Write a review of a Digital History website.
Please indicate by stating “Review 1” as the heading of your review and ensure that you provide the title and a link to the website chosen.
Due: Monday 19th February 2024 by 11:55pm.
Please do not include any personal information ie. student ID numbers in your review entry.
Digital History at UWI 
Review 1
The renaissance period
https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/renaissance
This website aims to give an brief but beautiful explanation of the renaissance era and the great accomplishments, people and art that was produced during that period – just to name a few for simplification.
The intended audience for this website I believe is a general audience, anyone seeking to gain some or even new information of that period for those who have little or no knowledge at all – judging from the information displayed here, it seems.
The information that can be found on the website consists of the beginning of the renaissance, humanism, Medici family, renaissance geniuses, art, architecture and science, renaissance exploration, renaissance religion, end of the renaissance, debate about the renaissance and then finally, sources.
The design of the website when you first load it up is very pleasing to the eyes, the first thing you see is a picture of an art piece that was published during that period. When you scroll down. There is a table of contents on the left-hand side and a small introduction on the right-hand side. The content respective to the topic being discussed is located in the center of the website, particular to the table of contents. The big text and bold font at times makes the information being discussed easier to read and digest. The hyperlinks forward users to another page with the respective topic and even a picture of a person or persons. For example, in the renaissance geniuses section, there is a list of people who may have contributed in some way and their names have been hyperlinked. “Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519): Italian painter, architect, inventor and “Renaissance man” responsible for painting “The Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper.”
The font size for the content is 15 and the headings are 18. The website is decorated with a few renaissance paintings that really paint the image of that period.
There is a ribbon at the top of the webpage which titles, shows, this day in history, schedule, topics, and stories. The navigation is quite easy and takes you from one element to another without much delay. When you click on one it unfortunately refreshes the entire page and if you need to go back to the renaissance content, you must press the back arrow. However, I found this very inconvenient as I prefer it opens an additional webpage just like the hyperlinks on the renaissance piece. This is because it is easy to get lost in the other content that they offer and it will be difficult to navigate back to the beginning of the purpose of the website. Another instance that occurred is the immense freezing of the page while scrolling down. It became somewhat of an annoyance and broke my interest in that particular website. This website also contains pop ups of different videos on the bottom right corner of the screen that displays a bit about the history. I find this educational but also inconvenient because I prefer no distraction while reading. It also does not wait for you to press play, but plays immediately, breaking the immersion. After clicking off the video, another one pops up just the same and I click off again.
Other than those few hiccups, the website is fully functional, easy to access and most easy to read and understand.
Review 1
A review of digital history site The Danish West-Indies – Sources of history, https://www.virgin-islands-history.org/en/
The Danish National Archives’ project, The Danish West-Indies – Sources of history, lasted from 2013 to 2017. This was an effort to digitize documents and present them online with associated articles which give context to them. This project used crowdsourcing to some degree for English translations and transcriptions of source documents.
Objectives
The website, The Danish West-Indies – Sources of history, presents several articles and corresponding documents related to the history of the Danish West-Indies, now the US Virgin Islands, between the years of 1650 and 2000. The website aims to preserve and inform persons of Danish West-Indian history through the digitization of source documents, and publication of articles which relate to noteworthy events in Danish West-Indian history.
Audience
The target audience for this website ranges from the novice to experienced historians. The depth of information that can be accessed through the website makes it suitable for this audience, particularly due to its links to repositories of digitized source documents. The general public that are curious on the subject of Danish West-Indian history can also benefit from the articles present, however, this site is primarily targeted toward historians.
Content
As previously mentioned, the website hosts a number of articles which detail prominent local figures, slavery, trade and shipping, colonial presence, and population demographics and observations through the years. These articles contain images of source documents related to the topic of discussion, inclusive of photographs, drawings, paintings, journals, maps, and ledgers. Additionally, links to the Danish National Archives, a repository of digitized documents, are present in many of the articles for further access to source documents.
Design
Homepage
When opening the homepage, the search area is immediately attention grabbing due to its centralized position and its use of a transparent black box with noticeable borders which distinguishes it from the background of art used by almost all webpages on this website. The background is sufficiently muted in color so as not to distract from the content presented. The top of the page holds its navigation links to other pages on the website and the name of the project, The Danish West-Indies – Sources of history, which serves as navigation to the homepage. This header is present on each page of the website.
Parallax scrolling is used to give the appearance of a static background with moving content sitting atop of it, allowing the full art piece to be visible from both the very top and very bottom of the page. Scrolling down presents large, attention-grabbing headings with a brief description and links to the full article on the site. There is also an interactive menu with separate tabs that provide that functionality for topics under the history section.
History
Beneath the shared header, there are links to specific topics under the history section of this page: Personal history; Trade and Shipping; Colonial Power; Ownership History; Slavery; Fates. Scrolling down, the rest of the page provides links to these topics as well as a few others. These links are separated into individual boxes which contain an image relevant to the topic and a brief description of the topic. When the cursor hovers over each box, it expands slightly indicating that they can be clicked on. Articles present within this section takes advantage of the ‘F-Pattern Layout’ (Mialki), to keep viewer’s attention.
Search the Records
This page centers around the search bar for the Danish National Archives. Below there are instructions and tips with interactive buttons that trigger pop-ups with a detailed description on how to search for a particular area of interest.
About
The About page gives a brief description of the project and further reading on the site through similarly stylized links to those on the history page.
Timeline
The Timeline page shows an interactive timeline that will display notable historical events between the years of 1650 and 2000 and a brief description of each with links to further reading on the site.
Navigation
The majority of hyperlinks were active and working on the website. Links to other pages on the website are usually found at the top of each page, so the viewer must scroll to the top of the page to navigate to the other pages in most cases. Links are also present to the Danish National Archives, which hosts the source documents used in articles on the site.
One notable broken hyperlink exists on the website. The link to online teaching material (https://www.sa.dk/en/services/danish-slave-trade-timeline) on the Teaching page is broken and redirects to an error message, page not found.
References
Mialki, Stephanie. Instapage. n.d. https://instapage.com/blog/f-pattern-layout/. 17 February 2024.
– Z. Rampersad
Shahrzád Ackbar-Ali
Review 1
Title: Slave Voyages – EXPLORE THE ORIGINS AND FORCED RELOCATIONS OF ENSLAVED AFRICANS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC WORLD
Link to Website: https://www.slavevoyages.org
Objective:
The objective of the website SlaveVoyages is to provide information and databases to analyze the records of the largest slave trades in history. It includes databases on the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, the intra-American slave trade , and the people of the Atlantic slave trade. These databases provide details about the slave voyages, including the ships’ names, departure and arrival ports, dates, and the number of enslaved persons being transported.
Audience:
This site can attract a very diverse audience, including, researchers, historians, educators, students, and even the general public if interested. For example, when navigating the home page, under the resources button, you would find lesson plans which can be very useful to educators.
Content:
The website is very content heavy. With that being said, there is a lot of well researched data, relating to all of the database records collected about the voyages. Details about specific voyages, slave ship captains and the estimated amount of enslaved persons can all be found in these databases, which were presented in the form of table, graphs and maps that can be filtered to whatever persons may be looking for. Persons can also view introductory maps showing the routes taken by these ships, view 3D videos of Slaving Ships, and the timeline and chronology. An interactive map is also seen on the site which sows the movement of the slave ships all around the world.
Image Galleries can also be found of people, places, documents as well as vessels, all linked to the Trans-Atlantic and Intra-American slave trades.
The website definitely meets its objectives when presenting the data, giving a thorough database.
Design:
When initially opening the site, the site is very captivating, boldly showing the title and purpose of the site as well as a short description of what it contains. A slideshow containing illustrations of the slave trades play continuously in the background, it does not distract the audience from the information being presented instead it captivates them into wanting to learn more, and dive deeper into the site.
At the top of the page, a navigation bar is found to go to different parts of the site, when clicking onto any of these buttons, the information continues to be presented in scholarly manner, not focusing on illustration, but is payed out in a well-organized and straightforward manner, with clear headings and menus in a blue or purple colour and the general text being black on a white background.
The interactive aspect of the site, such as clickable maps and timelines, encourages the engagement of the user in visualizing the routes and scale of different slave voyages. Persons may however become overwhelm by the amount of data being presented, but over time it should become more manageable for users.
Navigation:
The navigation of the website is very intuitive and seamless, allowing the users to explore the various section without any trouble. The structure of the menus and navigation bar allowed for users to easily access all of the information, as well as switch between the various sections. Every webpage also allowed for users to be navigated back to the home screen which would definitely help for first time users trying to get adjusted to it. Navigating through the databases were also made relatively easy, with all of the hyperlinks working, allowing for users to search for specific voyages or data for their research.
Overall, the website’s construction and layout were excellent. It was well-designed, with all of the information being accessible, effectively achieving all of its objectives, and attracting a very diverse audience.
Review 1
The New Orleans World War II Museum – https://www.nationalww2museum.org/
This site was created by the New Orleans World War II Museum and it serves as an extension of the physical museum located in Louisiana. The site effectively caters to a diverse audience as its main objective is to facilitate the access of knowledge on World War II to the general public. It does this by providing historical information about the events and stories of World War II and on the significance of the war within the United States of America and the world. However, the site also offers education resources for teachers and students. Moreover, the site aims to promote the museum as a tourist attraction for both locals and visitors by showcasing its in-person exhibits and encouraging virtual visitors to potentially visit after engaging with the site’s resources.
The content on the website can be described as well-written and comprehensive as it covers various aspects of World War II. This can be seen as the war can be discovered through different major topics on the site such as branches of service, theatres of operation, and personal stories. Overall, the website meets its objectives as it offers information about the causes of the war, significant figures and key battles on different fronts. The information presented by the site is done so in a manner where it is easily accessible and understandable for people of all ages and education backgrounds, thereby making it ideal for the intended target audience. Furthermore, the site includes dedicated webpages for teachers and students that includes different resources and development programmes they can utilise. This reflects the museum’s dedication to enhancing individuals’ learning experience. The website also utilises images, videos and audio to create an interactive and visual experience for users. This is seen through the offering of oral histories from persons in the war, as well as the inclusion of photographs in articles.
Visually, the website can be described as well-designed and professional since it is an online extension of the physical institute. On initial viewing of the home webpage, there is a slideshow that showcases the museum’s attractions that draws visitors inward to the material. However, despite its effectiveness at effectively engaging persons in the site’s contents, its dominance within the space distracts from the site’s title and headings. If fixed, there would be a better balance and emphasis on the textual content offered by the institute. On further observation, it is noteworthy that the banners of the website employ a simple colour scheme of red, white and blue. I believe that this was done to serve as an ode to America as the majority of the content focuses on the American experience in World War II. The simple colour scheme is carried throughout the other webpages of the website and this allows for minimal distractions, thereby allowing users to focus on the content. Moreover, the font and font sizes used within the website was appropriate since it did not distract away from the material and it was easy to read.
Effective navigation is a crucial characteristic for a website as content-rich as the National WWII Museum’s site and the institution was able to successfully create this. This can be said as the website employed intuitive navigation menus, a search function and clear labelling to assist users in efficiently finding information. Furthermore, the design prioritises accessibility of information as all hyperlinks on the site were working, thereby ensuring that users can navigate the site easily and access its content without barriers. The website displays a good flow from one element to another and whether users are looking to book tours, explore exhibits, or learn more about World War II, the website facilitates seamless navigation and information retrieval.
In conclusion, the National World War II Museum is able to successfully achieve its objectives of educating users about World War II and promote the offerings of the museum to its target audience of the public, as well as teachers, students and others. Its content, design and navigation works together to engage users and provide an immersive online experience.
Site Title: History View
Site Link: https://historyview.org/
HistoryView.org is an online platform offering virtual tours to a diverse array of historically significant locations worldwide. These tours allow users to explore renowned museums, iconic landmarks, and cultural sites from the comfort of their own space, providing a rich and immersive experience. With the utilization of advanced Matterport 3D technology, users can navigate through these destinations as if they were physically present, gaining insights into their historical and cultural significance. Additionally, the platform offers informative content on each tour, including externally sourced information, videos, websites, and supplementary images, enhancing the educational experience for users. This comprehensive approach offers a valuable resource for educational purposes, personal interest, or professional development. By making history accessible and engaging, HistoryView.org aims to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of our shared cultural heritage.
HistoryView.org aims to fulfil several key objectives, of making history accessible and engaging, and helping people understand the world through enjoyable and memorable journeys into the past. This is supported as, according to the analytics revealed by SemRush.com, the majority of keywords that viewers search for that lead to HistoryView.org are informational, and so knowledge-seeking in nature. In line with this, it is stated clearly that the site caters to both a general audience, of people casually interested in history and historical sites, and avid history buffs, interested in experiencing these locations first-hand. It provides a free platform that is easily accessible for these individuals to virtually explore famous monuments from the comfort of their own homes.
In terms of content, HistoryView.org offers comprehensive and useful information, written in language easily understood by its target audience of casual viewers. However, a notable limitation is the reliance on sources like Wikipedia, which may compromise the reliability of the information provided. This can be seen on tours of historical sites such as Fishbourne Palace and Carn Euny Ancient Village. On some pages, the additional information provided is not cited at all, further reducing the reliability. This can be seen on the webpage for Asen’s Fortress. Also, not all the virtual tours feature embedded descriptions or information about the artefacts and sites, diminishing the educational value of the experience. In this sense, the content does not meet the objective of helping people understand through journeys into the past, as some tours lack details typically provided by a tour guide, leaving viewers with minimal knowledge unless they actively seek out supplementary text outside the tour. Additionally, for some tours, there is a loss in quality and clarity of the image when the viewer zooms into it, detracting from the overall experience. An example of this would be the virtual tour of the Roman Colosseum, where clicking some information bubbles present in the tour forces the viewer to zoom in uncomfortably close and lose all depth and quality of the images, becoming just vaguely rendered shapes.
Despite these drawbacks, HistoryView.org excels in certain areas. The inclusion of landmarks on the world map, present on the virtual tour webpages, is incredibly helpful and provides valuable context. Additionally, the inclusivity of the information on some tours being in both English and Spanish, such as in the Roman Colosseum, promotes the achievement of their objective. As well as on the webpage for the tour of Bunker WN-62, a World War 2 bunker, there are videos embedded into the tour, to enhance the viewer’s experience. Also, the tour webpage including additional resources such as links to videos about the landmarks and what happened there also increases awareness and education. Furthermore, the website includes an Artificially Intelligent chatbot that can be used to ask questions and clarify information provided on the page, which greatly aids the accomplishment of the website’s objectives. However, when actually asked a question, the chatbot is not able to generate a response, and thus, is useless.
The design of the site is characterized by a very simplistic and minimalist colour scheme, featuring mainly white and orange. According to a study done by Bonnardel, Piolat and Le Bigot (2011), the colour orange is viewed as one of the most appealing colours by participants, due to its warm effect, going on to say that users remained longer on the orange-coloured site, as compared to some other highly rated colours, as well as retaining more information from the sites. It concluded that orange favoured not only information processing, but also the memorization and retrieval of information acquired from the Website. Thus, the simplicity of the colour scheme may be an asset, also reducing distractions on the pages.
The font used is standard across the website, with very little variation in size, or colour, and may lack variation and visual interest, and thus deter some viewers. In inspecting the page, it is revealed that the most commonly used font is the Roboto font, with most others also being of the same sans-serif family. These fonts are generally used more due to their composition of homogeneous contours, which are easier to read on the screen, and they are considered visually more attractive (Bidjovski 2013). Also, in an article by Rello and Baeza-Yates (2016), it is stated that the fonts of the serif family are easier to read by persons with dyslexia, and so this assists in the objective of making learning and history inclusive and assessable.
Navigation on HistoryView.org is smooth and intuitive, with most clickable links reliably leading to their intended destinations. Some, such as the link to the monuments page, while it leads to the correct place, has no content available to be viewed. The content itself is organised well and clearly, easy to navigate and find whatever is needed. However, using the search bar for a specific historical site may not lead to the webpage for that tour, and instead leads to the continent it may be present on. For example, searching for Machu Picchu leads to the South America webpage. At this point, there is no indication of where the tour for this location is, instead the viewer needs to know which category it will be included under. In this case, the seven wonders of the world, which some viewers of their targeted audience may not know.
In conclusion, HistoryView.org presents a commendable effort in making history accessible to a wide audience. However, there are clear opportunities for improvement. Enhancements such as ensuring content reliability through thorough fact-checking, optimizing navigation functionality for smoother user experience, and refining search capabilities to accurately retrieve desired webpages can significantly enhance the platform. Additionally, prioritizing educational value by providing comprehensive historical context and improving image quality, alongside expanding multilingual support, and optimizing and repairing the available chatbots can further elevate the user experience. By implementing these recommendations, HistoryView.org can evolve into an even more valuable resource for virtual historical exploration, catering to the diverse interests and needs of its audience.
References:
Bidjovski, Goran. “Interpretation of the Selected Text Fonts with their Typographic Features from the Web Sites of the Computers of the Users.” International Journal of Image, Graphics and Signal Processing 5, no. 12 (2013): 71.
Bonnardel, Nathalie, Annie Piolat, and Ludovic Le Bigot. “The impact of colour on Website appeal and users’ cognitive processes.” Displays 32, no. 2 (2011): 69-80.
“Organic Research: HistoryView.Org.” n.d. Semrush. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://www.semrush.com/analytics/organic/overview/?db=us&q=historyview.org&searchType=subdomain.
Rello, Luz, and Ricardo Baeza-Yates. 2016. “The Effect of Font Type on Screen Readability by People with Dyslexia.” ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing 8 (4): 1–33. https://doi.org/10.1145/2897736.
REVIEW 1
Website Title: The National Archives of Singapore
Website link: https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/
About website:
The National Archives of Singapore (NAS) is the official repository for Singapore’s collective memory. The NAS is in charge of collecting, preserving, and managing Singapore’s public and private archival documents, which include government files, private memoirs, historical maps, and pictures, as well as oral history interviews and audio-visual recordings.
Objectives:
Audience:
The National Archives of Singapore’s website audience is the public, however based off observation the website has a lot of information that can be quite beneficial to a diverse audience with various interests and needs. The website has a lot of data from original sources, artifacts and research tools that may be required for academic pursuits that can assist historians conducting scholarly research or investigations into Singapore’s diverse past. Educators teaching at different levels can also use the website to incorporate into their curriculum to gather historical information, which can improve classroom learning experiences. Government officials who are responsible for managing or updating records can benefit from the website, as it can act as a guide to keeping archival practices and preservation up to standard. Cultural persons involved in heritage preservation, can also utilize this website for personal knowledge development, and community projects. As for the general public, such as tourists, citizens and individuals with ties to Singapore, the website acts as a gateway to explore archival collections, exhibitions, audio-visuals, government files, building plans and maps, history interviews, photos, press releases, and straits settlements related to Singapore’s rich and diverse heritage. All in all, the National Archives of Singapore’s website caters to a wide range of individuals interested in Singapore’s history and heritage.
Content:
“The quality and relevance of the content provided on a website plays a crucial role in shaping the user’s experience and achieving the website’s objectives. A well curated mix of text, images, videos, and interactive elements that are high-quality, informative, and tailored to the target audience can greatly enhance the website’s effectiveness” (Srivastava, 2016). The website covers a wide range of Singapore’s history from ancient civilization to today’s modern society. After reading through several pages of NAS’s website documents, its safe to say that the quality of the content is well preserved. NAS has a extensive collection of historical archives, including articles, maps, interviews, and much more. The contents published were quite clear and appropriate for users of all ages and background.
Design:
From the moment you enter The National Archives of Singapore’s website, you’re greeted with a well-organized homepage. I like that the website is simple and gets straight to the point. The website itself is a perfect blend of modern aesthetics and historic concepts, which instantly makes you the reader interested in browsing more. The website’s color scheme consists of a white background with black font, and hints of green highlight. The color scheme seems to be thoughtfully curated to reflect Singapore’s eco-friendly environment. According to Enterinternational.org, “Singapore is considered one of the most eco-friendly cities in Asia.” The website’s organization is well put together, and the font size and style are perfect for reading. The website’s white background and black font balances very well and the website also has a decent number of photos on the homepage which makes the website feel light instead of crowed. I also like that the website has no unnecessary pop-up ads lingering which allows you to stay focused on its content and not get distracted.
Navigation:
Aside from the website’s simple but effective design, the website worked pretty well. Users can just click on hyperlinks and results are presented within seconds, however, the website needs a bit more of work in navigation. For example, when you click on the Government files element it takes you to a webpage where you must search keywords in order to see results which makes the website difficult and documents not accessible especially if you aren’t sure what you are looking for. A suggestion to improve this issue is by improving the menu elements by grouping documents. For example, each resource type should have their own collection. Documents that have financial data should have its own hyperlink element for users to click, for easier access. But overall, the website’s flow was good, there was no sticking or no broken links. After I figured out how to properly search for documents, using the website was a walk in the park. Another suggestion which can improve navigation of the website is a video demonstrating how to properly use the website, which would save users like myself time.
References:
https://www.enterinternational.org/singapore_sustainability/
https://gillandrews.com/wp-content/uploads/Website-Review-Sample.pdf
Review 1
Title: “Musicmap The Genealogy and History of Popular Music Genres”
Link:Musicmap | The Genealogy and History of Popular Music Genres
Musicmap was developed to present a comprehensive history and showcase the interconnectedness of the most prevalent music genres. It was made for educational use and offers research gathered over seven years in a creatively and meticulously curated manner. It also seeks to contribute to the discussion on these genres and assist in the creation of an extensive database providing a framework for music categorization without any preconceived biases or discrimination. Its initiative is aimed at presenting this information to researchers, artists and anyone interested in the exploration of varying genres of music.
The homepage contains a map of all the popular music genres. Users can click on a genre and receive its relevant information. For example, when selecting the “Jamaican/ Reggae” genre option, the user is greeted with a brief synopsis detailing how Jamaican music rose to popularity through its emphasis on record producing and unique sound. It also provides a genre menu that lists all of this category’s subgenres such as “Mento”, “Ska”, “Dub”, “Dancehall”, and more in chronological order. Each is inclusive of a playlist featuring some of their most memorable compositions. For instance, the first song listed in the “Mento” subgenre’s playlist is Henry Belafonte’s classic “Banana Boat Song”, recognized regionally and internationally. It was also a feature of the award-winning, blockbuster hit “Beetlejuice”. Additionally, another notable inclusion would be the super-genre, “Pop”. As Asian culture has increased in popularity over the years, a sub-genre known as “Asian Pop” was derived. The overview provided insight into the major players such as China, Japan and South Korea and their contribution to the genre. The playlist included the fairly recent and worldwide phenomenon PSY and his most iconic track, “Gangnam Style”. Musicmap’s efficient format of concise abstracts and subgenre breakdowns is also applied to all the other main genres. In addition to this, its curation draws information gathered through various sources such as theses, documentaries and more.
As it pertains to design, the website features a side panel with appealing icons for assistance with website navigation. It includes essential sections such as a homepage, introduction, abstract, methodology, legend/layers, super-genres, search, navigation, glossary, acknowledgements, about and a full-screen option. The map of the supergenres on the homepage is fully interactive, giving users options to explore through their mouse. A button allowing the user to zoom aided in improving the small font size of the large-scale map. After a user zooms in, the map expands, dissolving each major classification into subgenres, displaying their interconnected relationship to other genres and producing their relevant timelines. It is also easy to understand with instructions for the compass provided in the Introduction section and an adjustable legend/layer segment. The map resembles a wave visualizer and is vibrantly color-coded making it easy to view the categories and their relationships to one another. Its design is original, thematically relevant and immersive. It provides an eye-catching and engaging experience that resonates with music enthusiasts and intriguing general viewers alike. The website’s navigation is effortlessly seamless and glitch-free. Furthermore, it contains working hyperlinks to audio and music videos of the songs listed in the playlist. This capitalizes on digital media, enabling visitors to firsthand experience the genre as they read.
Musicmap has an artistically original and innovative design, that does a brilliant job of categorizing and relating many various supergenres together. It not only provides users with a relevant experience but also grants them greater freedom and convenience compared to traditional articles, films or exhibitions. It is a great example of how excellent website design can be utilized to improve the presentation and organization of digital history.
References:
Crauwels, Kwinten . 2016. “Musicmap | the Genealogy and History of Popular Music Genres.” Musicmap.info. 2016. https://musicmap.info/.
“Day O (Banana Boat Song).” 2012. http://Www.youtube.com. July 16, 2012. https://youtu.be/YO7M0Hx_1D8?list=PLb15rbk6I4pPZFABwbV0VlyUjU8ZMPK4w
IMDB. n.d. “Beetle Juice – IMDb.” http://Www.imdb.com. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094721/awards/.
“PSY – GANGNAM STYLE(강남스타일) M/V.” 2012. http://Www.youtube.com. July 15, 2012. https://youtu.be/9bZkp7q19f0?list=PLb15rbk6I4pNwQZilORmGvPN9PTyfwZ2b.
By F.Rose
Review 1
Title: An Evaluation of SlaveVoyages.org
Link: https://www.slavevoyages.org/
SlaveVoyages.org stands as a heartbreaking digital monument, for those lost in the transatlantic and intra-American slave trades. This review assesses the website based on its stated objectives, target audience, content appropriateness, and the effectiveness of its design and navigation.
Starting off, the four main goals of SlaveVoyages.org are to honour, instruct, enable study, and foster cooperation. As a result, the website is a virtual memorial to the victims of the slave trade, with the goals of enlightening a wide range of people, offering a comprehensive resource for academics, and fostering cooperative research through user-contributed content.
Correspondingly, students, educators, the general public, scholars, and particular groups like descendants of enslaved Africans are among the many people that SlaveVoyages.org serves. The material is carefully designed to be both widely readable and comprehensive enough for academic users.
Also, the website successfully accomplishes its goals by providing information that is suitable for a range of audiences. It uses language acceptable for the public, however academics can explore extensive databases that include information on over 36,000 journeys and millions of persons. Notable instances include the individual stories found in the “Voyages” database, instructional manuals, lesson plans, and understanding-enhancing multimedia resources.
Furthermore, the website offers specific instances to show how its goals have been achieved. The “Voyages” database, for example, is a moving attempt at memorialization since it contains the names and stories of specific slaves. Multimedia tools, lesson plans, and instructional manuals demonstrate a dedication to provide a variety of learning opportunities.
Additionally, the website’s overall efficacy is enhanced by its design features. A contemplative and solemn atmosphere is created by the colour scheme, which consists of dark blue and grey tones. There are distinct areas for various user groups and a well-organized website with easy-to-navigate menus. Visuals are positioned thoughtfully to enhance the legible font sizes and tidy, uncomplicated textual style.
Moreover, navigation is user-friendly, making it simple to move between sections. The website promotes usability for users who are visually challenged by adhering to accessibility standards. Every hyperlink that was tested for functionality throughout this study pointed users in the direction of pertinent content.
In conclusion, SlaveVoyages.org shows itself to be an informative, thorough, and well-designed resource that successfully strikes a balance between its research, education, and memorialization goals. It is an invaluable tool for a broad audience looking to learn more about the transatlantic and intra-American slave markets because of its large databases, educational materials, and collaborative capabilities.
References:
– SlaveVoyages.org: https://www.slavevoyages.org/
– About SlaveVoyages: https://www.slavevoyages.org/about/about
– Contribute to SlaveVoyages: https://www.slavevoyages.org/contribute/
Review 1
Digital History: UH – https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/
Digital History is an extensive online platform tailored for both educators and learners seeking to delve into various facets of history. Developed by the University of Houston and backed by the College of Education, this resource caters primarily to K-12 schools and colleges, offering a plethora of materials to enrich the teaching and learning experience, particularly in American History.
One of the website’s notable features is its diverse array of resources, ranging from primary sources to multimedia presentations and interactive timelines. These materials span across different historical eras and topics, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of the subject matter. Organized into convenient categories such as eras, topics, resources, and references, users can easily navigate through the site without feeling overwhelmed by an excessive amount of information.
While Digital History excels in its interactive features, such as timelines, maps, and archives, which undoubtedly enhance user engagement, there are some areas that could be improved. Despite the presence of links to audios, notably absent are actual audio files. For instance, sections like Science and Technology and Slavery either lack information or display a message indicating the removal of audio files, which could potentially hinder the user experience.
Moreover, the absence of an accessibility statement is a notable concern. Adhering to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is crucial for ensuring inclusivity and usability for all users, regardless of disabilities. Unfortunately, the website currently lacks pre-recorded audio or video alternatives, indicating a need for significant enhancements in accessibility.
In summary, Digital History offers a rich and varied resource for history enthusiasts and educators alike. However, improvements in providing consistent and accessible content, particularly in terms of audio resources and adherence to accessibility standards, would greatly enhance its overall usability and inclusivity.