc. Examples might include things such as favorite movies, favourite cartoon characters, best friends, places where you have lived, dreamed cars. The list of possibilities is endless.
Whatever the topic you choose, you need to include at least 3 examples. For instance, if you choose movies, you might include a discussion of Bambi, Star Wars, and Fright Night. For each movie, you might include a title, a plot synopsis, why you enjoy it, and a a movie trailer.
An evaluation page that incorporates survey options to allow me to provide feedback on your site in terms of content and design.
Be sure to cite your sources properly. (Photos, videos, graphics, borrowed text, etc.)
Part 2 (Wix Component)
With this assignment, you will be creating a website using the wix.com website developer tool
The focus is not only on creating specific content, but also on figuring out how to use wix.com. Eventually you will be creating an analysis that compares weebly to other web developing tools. With that in mind, you might also want to take notes as you develop your site.
What features of wix were easy to use?
What featuers of wix were difficult to master? How did you overcome the challenges?
What were the positive and negative aspects of the wix site?
Your suggestions for improving wix?
Content Page 1: Grade 8 Information Technology
The staff of L.A. Matheson is trying to change the way that information technology is taught to our grade 8 students. We are looking for a much more integrated approach where tools are learned in the context of various subject areas rather than as part of a stand alone course.
As such, we are very interested in your input as to what the top 10 skills or applications you feel are most important to ensuring the success of our grade 8 students throughout their high school careers.
In making your choices, look at what has helped you most or what you wish someone had taught you. Or.... maybe you it is something you would still like to learn.
For each of your suggestions, you should consider discussing specifics about what should be taught, why it should be taught and how it could be used in the classroom.
For instance, if you were to choose "Building a Website" you might suggest that it provides a user-friendly and non-linear and professional looking alternative to more traditional projects such as booklets, posters, and PowerPoint presentations that can be cluttered and difficult to organize or edit. Additionally, you might discuss how websites can incorporate a variety of media such as text, images, videos, and sound. Or that they can allow students to collaborate on a project over the Internet. If a teacher uses an online web developing tool such as weebly, webnode, or wix, there is no need for students to understand HTML or CSS coding. Finally, you probably want to offer a couple of ideas as to how websites could be utilized within the grade 8 curriculum. Imagine that biome project in science where a separate page could be used for each biome, where you could provide a list of characteristics, images of examples found around the world, and a clip from "Lion King" that depicts the biome. OR maybe you would discuss an alternative to the boring novel study and suggest a site with pages that present the plot, character development, themes, symbolism, etc. Or maybe it is a poetry portfolio showcasing a students work using images and sound to reinforce the overall meaning.
Content Page 2: Safe Use of Social Media
In the media, we hear more and more about teenagers (and adults) who get into awkward situations while charting the dangerous waters of social media. Whether it is identity theft, predators, bullying, or one of a long list of other possible "negative" experiences associated with technology, many teens think they are out of harms way.
Many of you think that the "older" generations are over reacting and that there are no real risks of putting your whole life on line for the world to see. Many of you don't filter what you say or what you post or link to.
But the reality is that each of you can tell tales of negative experiences that have plagued yourself, friends, family members, or peers.
Knowing that many teens are more likely to be impacted by the words of their peers rather than the ramblings of parents and teachers, your job on this page is to educate your peers about the "Dark Side of Social Media"
Your discussion should revolve around computers, smart phones, and other personal devices such as tablets
Include several cautionary tales that will warn your peers about the potential dangers of Social Media. Your examples should be personal to you, your friends, families, or your peers. We want our message to hit home and let our peers know that it can happen to them and the people close to them. Therefore, don't just retell something that you found on the web.
You should provide a detailed list of strategies that your peers can implement while using social media to ensure that their experiences remain positive and that they do not fall victim to the dark side of social media.
Content Page 3: Weebly Verses Wix
Now that you have familiarized yourself with two different online web development tools, it is time to be judge and jury and present your honest opinion about the two tools.
Present your findings for each. Things to include might be:
What features of each were easy to use?
What featuers of each were difficult to master? How did you overcome the challenges?
What were the positive and negative aspects of the each tool?
Things to be on the lookout for and consider
Your suggestions for improving the tool?
A recommendation of which tool staff and students should learn to use.
In addition, within your site, you should create the following pages:
An Introductory Splash page that indicates that this is the first page of a site that deals with various issues related to Information Technology and Media Arts
An evaluation page that incorporates survey options to allow me to provide feedback on your site in terms of content and design.
Bonus (The 3rd Dimension)
Do some research on your own time. There is probably a website development tool that is better than both weebly and wix.
Find it and present your findings in the form of a website you created on the site.