Blog Post 5

Working on the Web Design assignment taught me practical front-end skills (HTML5 semantic structure, CSS layout techniques including Flexbox/Grid, and responsive design) and a stronger sense of visual design. I used hierarchy to guide the visitor’s eye — large, bold headings and a 2-column grid on the homepage establish primary vs. secondary content; contrast (dark navy headers against light backgrounds and high-contrast buttons) makes CTAs stand out; proximity groups related items (navigation links, search, and account actions are clustered together); and consistent alignment and spacing create a tidy rhythm across pages (I used a 12-column grid so cards and imagery align vertically). I also prioritized accessibility and performance: meaningful alt text for images, semantic tags for screen readers, and a mobile-first CSS approach so the site scales cleanly to phones. What I liked: translating UX principles into concrete code and seeing immediate visual improvement when adjusting spacing, type scale, or color contrast. What I disliked: the repetitive cross-browser tweaks and debugging responsive edge-cases (those tiny viewport widths are surprisingly stubborn). In my future career (instructional design / education technology / any role that needs clear communication), these web design skills will help me build clear learning hubs, tidy documentation sites, and fast landing pages that communicate ideas quickly and inclusively. A creative way to use QR codes in class is to build a “choose-your-own-adventure” learning trail: print QR codes and place them at learning stations around the room (each code links to a short micro-lesson, video, quick quiz, or reflection prompt). Students rotate through stations scanning codes with phones or tablets; their next station might depend on their quiz result (branching links). This encourages movement, choice, and immediate formative feedback, and makes it easy to reuse printed materials while swapping out the linked resources. To address this case ethically I would require transparency, minimal data use, human oversight, and vendor due diligence. Practically: (1) disclose the tool to students and obtain informed consent (explain what will be uploaded, who will see it, and how long it will be stored); (2) choose or configure the service to minimize data retention and disable uses that train the vendor’s public models where possible; (3) anonymize student identifiers before upload and keep a human-in-the-loop to review and override automated feedback (AI as assistant, not sole grader); and (4) vet the vendor’s privacy/data-use policies and contractually insist on FERPA-compatible handling, security controls, and defined retention/deletion policies. These steps protect student autonomy and privacy while preserving the instructor’s productivity gains; they also address bias and fairness concerns by ensuring human judgment and accountability remain central. This approach aligns with guidance about responsible, privacy-minded use of AI in education and with case discussions on AI grading tradeoffs.

Comments

  1. Ms.TinkNovember 25, 2025 at 10:08 AM

    Your website makes use of the design principles CRAP to every extent. The beige background provides a nice contrast to the black lettering utilized throughout the site. Your use of repetition is evident in the bold headings followed by the listed context, which is always bulleted or numbered. The alignment is continuous throughout; there is always a large heading followed by an indented and centered aligned body. The proximity of the information shared is spaced well. The information is not too close together, and the sections are separated just enough to register proper distinction, but not too far, making the website difficult to navigate.

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