7 - Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
When we had to create our preliminary website, I was nervous as I had never used the Apple Mac before and also the programs which were on it which we had to use. I chose to work with a partner which, had more experience than me at using them and therefore I could learn from how he was using the programs and use what I had learned and do some work as well.
The preliminary website which we looked at was the ‘Ravens Wood School’ website. By looking at this website I could get an idea for the layout, the information needed on the website and also could get an idea how to use the colours and images together.
From the preliminary website, it helped us create our website as the layout we used ad the images and colours worked together and made the website look professional and would work well with our target audience.
From looking at both the websites which we looked and had created, there was a difference in the information and the colour scheme as we had aimed our website at a different audience and we done this by the information which we got from our survey.
My ‘St Ben Foglers School’ website had little information on it and only a few of the hyperlinks actually worked. This was because I didn’t have experience with the program which we were using and therefore couldn’t use the knowledge which I had when creating my actually website for the preliminary website. On the actual website, having the experience I had and in the information which I picked up, made the website look more professional and more eye catching to the audience which I had thought about aiming it at.
I feel that the main website was better as I had built up experience in knowing where the icons were so that I could use them and also I had imagery which we took ourselves and also better information to use which we found out and used for our advantage.
To finish off, I feel that I have experienced a great deal of information on the | Macs and the programs which I had to use to create my final version of the website. Now I feel as if I can use the programs such as I Web and I Movie to create my own website and perhaps publish it myself onto the internet.
The errors and mistakes which I made on the previous website I learned not to include and how I could get around them so that I could make my website look as profession and as eye catching as possible.
By taking all of this into account, I believe that the website me and my partner have create is a good overall website and is worth a good grade, and now knowing I can use the programs given to me to use, I can go off knowing that I have learnt a lot from creating this website.
6 - What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
The project which we have been set it to create an actual website that will be used by the target audience which we will have to pick as well. I am going to write about the programs which I have used and how they have created my website.
Apple Mac
I have never properly used an Apple Mac computer before so I had to start new with all the programs and the where about of the computers. The programs are no where near the same as on the Macs and therefore it took me a while to be able to use the programs which I had to use to create the website.
The Macs are much faster computers to use and once you have the hang of using them they are rather simple to use. As they are quicker to use you are able to get the information, which you are after much quicker and then you can use it quicker. Also they have more memory space than the other computers around the school, so with the information you want to use, you can hold that on the computer and have more space as well for other information and images.
I Web
Again I have never used this program before so I had to find how to use it and also where all the icons were so that I could use them for creating my website.
At the start I couldn’t really understand how to use I Web, so it took me a while to learn where everything was to I could make the website, but again once I got the hang of using it I found it easy and simple to use. Also it was quick as well. The icons which are on the program allow you to be able to make you the website, and exactly how you wanted it to look like, be it colours, layout and more.
A bad thing about I Web is that if there is no one to tell you where the icons are, it will take you a while to actually create the website which you are after. There are so many icons available and are all for different purposes, but some of them look the same. But once you have the hang of it, you can create something that looks professional.
Pictures and Video taking
The images and videos which me, and my partner took for the website we had to find an take ourselves. The Images were taking from all around the school and we think they were very effective on the website.
Also the video was taking in a classroom in the school. We took this ourselves again with the equipment from the media department. We have a fair bit of training so that we were able to use the equipment, and to get the final touches onto the images and the video we had help from members of staff.
I Movie
Before creating the website and the video, I have never used I Movie before. I had to get help putting the video which we had created onto the program, and then once it was on there we also needed help putting both the videos together, and making it look professional.
Once I had the help from a teacher, I was able to use the program myself and add the finishing touches to the video as well.
I Movie was had to use and to get the hold of, but then once we had help and got the video together, it got easier to use to put the final touches onto the video to make it look good and go together.
Microsoft Work and Excel
Both these programs I am able to use as I have used them both in different subjects. On the other hand the layout of both the programs are different as some things are in different places and are a little different to use.
On these programs are where I done my typing work for the website, and the type ups for the evaluation for the work.
Also I used excel for creating my survey which I had to hand out. Then I transferred it to Microsoft Word so that I could give it the finishing touches and produce the final survey.
Both these programs were easy to use as I had use them before and therefore I could do the type ups to finish the work and also type in the information onto the website and create the survey to get the audiences views on websites.
By using the I Mac and all the programs which came with it to create my website, I feel more comfortable in using the I Mac to create something different and also to do work in the media department on my own to do pieces of work which I have been given.
5 - How did you attract/address your audience?
Before we started creating our website we looked at other websites which were doing the same thing as our one. They were giving off the same information and also they were aiming their information at the same target audience.
The target audience, which I have aimed mine at is the age gap of 14 up to the age of around 20. I have had to make the images and videos aimed for that target audience and also I have had to make the information understandable for that target audience. The information will be given off in a formal way, which all the ages in the target audience will be able to understand.
Colour
The website we have created uses a mutiple amount of colours which may catch the audiences eye. We have used colours from the dull black to the bright colours such as yellow and also red. The colours we havs used may bring out the main information, so for the donate page, we have a donate box and the border around the edge of the box is bright red so that the ‘donate’ box stands out.
At the top of the page we have the hyperlinks so that they can go from page to page and these links are at the top of every page we have created. Also the links are the same on every page, be it the font, size colour etc…
Language
The language which we have used on the website is easy to understand. The language has to be like this as the age group/ audience which, we are aiming our information at would rather read the information quick and easily so that they can understand it and get the facts and figures fast. Also people who are just trying to find out information, they can find the information quick and also can understand it.
Positioning of the page
The positioning of the page on out website are roughly the same. This is because the audience can then get a feel for the website and when they would like to go back or find out other information they will know where to go on the page.
The hyperlinks at the top of the pages are in the same place, the title of the website is at the top of the page in the top left hand side and also the information is roughly around the same place as well, and also the same for the pictures.
Font size
The font and also the size of the information is the same though out the website. The title is the same up in the top left hand side, and also the hyperlinks underneath the title are the same though out the website.
The information is all the same size and the same font.
All of this together allows the audience to realize which parts are the information and what parts to click on to get to other pages etc…
4 - Who would be the audience for your media product?
The audience which I will be aiming my website at will be around the ages of 14 up to the age of around 20.
We have produced a number of surveys which we have giving out to the public so we could get information which then we could use to create our website.
Also looking at other websites like the one which we have created, we can see that they are all aimed at the same target audience. All these websites use the same target audience as that age group are they ones which are the highest with the addictions.
The main target audience are people who have the addiction. This is because our information which we have used on the website and the video and images we have created are all based on to help people get over the addiction.
People who don’t have the addiction can also get information out from out website as then they can see how not to get into an addiction and also why it is bad to get into one as well.
The websites we have created reflects on the needs for the target audience. It is easy for the audience to move around the website and get the information which they are after. Also this means that they shouldn’t have trouble moving around the website looking for the information.
Also the website have a donate page so that when they have found out the information which they are after and they think that using the website was a success, they can give money so that more information can be found out and then in the future the website can hold more information and then help other people out who need help with their addiction.
3 - What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
The website which I have created is based on a charity website known as Talk To Charlie. My website is based to the same target audience, but aimed at people who are addicted to drugs. Having the audience which I have aimed the website at, we have ha to create the website so that it is easy to used and isn’t complicated to load up the information which the audience is looking for.
Creating a website and the publishing it take a lot of time and research to see if the website is allowed to be published and also to see if no other website has the same title as the one you have created.
- When you want to publish the website, you will need to see whether there is a website on the internet with the same name as yours. If there is one with the same name you will have to rethink for a name for your website.
- When you have created a layout for a design, you will have to think about whether it is easy to use, so that if there is another website like yours, the other one may be easier to use so the audience will use that website instead of yours. Also whether the website is too hard to create when you are ready to create the final version.
- Once you have created your final version you need to find out what tools your going to use to create the final product. The tool which you are after should be on your hosting user.
- Upload the contents of your webpage’s for it is for the web server.
- the website you have created should now be able to be published onto the web.
To distribute you website means to publicize it to the public. There are a number of ways in which you can do this, from advertising it onto the television, the creating an advert on the radio and then also having it as a link from one website on the web.
You will have to pay for creating these adverts how every you decide to do them, but once your website is up and running and it is creating views, your website could become popular and get hundreds of views a day.
The website we have created will be published in a way that will be full proof and it will be done in a professional way. This will make sure that a good website will be produced and it will be, overall a good website.
