What makes an effective website?

In order to have an effective website, the structure of the site must be user-friendly. The person accessing the site should be able to navigate through the site with little effort. You should be able to navigate through the pages and return to any page in the same manner. If someone is frustrated by the use of the site they are going to soon lose interest in the message that is being delivered.

The graphics used on the website should be appealing and draw attention to the reader. Poor graphic designs can lead the reader into believing that the information they are reading is not credible.

The core message of the site should be apparent, clear, and compelling. The core message should be the main reasons that people visit your site. Your message should address your user's needs, wants, level of knowledge, and goals.

When I create my website I will use Zoho. For someone with little web-design experience it is as easy to use as Microsoft Power Point. You can easily move text around, add images and sounds, and publish with the click of a button. I will be able to ensure that my message is presented in a friendly manner and that the site is easily navigable.

How multimedia tools can support 21st Century learning

Multimedia tools in the classroom can help increase student engagement and lead to increased understanding and learning. This is especially true in the mathematics classroom that some students in the past considered to be boring paper and pencil work. Through the use of the internet, real-life and student-relevant data can be brought into the classroom to make problems more interesting.

With the use of presentation tools such as Microsoft Power Point, Anamoto, and Photostory students can now use their creative side to present ideas and explain their learning. No longer are math classrooms limited to paper and pencil tests to access learning.

Another Multimedia tool that enhances learning in the math classroom is United Streaming. The videos in the online library are available to teachers in full length and shortened clips. Videos and video clips can be used to teach a concept, enhance teaching, or for re-teaching.