Blog #5

I created a beginning Spanish II travel vocabulary website to use as a supplement for an online course, an on-campus, class, or as a business course. This website was designed for high school, college, business, and adult learner students who have previously completed beginning Spanish I. I used Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 to design, create, and implement this website. I am not confident in using frames at this time, but I did create tables to balance and separate the website title, webpage title, images, and content. I used tables to create a navigation bar, and I included individual navigation links to use to guide the viewer back to the top or to the next page.

I have included the following information and materials within the website:

·         A description of the topic,

·         An overview of the website contents, objectives, last updated, copyright, step by step instructions that are in depth, logical, and clear.  

·         I used illustrations and images such as Microsoft clip art and graphics I found via online Google image search. These graphics and illustrations allowed me to use them as an appropriate instruction method to clarify the lesson for the learner.

·         I have included a reference page which listed web resources, print, and image sources used in the website as well as a separate author page which included a copyright throughout each webpage. Each website had 2 or less external links to provide additional instruction and practice. The index and set up (1) images contained an external hyperlink to provide additional instruction. I included an email link on each page to allow the viewer to contact me.

·         I used a table to create an ease of instruction to separate the English and Spanish translation, I included page citations to give each resource credit and acknowledge their hard work and as my cited sources.  

·         I included a U of A disclaimer which is required of the U of A.

        I chose the colors of light purple an aqua blue because these colors are festive and reminds me of a vacation and the ocean water. I included tables using the insert tab, then table; I decided how many tows and columns I need, changed the color of the table from light purple to aqua blue and then proceeded to completing my table. I included the tables to create an ease in learning and studying the material on the web. In step 6, I created a quiz using the insert tab, then form, click form again, and click radio button to create a multiple choice form which allows the learner to select one answer. I included the U of A log which is found in the University’s free images for students to use and the U of A website.

The first obstacle I had encountered was trying to get the photographs to show once I uploaded the photos. I am not sure why the images did not show once they were uploaded but I did select document instead of site root but I think I am very confused about how those work and I forgot to ask about those. I was confused because on the 1st Dreamweaver topic assignment, I used the site root and the images did not appear so I thought using the document would actually show. I have the Teach Visually Books and it did not include this step. : ( The second obstacle I encountered was trying to upload the website because the FTP that U of A allows us to use did not comply and stated I had an invalid password. I am not sure why it did not work but I had to download File zilla and once I understood what I was supposed to do…it worked beautifully!!!         The successes I experienced was learning how to create a website, how to create an instructional supplement or main tool, and finally, web design is not the devil and it can be very fun, creative, and rewarding.         The Dreamweaver features I would like to use that I have not used yet are the following tabs: modify, commands, and the window tabs. I would like to know how these may change my website or make it much better. The future uses of Dreamweaver CS3 are using it to create instructional websites for K-12 and higher education, an on-line training tool for a corporation or a non-profit organization, an informational site for a non-profit, educational, military, and corporate entity.