Why is web design knowledge critical for instructional technology leaders in the K-12 environment?

To me this is a simple answer. As instructional technology leaders we need to be able to present to our students the best of what the web has to offer. The only way to do this is to compare the good with the bad. What does this mean? Upon arrival at a website, first impressions are important! If a site is visually appealing and clean with respect to presentation and navigability it allows us a better opportunity to explore and interact with it. Conversely, if one arrives at a site and it is cluttered and messy it would be laborious to navigate through the mess to complete whatever it is that needs to be done. Students will eaily becomed bored and disconnected from the reason for them being there.

We need to keep in mind the student. For he/she is the primary reason we are doing what we are doing. We bring children into the world of the internet for different reasons than they may peruse the net at home. Our time with them is limited; therefore, we need to showcase websites for them to interact with that are designed well. This will give them a better chance for success than allowing them to interact with poorly developed sites.

What is the best Website solution for my school?

I don't really have an answer for this question. My school is in a rural area. Many students do not have access to the Internet and if they do, a large percentage of them still have dial-up access. Our website is simple and straightforward. There are very few graphics. It is primarily information (text). This suits the majority of the student body and their families. Because of this unique situation I feel the site is sufficient for them. I would like to see the day where we have a more interactive site with both teachers and students involved, one where teachers actively post and students can access it easier. Our growth for both staff and students needs cultivation.

Are teacher websites important?

This is an interesting question. Truthfully it is up to the teacher to place importance on it. However, in today's world there are more and more people who use the Internet for many activities and communication is one of those activities. A teacher can communicate to students and parents on a more broad level and allow information to reach them outside the constraints of the school day. It is strictly a communication tool. As long as a teacher maintains a site it will be useful