Category 1 -Web Information System Design (in advance): Create a Web Site Prototype to Teach a Specific Subject

Category-1 Deadline for receiving: February 27, 2009

 1. Introduction. Each school may identify 1 or more teams of students to participate in this category of the contest. Working as a team, create a web site prototype to teach the key ideas of a specific subject (each person in the team must present at least one idea – a group of five needs to present five ideas). The subject and resulting ideas that will be included in this category should surface after discussions with an advisor and or students in your school. The key ideas will result in individual lessons which will be critical components of the project. The subject is to be of the team’s choosing and can include one of the following:

• A course subject such as biology, history, math, etc.
• A current events subject such as emergency response, homeland security, the selection of a Justice to the Supreme Court, etc.
• Any specific subject of the team’s interest

Remember the web site you develop will be a “communication” of ideas using text, graphics, pictures, sound, video, animation, etc. The trick is to integrate these different objects into a cohesive “whole” and then get feedback from peers. So the entire project will be considered to be a prototype with user comments.

2. General Guidelines
A.  Final product - The final product will be a website as an html file that will be sent to the information systems department  on a CD (before the actual contest date). This will allow the Judges selected from the IS (Information Systems Department) to review the submissions prior to the date of the contest. The following are a set of guidelines that each group will follow:

• Navigation & Structure. Web site must have suitable structure and be easy to navigate. Use of frames is strongly suggested but not mandatory.
• Overall - The site should have the following components:

Introduction/overview  section - Provide an overview in one or 2 paragraphs about the subject area in general.
Menu - Provide tabs, buttons etc. referencing each specific lesson and when clicked on shows the specific lesson and allows for navigation within a lesson.
Main page area -The area where the actual lessons will appear.
E-mail link - there will be an e-mail link included on the site that users can access to interact with the team (one e-mail link).
Team Name - The team should choose a name for themselves and use this in their Introduction.

• Individual sections. Each team member’s subject topic will be one idea taken from a subject area. These areas are suggested in section 1, Introduction. Each lesson must:

• Give the name of author/student who created the lesson at the beginning.
• State the learning goal -  the idea you want to teach - (e.g. "How to …").
• Each subject lesson will consist of 4-6 “topics” in a sequence. Each lesson
  topic should first state some concept, then give a practical example. Also give examples of how not to do “it” if appropriate.
• Remember your target audience is students like yourselves. Assume they know little about the subject. As people do not learn instantly, you will need statements, examples, human reasons, variations and perhaps some self-testing to fully get a point across.
• User Feedback - As a separate menu item include feedback from a set of 5 students who will be “users”. Record their comments either in text form, audio, or video. These comments should be gathered after the prototype is complete.

The following are links to three websites that are well-designed educational websites and that should give you some inspiration.

• http://www.physicalgeography.net/ (introduction to physical geography: nice navigation design, consistent layout)
• http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/ (an intriguing color setting)
• http://www.chemhelper.com/ (a simple design: follow a simple and minimalist design when you are a starter)

Category 2: Rapid Design (real time competition):

This is a team project consisting of 3 to 4 people per team. NJIT will be providing workstations along with software limited to Notepad (for direct tagging), Microsoft Expressions Web 2.0, Microsoft  Photo Editor [v. 3.0.2.3], Microsoft Paint [v.5.1 SP3], Secure Shell SSH client (for transferring files) [v 3.2.9], and Microsoft Front Page 2003 (No software installation allow on PCs; only user access). The students must use NJIT computers. Any personal computers or lap tops are not allowed during competition period. (Personal laptops may only be used for demonstration purposes after the completion)

The students will be given a project to complete in a 2 hour period. The category 2 project will only be disclosed on the day of the contest. Students will be given some content (text) and objects (graphics, photos, audio, video) to integrate into their design and/or the opportunity to create other or download content/ objects they feel more appropriate.

Things to know | SSH instruction

Judging

Web Pages will be evaluated for web site usability, content, aesthetic and minimalist design, technical competency level.

Decision of Judges

All decisions by judges with respect to any aspect of the competition are final and binding on student(s), parent(s) and teacher(s). They are not subject to review.

Copyrighted Material

You may not use intellectual property (text, data, sound, or images) created by another person without obtaining written permission from its creator. Any material not created by student is used with permission of its creator(s) and properly credited to them. The creator(s) and original source(s) must be listed on the References/Citation sheet, with written permission(s) attached.

Changes to Rules and Deadlines

New Jersey Institution of Technology retains the right to modify all rules and deadlines if necessary. Notification will be provided on the competition website.