Dennis OConnor's Profile

I read your portfolios from the point of view of an employer who is looking
to hire an online teacher.  I also keep in mind that this is my last chance
to coach you and encourage you.  My process is to read your portfolios
start to finish while journaling my impressions and reactions. I go deep and
spend a good deal of time with each portfolio. With this in mind I want you to
understand the mental checklist I have as I read and react to your work. 
 

Navigation:

    * Can I move back and forth
through the portfolio in a consistent manner? 
    * If
I'm lost can I find the home page easily?
    * Do pages open
consistently?
          o
Generally I expect links to external sites to open in a new window, leaving the
portfolio open in the original
window.
          o Not all web
designers agree with this approach, but I prefer it.

Legibility/
usability:

    * Size of font: I prefer larger fonts
because they are easier to read.  I'll use the zoom features of the browser
if I have to.
    * Color contrast between text and page. Be
aware of red/green color blindness
issues.
          o If you use a
dark background besure you have a light colored text font. White and yellow work
well.
    * Consistent, restrained use of fonts. Don't over
do use of fonts. Fancy fonts can be hard to read.
    *
Remember the basics of writing for the web.

Use of
graphics:

    * Size is appropriate for the
page.
    * Images are optimized for web delivery. (jpeg &
gif files can be optimized to be very small and look very
good)
    * Alternative Text is in place for images. (I do
check the code for this).

Technical issues:


    * Do all links work?
    *
Does the site work with both Internet Explorer and
Firefox?

Content: