Web Sites That Pertain to Multimedia -- Authoring and Creative Websites

A Research Of Web Sites That Pertain To Career Goals In Areas Of Multimedia Instructional Design: An Annotated List And Rationales For Presentation Of Twenty Web Sites

Figure 1. (Adobe_logo.gif, 1998)

RATIONALE FOR SUBMITTING ADOBE SYSTEMS, INC.

Especially for the Creative Manager or Project Manager of a multimedia department, Adobe’s site provides extensively detailed reviews on how to multi-purpose your work for print, Web, broadcast, and multimedia delivery. When your team’s final goal is learning content for delivery by computer, very often there is a high need for knowing how to multi-purpose the work. Adobe’s website offers a wealth of information in case studies for design, multimedia, and illustration. (Adobe Solutions, 1998). When studying these histories online, one objective of the team leader would be to point out the usable factors in one industry to another, and that many design functions may be utilized across the board.

ANNOTATION: ADOBE SYSTEMS, INC. Adobe Systems, Inc. (1998). Adobe Systems online [home page]. San Jose, CA: Company as author. [Online]. Available: http://www.adobe.com/
Adobe’s site includes a very helpful area in the training of a development and design team — the Adobe School. The site was co-developed by educators, curriculum specialists, and Web publishers, and therefore features unrivaled K-12 lesson plans that combine classroom activities and point-by-point instructions for publishing project results on the Web. (Adobe School, 1998). This, in itself is a highly valuable archetype for a multimedia team: it combines design functions with educational functions, which is the very basis of instructional design.

Sometimes, for a new member of a multimedia team, just getting started can prove to be a bit intimidating. Simply being introduced to the correct tools for the job will lead to a successful start in the team’s success. If a new employee is just learning about developing learning content on the Web — or at least this company’s methods — start by checking out Web Tools. There is general information about Web publishing, as well as details about using Adobe products for classroom projects, explained in a user-friendly tutorial. There is also a bibliography of further reading, and pointers to additional educational resources online.

Adobe recognizes its partnership with companies and individuals that stand as models or exemplars in the design and education communities. Although these examples could also be considered simply a resource, there is more to it than that. Each model is seen in the profession as an entity that not only is state-of-the-art, but also trend-setting. Members of one’s team will draw encouragement, will learn to establish high goals in their work, and will learn to look for the leaders in their profession, in order to emulate that high level of success.

(520 words)

Figure 2. (Allen_logo1.gif, 1998)

RATIONALE FOR SUBMITTING ALLEN COMMUNICATION
AND DESIGNER’S EDGE

Allen Communication: Our Goal,

Important to this author’s search, Allen’s staff is made up of specialists with the critical skills in instructional design and multimedia technology to help assess and implement multimedia training. They have broad experience with the entire development process, from audience analysis to final delivery. (Allen’s courseware, 1998). It is the aspect of specificity and custom-built applications that makes Allen Communications so indispensable to this analysis.

As this writer begins to put together a training tool for a future multimedia team, it is important to realize that not every training professional who is appointed with bringing CBT training to their company has any formal schooling in instructional design or experience with multimedia. With the utilization of software and services of Allen Communication, this contracted partnership will fill in any gaps in the team’s expertise and help to build a strong multimedia development team. (Allen’s courseware, 1998). Most important to this research is Allen’s commitment to courseware that is action-oriented and skill-based. It is not built only on information or procedures to be learned. (Allen, Theoretical orientation, 1998).

ANNOTATION: ALLEN COMMUNICATION AND DESIGNER’S EDGE Allen Communication. (1998). Allen Communication: Our goal [home page]. Salt Lake City, UT: Company as author. [Online]. Available: http://www.allencomm.com/ Much of Allen’s website is devoted to their Designer’s Edge software. This excellent tool assists instructional designers in all phases of the training development cycle, from analysis to evaluation. It furnishes all of the tools, examples, advice, and templates that a team will need to develop a robust design for a technology-based course of training. It offers many benefits to the user, including process acceleration, data organization capabilities, on-line instructional expertise, and flexibility. The website is thorough in explaining things like the hundreds of pre-built templates linked to instructional strategies, and pre-built data collection forms. The software facilitates a consistent development process so that designers don’t have to reinvent process with every new project. Important in this fast-paced technology, Designer’s Edge offers Objective Writer and Report Wizards, which allow designers to create key documents more quickly than ever.

This tool appeared to this writer to be a most central implement for success in the design process. Designer’s Edge stores design files in a central location, for easy access by anyone on the development team. It is a marvel at data organization, as it automatically generates key reports and documents, such as needs analyses, audience profiles, course maps, design strategies, and even script-storyboards. The online documentation convinced this author that the all-purpose functions of Designer’s Edge were at least as important as an excellent authoring tool. Its ability to auto-generate a central media log of video, graphics, audio, and animation, with the added ability to print out lists for video shots, graphics, and narrative scripts, is indispensable for especially large projects. All of this also includes an on-line sorting capability, which will make it easier for the team to keep all project portions in the online environment.

Allen Communication provides a very unique and valuable service in their online, context-sensitive, just-in-time instructional design advice. They also have an online instructional design course called Show Me How. They have Report Wizards and the Objective Writer, to help designers write properly formatted reports and objectives. The Course Map Wizard helps designers make decisions about course structure. This writer noticed that the website mirrors the actual Designer’s Edge software – it walks novice designers step-by-step through the instructional design process. This could easily make Designer’s Edge the most important purchase in establishing an authoring tool kit for a multimedia team.

Finally, Allen’s software allows designers to customize a project’s interface with their own phases and tasks. It is, indeed, a custom-built tool. It is made to work with any RTF-compatible word processor and authoring tool and it allows users to attach any other instructional development software at any point of performance, such as media selection software, multimedia cost justification software, graphics packages, video editing software, or video capture software. It enables connectivity to other databases through ODBC storyboard output. (Allen, Designer’s Edge aims, 1998). This all-in-one tool appears to be potentially the most important tool in the instructional designer’s tool kit.

(820 words)

Figure 3. (Asymetrix_logo.gif, 1998)

RATIONALE FOR SUBMITTING ASYMETRIX, INC.

This type of detailed organization and management can be accomplished using a learning management system. Asymetrix Librarian records scores, manages courses, and distributes content over an entire organization. It provides comprehensive management reports on the results of an organization’s training investment. With Librarian, the manager may assess training effectiveness and then report findings back to the organization.

This capacity has never been available before – yet it is critical, as corporations demand an assessable return on any training expenditure. Multimedia teams that have begun to incorporate such tools into their projects are ahead of the competitors.

This website also addresses other issues often ignored by other authoring software companies. Asymetrix helps the design team in reworking existing training materials to take advantage of new technologies, such as the Internet. For example, an instructor-led training course probably won’t translate directly into online media. There are barriers of mixing old and new software and hardware technologies.

A very prevalent issue in this writing is that there is a definite shortage of skilled staff in these areas. The team that offers expertise in both content development and instructional technologies, will be the ones to roll out enterprise-wide, technology-based training projects. (Asymetrix, Creating, Delivering and Managing, 1998).

ANNOTATION: ASYMETRIX, INC. Asymetrix, Inc. (1997-1998). Welcome to Asymetrix Learning Systems [home page]. Belleview, WA: Company as author. [Online]. Available: http://www.asymetrix.com/
Asymetrix products have set standards for authoring learning content. Their software is this author’s preferred authoring tool. This company has earned the right to define "Online Learning."
"It is the creation, delivery and management of training via CD-ROM, the Internet or Intranet. Over the last few years we’ve seen advances in training due to technology such as multimedia. But it’s only with the explosive growth of the Internet that training and technology have truly merged to form this new solution." (What Is Online Learning?, 1998).
Asymetrix poses a dramatic figure in methods for the multimedia design team. Especially, the advent of online learning via the Internet poses key questions for training managers. These include how to best create online learning courses; how to organize, measure, and manage training resources; and, to make these resources actually deliver what is required. The Asymetrix website has many answers. They have a tremendous collection of products for creating online learning applications, such as ToolBook II Instructor, ToolBook II Assistant, and IconAuthor NetEdition.

Asymetrix has a wide range of authoring products for everyone including experienced professional developers, corporate trainers, university educators, and subject matter experts. Asymetrix makes authoring products for both Windows and Unix-based systems. They have several complementary authoring support products for digital media that can be utilized to integrate high quality multimedia capacities, such as video, 3D models and animation, into online learning applications. (Asymetrix Products, 1998). The website offers the Asymetrix Showcase, where demos, screen shots, case studies, and white papers serve as resources as well as models for one’s own design team. The Web 3D Showcase is a set of stunning pages, as is the gallery of images created with Web3D. Finally, Asymetrix showcases methods using WebPublisher, for tying all the instructional and presentation forms together – online! (Asymetrix Showcase, 1998).

(613 words)

Figure 4. (lotuslearningspace_logo.jpg, 1998)

RATIONALE FOR SUBMITTING LOTUS — LearningSpace

LearningSpace,

LearningSpace

What Is LearningSpace,

LearningSpace Release 2.5 is for creating and delivering collaborative, instructor-facilitated, distributed education and training to employees and students. It is a powerful application that merges collaborative technology with the global access of the web, to make a highly effective distributed learning setting – with all the advantages of a face-to-face classroom. (Distributed collaborative learning, 1998).

ANNOTATION: LOTUS — LearningSpace Lotus, Inc. (1998). What Is LearningSpace? [home page]. Mountain View, CA: Company as author. [Online]. Available: http://www.lotus.com/products/learningspace.nsf/93bdd2a5934b2be28525631
000760d02/0b50913e2c930a31852565e7004bca23?OpenDocument
The LearningSpace website is filled with information for the multimedia design team. Perhaps the best example of theory for distance learning is their explanation of methods for creating ways to allow all employees and students equal learning opportunities without the limitations of time and place. They offer four participant modules that may be accessed using Netscape, Internet Explorer, or a Notes client. They are: Schedule, Media Center, Course Room, and Profiles. The website also explains their easy-to-use instructor tools for course management, which are: Assessment Manager and LearningSpace Central. (What Is LearningSpace, 1998).

The LearningSpace 2.5 Spec Sheet, in itself, is a learning tool, with many new ideas coming to mind as one reads through the available options. It overviews the collaborative facilities, showing that distance learning may be set up to extend far beyond email and chat rooms. LearningSpace offers a range of innovative tools that enable multiple levels of interplay among team or class members, and the instructor. (Distributed collaborative learning, 1998).

Extremely important aspects to developing interactive, distance learning are the offerings of an application for "Instructor-Led and Facilitated" learning environments. This is handled well by LearningSpace, which supports the learning process of an entire course instead of just an individual class session. In this manner, LearningSpace gives instructors unparalleled opportunities to support academic expertise and reach a much wider audience. The next most important aspect of this application is their commitment to web-enabled technologies. Lotus has managed to create this tremendous authoring environment, where no programming or technical skills are required, as templates help to form the course content quickly and easily.

For the team involved in multimedia structures, Lotus shows how LearningSpace has enhanced multimedia options. The developer can bring much diversity into courses, with cutting-edge video, audio, and graphics. Finally, Lotus places much emphasis on the team-based approach. This website shows that a Project Leader can leverage team learning and collaboration for maximum performance and efficiency, both in the team process and in the final product for delivery. (LearningSpace Specs, 1998).

(571 words)

Figure 5. (mmlogo.gif, 1998)

RATIONALE FOR SUBMITTING MACROMEDIA, INC.

Shockwave, Authorware, Backstage, DECK II, Director, Dreamweaver, Extreme 3D, Fireworks, Flash, Fontographer, FreeHand, Pathware, SoundEdit16, xRes,

Xtras.

If the intense creative abilities on the Macromedia site are not enough, then the offerings for user support should snag the attention of any Project Leader. Some of these support options are: Free Electronic Support, Free Support for Registered Users, Incident Single Developer, Incident Priority Access, International Support Options, Authorized Training Program, MAGIC Service Bureau Program, and the User groups. In exploring these web pages, it became very evident how deep Macromedia’s commitment is – to its customers, and to this technology.

The truly unique offering that Macromedia has, in this writer’s opinion, is their list of Beta Programs. One option that will be very helpful to a Project Leader invites the viewer to "Find a developer to help you using our developer locator. The Developer Support Network is like having a Macromedia consultant with you on every job. DSN subscribers receive the highest level of development assistance and referral network listings. . . .Let us help you take your work to the next level!" (Macromedia Support, 1998). The opportunity to work with such a Developer might not just make or break the next project, but could certainly elevate the team’s position in the development community.

ANNOTATION: MACROMEDIA, INC. Macromedia, Inc. (1995-1998 ). Macromedia support. Mountain View, CA: Company as author. [Online]. Available: http://www.macromedia.com/support/ Macromedia offers three very basic and powerful tools for the creative authoring team. It is this writer’s opinion that each of these software is almost a "must have" in the designer’s toolkit. These applications are Authorware, Director, and Pathware.

Authorware is a very powerful and complete authoring environment for creating and publishing interactive learning solutions for Web and CD delivery. Authorware provides everything you need to create:

"networked interactive multimedia training and educational courseware
multimedia training solutions for Intranets and the Web
interactive training titles on CD-ROM/DVD kiosks
performance support and just-in-time training online
multimedia presentations interactive magazines and catalogues
simulations and prototypes." (What Is Authorware, 1998).

It is vital for the design team to understand and work toward usability on all platforms. Macromedia has, perhaps more than any other company, spent literally years on devising software that are usable not only in the creation stages, but also the end-user stage – for platform "bilinguality." Their "Author Once, Publish Anywhere" concept is certainly to be embraced by any design team. This allows your team to deliver applications on diskette, hard disk, CD-ROM, DVD, and over corporate networks, intranets, and the Internet; in Windows and Macintosh authoring and playback. The designer can create and test an application on Windows that also runs on Macintosh (and vice versa), without the other version of Authorware. That seems to cover all the possibilities!

For the multimedia team, Macromedia also offers the best in high-productivity authoring, where the designer may incorporate media elements directly into Authorware files or they can be stored externally in native file formats with links from the application to the files. One extremely important offering of Authorware 4 files, in particular, is that they are compressed to be 50 to 75% smaller than version 3.5 files – or files in competitors’ software! ([Macromedia] Author Once, 1998). Again, this author found that this website has all tools necessary for successful authoring for any instance.

The TechNotes pages allow the user to find answers to questions by searching hundreds of technical documents on known Authorware or Director issues. ([Macromedia] Top Authorware TechNotes, 1998). The support programs are excellent, and provide expert consulting-level support. (Macromedia, Director Support Overview, 1998). Examples are given in many locations on the site. For instance, cross-platform authoring and playback is well presented in The Director Multimedia Studio, and it is truly cross-platform! (Macromedia, Cross-Platform Authoring, 1998).

Macromedia (in competition with Asymetrix) has built-in features that assist managers by automatically tracking results and maintaining accurate student records. The application will track training content developed in literally any authoring tool, including Macromedia Authorware and Director, Toolbook II, IconAuthor, Quest, Visual Basic, HTML, and Java. This eliminates the need for multiple management systems for different content.

Pathware 3 is a new addition at Macromedia. It offers an integrated solution for delivery and management of online learning over LANs and the Web. It is standards-based and built in an open architecture, where the designer can combine commercially available content with custom content for a cost-effective and comprehensive training solution, for maximum Web-based flexibility. (Macromedia, What Is Pathware 3, 1998).

(787 words)

Figure 6. (onlineeducator_logo.gif, 1998)

RATIONALE FOR SUBMITTING ONLINE EDUCATOR –
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS, INC.

There are two very beneficial options on this website. First, the user may search their archives – a database for specific links by grade level, subject or a full-text search. There are hundreds of ideas for lessons, as well as the germinating seed for a future interactive learning software! Their discussion forum is also a valuable tool to the designer. Educators are invited to share thoughts about the Net and education, and one may read comments from teachers around the world to find out how they are using the ‘Net in their classrooms. This promises invaluable usability for the designer.

ANNOTATION – ONLINE PUBLICATIONS, INC. Online Publications, Inc. (1998). Online Educator: Making the Internet an accessible, useful classroom tool. Detroit, MI: Company as author. [Online].
Available: http://ole.net/ole/
The best way of giving details of this website is to describe one of the newsletters. In the May issue, the cover story, "Israel at 50" was an excellent overview of the current Jewish state. In the option, BIOLOGY, the article, "Ribbit— A Boggy, Froggy Lesson," concerned many more aspects of the common frog than just the usual high-school requisites of dissect and forget! The site also offered news on summer learning online, for those involved in Home Schooling; activities and lessons for toddlers for rainy spring days, and a very comprehensive view of problems with search engines and how to deal with them. The section, NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION LESSON PLAN, was a terrific site on "Great women: Recognizing their leadership in American society." Already this writer found a niche, and an idea for a future learning application! (Online Educator Welcome, 1998). Perhaps one of the most useful aspects of this website is that each section has a "Read The Comments" selection, where teachers who have used the program or application have described it. (Online Educator HotList Catalog, 1998).

Finally, one option that turned out to harbor a plethora of helpful bits of advice and ideas for the multimedia instructional designer, was a link to THE HOMEWORK PAGE, which is found at http://www.tpoint.net/~jewels/homework.html. Arranged by topics, from Arts to Social Sciences (with age-specific sites and a separate section on "interesting collections" thrown in as well) this resource should be included in every K-12 student’s bookmark file. (Online Educator, The Homework Page, 1998). It also will be very useful in the Designer’s toolkit.

(498 words)

Figure 7. (projectcool_logo.gif, 1998)

RATIONALE FOR SUBMITTING Project Cool Developer Zone

Developer Zone,

The absolute best tool for developers was discovered at Project Cool. The devSEARCH Search leads to an astounding engine that searches only web creation resources, from top developer’s sites. Many times, this author has been able to find web development topics through this tool, where no other would suffice. Their option, Sightings, takes the user to explore great websites. Their Peoplesphere section has Forums for [again] "building the Web." And, a truly unique section, Future Focus, asks the user to think about the Web and its future. (Project Cool, Anyone can build, 1998).

Of particular use to a multimedia design team, are the actual tools found on any website. The DHTML Zone’s latest tutorial, "The Right Alignment," revealed secrets for scrolling content from the right side of the screen, and it was exemplified in their new front page. Their new JavaScript zone is now fully functional, and allows for utilization of scripts-you-can-use on a regular basis. Finally, Project Cool offers sections on PhotoShop and Legal Forms. They’ve reviewed PhotoShop books that are especially helpful to the interactive designer. They also offer legal guides complete with forms that may be needed. (Project Cool, Developer Zone, 1997).

ANNOTATION: Project Cool Developer Zone Project Cool, Inc. and Martin-Davis. (1998). Project Cool: Anyone can build a great website! Copyright ©1998. [Online]. Available: http://www.projectcool.com/
One of the most useful tutorials was found by this author on the Project Cool website. The "Welcome to the Five-Minute HTML Quick Start!" pages are full of simplified directions for taking any kind of content to the Web. For the instructional design team, many times the simplest approach is the most necessary. This tutorial is a very helpful addition to the Team Leader’s toolkit. These steps walk you quickly through the process of building a basic web page, and will give enough information to get started. The most important advice on this page was: "The most important thing to remember? This is fun! Don’t let anyone scare you away or psyche you out by telling you how difficult it is or what you can do wrong. You can’t break anything! And as long as you like your pages, that’s what counts. (Project Cool, HTML quick start, 1997). Perhaps, in the world of instructional design, there is "more that counts" than just liking what you have produced. But, the element that is important here is that the design team must truly enjoy this marvelous new medium for creation and delivery of learning content. That attitude is part of what makes this arena so exciting.

A very good mini-lesson in design is also found here: "Welcome to WebTips!" is a short list with hot word definitions for these items: keep it simple; simple not boring; five fingers; three clicks; thirty seconds; words matter; learn balance; frames vs. tables; and frames in moderation. (Project Cool, Welcome to web tips, 1997). These short design tips literally include everything needed for developing concise and attractive content for online learning systems.

For the multimedia designer, this section is very appropriate: Learning JavaScript shows the user how a commonly used scripting language lets you add additional interactivity to web pages. Their JavaScript Quickstart is a gentle introduction to scripting and JavaScript. It won’t make an expert out of the first-time user, but will give a sense of what JavaScript is all about. JavaScript Basics introduces object and scripting philosophies behind the language, as well as the nuts and bolts of inserting a script within an HTML page. Writing Scripts overviews commonly used standard objects, operators, events and event handlers as well as showing how to create new elements and new scripts from scratch. Scripts You Can Use is a set of scripts that can be downloaded, adapted, and used immediately in current projects. (Project Cool JavaScript Guide, 1998).

Although more Web-oriented than authoring-for-instructional-design-oriented, this website has provided hours of useful research, as well as some of the most important tools for the Project Leader, for developing online content.

Figure 8. (teaching-with-web_logo.gif, 1998)

RATIONALE FOR SUBMITTING Teaching With The Web

Teaching With The Web,

ANNOTATION: Teaching With The Web Rosen, Lauren. Web activities for any language. Univ. of Wisconsin, Language Studies Dept.: author. [Online]. Available: http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/lss/lang/teach.html
There are two main components of the home page. City Net (http://www.city.net/ ) allows the user to travel to favorite countries to visit parks, monuments, universities, or any other site of interest. These global destinations might include Antarctica, the Caribbean, or the Middle East. It’s an excellent planning tool for trips abroad for students. There are pictures of favorite monuments and information on the target language, the natural resources and art in any preferred country.

Metro Link (http://metro.jussieu.fr:10001 ) allows one to visit the major cities of the world and learn where to go and how to get there from your favorite part of the city. The Metro Ride combined with City Net can be used as a springboard for activities that will incorporate language and culture. Other than an expensive plane ticket, the Internet is the next best thing to being there! With tremendous graphics and descriptive information, this website is a valuable tool in the designer’s kit. (Web Activities for Any Language, 1998).

One of the most useful aspects of this website is their "Language Specific Activities." There is a long list of activities that were donated to the website by various instructors in German, French, Spanish, ESL/EFL, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Latin, and African Languages. The site has "Foreign Language Lesson Plans," where choosing a topic and retrieves a long list of great activities for many different languages. ( http://138.87.135.33/class/projects.htm ).

The selection, "Useful Resources, Lesson Plans, and Teaching Materials for Teachers" (http://www.ling.lancs.ac.uk/staff/visitors/kenji/teacher.htm ) is particularly useful for instructional designers. Again, these topics will help the designer stay on top of issues that are absolutely current in education today. This site has lesson plans for the web as well as teaching materials, resources, and links to student projects.

This review wouldn’t be complete without listing just a few of the links provided:

Learning the Russian Language	http://www.ddminc.com/russian/index.htm
Latin for Americans	http://www.academyonline.com/academy/athens/latin/unit12.htm
Famous Japanese Personages Project	http://www.kyoto-su.ac.jp/information/famous/index.html
Teaching with Video/France-TV	http://www.umbc.edu/France-TV
New Tools for Teaching (Internet)	http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/teachdemo
Language Learning and Technology Publications – The World Wide Web: Taking on the Pedagogical Challenge	http://sunsite.unc.edu/horizon/mono/CD/ Instructional_Technology/Rosen.html

(521 words)

Figure 9, (TexasCET_logo.jpg, 1998)

RATIONALE FOR SUBMITTING Texas Center for Educational Technology

uniquely collaborative.

In the areas of research, TCET sponsors applied research projects designed to increase understanding of the impact of technology on the teaching and learning process. In development, they assist educators in developing new applications for existing technologies pulling together collaborative groups from all educational levels.

ANNOTATION: Texas Center for Educational Technology

Texas Center for Educational Technology.

Texas Center for Educational

Technology (home page).

http://www.tcet.unt.edu/

The offerings on the TCET site are almost overwhelming in abundance. Members of a design team might want to approach this site by dividing the selections in a logical manner, appropriate to individual interests, with the Project Leader holding periodic meetings where researched data may be shared. One interesting thing to note is that this project is housed in the College of Education’s Academy for Research and Development at the University of North Texas – which also has one of the best-developed instructional design graduate schools available, in this writer’s opinion.

This site has literally hundreds of links to educational organizations, to state, regional, and national educational and professional educator organizations, to educational resources on the WEB, and Web resources for help with technology and curriculum areas. It also has many links to educational sites for kids, for direct and immediate use. Each one of these links is a tremendous promise for the designer of learning environments, as the recommended sites carry very current news and issues, as well as educational trends.

Educational Technology Topic Pages

TCET Information,

Some of the TCET Educational Sites listed are: AskERIC Virtual Library, Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, PBS (Public Broadcasting System), Cable in the Classroom Online, Houghton Mifflin’s Education Place, IBM’s Educator News, National Geographic Superkids, VTEL Corporation – Videoconferencing Solutions, Western Illinois University, Educators’ Technology Center of Indiana, the Instructional Technology Connections at the University of Colorado at Denver, and the Learning Technologies Center at Cornell University.

TCET Educational Sites List,

(744 words)

Figure 10. (webreview_logo.gif, 1998)

RATIONALE FOR SUBMITTING Web Review —
Professional Developer’s Magazine

WebReview

This informative article then overviews the crop of specialty search engines that are showing up — some even claim to be the biggest and best online. This brief overview netted maximum results in a short time. HotBot was listed as taking 5 minutes to examine and evaluate, which turned out to be correct (this author has had previous experience with some of these). The Search Engine Watch, 10 minutes. An interesting example was SavvySearch, also 10 minutes, and the standby, DejaNews took 5 minutes. The most gratifying find for people in this career arena was found at the Study Web, which was supposed to take 10 minutes, and took this writer over three days to study and ponder!! (Because of topics, not usability!)

StudyWeb claims that it is "Focusing The Web For Education." Once you have searched their collection of over 63,000 research URLs, you probably will tend to agree. This vastly well-organized and interesting site has been categorized and reviewed for appropriate topics, age levels, and connectivity between subjects. It includes a huge list of keywords, which will be the operating tool for the developer, in conjunction with links found on individual sites. The root of each web site provides an almost endless succession of ideas for the designer/developer. The topics list is impressive. Here are a few: Agriculture, Animals and Pets, Architecture, Business and Finance, Communications, Computer Science, Criminology, Education, Family Science, Fine Arts, Geography, Government and Politics, Grammar and Composition, Health and Nutrition, History, Home and Garden, Literature, Math, Medicine, Mental Health, Metaphysics, Military Science, Music, Philosophy, Reference, Religion, Science, Social Studies and Culture, Teaching Resources, Transportation, AND Writing and Writers. If that isn’t enough, they also offer "Other Resources." This author was afraid to "go there!" (Graphic Solutions of Connecticut and Luciano Creative, 1998).

The site offered something totally unique, and which might, in itself, be used as an exemplar for inclusion in an authored product. The Study Buddy is "The Researcher’s Virtual Companion." It is a JavaScript pop-up page with access to Encyclopedia, Thesaurus, Calculator, News listings, Dictionary, World Time, Weather, and other scholarly tools. (StudyWeb home page, 1998). It also happens to be one of the more useful research tools this writer has found anywhere on the Web. Leaving Study Web and returning to WebReview, it must be noted that sometimes our best finds are links from somewhere else. It is the nature of the online learning community.

ANNOTATION: Web Review — Professional developer’s magazine

Web Review, Songline Studios, and O’Reilly & Associates.

Web Review.

http://webreview.com/wr/pub

WebReview

Their Web Tools Buyer’s Guide will prove to be a valuable tool for any designer, but it seemed very appropriate for the Project Leader, in helping to determine the scope and cost of equipment and software. It is a comprehensive guide to products, tools and services for today’s Web developer.

WebReview is part of a larger system. Their Sister Sites at www.webcoder.com will help the multimedia team keep up-to-date with such things as Dynamic HTML and JavaScript. The Style Sheets Guide will help in staying on top of Cascading Style Sheets with the Spec, tutorials, and browser compatibility charts. www.webfonts.com brings the knowledge of experts into this special site that is ALL FONTS and a designer’s dream.

A final word concerning WebReview would be that, for the links alone, this may stand as the best of the Web for the design team, for its capacities are so huge that it is almost a standalone tool. Coupled with an excellent authoring software, these two items could almost complete the toolkit.

(872 words)

Collection of graphics, HTML coding & layout, creation of links for Figures List and References,
done by L. C. Boyd. All graphics are properties and © of the pertinent websites, individuals, or
companies, and may be found at the corresponding links.
©1998 Leanne C. Boyd