The TWAIN blog

I’ve been involved with web design for a few years. When I was teaching Webmastering, I taught using the guidelines of the “three-click-rule”; where information could be found in three clicks or less. The reason for this rule was based on people leaving sites if they could not find information in three clicks or less. They get bored and move on.

Currently, web design falls into the “two-click rule”. This is quite a change for designers because we lost a click. We lost placement of navigational tools. Information is literally flooding the main page of websites. Text has taken over. Main pages are full of links to information that used to be in a menu bar that allowed for multiple clicks or “drilling down”.

These days, we are a cell phone/two-click society. We use tools like RSS, FeedReaders, Google Voice, etc. to access instant information. Miniature tools like cell phones make it hard to navigate sites because of the tiny screens. To click on a particular link takes extra time. I want information at my fingertips but I want it to be found without having to zoom in on a button to click on. That takes time!

Today, I read about Wolfram-Alpha; the new search engine that structurally changes how information from a search is presented. Current and popular search engines like Google and Yahoo, require you to enter search queries where a list of links are provided to connect you to pages of information on your query. This requires the extra steps of clicking. Wolfram-Alpha presents the answers to the query without the links.

In effect, they have removed a click.

There is the Twine post about Search 3.0 and how the new search tools will be more personalized for the individual searching instead of the generic search tools used by everybody. Information readily available for my needs in less than 2 clicks in this Search 3.0 paradigm.

I see these things develop and I question the design of district websites. More and more, our district site is moving toward instant communication. You can subscribe to calendar events delivered to email, your personal calendar, or via text messaging. We are looking into an alert system to allow customizable subscriptions to specific groups: band, choir, athletics, reading, emergency, etc.; which in turn will send via text or email. One-click subscription for no-click messages delivered as soon as they are sent.

People are already receiving information via text messaging, RSS, email updates, etc. The questions now become: Are people reading the content on our websites? Are they taking the time to download and read PDFs? Why are we driving traffic to our website if it is storing old information?

In KISD, we have software on our server that tracks not only the places people go on our sites but also how much time they spend on pages. I am constantly evaluating this information to make strategic steps to improve district communication.

But with the coming age of 1-click/no-click/instant information, the district web site design is flawed. So are business designs. So are most web designs out there.

As portals, cloud-storage, and collaborative workspaces become more prevalent, the idea of a “teacher web site” becomes worthless. What are we storing online? Why are we driving traffic to documents that are old and updated (if we are lucky) once a year??

All this to say that I wonder if Web 3.0 district web design becomes much simpler. Similar to the picture posted here, a search window with the district logo could be the new KISD website. Instant information sent to the subscribers but stored invisibly on the back-end. The search provides access to the queries. Instead of listing links, we adopt the Wolfram-Alpha or the next generation of search that posts the answers on the same page.

Search that is personalized and provides answers in 1 click.

Is this the path for web design for schools and districts soon?

Today we tried to launch our new district website which has been giving me fits since I started migrating to the new server. I have invested a lot of work and personal time into it, knowing full well that a website is never 100% complete. I think I had it at about 90% complete Sunday night until Monday when I realized that the big three pages (pages with lots of online forms) had to be converted over. So I spent the day fixing those and completed the third one today.

We pulled the plug at noon which I consider like the show “Lost” to be “moving the island”. To move a site, you have to change the IP address through the Network Associates site which directs all www traffic. We followed the directions and was informed that it would take up to 72 hours to replicate through all the servers that make up the www.

This is normal. This is part of the protocols that define the structure of the web and I had informed my supervisors and all staff that this would be happening.

Then the abnormal happened. None of the external emails were delivered to us. Vendors were calling that their emails were being rejected. Then links to other pages shorted out. And people could see the new site on the outside of the district but inside we had a page error. I am sure other districts have all their links on their site for gradebook, attendance, sub finder, etc. So when those aren’t available, people freak.

Moving the island isn’t so easy.

Now we are reverting back to the old page to figure out the kinks. I am sort of happy this happened because of my stake in the website. I want it to be at 100% when it is released but I also know that the only way that will happen is to use my Spring Break vacation to do it. And I know that if I do that, I will burn out very quickly in this job and that will not be good for anyone. I did correct three major errors and a typo on the main site this afternoon before I went to workout, so today’s errors had a lighter side to them.

The hard part is to come when a new site is really released. When a new website goes into effect, the entire world-wide web gets to publicly view the gaps in our information structure. The floodgates open to a new perspective of a district’s public information profile. A new website isn’t just a pretty face, it’s a cold slap of reality.

I’m not looking forward to it. I don’t like publicized failure. I don’t like failure, really.

I bought one of those FlipHD Mino cameras a few weeks ago with the idea of doing more video projects. I thought I might use this really cool piece of equipment to direct some video podcasts for my district.

But, I am really hesitant about doing so! Not for any other reason than it is stepping out of my comfort zone and into a new spot that I have never done before. Sure, I have attended those Apple trainings on making Podcasts and Vodcasts with Garageband. I have attended several of them as a matter of fact!

I know Audacity as well and how to use various media editors.

But what is my real hold-back? I am not comfortable on film! I am not sure I am ready to start filming myself for these videos I want to do. I need to make my voice sound stronger too. When I watch or listen to the playback, I am not comfortable with the way I come across on the media.

Maybe this is just pre-film jitters? Anyone have ideas on what I can do to remedy this?

So Monday was the first day of my week at TCEA. It started with the Tech Coordinator’s Academy which is a 5-day workshop spread across the year. The first 2 days were in the fall in Dallas and I attended (and blogged about) them. They were fantastic! Very motivational!

This week’s workshop wasn’t so motivational. And I say that only because the topics were on the security side of running a district technology system. It wasn’t a bad workshop. It just wasn’t so “up” because the topics were about the security side and reality of what we can do to make our networks secure.

Our reflection for journaling is this topic: What is my vision of how the network, hardware, and software will help us accomplish our goals in my district? What are my next steps in regards to infrastructure?

After yesterday’s session, I see how my district needs to do more to provide a more secure network and to keep our data safe. I don’t think we are doing a good job at this. I can see how spending needs to go toward providing this before we start adding more “stuff” to our network.

We discussed ways to figure out the TCO – Total Cost of Ownership for adding to our network infrastructure and the idea of sharing this with our stakeholders. We just can’t add resources to the system without building up the system istelf.

One of my main goals here this year is to visit the exhibit hall to get more information about these types of security resources. I hear from vendors almost daily so it is important for me to go and look at all the products to find the perfect fit for our district. Cost is a major factor for us and some resources just offer too much than what we need.

Disaster recovery was another topic and Kari shared how her district prepared for hurricane damage. Her plan is so detailed that I would think this type of planning would be almost a full time in itself. While Kerrville isn’t in danger of major hurricanes, we are open to other types of disasters and need to come up with better planning. I like not only that Kari explained the plan but she also provided each staff member with a list of who is responsible for what and at what point do they “pull the plug”.

She even shared that the district has a stand-by 1-800 number for if the phones go down that will still allow them to answer calls. Every instance is covered.

Currently, I meet with city resources in our town and one of our agenda items is planning for how we can all help each other with disaster recovery. Could we all provide a temporary NOC for another system from our own location and maintain our own system security? Could we work together in case of a real emergency? I think so.

The final part of the workshop was spent on 1:1 computing and the idea (or is it a mandate?) from TEA that districts are to test all freshmen in 2012 online for end of course assessments. No funding provided of course. To me, this seemed like something I could push back until we figured out who gets projectors next! But with this deadline looming, we have a lot to do in Kerrville to get ready for this!

So, I left yesterday with a heavy heart. So much to do and so little time! I appreciate not only the discussions we had in the room but the knowledge that all of us are ill-prepared for these types of mandates. I’m not the only one in this boat! Plus, Lori shared resources on how Bastrop is going with 1:1 computing. Her candid perspective on this type of venture was appreciated!

I like how she explained that adding the laptops/netbooks to the campuses wasn’t the answer. The real way to get it to all work together was to get the curriculum to change for the use of technology. If you don’t change the way we teach, then the laptops won’t add to your instruction. They will detract.

So much great information shared. Another hit of a workshop! I can’t tell you how much this Academy has really helped a newbie like me! They gave us another file full of resources to use and they are REAL resources, each one.

Tech Directors – I just want to implore that you take this Academy when they offer it next year. It is a pricey cost, I know! But if you really want it to work well – invite your curriculum director to attend with you. Two for one training! It is really worth it!

I am quite disappointed in the lack of comments to my blog. I get more response on my old Myspace page that I haven’t touched in years, than this place.

I thought blogging was two-way communication. I post something and then people respond.

But lately, I post something and no one responds. Lately?? Who am I kidding? This has been ongoing for about 4 months now! No response! No comments!

It is bruising my delicate ego, to say the least.

Another nail in the coffin: I tried Plurk again recently, only to find that I have no fans there. So whatever I post, no one is reading. I wondered why no one responds to my comments there. The news was broken to me when I had to read the help page to learn that I have no fans. I can post a response to others on the timeline but they choose not to follow me.

I use Plurk to post all my confessions now. It is quite liberating to throw them out to the world. I also post vulgar tirades there. I mean, why not?!?! A timeline of tirades that no one is watching meshed in with other ed. tech leaders sharing about what they eat, how they exercise, and what they think of Plurk vs. Twitter. It is like an explosion of vulgarity between their conversations that only I am enjoying.

I get good responses to Twitter, but that’s the only place where my Web 2.0 interactive conversations take place. The problem is that the response has to be less than 140 characters.

Maybe blogging is dead and I didn’t get that memo! I read blogs daily on all sorts of topics in and outside of education.  I have noticed that several educational blogs/podcasts I used to access haven’t updated in a while (see previous post). Maybe it isn’t just me! Maybe our entire blogosphere has shifted. Have people stopped blogging? I bet they have until February 10 when we all finish the state conference and blogging is cool again!

Ahh.. I dunno what I am saying here. I don’t understand this at all and am really starting to take it personally. I reach out and post on other blogs, Twitter posts, Plurks, message boards, etc. in hopes that the link will draw them to read my opinions here. But…..that isn’t working.

Am I giving up? Nope. This is a nice venting place. People can reply or not. I use it to track my own progress on things.
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Hmmmmm

I don’t think anyone is even reading this post,  so I will end by saying “ppppplllllllbbbbbbppppp!!!!” (phonetic raspberry sound)