The Production of an Educational Website - Essay Example

?The rational By Education of 0 Introduction Website technology is an essential tool that serves numerous purposes, which include learning through web resources, entertainment, and communication among others. This essay intends to examine production of an educational website and its application in teaching about colours and attributed issues. As a point of departure, numerous websites have been developed for children with the intent of educating them through encouragement and promotion of learning skills and creativity. (CCEA, 2008:6). According to MOURSUND, (2007: 4), diverse methodologies are devised to make the process of educating the children relatively easier and interesting; enlightening the children through plays is one of the most essential criterion for the young minds. The Internet is not only a source of learning but also a superb source of entertainment. The internet offers a wide range of recreational activities (Klapter et al, 2009:7). Considering the benefits attributed to the internet, a website to teach attributed aspects of colours has been launched. This website intends to teach the children aged 5 and 9 years. 1.1 A brief description about the website I have developed a website entitled “Learning Colours” for children. The website contains six pages and ten sub-pages. The “Home Page” introduces viewers to the Rainbow, which is essential in the learning process. I have provided my introduction in About Me page, though it has little concern with the children learning process. A Flikr video in Page 3 explains the steps essential for uploading and drawing colours on the website. On equal measure, Page 4 has multiple items that include the name and images of sixteen colour shades depicted with background music. Moreover, the fill in the blanks strategy, has been applied by providing incomplete names of colours to be filled by the children. Conversely, images have also been included in front of the specific colours for the curiosity and learning. Moreover, primary and secondary, as well as warm and cool colours have been depicted in this page. The other pages contain more colour attributive aspects such as colour mixing and rainbow colours among others. 1.2 My Teaching Methodology I intend to use my website as an additional source at the end of the class lecture, such that the children can be able to recall the activities learnt in this lecture. A website is easy to understand and beneficial for teaching in the modern era. Consequently, the depiction of images could be helpful in teaching the children about colours. This means that the children can learn about the objects and colours simultaneously through this teaching methodology (WHITTY, 2006:6). The children are required to access the relevant material through the portable tablets in advance, such that during the face –face meetings, a series of simple but interrelated questions about colours would be asked from the accessed materials. The activity relates to Piaget’s Cognitive Learning Theory, which submits to state that sequence of learning depends upon the development of cognitive abilities (SZIGETHY, WEISZ, & FINDLING, 2012). 2.0 Activities and Principles 2.1 Activities Accurate and powerful designs of the websites, according to NEILSEN (1994:7), carry profound significance in conveying the message and achieving the goals to be obtained through it. Keeping in view the same notion, I intend to introduce some alterations in the website in order to make the design schemes more attractive, powerful and resourceful. In addition, I intend to create a “learn with parents” page. This is because; it is a good indicator of children’s success when engaged by their parents. The learning process becomes easy when the parents help their children to go through the internet pages when helping them to do their assignment. (WHITTY, 2006:5). On equal measure, I intend to use the flickr group in evaluating the children’s work. In addition, the flickr group will enable the children to learn from other children’s work. The distinction between the works enhances a child’s cognitive ability. Moreover, the “learn with parents page” is an excellent indicator of children ‘success. It enables the parents to engage with their children on the learning process. The parents can help the children on their homework (NORTHERN IRELAND CURRICULUM LEARNING THROUGH PLAY AT KEY STAGE 1 2006:12). 2.2 The principles applied According to Nielsen (2005), to create a successful web, designers are required to follow specified principles called heuristics (p.1). These principles are thumb oriented than particular usability. The following principles have been followed and applied in this project. 2.2.1 Visibility of system status For constant flow of information, when the child is using the web, sounds were added to the quizzes. For instance, an attributed beep to a wrong answer with a word “ wrong”, which gives room for the appearance of the right answer. Conversely, if the answer is right, clap sounds and the word “Correct” appears. 2.2.2 Match between system and real world According to Nielsen (1994: 18), the pictures, songs and games intertwined with simple and appropriate vocabulary contributes to easy language, which the children understand and like forms the foundation of the linkage between the website and the real world. For instance, I use a game and a song, which relates to the lesson’s material. This enhances the interaction rate of the children with the lesson. In addition, I introduce the “Rainbow colours” with a simple statement “What do you see before the rains? Let us consider the Rainbow colours. On similar regard, naming of the web pages such as “About us”, Home connects the website to nature. 2.2.3 User control and freedom Emergency exit is created to enable the users exit the pages they click by mistake. Each page has next and back well labelled with an arrow. This makes it easy for visibility. 2.2.4 Consistency and standards Same button and standards are used throughout all the pages to avoid confusing the children. For instance, a page consists of a short summary and all the coloured headings that are found in a particular page. Consequently, the child clicks on the headline needed. 2. 2.5 Flexibility and efficiency of use The system is easy for the children to tailor around and through the pages. The children can peruse over the pages with a lot of ease, which is made possible by the named and numbered pages. The effectiveness of this website is attributed to diverse, visible, coloured and meaningful pictures on the web pages, which provoke the critical thinking of users on colours. The users in this case are the children. This enhances gaining the ability of distinction of colours. 2.2.6 Effective The significance of this website is to educate the children about colours and its theory. This goal is readily achieved by using colourful background and Rainbow animation picture at the top of the website, with its title. The website meets the set goals of educating children about colours. 2.2.7 Appealing The children are easily attracted to appealing sites; consequently, a successful website for educating the children should be appealing. This creates interest to learn. Use of bright colours graphics and animation is fundamental in making the web appealing. For instance, I chose three primary colours, which include red, blue and yellow. It makes it easy for the children to link the name to the colour. Moreover, the superpower cartoon character is used as the host because it has colours that enable the children to have fun when learning (AGELIGHT, 2001:6). 3.0 Limitations and Challenges I faced numerous challenges when designing the website. Some of them included the manner of presenting ideas, inadequacy of resources, use of songs and games and choosing a theme. 3.1 Presenting ideas I collected numerous materials, which gave me difficulties in ordering them in a logical and simple manner for easy understanding and interpretation by children. Because of the intensive information, decided to focus on mages and ended up using fewer words. This enabled me to make the information simple for the grouped aged 5 and 9 years. 3.2 Inadequacy of resources Most of the information I searched was related to the art industry, which did not meet the expectations nor needs my audience (children 5 to 9). 3.3 Songs and games After creating a page hat contained songs, games and some video I found out that due to the large number, opening the web was too slow due to the downloading process of the games. This was attributed to the sound effects intertwined in the numerous games put in a single page. To increase the speed, I decided to include one song and one game in each sub pages of the teaching material. 3.4 Choosing the theme Designing of any website, the theme forms the foundation of the content and purpose. The theme defines the website; consequently, an appropriate theme should be selected. I had difficulties in displaying the theme at the top of the website, however? I got assistance from my colleague. Moreover, the title of the web do not appear and this made me apply Photoshop to write it in the top image of the website. 4.0 Conclusion To have a successful website aimed at educating the children aged 5 to 9 years about colours, a number of guidelines must be adhered. They include understanding the needs of the intended audience, searching for adequate information, ensuring high degree of effectiveness and efficiency. In addition, presentation of ideas must be ideal to ensure that the users do not get difficulties in viewing and interpreting (MCNEIL, 2008). References AGELIGHT, L.L.C. (2001) Interface design guidelines for users of all ages. Pp. 5-16 Available at: http://www.agelight.com/webdocs/designguide.pdf. Child Action Inc. Importance of Play. (2005) Available at: http://www.childaction.org/families/publications/docs/guidance/Handout13-The_Importance_of_Play.pdf MCNEIL, P. (2008). The Web designer's idea book: the ultimate guide to themes, trends, and styles in website design. Cincinnati, Ohio, HOW Books. FERNA?NDEZ BALLESTEROS, R. (2003). Encyclopaedia of psychological assessment. London, SAGE Publications. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10218120. KLOPTER, ERIC., OSTERWEIL, SCOT., & SALEN, KATIE. (2009) Moving Learning Games Forward: Obstacles, Opportunities & Openness Creative Commons. Available at: http://education.mit.edu/papers/MovingLearningGamesForward_EdArcade.pdf MOURSUND, DAVE. (2007) Introduction to Using Games in Education: A Guide for Teachers and Parents University of Oregon. Available at: http://pages.uoregon.edu/moursund/Books/Games/Games.pdf NIELSEN, J. (1994) “Heuristic evaluation.” In: J. Nielsen and R.L. Mack (eds), Usability Inspection Methods, New York: John Wiley & Sons. NIELSEN, J. (1994b). Heuristic evaluation. In Nielsen, J., and Mack, R.L. (Eds.), Usability Inspection Methods, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY. NORTHERN IRELAND CURRICULUM LEARNING THROUGH PLAY AT KEY STAGE 1 (2006) Available at: http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/docs/key_stages_1_and_2/learning_through_play_ks1.pdf SUBRAHMANYAM, KAVEN., KRAUT, ROBERT E., GREENFIELD, PATRICIA M., & GROSS, ELISHEVA F. (2000) The Impact of Home Computer Use on Children’s Activities and Development Available at: https://www.princeton.edu/futureofchildren/publications/docs/10_02_05.pdf SZIGETHY, E., WEISZ, J. R., & FINDLING, R. L. (2012). Cognitive-behavior therapy for children and adolescents. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Pub. WHITTY, GEOFF. (2006) Teacher professionalism in a new era Institute of Education, University of London. Available at: http://www.gtcni.org.uk/publications/uploads/document/annual%20lecture%20paper.pdf Read More