| Focus on teaching | | | | be provided but should be separate from the core |
| An educational website should be constructed in such | | | | subject being taught. |
| a way that it's main focus is teaching. It should focus | | | | Organization and Structure |
| on high quality content to enrich the learning experience | | | | Learning is more likely to occur if there is a logical and |
| of visitors. Your website should be centered on | | | | sequential organization of information. Learning is |
| educational quality, not the quantity of pages (or text) | | | | maximized when there is a definite structure to |
| and the look of your site. | | | | learning activities such as a step-by-step tutorial. |
| If you keep your website interesting, clear and | | | | Tutorials are one of the hallmarks of the internet and |
| focussed your can presume that your visitors will | | | | find their best use when teaching a subject, idea and |
| appreciate your efforts and that they will respond | | | | or method of doing something. |
| positively. The following outline will present the general | | | | Organize your website around your core subject. The |
| guidelines for the construction of an educational | | | | website should be structured in such a way that the |
| website. | | | | emphasis is always upon what you are trying to teach. |
| Avoid using animations. - Having said that, there are | | | | Don't digress, stay on your topic and be as clear and |
| occasions when an animation will aid in the | | | | simple as possible. |
| presentation of certain ideas. But, in most cases | | | | Structure your subject matter into short concise |
| animations are a distraction to your visitors and the | | | | statements and paragraphs. Don't be frivolous or try to |
| information that you are trying to convey. | | | | impress your visitors with your knowledge. The object |
| Use a white background. - Various background colors | | | | of any educational website is to impart some lasting |
| have been tested for visitor appeal and when it | | | | knowledge to people who are seeking a better |
| comes to serious reading, website visitors prefer black | | | | understanding of what you are teaching. |
| text on a white background. | | | | Wants, Needs, and Aspirations |
| Consistent use of fonts, colors and page layout. All of | | | | Learning occurs more easily when the content |
| your webpages should have a common layout and | | | | matches the wants, needs, or aspirations of your |
| theme. Mixing up text fonts, using too much color | | | | visitors. Relate the information taught to how it affects |
| variation, and being inconsistent with your page layouts | | | | them or how it will help them accomplish their goals. |
| will not do. | | | | Visitors must see the relevance of the information to |
| Keep individual pages clean and simple. - Anything | | | | themselves and their lives. |
| added should have a purpose (yes esthetics and | | | | Summary |
| humour also have purpose, but not of highest | | | | Everyone is busy. Some people are under-informed |
| importance for this task). | | | | and may need more info on particular items. Other |
| Streamline the site to the busy visitor. - People are in a | | | | people know most of the content you offer and want |
| hurry these days so it is important that your visitors | | | | to find out particular points quickly without having to |
| can find what they are looking for quickly. Navigation | | | | search through unneeded info.Try to cater to all of |
| through your website should be simple and user | | | | your visitors. This can be difficult, but keep in mind the |
| friendly. | | | | educational website is for the visitors convenience not |
| Note: In general, subjective comments, humorous | | | | principally a self expression area. |
| remarks, other entertaining items (e.g. animations) may | | | | |