Constructionism and Social Constructivism

Why do I keep a blog? I have had this question in the back of my mind for some time. Just reading around virtual learning environments and Moodle. There is a nice little bit here on the pedagogy around why use blogs and wikis, and Moodle in particular. My last blog was definitely written as social constructivism in approach. We were quite a community who were shaping our ideas together. This blog is perhaps written with a more constructionist purpose, explaining ideas to, (an imagined?) someone else, in my own words. I definitely have a better understanding of the ideas I am wrestling with. I am finding writing really helps integrate ideas with other ideas. So, worthwhile even if I, or anybody else, never read this again.

Creating an RSS feed application in Firefox

I hadnt realised that RSS was an XML based technology. I have been creating a CGI script with an RSS Creator provided by Jupitermedia’s WebReference.com site. That will be useful when registering it with a directory of RSS feeds or adding a link on a site that I create. Apparently this script writing only works with Firefox.

Javascript – rollovers

I’m just trying to remember what I have learnt about creating rollovers with JavaScript:
Create two images; one called arrow_off and one called arrow_on.
In the body of the HTML, inside the img src tag, along with the other properties, give name=”arrow”.
Inside the a href tag, type: onmouseover=”document.arrow.src=’images/arrow_on.gif’”
onmouseout=”document.arrow.src=’images/arrow_off.gif’”

Javascript – prompt

This is the code, inserted in the head section, that gives a prompt:

<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">
<!--
alert("Good Morning!, " +prompt("Please supply us with your name",""));
// -->
</script>

The first set of quotation marks encloses the text that appears above the text field. The second set of quotation marks can be used to put prompt text in the box.
After the user enters text in the box, they will be met with a personalised alert-type message: “Good morning ….”
Loads of javascript available here Particularly like the automatic breadcrumbs one.

Javascript – alert

Just experimenting with javascript. This is the code, inserted in the head of the HTML page, that creates a pop-up window:

<script language="Javascript" type="text/javascript">
<!--
alert("Good Morning!");
// -->
</script>

Loads of brilliant examples that could be modified/copied and pasted at W3C

Meta tags

Just finding out about uses for meta tags in the head of the web page

• Keywords: <meta name=”keywords” content=”keyword1, etc..”/>
• Description: <meta name=”description” content=”This site….”/>
• Delayed file change: <meta http-equiv”refresh” content=”seconds;URL=http://site address”/> This last one is interesting. I discovered that if you type number of seconds, and address, it redirects with a prompt page saying “please wait while you are redirected.” I’m sure I am going to find this one useful.

CSS code validation service

Just found a CSS code validation service. Useful sister site to XHTML Markup Validation site.

Copyright

Useful tool for searching for duplicate copy writing on the web at Copyscape. I gave the link for my old E-Safety page and came up with duplicates on the Becta advice site (..that I had forgotten I had copied to make mine.) Here are some useful FAQs on the use of copyright.

On the subject of privacy statements, this TRUSTe Privacy Statement is a good example.

Image Optimization

Trying to get my head round web graphics today. Its all quite mathematical. Found a link to GIFBot in my learning materials today. Its great, especially because very easy to use, and free. I uploaded a 33KB gif image and it offered me a range of alternatives of that image that use less colours and so are smaller. The one I have used here to compare is 40% smaller at 15KB. Its much greyer because there are only 6 colours. I think the original gif was fairly optimised because I couldnt really trade size for quality. Interesting..lots to learn.

Browsercam – testing webpages in different browsers

Back to the studying after passing my CIW Foundations exam (and finishing a little bit of building work on the house), I am hopefully really going to get to grips with my web design materials. Ive just come across this site, Browsercam. It gives you a number of screenprints to show what the page looks like in IE, Navigator, Firefox, Opera, etc. Really useful as I am finding testing can take ages.