You may access my website by clicking on the following link : http://homepage.scholastic.com/CHBuilderWeb/LoginAction.action or go to
Scholastic , Under Parents tab click “Class Homepage Login”. At the sign in, the User Name is “team6-3” and the password is “website”.
• What is your reaction to the entire web development process? Please describe any positive and negative reactions and obstacles that you encountered (if any).
Using a template-based web-page builder (I used Scholastic’s easy classroom
site builder,) made the entire process very easy. I found that Scholastic’s site
was very thorough and explained each step. It also was one of the easiest
projects I have done for this class so far as the builder I used had all the tools
I needed (including graphics, page choices, etc.) and was quick to use.
One drawback to using Scholastic was that some of the page choices (like
Software lists,) did not pertain to me and at first, I had a hard time figuring
out how not to include those pages I could not contribute to on my Home
page. I later realized, because I often signed in as a parent or student
looking at the site, that if I did not include information for the page, it would
be left off the home page. There was also a server problem I experienced
mid-way through building the project and I could not access the site to
preview my changes and edit my page as needed. I have not experienced
the same problem since then, however.
I also feel that with Scholastic, I’m limited in the style of my website and the page choices I have and I don’t feel the page is as easy to access as I’d like (the URL is a bit complicated.)
• Did you share this web site with your classroom? Family? Friends? If so, what type of feedback did you receive? Did this require you to make changes? Please explain.
I only showed the website briefly to my paraprofessional, Tom and the only
change I made from his feedback was to update my homework page (which
I actually have to do again.) After thinking about my site for a couple of
days though, there are some definite content edits that need to be done.
I’d also like to possibly add a page or two to the site, but I have not decided
what yet. As the summer ends and the new school year begins (I plan to
use this site for my team next year,) I am sure the ideas will come and
the appropriate changes will be made.
Another friend of mine at work had a great idea to have students update
and maintain the class website. This will be a great project and I have
some students coming in next year with some learning needs that may
find being the class “webmasters”(which is easy with the Scholastic
site,) will be a great way to boost confidence and engage them in learning.
• What errors/issues did you find when you tested your web site for 508 compliance? Based on 1 or 2 of those errors/issues, what changes would you make to your site?
I was in-shock to see all of the failures and warnings on my site. Many of
these I cannot understand at all and I tried to click on the link to view it
on a Website Map to better understand, but my browser did not support the
application (so maybe Truwex 2.0 fails its own tests – lol.) Anyway, one error
I received was that I had a “clickable image without Alt” which I gathered
from the explanation given means that 20 of my pictures do not have the
appropriate link or formatting to pass 508 standards. So, in trying to
investigate further, I copied a URL from the Truwex list and found what
they were talking about was the Scholastic logo. Now, I take responsibility,
but I did not design the Scholastic logo, so I wonder who would be the
real culprit here? I say Scholastic, but I’m pleading that it’s my first website
(well my first in 9 years,) and I can’t help that logo. To be on the safe side,
and to make myself look less guilty, I checked some of the other images
cited under this error and the ones I checked were also Scholastic site’s
images that are embedded into my site. Truthfully, I would not know how to
begin to make the changes needed.
For good measure and to try to find something I could fix, I looked at
another error which mentioned a data table not having headers. The only thing I could think of that would be causing this (Truwex did not indicate
exact what table it meant this time,) was that I’d linked a Google Calendar to
my announcements page. So, I removed it and tried Truwex once more.
Unfortunately, the same error came up so I am not certain where the error is
and how to fix it.
Personally, I thought that a company that is education and family-friendly like
Scholastic would be aware of Section 508 accessibility codes and ensure that
teachers building websites through their website building system would have
these issues taken care of. Again, I am unsure what I have control over (it
could all be me,) and am not shunning responsibility, but it just surprised me
to see so many problems with my site.
Amy,
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone in being in shock t all the non-compliances you experienced in building your first ever teacher website. I too experienced many errors (though admittedly, I cannot make heads or tails of what most of them mean). I found it interesting and very true in your posting that you can’t reason why scholastic wouldn’t be more cognizant of 508 compliances if they are going to offer free templates for teachers to create their own web sites. I would think, as you did, that they would create a logo that was 508 compliant, especially given the fact that they are such a large education supporter and provider of educational resources.
I thought your teacher web site was very colorful and student friendly. I especially like how you have a section for announcements. I want to have a section like that on my web site but am very fearful of the time management component and not being able to find the time to regular maintain a section like this with current and not outdated information. If I had more time, I would have included a summer reading list on my site as well, linking it to a PowerPoint presentation that gives a little information about the two reading selections that my graduating 8th grades are responsible for. Perhaps I will find time this summer to do more work with my site and make a few changes. Great job!