Building an Effective Website

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This week’s topics centered on the various components tied to the creation of a website. While much of the focus within the EIT program centers on the instructional design aspects of implementing and integrating learning frameworks, it’s been nice to learn just how important visual details are when designing a site for professional use. Many of the components identified as important in the design of a website typically rely on the following: fonts, typography, color palettes, and images. According to Blasbalg (2021) there are eight essential steps in the creation of a professional website. They are:

  1. Strategize your brand
  2. Approach the design
  3. Prioritize usability
  4. Prepare for search engines
  5. Professionalize your site
  6. Optimize for mobile
  7. Create compelling content
  8. Maintain your site

Each of these steps includes detailed instructions on how to adapt your own website based on your individual needs.

I recently developed my own professional website in accordance to the standards put forth through the EIT program at Sul Ross State University for my portfolio defense. It can be found at the following link:

https://derekserrano06.wixsite.com/techtothefuture

While the website is fairly simple due it being my first experience with web-building, I did gain some great experience with regards to adapting the aesthetic look and functionality of the site, as well as understanding the importance of some of the aforementioned steps. My aim was to have a professional space that would serve to simultaneously showcase my work and allow prospective employers a chance to view my history, education, and capability as an instructional designer.

In the future I will reference the following link:

https://www.fractuslearning.com/technology-skills-for-teachers/

It includes suggestions for improving ed tech skills while specifically pointing out the importance of developing familiarity and usage with digital portfolios and using webpages for educational instruction.

  

Blasbalg, C. L. (2021, October 19). Step-by-Step Guide: How to Create a Professional Website. Wix Blog. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.wix.com/blog/2016/06/how-to-create-website-step-by-step-guide/

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