Week 2
Focus on our Audience
In relation to our coursework this term, we consider the needs of our students and others who will be interacting with the product we design and build. If we focus our attention to detail from the perspective of the users, we will have begun to build a strong product that serves a specific purpose.
I strongly believe that as teachers, we are working to strengthen the lives or our students in unique ways by building confidence, wisdom, knowledge, and caring for each other. I have long considered teaching a mission field, and it is here that we demonstrate our love and commitment to the call of Christ, no matter what educational setting we are in.
This week we will discussing ADDIE, with our primary focus on the first step: ANALYZE.
Be thinking about a possible project/prototype for this course. It needs to be interactive for the user. In other words, they are in control of the pace and direction of what they do while using the product.
WEEKLY READINGS
Using Instructional Design Principles
To Amplify Learning On The World Wide Web
The use of the Internet is becoming one of the most effective modes of instructional delivery – when it is done well. This study examines some of the expectations and results that users and instructors have in terms of instructional design and the ability of designing meaningful instructional experiences.
Click here to read the study:
Using Inst. Design principles
Krug: Please read and review pages 3-39.
Marzano: Read through Chapters 1 and 2 (pp.1-28)
Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug
Review by Dolores Walker
The intended audience:
The book was written for beginner business Web designers who can use the information on the basic structure of a good Web page. Also the advanced Web designer can use some of the basic principles to make the necessary changes for better Web accessible sites.
Clarity of the content:
The book was designed with simplicity making it easy to read. It had clear illustrative examples with pictures and screen shots of real world Web sites. The examples helped to visualize the problem(s) with the page and how to make corrections.
Navigation features:
Steve Krug suggested practical navigation tips to make Web sites user friendly. He stressed the use of Site ID always in the top left corner, Search, Sections, Page name, and Local navigation on each page making the site consistent and easy to navigate through.
Layout:
The book style was simple with good design and well structured.
Use of graphics:
The book used just as many images as explanations. With the use of images the author was able to get right to the point. The images helped in the visualization of each point that was explained. The Web site screen shots were real world, current examples.
Use of color:
The book used red for chapter lead pages and for paragraph headings. The common practice for Web pages is to use light color print on dark color backgrounds and dark print on light color backgrounds.
Design components:
In my opinion the components stressed in the book were basic to designing any business Web site. Such as clear visible links and buttons, navigation indicators and section tabs.
I didn’t find any AHAs!