Choosing a Commercial Web Host

Reliability and speed of access

Not only should the web host be reliable and fast, it should guarantee its uptime (the time when it is functional). Look for a minimum uptime of 99%. In fact, even 99% is actually too low - it really should be 99.5% or higher. The host should provide some sort of refund (eg prorated refund or discount) if it falls below that figure. Note though that guarantees are often hard to enforce from your end - the host usually requires all sorts of documentation. However, without that guarantee, the web host will have little incentive to ensure that its servers are running all the time.

Data Transfer (Traffic/Bandwidth)

Data transfer (sometimes loosely referred to as "traffic" or "bandwidth") is the amount of bytes transferred from your site to visitors when they browse your site.

Don't believe any commercial web host that advertises "unlimited bandwidth". The host has to pay for the bandwidth, and if you consume a lot of it, they will not silently bear your costs. Many high bandwidth websites have found this out the hard way when they suddenly receive an exorbitant bill for having "exceeded" the "unlimited bandwidth". Always look for details on how much traffic the package allows. I personally always stay clear of any host that advertises "unlimited transfer", even if the exact amount is specified somewhere else (sometimes buried in their policy statements). Usually you will find that they redefine "unlimited" to be limited in some way.

In addition, while bandwidth provided is something you should always check, do not be unduly swayed by promises of incredibly huge amounts of bandwidth. Chances are that your website will never be able to use that amount because it will hit other limits, namely resource limits. For more details, see the article The Fine Print in Web Hosting: Resource Usage Limits.

To give you a rough idea of the typical traffic requirements of a website, most new sites that are not software archives or the like use less than 3 GB of bandwidth per month. Your traffic requirements will grow over time, as your site becomes more well-known (and well-linked), so you will need to also check their policy for overages: is there a published charge per GB over the allowed bandwidth? Is the charge made according to actual usage or are you expected to pre-pay for a potential overage? It is better not to go for hosts that expect you to prepay for overages, since it is very hard to forsee when your site will exceed its bandwidth and by how much.

Disk space

For the same reason as bandwidth, watch out also for those "unlimited disk space" schemes. Most sites need less than 10 MB of web space, so even if you are provided with a host that tempts you with 200 MB or 500 MB (or "unlimited space"), be aware that you are unlikely to use that space, so don't let the 500 MB space be too big a factor in your consideration when comparing with other web hosts. The hosting company is also aware of that, which is why they feel free to offer you that as a means of enticing you to host there. As a rough gauge, thefreecountry.com, which had about 150 pages when this article was first written, used less than 5 MB for its pages and associated files.

Technical support

Does its technical support function 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (often abbreviated 24/7), all year around? Note that I will not accept a host which does not have staff working on weekends or public holidays. You will be surprised at how often things go wrong at the most inconvenient of times. Incidentally, just because a host advertises that it has 24/7 support does not necessarily mean that it really has that kind of support. Test them out by emailing at midnight and on Saturday nights, Sunday mornings, etc. Check out how long they take to respond. Besides speed of responses, check to see if they are technically competent. You wouldn't want to sign up for a host that is run by a bunch of salesmen who only know how to sell and not fix problems.

source:http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/findhost.shtml

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How to Choose a Web Host

What are some of the things you should look for when choosing a web host? The criteria for choosing a free web host and a commercial web hosting solution are slightly different although they do overlap. Since thesitewizard.com caters to people who might be looking for either of these types of hosting, I will deal with each of these in turn. If you are only interested in one of these types, you can simply skip to the appropriate section. I have written these sections to be as independant of the other as possible.

Choosing a Free Web Host

1. Advertising

2. Amount of web space

3. FTP access

4. File type and size limitations

5. Reliability and speed of access

6. Perl and PHP

7. Bandwidth allotment

Read More At : http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/findhost.shtml

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web use+ability?

web usability is about making your website can be use efficiently by the target users, so dat they can find what they r searching for easily. it's like making the process easier for the users. Target users for each site might be different. so focus on the users. Children might prefer easy navigational system with colourful images and easy terms. Older adult might prefer bigger text and simple design. Female and males might prefer differents things.

ok...so everyone is different.

Here are several tips that could increase the usability of your website. You should provide:-

easy navigation system: so dat people don't get lost!

small file size. so dat your website could be viewed and downloaded quickly: time is verrry precious...not everyone is patient. Usability studies have shown that 8.6 seconds is the maximum time web users will wait for a page to download.

easy information retrieval: dis is important. you can use headings, links text, bold text and bulleted lists to make your information seen (webcredible).

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web usability model

after google~ing....i realized that there are model that you can refer to about web usability.
here i present u the first model (Web usability: the simple framework):-

based on Loosely (2007)

To satisfy customers, a Web site must fulfill four distinct needs:

• Availability: A site that's unreachable, for any reason, is useless.
• Responsiveness: Having reached the site, pages that download slowly are likely to drive customers to try an alternate site.
• Clarity: If the site is sufficiently responsive to keep the customer's attention, other design qualities come into play. It must be simple and natural to use – easy to learn, predictable, and consistent.
• Utility: Last comes utility -- does the site actually deliver the information or service the customer was looking for in the first place?

Now...The second model of web usability:-

Mixture methods (Hermie)

Visibility Analysis
Learn how users explore your website. What gets looked at and what doesn't.
Efficient visibility is a prerequisite for a website to be intuitively usable. Visibility analysis studies eye movements on the relevant pages with the help of the innovative
- How do users' eyes move across a web page?
- How much attention is paid to the different regions?
- Is attention directed to the relevant elements?

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Visual-spatial Approach Web Development

The book is about web development based on Visual-spatial approach (Baehr, 2007). I like this approach...

The web development process is divided into 5 different phases:-

1. Planning: Conceptual phase that involves identifying the subject, audience, purpose, context, scope and functionality of the site.

2. Contents: Researching, writing, and adapting content for individual web pages, including markup and scripting.

3. Structure: Developing the overall site structure, arrangement of web pages, and navigation tools.

4. Design: Designing the visual content, page layout and interface elements.

5. Usability: Formal testing of the site for usability and accessibility prior to publishing the site.

Reference: Baehr, C. (2007). “Web Development: A Visual-spatial Approach”, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.

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Differences between web testing & web evaluation

WEB-testing

1. Self-testing (alpha testing)

- Test the product no the final version

- Dos not have necessarily contain the full functionality

2. Group-testing (beta testing)

- Give to somebody else

3. Also known as Alpha (1^st phase, not complete yet, test among group) /Beta testing (test among outside people)

- Finding error

- More focus on technical

- What to test?

o Looking for error

o Functionality (Page display, Image display, Navigation element, Interactive and dynamic elements, Internal links, External links

o Usability

o interface – whether it works in difference computers (color depth, resolution)

- How to test? (techniques/Tools)

o Test in difference web browser

o Ask a friend (peer testing)

o Ask a group of people (group testing)

o Make a questionnaire and interview user

- Test plan- using structured testing method, a creative software/website tester can find a potentially serious problem then give programmer’s helpful feedback and clues for fix it.

- Categorize errors & defect according to 1 or three types of problem:

o Design flaws – eg: text cannot be read, missing column, button

o Content error –eg: photo image quality text misspellings

o Software/system defect-eg: technical problem encaountered when trying to run / operate the site

- Type of testing:

o Functionality

o Layout testing

o Load testing

o Link testing

o Usability testing (Jacod Nielsen) (most important)

WEB-evaluation

- Measuring something (outcome)

- More focus on non-technical

- - evaluating websites means determining whether or not they are good

- Why we need to evaluate?

o Ensure functionality

o Ensure performance

- Level of web-evaluation

o Formative (during the evaluation)

o Summative (in the end, give someone else)

- Tools for evaluation:

o Interview, Observation(Structured/Non structured)

o Questionnaire/survey, focus group, analysis, report and dialogue with user

o Ask expert

o Form,checklist or rubric

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Active Learning

Active learning is “a dynamic process involving continuous adjustment and re-structuring of basic elements…(talking and listening, writing, reading, and reflecting)…learning strategies (small groups, case studies, and so on)… and teacher resources (outside speakers, homework assignments, and so on).”
Meyers and Jones, Promoting Active Learning: Strategies for the College Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

In the article, “Active Learning” by Gachuhi and. Matiru , the authors discuss ways to use this technique in distance learning.
http://www1.worldbank.org/disted/Technology/print_recorded/corr-01.html

L. Dee Fink at the University of Oklahoma’s Instructional Development Program offers a model of active learning designed to present “a way of conceptualizing the learning process in a way that may assist teachers in identifying meaningful forms of active learning.” http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/active.htm

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Constructivism Learning Theory

Constructivism learning theory is a philosophy which enhances students' logical and conceptual growth. The underlying concept within the constructivism learning theory is the role which experiences-or connections with the adjoining atmosphere-play in student education.

The constructivism learning theory argues that people produce knowledge and form meaning based upon their experiences. Two of the key concepts within the constructivism learning theory which create the construction of an individual's new knowledge are accommodation and assimilation. Assimilating causes an individual to incorporate new experiences into the old experiences. This causes the individual to develop new outlooks, rethink what were once misunderstandings, and evaluate what is important, ultimately altering their perceptions. Accommodation, on the other hand, is reframing the world and new experiences into the mental capacity already present. Individuals conceive a particular fashion in which the world operates. When things do not operate within that context, they must accommodate and reframing the expectations with the outcomes.

The role of teachers is very important within the constructivism learning theory. Instead of giving a lecture the teachers in this theory function as facilitators whose role is to aid the student when it comes to their own understanding. This takes away focus from the teacher and lecture and puts it upon the student and their learning. The resources and lesson plans that must be initiated for this learning theory take a very different approach toward traditional learning as well. Instead of telling, the teacher must begin asking. Instead of answering questions that only align with their curriculum, the facilitator in this case must make it so that the student comes to the conclusions on their own instead of being told. Also, teachers are continually in conversation with the students, creating the learning experience that is open to new directions depending upon the needs of the student as the learning progresses. Teachers following Piaget's theory of constructivism must challenge the student by making them effective critical thinkers and not being merely a "teacher" but also a mentor, a consultant, and a coach.

Instead of having the students relying on someone else's information and accepting it as truth, the constructivism learning theory supports that students should be exposed to data, primary sources, and the ability to interact with other students so that they can learn from the incorporation of their experiences. The classroom experience should be an invitation for a myriad of different backgrounds and the learning experience which allows the different backgrounds to come together and observe and analyze information and ideas.

The constructivism learning theory will allow children to, at an early age or a late age, develop the skills and confidence to analyze the world around them, create solutions or support for developing issues, and then justify their words and actions, while encouraging those around them to do the same and respecting the differences in opinions for the contributions that they can make to the whole of the situation. Classroom applications of constructivism support the philosophy of learning which build a students' and teachers' understanding.

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Six Phases of the Web Site Design and Development Process

There are numerous steps in the web site design and development process. From gathering initial information, to the creation of your web site, and finally to maintenance to keep your web site up to date and current.

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Phase One: Information Gathering

The first step in designing a successful web site is to gather information. Many things need to be taken into consideration when we design the look and feel of your site, so we first ask a lot of questions to help us understand your business and your needs in a web site.
Certain things to consider are:

Purpose
What is the purpose of the site? Do you want to provide information, promote a service, sell a product… ?
Goals
What do you hope to accomplish by building this web site? Two of the more common goals are either to make money or share information.
Target Audience
Is there a specific group of people that will help you reach your goals? It is helpful to picture the “ideal” person you want to visit your web site. Consider their age, sex or interests – this will help us determine the best design style for your site.
Content
What kind of information will the target audience be looking for on your site? Are they looking for specific information, a particular product or service…?

 

Phase Two: Planning

Using the information gathered from phase one, we put together a plan for your web site.
Here we develop a site map – a list of all main topic areas of the site, as well as sub-topics (if applicable). This gives us a guide as to what content will be on the site, and is essential to developing a consistent, easy to understand navigational system. This is also the point where we decide what technologies should be implemented – interactive forms, CMS (content management system) such as WordPress, etc.

 

Phase Three: Design

Drawing from the information gathered up to this point, we determine the look and feel of the site. Target audience is one of the key factors taken into consideration here. A site aimed at teenagers, for example, will look much different than one meant for a financial institution. We also incorporate elements such as the company logo or colors to help strengthen the identity of your company on the web site.
Once we’ve designed a prototype, you are given access to the Client Studio, which is a secure area of our web site. The Client Studio allows you to view your project throughout the design and development stages. Most importantly, it gives you the opportunity to express your likes and dislikes on the site design.
In this phase, communication is crucial to ensure that the final web site will match your needs and taste. We work together in this way, exchanging ideas, until we arrive at the final design for the site. Then development can begin…

 

Phase Four: Development

This is where the web site itself is created. We take all of the individual graphic elements from the prototype and use them to create the functional web site. We also take your content and distribute it throughout the site, in the appropriate areas.
This entire time, you will continue to be able to view your site in the Client Studio, and suggest any additional changes or corrections you would like to have done.

 

Phase Five: Testing and Delivery

At this point, we attend to the final details and test your web site. We test things such as the complete functionality of forms or other scripts, we test for last minute compatibility issues (viewing differences between different web browsers), ensuring that the site is optimized to be viewed properly in the most recent browser versions.
Once we receive your final approval, it is time to deliver the site. We upload the files to your server – in most cases, this also involves installing and configuring WordPress, along with a core set of essential plugins to help enhance the site. Here we quickly test again to make sure that all files have been uploaded correctly, and that the site continues to be fully functional. This marks the official launch of your site, as it is now viewable to the public.

 

Phase Six: Maintenance

The development of your web site is not necessarily over, though. One way to bring repeat visitors to your site is to offer new content or products on a regular basis. If this interests you, we will be more than happy to continue working together with you to update the information on your web site. We offer maintenance packages at reduced rates, based on how often you anticipate making changes or additions to your site.

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her name was ADDIE & she's a model.

Catchy post title isnt it? hope that grab your attention.lol.

So this is ADDIE (see image below), the Instructional Design Model. Aha..that type of model (Oh..the image above is actually totally not related :p)

there are 5 phase altogether.

 i) ANALYSIS (Pre-planning; thinking about the course)

• Design of course
• Audience
• Goal
• Objectives
• Identify contnet
• Identify Environment and Delivery
• Instructional Strategies
• Assessment Strategies
• Formative Evaluation
• Constraints

ii) DESIGN (Design your course on paper)

• Name the learning units of Instruction
• Identify content and strategies for an individual unit of instruction
• Write instructions for the learning unit
• Name the menu items for a learning module

 iii) DEVELOP (Develop course materials and assemble the course)

• Based on design phase
• Build content, assignments, assessments
• Build course structure
• Upload content

iv) IMPLEMENT (Begin teaching)

• Overview of course
• Expectations
• Initiate instruction
• Interaction
• Ask for feedback early on (formative evaluation)

v) EVALUATE (Look at the course outcomes with a critical eye)

• Did the students achieve expected learning outcomes?
• What have you learned?
• How can you make the course better?

Reference: click here

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My first post out of my pocket ever!

hye people!!

the pocket is still in progress. shall update soon! 

for the time being...

LOL..see ya :D

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