Bubbl & Freedom

1. I liked the new resource we explored this week. Bubbl was easy to use and manage. I am looking for specific ways to show my teachers how to use it. I know we do a lot of work with Thinking Maps so perhaps Bubbl could be used when brainstorming ideas. Any thoughts on this?

2. I am thrilled that our county is finally taking another look at the restrictions they are placing on Internet usage. They want us to be able to use Youtube and other websites online....finally! Only last year principals received "permission" to use Youtube.....well, that was one computer in the entire school. Our technology director is new and has a lot of fresh ideas. I can't wait for the RttT funds to arrive. We're going wireless and getting laptops for students.

Accessibility- Take 2

Last week's blog was also on accessibility yet I focused more on accessibility for the visually impaired. This week's assignment helped me gain more information about the other forms of disability: mobility, hearing, and cognitive. Who knew blinking lights on a website could cause a seizure? In examining my school's website, I realized how inaccessible our site is. Yikes! We have a lot of work to do in order to make it better. I am also a little overwhelmed. Creating a website takes a great deal of work especially when you have to think of ways to ensure accessibility. I have my work cut out for me.

Accessibility for All

I got a whopping dose of "reality" this week when I started looking at websites through the "eyes" of the handicapped. Shamefully I must admit I have never given thought to how the visually impaired use websites. The assignment this week caused me to pause and research it a little bit. Often we take so much for granted. I might not name a photo because it is one more little thing to do. But for someone with a visual impairment, it is a huge deal. Also, how you name a link or create a heading is so important in how the visually impaired obtain information from a website. I can tell you one thing, I will be more sensitive to this issue in the future. Here's a good link I used to help me understand more about making websites accessible to those with visual impairments.

http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=57&TopicID=167

Science or Art? Evaluating Websites

I enjoyed this week's assignment tremendously and yet it caused me to pause and ponder some things. The course readings did a thorough job of explaining the elements of a good website. Some had checklists, others had bulleted points to consider. It all seemed very scientific-like. If you do "A" and then add in element "B" it will = a good site. The part I found tricky was verbally expressing the visual design. That is where the artistry comes in. I found myself using a term such as, "It was pleasing to the eye"......that's not exactly what you'd call quantitative data. The actual design of any website is an art form. I don't think it can be explicitly taught. You just have to know what looks right. Sure you can teach elements such as balance, texture, line usage, etc. But in the end, it all comes down to having an eye for the layout. And that, my friends, is art.