| Text 
Text is the currency of the Web. Every Web page, no matter how sophisticated or
dependent on visual media, will need some text as a means of introducing or explaining
content. HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and PDF (Portable Document Format) are two
popular technologies used in presenting text-based content on the Web.
HTML is a way of formatting ordinary text so that it acquires some of the
characteristics of printed matter and also links to other Web pages. Despite being the
delivery format upon which the Web is founded, however, HTML is very limited and its
shortcomings have led to numerous attempts to originate text encoding formats for the Web
that will encompass all the capabilities of printed matter.
PDF, developed by Adobe, is one format that does encompass all the capabilities of
printed matter. PDF files look like print publications and will also accurately deliver
graphic content and iconographic text over the Web. Users wishing to download PDF files
must get the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in; once installed, the plug-in acts in concert
with the Web browser and allows online perusal, copying, and printing of PDF documents.
Yet despite its sophistication, PDF is not yet regarded in the Internet community as
having the interactive immediacy of HTML, which is usually preferred in its place.
| Examples of Uses |
HTML: Any Web site or Web page PDF:
Electronic books (usually in one large file), newsletters, journals, scientific abstracts
series |
|
| Requirements for Using it on a
Computer |
Any computer with a connection to the Internet can access pages made with
HTML. Due to changes in the HTML specifications, Web pages look considerably different in
earlier browsers; it is advisable to have at least Netscape or Internet Explorer 3.0 for
accessing the Web. For PDF, a higher-end computer and faster connection is recommended,
also with Netscape or Internet Explorer 3+, especially if you are going to be downloading
longer PDF documents. |
|
| Requirements for Using it to
Create Materials |
You can create HTML pages by saving text files with an .html or .htm
extension (suffix) in Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, and many other word-processing
programs. Many print characteristics, such as bolding, italics, and accents, will be
preserved in the saved HTML files, but you may still wish to open them in a HTML editor
and reorganize them. Both the major browsers have built-in editors which are reasonably
simple to use. There are also many popular HTML editing programs, ranging from
professional tools like Adobe PageMill and Microsoft FrontPage to freeware. You will need
space on a Web server where your HTML files will be stored and rendered world readable,
and a file uploading program like WS_FTP. You might also choose to learn HTML; it is
useful to know how to fix a page when it is not "working." Learning how to
create a simple HTML page is not difficult but requires time, patience, and a tolerance
for endlessly finicking over aesthetic details.
You can create PDF files by saving text files with a .pdf extension in Microsoft
Word, Corel WordPerfect, and many other word-processing programs. PDF files will preserve
the integrity and look of printed matter in electronic form. To edit the files, however,
and insert features like browsable tables of contents, you will need a PDF editor such as
Adobe Acrobat. Acrobat is reasonably easy to use but it has many features and is far more
versatile than most HTML editors. Learning how to manage PDF content is more difficult
than learning how to edit HTML and will require considerable time and expense as well as
professional support and training. |
|
| Examples in Module 1 |
| • |
Authentic Inquiry: Sociology |
| • |
Case Studies: Nursing, Urban Geography, Veterinary
Science |
| • |
Collaborative Learning: Architecture
and Landscape Architecture, Anthropology, Local History |
| • |
Conceptual Learning: History of Technology |
| • |
Data Gathering and Analysis: Women's
History |
| • |
Object and Document Analysis: Manuscript
Study and Text Analysis, Material Culture |
| • |
Presentations by Teachers: Cultural
Studies, General Science |
| • |
Presentations by Students: Media
Studies, Sociology |
| • |
Problem Solving: Biology, History, World
Literature |
| • |
Virtual Labs and Field Trips: Biotechnology,
Geology, Physics |
|
This project is a joint initiative of the Center for the Virtual University and the Center for Teaching and Learning
at UMUC.
© 1996-2005 University of Maryland University College
3501 University Blvd. East
Adelphi, Maryland 20783 USA
|
