WEB DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE
The software programs listed here are just a few of many available web development software programs that are designed to help you to build and manage websites.
Software |
Description |
License |
Platform |
| Claris HomePage | Web page authoring software | Shareware | Mac, PC |
| Dreamweaver | Build websites and applications | Commercial/Trial | Mac, PC |
| Fireworks | Create, edit & optimize images for the web | Commercial/Trial | Mac, PC |
| Flash | Graphic design, animation & sound | Commercial/Trial | Mac, PC |
| FrontPage | Web authoring and management w/o HTML | Commercial/Trial | PC |
| NVU | Web authoring and management w/o HTML | Free | Mac, PC |
| iWeb | Build websites and blogs | Commercial/Trial | Mac |
| PHP | Build websites w/ server-side embedded HTML | Free | Mac, PC |
The varied capabilities of a web development software tool include, but are not limited to the following: create web pages using HTML codes or ready made templates with HTML embedded codes, edit web pages, zoom and guide tools to drag and drop images, paste content from word files or emails, tool bar for codes and style rendering tool bar to see a design view, CSS layout tools to help control the design of the web page, incorporate blogs and RSS feeds for podcasting, import flash videos, audio files, images from other applications, and publish to the web. The web development software tools can be used across the curriculum and in varied grade levels.
- Applied Technology: Web development software tools in applied technology can help students to create websites that will communicate to a wide audience in and out of the school their knowledge and abilities to initiate, promote and maintain a business.
- Art: The web development tool in the arts helps student to share their artwork, music, animated stories and digital drama presentations to a large audience on the web. The website can function as their E-portfolio for assessment and for future job or college applications.
- Health and Physical Education: The web development tool in health and physical education helps students to communicate their understanding of health and fitness related issues to a wide audience. The website can be used to advocate and educate others beyond the school setting of relevant issues such as diet, exercise and healthy life style choices.
- Foreign Language: The web development tool in foreign language can help students to communicate their research of a foreign culture and language.
- Language Arts: The web development tool in language arts can help students create an informative website regarding an author or piece of literature. Writing for a website can help students practice the skills of writing for a wide and authentic audience. They can gain valuable visual/digital literacy skills through analyzing the usability and aesthetics of their favorite websites. Students can create multimedia projects by linking to podcasts and videos.
- Mathematics: The web development tool in math is a tool for students to demonstrate their understanding of math concepts and how they apply to real life situations through developing an informative website.
- Science: The web development tool in science helps students to share with a wide audience their understanding of a scientific concept, research about an inventor or results of experiments.
- Social Studies: The web development tool in social studies helps students to create informative websites regarding a historical time period, its important people, geography and social issues.
Sample Lesson Plans
The following sample lesson plans provide a general idea on how the web development software tool can be integrated in a content area and grade level. Although there may not be an example for every content area or at every grade level, the lessons from one content area or grade level can often be adapted to another due to its open-ended approach.
GRADE LEVELS K-2
Science
- Testing Dissolved Oxygen: Students will collaborate to test for dissolved oxygen.
GRADE LEVELS 3-5
Arts: Theater
- A Day in the Life: Students will use knowledge and experience to tell about events.
- Clay Animations: Students will create and film clay animations using knowledge of structures and functions of visual arts.
- Connecting the AlphaSmart: Students will create a movie on how to connect the AlphaSmart to a computer.
- Connecting the Digital Camera: Students will create a movie on how to connect a digital camera to a computer.
- Designing and Filming Commercials: Students understand and apply media, techniques and processes when creating a commercial.
- Digital Camera Basics: Students will create a movie on the basics of using a digital camera.
- Gettysburg Movie: Students will know the causes and important events of the Civil War by reading and depicting the Gettysburg Address.
- Images from the Internet: Students will create a movie on how to get images from the Internet.
Arts: Visual
- Designing and Filming Commercials: Students understand and apply media, techniques and processes when creating a commercial.
- Gettysburg Movie: Students will know the causes and important events of the Civil War by reading and depicting the Gettysburg Address.
Language Arts
- A Day in the Life: Students will use knowledge and experience to tell about events.
- Animated Cartoons: Students will create an animated iMovie out of pictures created in art class.
- Sea World Fieldtrip Follow-up: Students will use the Internet to reflect on their experiences on their field trip to Sea World.
Science
- Sea World Fieldtrip Follow-up: Students will use the Internet to reflect on their experiences on their field trip to Sea World.
GRADE LEVELS 6-8
Arts: Visual
- Mark Twain: Students will learn about Mark Twain through the creation of an informative website.
Language
- Mark Twain: Students will learn about Mark Twain through the creation of an informative website.
Social Studies
- Mark Twain: Students will learn about Mark Twain through the creation of an informative website.
GRADE LEVELS 9-12
Language
- The Cost of Progress: Students will achieve a better understanding of the costs of progress through the development of an informative website.
Math
- Occupational Outlook: Students will achieve a better understanding of careers through the collection and analyzation of spreadsheet data.
Social Studies
- The Cost of Progress: Students will achieve a better understanding of the costs of progress through the development of an informative website.