© keele university 2003 web authoring 1 keele university stephen bostock, staff development web...

© Keele university 2003Web Authoring

1

Keele University

Stephen Bostock, Staff Development

Web Authoring for Teaching

Keele 2002. All rights reserved.The copyright in this document is vested in Keele University. The document must not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, or used for manufacturing purposes, except with the prior written permission of Keele University and then only on condition that this notice is included in any such reproduction. Information contained in this document is believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but no liability whatsoever can be accepted by Keele University arising out of any use made of this information. Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, Stephen Bostock asserts the moral right to be identified as author of this work.


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OverviewAim: to be able to select appropriate authoring

tools in the light of issues for web authoring.

Types of web authoring toolsFront000 and DreamweaverThree issues

Staff time Usability Accessibility


3Difficulties in selecting a

development toolMany tools are available, versions change

frequently, and information is usually sales information – independent advice is hard to find. Three categories of criteria are:

1. Functionality – what can it do?Is a development tool suited to the kind of web are you producing? The browsers to be used?

2. What interface does it have for the author? Is HTML knowledge required?

3. Organizational factors and cost.


4Types of Web authoring tools

1. Text editors e.g. Notepad

2. Specialist text editors e.g. htmlasst

3. Office applications

4. Web page editors e.g. Composer

5. Web site editors e.g. FrontPage, NetObjects Fusion, HotMetal, Dreamweaver

6. Web site generators e.g. CALnet, HTMLgen,

7. Database generation, static and dynamic

8. Adobe Acrobat pdf documents


5

1. Text editors e.g.Notepad


62. Specialist HTML editors

e.g. HTML assistant


73. Office e.g.Word, after Save

As HTML


8PowerPoint 2000

- Save as Web page, Publish


9

PowerPoint2000 – web ‘page’


104. Web page editors e.g.Netscape Composer


11Notepad after editing in Composer


125. Web site editors e.g. FrontPage 2000


13


14FrontPage navigation view


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FrontPage, links view


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FrontPage example ‘theme’


17Summary of FrontPage

FrontPage 2000 can be an effective site management tool

FrontPage 2000 gives a number of useful views and facilities for web site management by multiple authors

Some of these facilities require software extensions (ASP, FrontPage Extensions) to be added to the web server


18Dreamweaver 4


19


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Dreamweaver and FrontPage

Dreamweaver is harder to learn, requires more knowledge and is somewhat more powerful.

Instead of FrontPage Themes Dreamweaver has Template pages and library items.

Dreamweaver will not alter your HTML except to correct it, FrontPage does.

Dreamweaver does not have ‘FrontPage extensions’ but these require web server software, most easily on MS web servers.

Other Macromedia products like Flash integrate well.


21

Net objects Fusion, page view


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Net objects Fusion, site view


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6. CALnet


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6. CALnet HTML output


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6. Web site generator e.g. Webgen


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6. Web site generator e.g. Webgen


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7. Database generation - Access

Static sites generated by using Access menus (e.g. Criminology Department

resource room records) Visual Basic code (e.g. Links pages on

Stephen Bostock’s site)Dynamic sites where web pages are created on

the fly from a database. Requires a web server supporting e.g. ASP.


28Web site from Visual Basic in Access


29The web site generated


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8. Acrobat pdf from Word


31Acrobat slides from Powerpoint


32PowerPoint Handouts as .pdf files


33Issues:

Ease of creation and maintenance1. Drop the original files into the ltr module folder

and let the automatic index provide the menu (use long descriptive file names)

2. Hand edit (with Notepad or Composer) individual pages and link them

3. Use FrontPage or similar for a larger web, re-using a module template


34www.learn.keele automatic menu


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Issues: Usability

Can students find and access the information they want? On campus, at home?

Careful about linking, descriptive anchorsConsistent navigation across a webVersion control – period of use, date last edited,

web page list, log of updatesShort pages, minimise scrolling, no horizontal

scrollingNo rolling animationsProvide alternative file types if there is a problem

with one e.g. Acrobat


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Issues: Accessibility

SENDA is in force and applies to web informationSpecial pages or one design-for-all?Several sources of standards and guidance but:

Keep page layout simple Use Heading levels and lists to structure Pale plain backgrounds, strong text contrast Text alternatives for pictures, animations etc. Works without graphics Text resizing Works without mouse


37

References

MacKnight C. & Balagopalan S. 1989 An evaluation tool for measuring authoring system performance. Comm. of the ACM 32 (10) 1231-1236

Hunka, S 1989 Design guidelines for CAI authoring systems Educational Technology 29 (11) 12-17

More detail on choosing authoring tools:www.keele.ac.uk/depts/cs/Stephen_Bostock/docs/authass.htm

Links on authoring tools:

www.keele.ac.uk/depts/cs/Stephen_Bostock/keywords/software.html

Accessibility source:

http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/cs/Stephen_Bostock/docs/review_web_accessibility.htm

© keele university 2003 web authoring 1 keele university stephen bostock, staff development web...

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