Teacher Web Sites Dull Digital Presence
NEIRAD enilno edition
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Top 5 Web site Elements
- Fresh Content
- Pictures, visuals
- Videos
- Interactivity
- Personality
In this day and age, especially within our own community, teachers should be more than capable of setting up and managing their own Web pages.
Although students should be able to jot down their homework during class time, for many having the information accessible on a Web site is necessary.
“I use my teacher’s Web sites to get my homework a lot, but the sites could be better... if it was easier to navigate and had things like educational games on them I would use them a lot more,” junior Alex Peter said.
The problem is that some teachers have little to no information on their pages. In fact, six teachers have no Web presence. (see page 6, "Teachers Cross the Digital Divide" in the November print issue) A majority of these Web sites are carbon copies of each other. On the other hand, some faculty sites stand out, including biology teacher Sean Otterspoor; earth science teacher Renee Geithner; physics teacher George Marrash and the Tech Ed. Department pages: each offers features that sets them apart from the pedestrian digital pack.
All students may seek on a teacher's site is information regarding upcoming tests, quizzes and homework. But it wouldn't hurt if teachers added their own personal flair to showcase their love of a certain topic. One key element to a great Web site is personality.
Neirad Enilno decided to go to the top to find out what factors define a well-done Web page. We consulted Scott McKenzie, senior vice president of content for The Nielsen Company's business media division and Tokoni co-founder Mary Lou Song, both highly respectable experts in the digital realm. They shared strategies for teachers to zip up their bland pages.
The design of a site should include some basic features to greatly improve the user’s experience. "When setting up a Web site you need to make sure it's kept fresh every single minute of the day, because it is what the audience expects. If a user goes to a Web site for information, and doesn't find it day after day, they may eventually give up on the site," Mr McKenzie said. He oversees Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter and more than 30 other Web sites. Mr McKenzie also built sites for CNN and ABC News.
If teachers constantly update their Web sites with new information students will return more often. Fresh content on the page encourages people to access and use this resource in their schoolwork.
On the subject of personalizing Web pages, Mr McKenzie said, "There will always be a better Web site out there, but in order for theirs to be successful, there needs to be something there that sets it apart from others."
For all the DHS departments there appears to be a template that is overused, resulting in no differences between how content is distributed. With a little effort, teachers can easily customize their pages to include pictures, links, and even videos.
Mary Lou Song is the co-founder of Tokoni, a company that helps companies improve Web sites. Ms Song definitely knows her stuff when it comes to managing a Web site. Having been on the ground floor of the creation of eBay, Ms. Song is an expert in interactivity among elements of Web pages.
Ms Song says the average teenager spends very little time on a Web site that only includes text; if it's boring, chances are they're going to leave and dread the thought of coming back. "younger audiences expect a higher degree of interactivity and ease of use -- they don't want to struggle through using a Web site,” Ms Song said. “They expect to have a high level of interaction with the site." Searching for information shouldn't be a hassle for the user, half of the process is getting there, and if that is a burden, the user might not stick with it to find what they are looking for on the site.
Our experts suggested some ways teachers can improve their Web sites: drop down menus, embedded videos, and even audio recordings of a class.
It is apparent that our school's faculty is lacking in the Web site department, but with these helpful tips it might become easier for a teacher to help out their students to produce stronger content on the Internet.
