Module 4:

Online Tools for Content

Development
At the end of this module, we can:
Evaluate existing online creation tools, platforms, and applications in
developing ICT content for specific professional tracks.
Apply Web design principles and elements using online creation
tools, platforms, and applications to communicate a message for a
specific purpose in specific professional tracks.
Create an original or derivative ICT content using online creation
tools, platforms and application to effectively communicate
messages related to specific professional tracks.
Online Platforms and Application
Platforms – refers to a program created by developers that can be
modified or reprogrammed by outside users. It is a facility for
programming or developing an application tailored to the user’s
specifications.
Online Platforms – are online Web sites created to aid users in creating
their Web content and cater to different kinds of information such as
texts, images, and videos.
Online Platforms and Application
Formula Translating System (FORTRAN) – the first successful
commercial programming language compiler, helped humans give
instructions and interact with computers without altering the
hardware of computer.
FORTRAN and its successors were operated offline or without
connectivity with other computing devices.
Platform Categories
Application Programming Interface (API) – is a set of governing
protocol or rules on how software elements should communicate
and interact with one another.
Commonly, API is used in developing the GUI
Platform Categories
Access API – This type of API runs in a remote machine, server, or
computer, and the application is accessed remotely by a guest user
application to draw data and services.

Plug-in API – Most of the time, this API is used in the user end.
Generally, different developers create different applications that can
be integrated or “plugged in” to a core application and/or the GUI of
these applications.
Platform Categories
Runtime Environment – These API are platforms for developing
different applications, wherein programs or application codes are
evaluated and compiled in the said APIs.
The application codes are uploaded or injected into the API and the
API will test and run the application code.
Platform Categories
Common Web sites that use plug-in APIs are the following:
YouTube – is a Web site dedicated to hosting video clips. Users can
create an account on YouTube and upload videos for public or
private viewing.
Flickr – is a Web site that caters to the hosting of images. Users of
the site create a private account wherein they can upload images
and categorize the images as to whether they are viewed privately or
by the public.
Platform Categories
Twitter – is a social networking service that enables users to send
and read short messages with 140 characters. These short messages
are called tweets.
Facebook – is a social networking Web site that requires the user to
register an account and create user profile. A profile contains the
information about the owner of the account such as his or her
birthday, location, work and education.
Platform Categories
Google Maps – Google Maps APIs are one of the most used APIs by
Web site developers. Commonly, Google Maps APIs are used to
indicate a location of an establishment described on a Web site.
Web Design Principles and Elements
Purpose – A Web site can be categorized primarily in terms of the
goal it aims to fulfill. Web sites can be categorized into different
types and functions depending on the purpose they serve the user
or audience.
Communication – Essentially, when we visit a Web site, the primary
objective is to absorb as much valuable information as possible in
the shortest of time. Thus, the information or text on a Web site
should be concise and direct to the point.
Web Design Principles and Elements
Typefaces – This is an essential factor in Web site design because
this is considered the most dominant and noticeable in terms of
visuals.
Colors – These enhance the experience of visitors of the Web site.
The appropriate combination of the foreground color and
background color can produce a better viewing experience not only
in the images and pictures but also in the texts.
Web Design Principles and Elements
Images – Images alone placed on the Web site can deliver a
complete message that the Web site wishes to communicate to the
audience. Choosing the correct images can connect the Web site to
viewers or the audience effectively.
Navigation - Navigation refers to the facility that the audience can
use to go through the Web site and its subpages.
◦ Hierarchical organization of information
◦ Buttons or links
◦ Search bars
Web Design Principles and Elements
Layouts – A layout refers to the physical arrangement of the content
and elements on a Web site. There are ways on how to do an
effective layout on a Web site, and typically, these ways are
determined by the creator or developer.
◦ Grid – Grid layouts can be useful because they will enable the user to
create sections or groups of related information.
◦ F – Pattern – Based on studies, human vision flows like the letter F.
◦ Mobile – The popularity of using mobile devices in viewing Web content
is increasing. This is because of the portability and convenience brought
about by mobile devices.
Web Design Principles and Elements
Load Time – Another basis for the success of a Web site is the time that
the Web site will load or appear onto the viewers’ display device.
Web Design Using Templates and WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG in Web site design is an acronym for What You See Is What
You Get. It is an application that is used to create a Web site either
online or offline. This type of application uses the capability of
directly handling the components of the Web site.
Presented here are some of the WYSIWYG applications for both
online and offline development.
◦ Adobe Dreamweaver – This is an offline proprietary Web development
tool offered by Adobe Systems. This tool presents a wide range of tools
for the drag-and-drop option.
Web Design Using Templates and WYSIWYG
Amaya – Amaya is an open source Web site development tool used
to update documents directly on a running Web site.

Microsoft Expression Web – This is a propriety Web site

development tool created by Microsoft. Microsoft Expression is
integrated to the now defunct Microsoft Expression Studio.

IM Creator – This is Web site that caters to both experienced and

inexperienced users, and to creators of Web sites and Web pages.
Web Design Using Templates and WYSIWYG
Wix – Wix is another Web site that offers its users to create their
own Website. The advantage of using Wix is that knowledge of Web
site programming is not a prerequisite. It also offers a wide range of
templates.
Online Presentation Tools
Some applications that are gaining popularity today are online
presentation. These applications offer the function of an image and
presentation software without the trouble of purchasing and
installing the presentation software on your device.
These applications also offer online storage for saving created files.
Online Presentation Tools
Some of these applications are the following:
Prezi – Prezi is a cloud-based application dedicated to help you create
a presentation. The software adapts the storytelling type of
presentation. The primary flow of the presentation is zooming in or
out in a display.
SlideShare - This is considered as one of the earliest forms of online
presentation media. The primary function of this Web site is to
provide a facility for uploading and sharing presentations files.
Online Presentation Tools
MindMeister – This is an online collaborative tool in which different
individuals can share ideas on a common scratchpad-like workspace.
The ideas are placed visually by different users to form a concept.
Also, texts can be placed and can point to some ideas in conjunction
with the images placed in the workspace.
Cloud Storage
Cloud storage is a service wherein files from users are stored online.
The files are uploaded by users and are received by a storage server
that hosts the service.
Common storage Web sites and services are the following:
Google Drive – This is a storage application developed by Google.
This application does not only store files but accommodates online
editing and collaboration.
Cloud Storage
Dropbox - This is a file hosting and storage service developed by
Dropbox, Inc. It offers a facility to synchronize and create folders for
file organization. The service is offered and available for enterprise
use as well as for personal consumption.
Evernote - This is an online note-taking and archiving application
service. The facility offers a Web application similar to that of a word
processor. The notes created by the user can be achieved or saved in
the application’s storage.
Mapping Applications
Web mapping applications are Web sites developed from
geographical information system’ (GIS) data. Mapping applications
use GIS to create a graphical and illustrative representation to easily
visualize maps.
Google Maps – This is a Web mapping application developed by
Google. It shows both graphic and satellite maps. The maps include
street names, building names, establishment names, and bus and
train stations, to name a few.
Mapping Applications
Wikimapia – This a collaborative open content mapping application.
Wikimapia offers satellite view of streets, buildings, and
establishments. This Web site uses Google Maps APIs for mapping