Tackling the SPB
The scenario
This project focuses on the company APP Spotlight. The project requires the student to create the three web pages that will make up a website that provides reviews, news and hints and tips on the latest apps available for download.
The scenario is open ended so that students can choose apps that appeal to them. Students could choose top selling apps or lesser known ones. Students are free to choose the platform for the apps, such as a computer, tablet or smart phone and the genre i.e. games, travel or educational apps. It is recommended that students select at least three apps for review.
Centres can select specific categories or genres in order to reduce the vast choice of apps available to students to choose from, for example centres may decide that students will choose apps from 'the latest releases' or 'music apps', depending on the interests and background knowledge of the cohort.
Folders
The SPB requires the creation of a folder called ‘DA101SPB’, that contains two subfolders called PRODUCTS and EVIDENCE. It is crucial that students store all the required items for their evidence. The appropriate subfolder is indicated for each item.
The assets table
In producing the web pages and website, students will need to gather, develop and prepare a variety of assets.
An assets table is required, in which students must give details of all assets they use. Students should be encouraged to add all assets, including those they have created themselves. They should be reminded that search engines such as Google should not be cited as sources. An assets table is not provided, but teachers may use the bulleted list in the SPB to create a template that students can use.
The assets table must include a description of each asset and where the student found it. They should identify if they need permission to use it and may note whether the source is primary or secondary. The student should identify where the asset is used in the project, e.g. in the banner, on page two.
Students must be encouraged to keep their assets table up to date throughout the project.
Test buddy and end-of-project reviewer feedback
Students may keep records of the feedback they receive and their response to it. They should take note of what their test buddy tells them is good about the work and what could be improved.
Feedback should be sought on designs. Feedback given and received should be constructive and allow the student to make improvements to their work in terms of quality and fitness for the purpose and target audience.
Students should seek feedback from an end-of-project reviewer. This could be ...
This feedback should help them in the review of their finished website.
Design
Students must come up with some design ideas for the website. They must discuss with, and gain approval from, their teacher before continuing.
Students should have a clear understanding of the purpose of the three web pages and needs of the target audience. They should be encouraged to think about creating an appropriate and consistent style when designing the web pages. Design ideas need to include a logo for the website, which should be called 'App Spotlight'.
The design ideas should show the proposed content and asset layout for each page. Students should include details of any other design features such as colour, fonts or additional multimedia assets. The designs may be in any format but should be design ideas and not the finished web pages. They may be hand drawn and scanned or computer generated. The designs should include annotations to show what each asset is, e.g. screenshot from an app, text reviewing an app, link to video. In addition, students should explain their design ideas – why that asset is where it is, why they think it will be appropriate for the audience. These could be added as handwritten notes or text boxes/callouts on a computer-generated design.
Students should consider accessibility when thinking about their colour schemes as part of the design.
There is no requirement for a structure chart but students may wish to indicate how the pages will be linked and any navigation they propose.
Students should be advised at this early stage of the design process, if any of their design ideas are not suitable for any reason, including restrictions of copyright.
Assets
Strand c focuses on gathering, developing and preparing assets that are key to the quality of the finished website. Assets should include screenshopts of apps, a video or screen recording of hints and tips about a particluar app and news on the latest apps.
It is anticipated that students will have the opportunity to capture their own screenhots of different apps.
The video or screen recording should be a short video or screen recording of no more than 60 seconds, which provides hints and tips on how to use a particular app. The teacher may provide a series of apps to choose from or the student may decide to select their own. The soundtrack for the video or screen recording could be a voiceover captured at the same time as the video or screen recording or a separate soundtrack added later. The teacher may provide the students with an appropriate video, complete with a soundtrack or may provide a video or screen recording and instruct the students to add heir own commentary/voiceover.
Students must comply with copyright.
Students should be encouraged to review the apps featured on the site themselves, although the reviews can take any approrpiate format.
The website should feature some news reagrding the latest apps available to download. Again, students may wish to produce this information themselves. Alternatively, the teacher may wish to either provide learners with sources of information regarding the latest apps or provide this information for students.
Students should use the assets table as directed earlier in the SPB. However, a key part of the process is developing and preparing each asset so that it is in a suitable format and size. Therefore, students need to record details of how they change each asset in order to make it suitable, e.g. resizing, cropping, compressing. This may be recorded in any format that is suitable, e.g. a word processed document or a presentation. These may be narrative with annotated or labelled screenshots to highlight processes used, in order to reduce the need for lengthy descriptions.
Web pages
There is no requirement for students to create a web page template within the web authoring software. However, this may help them make sure that there is some consistency across the three pages when they are linked to form the finished website.
As the students build the web pages they need to make sure that they include clear navigation features. This may be a navigation bar that appears on all three pages, or suitable links that enable the user to move easily between the pages. The choice will depend on the design ideas and the style applied to the website.
Text and images must be of suitable format and size to allow the finished website to load quickly. The layout of images and text will depend on the student’s design ideas; however, text should not be obscured by images. Text should be in a font style that is relevant, will appeal to the target audience, and is clear to read.
If students have chosen other assets, they should include these as planned in its design ideas. For example, they may have created an asset that they plan to use for the link to the track from the demo.
Students should make sure that their finished pages contain relevant text and images. Their test buddy should give them constructive feedback so they can make any improvements at this stage.
Students should save their pages as .htm or .html, making sure that the home page is saved as index.html.
The website
Students should now have three web pages that have an appropriate layout, suitable assets and match their design ideas. The next step is to create the finished website by linking the pages so that the target audience can navigate easily from page to page.
In order to meet the requirements of the brief, the pages of the website should review appropriate apps using text and images. As well as navigation, students must include a video or screen recording of hints and tips and a link to an external site. The video does not have to be embedded in the web page. It may open in a new window.
As they link the pages, students should test the website regularly to make sure that it works as intended. Navigation should take the user to the intended location, the video plays and an email link enables the user to create an email. They can do this themselves or use their test buddy.
There is no need to document any testing or actions taken as a result of this. The quality of the finished website will indicate that testing has taken place and how successful it has been. Students may wish to test their finished website in another environment to make sure it will work as intended for moderation.
Project review
Students should aim to produce a detailed review of the website, avoiding long narratives of what they did and how they did it.
Students should comment on the strengths of the website and areas for improvement. They must include feedback from their end-of-project reviewer. However, there is no need to document any interim feedback received from their test buddy during the development of their website.
Students should conclude their review by making specific and valid suggestions for improvement. These may be their own ideas or come from the end-of-project reviewer.