Instructions for the Creation
of WebQuests for EDU 506
Getting Started:
These instructions and this project are best done
with Netscape Communicator 4.x. (If you are reading a hard copy print of
these instructions, open Netscape and navigate to the Instructions
for the Creation of WebQuests and Interactive WebPages site at
http://teach.fhu.edu/technology/instructions_pc.html.)
From the Instructions site (where
you are now), go to the WebQuest
Template site (by clicking on the underlined link). When the WebQuest
Template loads onto the screen, go to the drop-down menu bar, chose "File"
and "Edit Page". When the Netscape Composer application opens with the
template, you will be able to begin the creation of your own interactive
webpage by simply typing as you would in almost any word-processing application.
One of the first things to do is to save this template
on to your floppy A, in a folder dedicated to this project. This will be
the location of all files, icons, and images. Do this by going to the drop-down
menu bar, chose "File" and "Save As...". When the dialog box appears, navigate
to floppy A, click on the "Create New Folder" button (3rd button on top),
name the folder correctly according to your webpage topic, and rename the
template file to more closely identify the topic you are working on. The
name should be short (8 characters or less) to ensure compatibility with
a variety of computers and systems.
Use the available template to guide you through
the process of creating a short-term, single discipline WebQuest. Some
samples are available from the EDU
506 graduate students (Your WebQuest must be your own original work
that does not duplicate existing ones.) and from the EDU
330 undergraduate students. These students designed webpages that could
be used immediately in their classrooms. Other samples are available from
the Bookmarks
for Educators page.
Resuming Your Work:
If you have followed the previous instructions in
"Getting Started", when you return to resume your work simply insert floppy
A into the drive. Double-click on "My Computer", then double-click on "3
1/2 floppy (A)", and open the folder where you have saved all your work.
Find the file name that you saved your interactive webpage under -- does
it have a ship's wheel icon on it? If so, your computer is set up to edit
the file with Netscape by double-clicking the file icon. (Avoid double-clicking
on the words or name as that may result in your inadvertently erasing or
renaming your file which could be disastrous!)
On the other hand, if the icon is a blue small e,
then your computer is NOT set up to allow direct editing with Netscape.
It will be necessary for you to launch Netscape, open Composer, click on
the Open icon, maneuver to the floppy A disk, open the web folder, and
click on the file that you want to edit.
Netscape Navigator should now be showing your previously
begun webpage. From the drop-down menu bar, chose "File" and "Edit Page".
When the Netscape Composer application opens with your webpage, you will
be able to continue the creation/modifications of your interactive webpage.
(If Netscape does not open your file, close the Internet Explorer application
and then start the Netscape Communicator application. Go to Communicator,
Composer, then click on the "Open" icon and navigate to your folder and
file on the floppy A.)
After working for awhile, be certain to save your
webpage on your floppy A. Do this by going to the drop-down menu bar, chose
"File" and "Save" or click on the "Save" icon on the top row (looks like
a floppy disk).
Naming Your Page:
In order for others to identify your page as a bookmark, you must give it a title. Go to the drop-down menu bar and click on "Format", "Page Colors and Properties", select the tab for "General", if not already selected. Enter a descriptive title of not more than half-dozen words and also enter your name as the author. In the "Keywords" section near the bottom, list several keywords or phrases that describe your WebQuest, separated by commas. Click "Apply" at the bottom and then "Close". Your chosen title should now appear at the very top of your webpage under construction.
Inserting Links:
To add a link to any web page on the Internet, type
the identifying
name of the page, then highlight it. Click on the "Link" icon on the
top line (looks like chain links) to obtain the link menu (or go to the
drop-down menu bar and click on the "Insert", then "Link"). In the
space provided to "Link to a page location or local file", type the entire
URL such as: http://www.foryou.org/tech/instructions.html (be certain
to include the " http:// "). Click
"Apply" at the bottom and then "Close".
Excellent resources are available at the Bookmarks
for Educational Resources page.
Inserting Images:
To add an image (clip art, GIF, or JPG), find the
image you want, right-click on the image to bring up the context-sensitive
menu, and "Save Image as...". When the Save As... dialog box appears, navigate
to the WQ folder on your floppy disk A, notice the name of the image and
retype if necessary for immediate recognition, and save.
Go to the location on your web page under construction
where you wish the image to be placed and click on the "Image" icon on
the top row (or go to the drop-down menu bar and click "Insert", then "Image").
In the space provided for "Image Location", click "Choose File". When the
location box appears, navigate to the folder on your floppy disk, find
the image you previously saved, double-click on the file name (or click
on the file name and then click "Open"). Click "Apply" at the bottom and
then "Close". Your chosen picture/image should now appear on your webpage
under construction.
Navigate the mouse pointer until a two-pronged cross
appears, either on one of the corners or one of the center borders to enlarge
or reduce the size of the image. Use the delete key and/or the backspace
key to remove spaces -or- use the spacebar and/or the tab key to add spaces
until you have the image placed exactly where desired. Often, however,
the image(s) will NOT stay put! When this happens, one of the best choices
becomes to place the title and image(s) in a table.
(This section addresses the purpose of tables, examples of student work,
and instructions for creating tables.)
Embedding Music in a Webpage:
Advanced users may wish to add music that will automatically play when your webpage is loaded. Here are the instructions, but caution -- this is not for everyone as it is quite complicated.
Communications/E-Mail:
At the bottom of your page you should insert a line that identifies you as the author, your instructor and course, and the "last updated" date. (See the bottom of Anita Rhodes' Money page for an example.) To add your email, type your name and highlight it. Click on the "Link" icon on the top line (looks like chain links) to obtain the link menu. In the space provided to "Link to a page location or a local file", type your email address in the following format: mailto:yourID@yourdomain (It is MOST important for you to type the command line without any spaces and you MUST include the "mailto: " command!) Click "Apply" at the bottom and then "Close".
Adding a Background:
To add a background such as those found on Toni Coger
and Janice Shaw's Aesop's
Fables or Anita Rhodes' Money,
first find the image or background color you would like to use from any
web source. Right-click on the background to bring up the context-sensitive
menu, and "Save Background as...". When the save as... dialog box appears,
navigate to the WQ folder on your floppy disk A, notice the name of the
image and retype if necessary for immediate recognition, and save.
Go to your web page under construction, go to the
drop-down menu bar and click on "Format", "Page Colors and Properties",
select the tab for "Colors and Background", if not already selected. In
the section near the bottom labeled "Background Image", put a check mark
in "Use Image", and click "Choose File". When the location box appears,
navigate to the WQ folder on your floppy disk, find the image you previously
saved for your background, double-click on the file name (or click on the
file name and then click "Open"). Click "Apply" at the bottom and then
"OK". Your chosen background should now appear on your webpage under construction.
If it is not to your liking, go to the drop-down menu bar, click "Edit"
and "Undo".
Most background images are too dark or too busy
for easy reading of the text. Two options are suggested: (1) Instead of
using a background image, use a VERY light color for the background by
going to "Format", "Page Colors and Properties", select the tab for "Colors
and Background", if not already selected. In the "Page Colors" section,
click on "Background", then click on "Other". This will allow you to select
a VERY light color from the sliding scale on the far right. The "Lum" numbers
will be somewhere between 240-220 for best results. Click "OK" when finished.
(2) Busy backgrounds can also be compensated by increasing the size of
the font, a change in font type, and/or bolding the font throughout the
page.
Creating Links within Pages ("Targets"):
Composer includes a feature that allows you to create links within pages called "targets". (The new template has "targets" built in for the major sections.) If one has a really long page with lots of separate sections, you can use targets to allow readers to click back and forth between the sections. Anything can be a target: text, pictures, links, and so on. Here's how to make a target: First go to the section that you want to make a target, then place the cursor just to the left of this and click the "Insert Target" button on the toolbar. When the "Target Properties" dialog box opens, enter a name for the target (let's call it "Target1"), then click "OK" and an icon will appear next to the target. Now go to the area (on this page or on another page) and place the cursor where you want to make the link. Click the "Insert Link" button. When the "Character Properties" box opens to the Link tab, you'll see that "Target" now appears in the bottom text box. Enter the text you want for the link in the "Link Source" box, then select the target from the box. Click "OK". Composer returns to your page with the link inserted.
Inserting Link to the PowerPoint Slideshow:
If you wish to add a link to your PowerPoint Slideshow,
here are the steps: (1) Have the WQ open in Composer; (2) highlight
the words desired for the hotlink; (3) click on the "Link" button on button
bar of Composer; (4) rather than typing in or pasting in a URL, press the
"Select file..." button.
Maneuver to floppy disk A:, select the WQ folder.
The PPT file will probably not show up in the first listing since the default
is to look for HTML files. Change "Files of type:" to "All files (*.*)"
and now you can see ALL of the files in your folder. :-)
Select the PPT file and press "Open", then "Apply", then "Close". Process
complete!
Checking Links, Background, and/or Images on the Page:
Composer allows you to check your work as it progresses by clicking on the "Preview" button on the toolbar (looks like a ship's wheel). If you have not recently saved your page you will be prompted to save the modified page, click "OK" or click "Cancel" and then go to File, Save As, and rename/relocate the file to the WQ folder. Your in-progress page will now open in Navigator and you will be able to view the background and images and you can check the links. If you detect a mistake, return to Composer by clicking the file at the bottom of the screen and revise the link, etc. If there is an error in the URL, see the new page, "Anatomy of a URL" for troubleshooting hints.
Conclusions:
When you have finished the creation of your interactive webpage, fill out the evaluation sheet and follow its instructions. Check the spelling and grammar. Save a final copy of your web project in the folder on your floppy A disk and give to Dr. Lewis for further evaluation and possible up-loading onto the School of Education's webserver.
Disclaimer:
These instructions and this project are best done with Netscape Communicator 4.x. Other applications and operating systems may require slight modifications to these instructions. For example, right-clicking is not available on the MacOS, however if you will hold down the mouse button on the Mac mouse, similar context-sensitive menus will appear. Download Netscape Communicator 4.77 at http://www.netscape.com.
Contact Dr. R. Bruce Lewis for
further information or to make suggestions.
Last updated on October 15, 2001, 2:35 PM (CST).
Copyright
©1998-2001 Dr. Bruce Lewis. All rights reserved.