Electronic Portfolio Tool Comparison

Webased Portfolios
Strengths

• Only requires a web browser to view the portfolio.
• Almost every person who owns a computer also has a web browser.
• Can be viewed remotely.
• Possesses the ability to use many different forms of media; pictures, graphics, text and, if used sparingly, sound and video.
• Can be cut to a CD-ROM.
• Are platform (Windows, Mac, Unix, Linux, etc.) independent.

Weaknesses

• Can be unstable and exact formatting can be extremely difficult.
• Every page will display different on every browser and on every computer.
• Inconsistencies in different browsers can cause unforeseen problems.
• Large video and sound files do not run well or consistently on the web, however, if burned to a CD-ROM these work fine.
• Developing a well-designed web page can be difficult.
• Takes a great deal of organization.

Tools:

Macromedia Dreamweaver-
Strengths

• User friendly.
• Allows for the addition of animation and “time lines” quickly and easily with no knowledge of DHTML or Java.
• Layering. Contains the ability to layer objects on a screen giving the designer more freedom with layout, placement of graphics, etc.
• Files created using this program can be edited and worked with in other webpage development tools.
• With this program you can do almost anything you can imagine without any knowledge of HTML, Java, DHTML, etc. It’s a great program!
• Has some very powerful management tools.
• Is extremely good for large complex websites

Weaknesses

• Not as easy to learn as Homepage.
• The complex parts, while very easy, necessitate some learning.
• Is fairly expensive to buy.
• Doesn’t have built-in templates nor graphics to use on webpages.

Microsoft Frontpage-
Strengths

• The organizational strategies are fairly good, the designer does not need much knowledge to follow the logic.
• Creates many elements of the web itself, decreasing the knowledge required by the designer.
• Contains a great many “templates” and archived graphics so a designer does not have to create their own.
• Contains a graphic representation of the structure of the web page.
• Comes free with Office 2000

Weaknesses

• Not as easy to learn as some programs
• It is difficult and time-consuming to customize the templates.
• Many of the graphics, buttons, etc. do not work in some browsers or when burned to a CD-ROM.
• If rollover buttons are used they are unstable and frequently won’t work consistently.
• Since the program creates many elements itself it is extremely difficult to troubleshoot when something goes wrong since the user needs no understanding of HTML.
• A great deal of “junk” must be carried around within the folder in order to make all the elements work when it is placed on a server or even a CD-ROM.
• No real knowledge of webpage building is needed or necessary or learned. This makes developing webpages in a different program akin to starting from scratch.
• The server that the page is placed on must have Frontpage extensions loaded for it to run.
• Not upwards nor downwards compatible.

Netscape Communicator
Strengths

• User friendly.
• Has an easy way of downloading a page from the internet enabling a designer to edit it.
• It’s a completely free download from the Netscape site.
• Automatically places graphics files into the web folder when they are inserted into a page.
• Files created using this program can be edited and worked with in other webpage development tools.
• For a free program this works great!

Weaknesses

• Not as easy to use as some programs.
• Doesn’t have built-in templates nor graphics to use on webpages.
• Tables are a little difficult to work with.
• No site manangement tools

Microsoft Word
Strengths

• Many students currently have a great deal of work saved on Word.
• Can be saved as a HTML, webpage, pdf.

Weaknesses

• Loses formatting when it is converted to HTML.
• Extremely unstable.
• Requires a great deal of extra work in a web authoring program after conversion to HTML.
• Plays differently on all browsers, even moreso than other programs.
• Writes extremem “dirty” HTML which causes many unforseen problems

Multimedia Portfolios:

Strengths:

• Can by cut to a CD-ROM.
• Almost all computers have a CD-ROM drive.
• The projects can be made “playable” on any machine, meaning that no specific software is required to play it.
• Supports all types of media; text, pictures, sound, video, animation, Quicktime VR and anything else.
• Layout and design are very easy and stable.
• Display almost identically on all computers.

Weaknesses:

• They are not playable on the web without extra work.
• Have to send out CD-ROM’s for demonstration, unless a student makes them playable on the web.
• Must have a plug-in to play them on the web.
• The best programs have a fairly steep learning curve.
• Some programs have difficulties playing on all machines.
• Can be platform dependent.

Tools:

Macromedia Director:
Strengths:

• One of the most powerful multimedia authoring tools available.
• Supports anything a student might want to do, including all types of media.
• Extremely powerful tool that allows for ultimate creativity
• Can be played on the web with some adjustments.
• Creates a “stand alone” project that can play on any machine regardless of software, operating system, etc.

Weaknesses:

• Director, while powerful, has a fairly steep learning curve.
• Expensive.

Hyperstudio
Strengths:

• An easier software than Director
• Supports most types of media.
• Simple and user friendly while providing a great deal of interactivity.

Weaknesses:

• Does not play well on the web necessitating CD-ROM’s.
• Does not always travel across platforms effectively- is fairly platform dependent.

Microsoft Powerpoint
Strengths

• Comes with Microsoft Office.
• Many students already know how to use this program.
• Fairly easy to learn and manipulate.
• Supports most forms of media.

Weaknesses

• Does not play on the web reliably.
• Is basically linear in design.
• Is difficult to customize.
• Is extremely unreliable as a “stand alone” program

Adobe Acrobat:

Strengths:

• Playable on the web.
• Supports most types of multimedia.
• Extremely easy to convert existing materials to pdf format.
• Has the ability to scan and organize many types of paper-based documents, pictures, etc.
• Can be viewed remotely.
• Can be cut to a CD-ROM.
• Platform (Windows, Mac, Unix, Linux, etc.) independent.
• This is the choice if you wish to take a great deal of paper materials and put them in an electronic format.
• The program itself is cheaper than other Multimedia choices.

Weaknesses:

• Have to have the plug-in to view these files.
• Does not navigate through the material as easily or intuitively as the other choices, places them in a sequential manner.
• Some people have trouble downloading and viewing these types of files from the web.