Academic Portfolio for Ken Duitt

For a number of years, I participated as a Web expert for many courses at The University of Iowa. In order to demonstrate how the World Wide Web can be used as a means for communication, I was a "virtual" guest. The following information gives an example of one of my "virtual" presentations.

The instructor of the 7W:091 course entitled, "Introduction to Microcomputers for Teachers," asked me if I would meet with her students as a guest Web expert. I said I would, and together we planned on how the meeting would take place. We decided that the students would first examine a number of Web sites which I designed. The instructor would then ask her students about what they liked and disliked about the Web sites. After that, the students would be taught how to use a Java "chat" applet, and they would ask me design questions about the Web sites.

Many of the students did not know what a "chat" applet was. The instructor told them that a "chat" applet is a program written with the Java computer programming language. The program allows people to conduct an on-line conversation by typing at the keyboard. When the first person enters some text then that information is displayed on the computer screen. Other people can then respond to that information. The conversation continues, and people from all over the world may participate.

Click on this link to see a QuickTime* (4.9 MB) video of the students using the "chat" applet.

Using the "chat" applet, the students informed me that they were going to design their own Web sites, and they asked me questions about how to design a "good" site. The conversation continued for about an hour. By the end of the conversation the students had a better understanding about how to use a "chat" applet, what a Web site was, and basic design guidelines (Contrast, Alignment, Repetition, and Proximity).

*QuickTime is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.

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Guest Web Expert