Web Design Principles
The 6 web design principles that I made sure to include in my website are: purpose for the site, making sure my content was audience appropriate, different types of content, making sure my content was relevant to the information I was presenting, usability, and making sure everything could be read with the background and text colors that I chose.
Purporse for the site
On the homepage of my site, I have included an introduction video to what weather and climate is, and how they are different. I have also told the reader that they will be learning more about weather and climate throughout the different pages. I have told the reader that there is a blog page they are able to use to ask questions or leave comments about the website or about the topic weather and climate.
Content is audience appropriate
The website is geared towards middle school science students. I believe that the text, video, graphics, and presentations that have been included in the website can all be understood by a middle school student.
Content
Throughout the course of the website, I have included different types of content such as text, graphics, video, and presentations that will help to reach all different types of learners.
Relevant Content
I only placed content where I thought it was appropriate, and where it would reinforce the information I was trying to get across to my reader. Anytime I was describing some type of tool that meteorologists use for weather, I included a picture of what the tool looked like. When I was giving directions on how to create a wind vane, I included pictures that would help the reader along if they chose to try and make one on their own. I thought that it made sense to create a thinglink for the layers of the atmosphere because the picture is a great way for the students to picture what the atmosphere looks like while still learning about what each layer is. These are just some examples of how I made my content relevant to what I was talking about.
Usability
I feel that I have created a very usable site especially since I am gearing my site towards middle school students. All of my pages include the home button and a navigation bar at the top. Students are able to easily move from page to page and to always return to the homepage. The subpages that I have included under the atmosphere page are easy to access. The scheme througout the website is all the same. I have created pages that have consistent text and similar page set ups that are easy for anyone to understand. Smaller chunks of information that help reinforce what is on the page has been broken up and put on the right side of the page.
Background and Text Colors
The background and text colors that I have chosen are easy to read. I was consistent in the text that I used as well as consistent in the types of headings that I used throughout the course of the website.
Multiple Intelligences
Linguistic Intelligence: the capacity to use language to express what's on your mind and to understand other people
The text that I have used throughout the website will help those with the linguistic intelligence. They are able to read, comprehend, and understand the information that I am sharing throughout the course of the website. I have also included a blog that will allow the learners with linguistic intelligence to read other's writing as well as create their own.
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence: the capacity to understand the underlying principles of some kind of causal system
I have incorporated some diagrams that will peak the interests of logical/mathematical intelligence learners becuase they have to understand how certain scientific concepts work together in order to create weather patterns that occur.
Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence: the capacity to use your whole body or parts of your body to solve a problem, make something, or put on some kind of production
I have included the bodily/kinesthetic intelligence on my website by placing directions to a hands-on activity that has to do with wind. On the Wind page of my website, I have included directions on how to create a wind vane. This allows someone to create a wind vane using their hands.
Spatial Intelligence - the ability to represent the spatial world internally in your mind
I used both thinglinks and prezi presentations throughout my website to help those with the spatial intelligence. It will help them see the information in a different form where they have to interact with hotspots or procede to the next slide when they are ready. The information is presented in a much more stimulating way than just reading words on each webpage.
Naturalist Intelligence - the ability to discriminate among living things and sensitivity to other features of the natural world
The topic of my website lends itself to the naturalist intelligence. The entire website includes information, links, and presentations that all have to do with the natural world including the atmosphere, clouds, and climate.
Intrapersonal Intelligence - having an understanding of yourself; knowing who you are, what you can do, what you want to do, how you react to things, which things to avoid, and which things to gravitate toward
I have included a blog on my website to incorporate the intrapersonal intelligence. This will help those with the intrapersonal intelligence because they will be able to share their ideas and opinions about the topic weather and climate. It opens up the opportunity to ask questions about what they are looking at.
Interpersonal Intelligence - the ability to understand other people
I have included a blog on my website to incorporate the interpersonal intelligence. This will help those with the interpersonal intelligence because they can read what others have written and gain a better understanding of the material. Some may not always understand what they read or certain topics that are being covered, but when someone else explains it or comments on it it may help them understand what they could not before.
