• Web Design Basics for Educators
  • Cover
  • Introduction
  • User Interface & Visual Design
  • Writing For The Web
  • Selecting Digital Media
  • Multimedia Design
  • Digital Accessibility
  • Acknowledgements
  • Download
  • Translations
  • Introduction

    • Introduction

    With the easy-to-use, yet powerful web design platforms available today (e.g., Wix, Google Sites, Weebly, Wordpress), anyone can create a website. However, that doesn't mean that every website will be valuable to readers. Nor does it mean that simply creating a website will enrich your students' learning. Websites need to be accessible, well-designed, easy-to-navigate, and easy-to-scan, otherwise, viewers will leave quickly and unhappy. 

    If you want to create an educational website that enriches student learning or presents information to students' family members or amplifies your digital reputation, then make sure to explore each of the five chapters in this book. This book offers a selection of tips, examples, and resources to ease your web design experience and improve your results. 

    The book was designed as part of a class project for EDUC 612: Educational Web Design at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The following graduate students contributed to the book: Emily Ding, Michael Ferguson, Joel Flores, Sai Gattupalli, Jennifer Haugsjaahabink, Yaxin He, Margeret Hersey, Kay Lloyd, Adam Lopes, Jarvis Miller, James Swerzenski, and Chris Von Achen. Additionally, Trevor Takayama provided valuable insights and support with editing the chapters. 

    Book design team: Emily Ding, Michael Ferguson, Joel Flores, Sai Gattupalli, Jennifer Haugsjaahabink, Yaxin He, Margeret Hersey, Kay Lloyd, Adam Lopes, Jarvis Miller, James Swerzenski, Chris Von Achen, and Torrey Trust


    We hope that you find this book to be a valuable resource. Feel free to share it or use it in your class!

    Torrey Trust

    University of Massachusetts Amherst

    Torrey Trust, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Learning Technology in the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies in the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her work centers on the critical examination of the interconnected relationship between teaching, learning, and technology; and how technology can support teachers in designing contexts that enhance student learning. Specifically, Dr. Trust studies how educators engage with digitally enhanced professional learning networks (PLNs), how emerging pedagogical tools (e.g., HyperDocs), practices (e.g., Making) and technologies (e.g., 3D printers, augmented reality) facilitate new learning experiences, how to find, critically evaluate, and teach with digital tools and apps, and how to design and use open educational resources (OERs). Dr. Trust served as a professional learning network leader for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) for five years, including a two-year term as the President of the Teacher Education Network from 2016 to 2018.

    Dr. Trust's research, teaching, and service in the field of educational technology has received noticeable recognition, including the 2016 ISTE Online Learning Network Award, 2017 Outstanding Research Paper Award for the Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 2017 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Instructional Technology SIG Best Paper Award, 2017 ISTE Emerging Leader Award, 2017 Association for Educational Communication & Technology (AECT) Division of Distance Learning Crystal Award (2nd Place), 2019 AERA Technology as an Agent of Change for Teaching & Learning SIG Early Career Scholar Award, and 2020 AECT Annual Achievement Award. In 2018, Dr. Trust was selected as one of the recipients for the ISTE Making IT Happen Award, which "honors outstanding educators and leaders who demonstrate extraordinary commitment, leadership, courage and persistence in improving digital learning opportunities for students." www.torreytrust.com

    This content is provided to you freely by EdTech Books.

    Access it online or download it at https://edtechbooks.org/webdesign/intro.