Web development programme
Current details and updates on the progress of The IET's Web development programme, following the launch of the first phase.
The IET Faraday microsite – the place where science in the classroom comes to life
Over the last few months, the Education 5-19 Department has been working hard to deliver an interactive microsite through which to deliver the new IET Faraday. The new site reflects our move towards a year-long programme through which teacher resources are readily available online. This is a move from our traditional one hour lecture towards more modern methods of learning.
We have included as many interactive elements as possible to bring science to life in the classroom. Not only does the site include videos, challenges, games, quizzes and classroom activities, but students can also upload their own videos and vote on the best entry which could win prizes for them and their school.
Teachers can also visit the site to arrange for a Faraday Engineer to visit their school and to book places at one of our live FaraDay events, being held across the country.
One of the reasons the Faraday has remained successful has been that it has adapted to meet the changing world of science, engineering and technology. In the past the one-off presentations at a limited number of venues has meant Faraday has been available to only a small number of schools. We are confident that delivering these tremendous resources online will allow it to reach a larger, global, audience.
Improved site search
As part of our ongoing web development programme, our cross-site search has recently been significantly improved.
The search works across the main IET website, presenting results from both the Organisation site and the Knowledge Network; reflecting the 2 entities. In addition it continues to search the full range of other IET sites, including PD How To, the Digital Library, Knovel and some Local Network sites.
The most important new element is the broadening out of the search set to include all Engineering Council UK sites, which adds a significant amount of valuable non-IET material into the results set. Presently 14 other organisational sites are being searched and there is the potential to add more strategically important non-IET sites going forward. For a full list of the new sites see the left hand menu on the search results page.
Finally there have been changes to the front end to take into account this significantly expanded content set and to allow the user to limit their search to specific sites or sets of sites, as appropriate.
This is just one among the many improvements currently being made to our online offering. Thanks to all those involved in the web effort; who are working hard to build a world class IET website.
The web re-spun!
The first phase of the new IET Web presence has launched. This is the culmination of re-architecture, design, content preparation and technical effort from staff across the IET, with further input from members, volunteers and external Web specialists.
The new Organisational site carries a fresh look and feel, developed with the end user in mind. Content focuses on the IET and its operations – supporting membership, promoting events and providing information on Local Networks. All content has been rebuilt to a new structure in a new, more flexible Web management system.
Web Standards have been issued which will help ensure consistency for the user experience and maintain the IET brand. We have improved support tools that will monitor how content is prepared, formatted and accessed by users.
Training packages and best practice groups have also been established to support internal and external Web editors as we strive to develop excellence in our Web presence.
Over the course of the next few months theiet.org will evolve, with the implementation of new focused search and collaboration tools and the development of new functionality. The next major phase – the Knowledge Network - will follow later in the year. This will deal with the presentation of subject-based information. In the meantime, this content can still be accessed from the new Organisational site, temporarily appearing within the legacy template design. The universal toolbar, which will be carried across all IET websites, will allow users to flow seamlessly from site to site.
More of the people interacting with The IET will do so within the virtual environment, whether networking with peers, gaining qualifications or carrying out research. The IET’s role is in facilitating these activities and providing the simplest, most effective tools to assist the process. We will work to pre-empt user needs whilst also responding to them, assuring the best possible user experience.
Nick Slowe, director of IT, said: “We have designed the new website to reflect two key areas to make it easier for users to find the information they are looking for. The site will incorporate further principles of Web 2.0 and will be a benchmark for others to follow."
