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Reflection Website
WGU Website Process Reflection Essay
Roblyer (2004) lists eight sequences or steps to follow in designing a webpage. The first is the common practice of storyboarding.
It is always good to have an idea what you want and what you want things to look like before you start building your site.
Step two involves developing the pages with their text before the third step of adding your images and media. The fourth
step is adding outside links and frames of other sites you want your traffic to be connected to. Finally you can insert the
interactive elements that are now considered a part of WEB 2.0. The final two things are testing of your site to check its
compliance in the multiple of standard browsers, and posting your site up on the web for all to see. The eighth step is just
as important as the other seven. Once you have a site posted you must listen to feedback about your site from your users,
revise according to their needs, and keep it up to date! There is nothing worse than a site that has never been updated,
or is months behind the times.
I began the development of my site with an idea and the requirements listed in this assignment. I used Tripod.com as my tool
to develop the site from on of the templates offered in the “new webpage” section of the menu. I chose to make
a new website starting with the education web template, and moving to a color and layout I liked. It gives you a main page
and nine optional sub-pages. I organized these to the home page, a main instructional materials page, three pages of instructional
materials based on print, graphic, or multimedia instructional materials, a schedule, links, and a contact page. Then I simply
filled the pages with the content I wanted and the layout that was to my liking.
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1. Describe your experiences about using this product.
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Tripod has a very easy product to use. There is little learning curve for it.
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2. Explain why you did or did not deviate from your planned design process.
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I didn't deviate from my planned design process because it was a good plan and it was flexible enough to work with. I have
also designed enough simple sites that this was not difficult to picture and to create.
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3. Identify a use of this technology tool for teaching and a use for learning.
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Roblyer (2004) cites Harris in Chapter 8 with a list of three areas for application of the internet, and further describes
them with seven “activity structures” that are apart of these categories. The areas for applications are interpersonal
exchanges, information collection and analysis, and third is problem solving (p.252). These three areas can be used with the
following activities: Electronic pen-pals and electronic mentoring, virtual fieldtrips, electronic publishing, group projects,
problem based learning, and social action projects (p.253). Everything I have read so far has reminded me that we are not
to use technology for technology sake, but to support and enhance what is already good teaching practice. Good practice can
be demonstrated with the web in supporting student research, motivating writing, practice of information literacy skills,
visualization of problems and solutions, development of collaboration skills, and multicultural experiences (p.255).
Finally, Roblyer (2004) cites Harris on how websites can support distance learning activities. Websites can provide project
overviews, announcements to stakeholders, opportunities for direct participation. A second function is through the offering
of tutorial instruction or specific information on a particular topic such as quadratic equations. Websites can also serve
as an outsourcer of information or data, or even as a place of exchange. We do water quality testing in our town for our river
next to a paper mill. This information is then shared in an online database. A fourth function is in communication and support
where students can gather in a virtual setting in real time or not to support the work of say a collaborative project. Current
student work can be displayed online or even the development of a portfolio for the teacher or student with past work to be
displayed. Finally the sixth function is that a distance learning project development center that would be available to all
with access to the web (p.261).
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4. Explain why you had difficulty using a part of this technology tool.
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I had none.
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5. Explain what you would do differently if you were going to design with this learning tool again.
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I would not use Tripod because of the limitations, nor would I use this outdated format of html. I would use a format more
along the lines of WEB 2.0 based on AJAX in terms of coding, Social Software in terms of wikis and blogging, social book marking,
RSS, podcasting, etc. Personally I would also pay for a well designed face, and focus solely on the content and layout to
provide ease of access to that content.
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6. Predict how you could use your experience to train someone else in the use of this tool.
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When I return to school this fall, I will be sharing what I have learned so far in this program. As we move to become a more
modern school it is very important to keep in mind both the learning and teaching value of the web. I will share with them
the three areas for application of the internet detailed by the seven activities or applications of the web. Collaboratively
we can look at how those will support our teaching, and finally we will look to see if what we design is in fact a quality
product. I work directly with 8-10 other teachers and we are a close enough knit group that this would be a valuable experience.
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