Interactive Online Writing Assistance: a user-contributed and interactivity-enhanced website

User contribution creates a sense of belonging, vested interest and commitment

Instead of simply consuming web materials, users can play a pro-active role and easily contribute web contents with today’s web technologies

Enhanced interactivity creates new opportunities and instances of interaction between users

online forums, quizzes, vocabulary database, essay sharing system, reverse concordancing

Website Management

A BIG part of websites that promote user contribution and interactionA SMALL task when provided with the right tools

User Status Dependent Interfaces

Administrator provided with Administrative Tools link upon logonTeacher editors, forum moderators, regular users, guest visitors all get slightly different interfaces

Administrative Tools

User Manager for assigning administrators and teacher editors

Teacher Manager for assigning student users to teacher editors

Other Sample Administrative Tools

Moderator Manager

Add/Edit Category Manager

Private Forum Access Manager

Grants authorized users access rights to private forums

Bulletin Board SystemFirst service offered on the siteGrows from one to over twenty public forumsAccepts private forums

Forum Application / Hosting

Any registered user can apply to host a forum on any area of interest and become a moderator

IOWA the Forum

First forumAll forums with the same look to facilitate navigation and contribution

Posting a MessageOnly registered usersNo HTML requiredSimple plain textsSpell check functionSubmit button

Sample BBS Message

Message generated as soon as user clicks on the submit buttonBuilt-in icons / functions: profile, reply, edit

Online Quiz System

Second service offeredAvailable to guest usersJava appletNo HTML required

Sample Quiz

A sample quiz of ten questions by a registered userQuiz bears usernameEditable

Embedded Quiz

Possible to embed quiz in forum message

Vocab DB: an interactive vocabulary database

Browsing and Searching Vocab DB

Browse database by parts of speech or alphabetical order

Guest users: limited search function

Registered users: full search functions

Add Words

Available only to registered users Add words by simply filling in plain textsAllows check for duplicationBuilt-in quiz generator

Sample Entry

Part of speech, definition/description, optional examples and exercisesAllows picture and sound

Sample User Entry Record

Record keepingViewing and editingChecking for activation

Teacher Editors: Entry Edit and Activation

Rating entriesEditing entriesLocking entriesAdding sample questions and examples

Reverse Concordancer

Programmed to match words in the vocabulary databaseFacilitates reading of difficult passages

Reverse Concordancing Results

Words or paragraphs displayed in a new window after reverse concordancingOnMouseOver popups

Add Match Manager

Matches variant forms of vocabulary entries by registered usersProgrammed to work with reverse concondancer

Submit An Essay

Encourages submission of full length essays for comment and sharing

Sample Submitted Essay

Programmed for reverse matching with Vocab DBOnMouseOver popupA new level of interactivity