Electronic Communities
Through advances in technology new forms of communities have been created as well as new ways of society to communicate with each other. Websites, forums and blogs are some of the ways in which people can connect with people. While websites are easy to navigate, some websites are overwhelming because they have too much text, and some may be boring because they do not have enough color or eye appeal. The usefulness of the site, content, audience, organization as well as navigation are important aspects that will be focused on when describing PE Central (www.pecentral.com).
This site is primarily for physical education and health education teachers and professionals. However, the site includes cross-curriculum ideas that teachers of other expertise can use. This site is also popular with students who are in the teaching program at Eastern Michigan University, for activity and assessment ideas. PE Central’s website offers a variety of helpful sources that are available to purchase as well as free for users. This site also allows for teachers and future teachers, and employers to communicate with each other through forums, job postings and blogs. PE Central has links to online classes for people who are looking to achieve a teacher’s degree or who need to update their PE knowledge. There is also a link that will guide people to a portfolio development page where they have access to a portfolio checklist and tips for what portfolios should include. PE Central includes many things that a physical education or health professional may need, such as programs, lessons, assessments, research and job opportunities. PE Central even allows people to submit lesson ideas to their website, but every lesson must be approved by the editorial team.
In order to find lesson plan ideas or assessment ideas browsers would have to find the correct link for what they are looking for, and PE Central makes it easy to do so. The top right corner of the page has a search engine box that allows people to type in what they are looking for, and the main search bar that is at the top of the page is broken down into fourteen categories, and each category is broken down into subcategories when clicked on. The same categories listed on the top navigation bar can be found throughout the homepage in the columns alone, but it is much easier to find them with the top navigation bar. PE Central also makes it easy to make contact with them; their contact information is listed at the bottom of the home page. If the text is too difficult to read, the “CONTACT US” link brings up another page where the contact information is better organized and easier to read. Clicking on the PE Central logo will bring browsers back to the home page.
Navigation on the PE Central website is easy once the organization of the homepage is understood, because it is slightly overwhelming at first. The main theme colors of the page are red, white, blue and gray. The heading of the homepage contains the websites name, search engine box, navigation bar, and an advertisement bar that changes pictures. Below that the page is divided into three columns; the middle column contains information about the website and the left and right columns are advertisements. Just under the three columns is another search engine that allows people to search within PE Central or the World Wide Web. All search engine boxes are sponsored by Google. There are three more columns below the second search engine; Kids Quote of the Week, Cartoon of the Week, and Editors Choice. The Kids Quote of the Week allows teachers to tell stories of their students; they are often funny and memorable experiences. The Cartoon of the Week are cartoons of what people may find students or teachers saying in the physical education setting, which are also meant to brighten up someone’s day. The Editors Choice includes links to Job Centers, NASPE (National Association for Sport and Physical Education), and various topics on the bulletin board. NASPE is an incredibly important organization for physical educators because they are the people who write the national standards that the students are supposed to meet in physical education. At the bottom of the page is a row of pictures of people, clicking on them will bring up the PE Central Staff and Editorial Team page. This page gives a description of the people who are in charge of this website. Contact information is located at the bottom of the homepage, and links to contact information are located at the top and the bottom of the homepage.
What makes this website valid and useful for the audience it is targeting is the content. This website includes lesson plans and assessments, which are quite important to all teachers but these are geared towards physical and health education, with some cross curriculum. This website also includes links to professional journals such as JOPERD (Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance), that include educational material for professionals to see what other professionals are doing in the same field. Teachers should be looking for outside sources to improve their teaching or lessons, and PE Central gives people access to those sources. The job search link can narrow down the search to what age or specific area of physical education, and then connects to a page that lists the jobs available, where they are located, and when the application deadline is.
There is a lot that can be navigated on this website, and chances are if someone is looking or something that has to do with physical or health education, they will find it on this website. Physical Education and Health professionals will find PE Central is a great website to find multiple resources.
