Developing ICT

Websites

A website is basically a collection of pages of information which can contain text, graphics, audio and video. The data is stored on a computer acting as a web server, and can be accessed using a web browser program. Each web site contains a home page, which is (normally) the first page users see when they enter the site. Each site is owned and managed by an individual, company or organisation such as a school.

Web pages are viewed through a browser, such as Internet Explorer or Netscape. (Although there are international standards for how browsers should display web pages, neither Internet Explorer or Netscape follow them precisely, so pages designed to work correctly on one browser will not necessarily do so on another.) A 'search engine' allows research to be done at a simple or sophisticated level with the use of 'key words'.

Good websites can be referred to as a source of ideas for the design and production of assignments in RE, they also have a wealth of useful content for students working in the subject. Responsible use of the Internet involves an awareness of its potential dangers as well as advantages. In an educational context only reliable sites which have been checked for content suitability should be used. 'Metasites' such as www.REonline.org.uk are an excellent gateway to other sites which are regularly checked for both their suitability and appropriate educational content. Schools will normally have a filtering device built into their system(s) to prevent access to unsuitable content, but it is worth remembering that this facility may not be on computers used at home. For this reason it is best to make specific recommendations of web sites to be researched away from school.

An intranet is a 'private internet' running on your computer network. Information is accessible only to members on the network. You view pages through a browser like any others, but you are viewing web pages in a form not available to anyone outside the intranet.

Web pages are designed using a web authoring tool. These are software packages which give you everything you need to create and manage exactly the site you want. Common authoring tools include MS Frontpage and Dreamweaver.

Granada Learning's Internet Odyssey 2 is an easy to use multimedia presentation creator which can incorporate CD-ROM and website data, and can be used to make web sites.

When students develop a website, encourage them to analyse what it is that appeals to them about particular web sites – and why others do not appeal.

• Get them to be clear about what makes a site 'good'?
  
  
• Don't let them forget the audience of their website.
  
  
• Ensure they know the importance of what the website is aiming to achieve.
  
  
• Encourage them to look at some school websites. How successful are they ? What needs changing and why?
  
  
• A useful starting point, lisiting many school / LEA websites is: www.reonline.org.uk/lea_sch
  
  
• Schools with good website projects include:
  
  Snaith Primary School - Welcome to India - home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/india.htm
  
  Buxton Community School - Interactive Hajj Resource - www.religiousstudies.co.uk/hajj/hajj.htm

Make a decision about:

• whether the site is going to be for the internet (www) or the school's intranet (internal network) or both. This will dictate the material to be included and how it is presented;
• the type of site - informational? interactive? revision? Will it have an email facility? Or a hit counter?

Always remember to keep the audience in mind.