How to Do It Guide: Choosing Appropriate Technology

ScienceQuest does not provide technical support for the following:

• Microsoft Front Page
• Word
• Publisher
• Power Point
• Netscape Composer 6.0
• Web site building software not listed above

  Learn more about why.

Hosting Team Web Sites

Teams have 3 fun-filled options for hosting team web sites. They are:

• Homestead server: If your team used Homestead software to build a web site, it will be hosted on the Homestead server. This is the best option for most teams.
• Your server: If you want to host your team's web site using your own server, feel free to do so! Remember to announce your web site when it has launched. This is a good option for technology centers that have experience building and uploading web sites with kids.
• EDC server (a last option): If your team developed a web site using Dreamweaver, Netscape Composer, or in HTML, we can host your team's web site on our server. See directions for sending us your team Web site.

Announce Your Team Web Site

Announce your team web site by completing this online form. The form includes a checklist of required components for your team Web site, as well as room to submit your team's web address and a description of the site. Once you submit your team's web site information, we'll feature your site on the ScienceQuest site!

Additional Technology Resource

ScienceQuest Web Site Building Guide: Information on teaching kids web design, setting up a Homestead account, common tasks on Homestead, and more!

Details ... Details ...

Support Software: Choosing the Right One

Homestead: If your team has little experience building web sites, and if you have Internet access on a PC computer, then Homestead may be a good choice for your team. Homestead allows your team members to build fun and interesting web pages without experience in HTML or more complex web design programs. Homestead also hosts your team's web site.

ScienceQuest teams are eligible for free one-year accounts from Homestead. Read directions on getting your team's Homestead promotional code.

HTML: If your team has experience programming in HTML or if your coaches have experience teaching HTML to kids, please feel free to design web sites in HTML! You will need to upload your web site on to your own server, or send the site to us.

Dreamweaver and Netscape Composer: Dreamweaver and Netscape Composer are commonly used WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors. They are slightly more complicated than Homestead, but simpler than programming in HTML. You will need to upload your web site on to your own server, or send the site to us.

Unsupported Software: Why?

If you feel that your team must build a web site on Front Page - or with another piece of software - please feel free to do so, but we cannot provide technical support if you have difficulties building a web site.

If you choose to have EDC host your web site, we cannot guarantee that all of your web site features will work. For example, there are certain plug-ins on Front Page that will not appear on web pages when hosted on EDC servers.

If there are errors on your web site, ScienceQuest staff will not be able to fix them on your web site after it has been uploaded on to EDC servers. (We do not have the programs to open your web pages.)

If your team creates a Power Point presentation, we will host and post your team's work as a PDF. Unfortunately, we will not be able to convert your team's Power Point presentation to a web site.

We apologize for the inconvenience. If your team would like to use software not supported by ScienceQuest, your best bet is to host the web site independently. As always, please announce your web site and we will feature it on the ScienceQuest site.

Directions for Having EDC Host your Team's Web Site

If your team has designed a web site using Dreamweaver or Netscape Composer, we are happy to host your web site on the EDC server. Here's what you do:

1. Test your web site on your own computer by previewing the site. Make certain that all links and images work on your computer.
2. Copy your web site on a CD. Make certain that all images, pages, and files are included on the CD. Pages should be saved in HTML. (You may want to test your Web site again once it is copied on the CD.)
3. Collect signed release forms from kids and adults.
4. Include the following information in your CD packet: Signed release forms of all ScienceQuest participants, name and email address of center coordinator, center's name, city and state of your center, team's and coaches' names, day time phone number, and introduction of web site (to be sent on the SQ listserve and/or newsletter).
5. Send your CD to: Vivian Wong -- ScienceQuest; Education Development Center; 55 Chapel Street; Newton, MA 02458-1060.
6. Send us an email so we know to look for your CD!
7. Once we receive your CD, it will be uploaded on to the EDC server in about a week. When we have successfully uploaded your site, we'll send you an email letting you know the web address.
8. Celebrate!

Questions?

If you have questions about the ScienceQuest technology policy, please feel free to contact us at sciencequest@edc.org.

Back to Phase 4: How to Do It Guide.