Educational Activities > Web Site Production Workshop - Overview

Overview of the Web Site Production Workshop

New Note; June 30, 2008:

During the spring of 2008, significant new networking and discussion forum opportunities have been added to supplement the "Collaborative Discussion and Project Opportunities" section written in the 2006 workshop noted below.

To view these new opportunities please visit the JPAT Conservation Network Center pages.

For the Conservation Training Week held in Kingston Jamaica, Mountain Visions prepared this "Online" workshop that was also demonstrated "On Site" on March 13-17, 2006. Mountain Visions explained and demonstrated the 3 major parts of the Jamaica Protected Areas Trust (JPAT) web site, which was still "under construction" at that time.

Mountain Visions will explain and demonstrate the 3 major parts of the Jamaica Protected Areas Trust (JPAT) web site, which is now under construction.

• Overview of JPAT Web Site Including the Interactive Virtual Tour
• Conservation Network Center
  • Online Multimedia and Web Site Production Workshop
• Collaborative Discussion and Project Development
  
  

We will demonstrate one or more panorama web site pages and possibly a clip from the recently recorded DVD video footage.

A major objective of the JPAT web site is to make it easy for a web site visitor to look at a map of Jamaica, find detailed maps of important protected areas, and virtually visit a number of specific locations within each area.  The virtual visit will allow the user to view and navigate around and up and down on the image on their computer screen using the unique and immersive 360 degree panorama QuickTime VR technology.  In addition, as a person looks at a 360-degree panorama, they often find additional pictures and text links, which further describe the area’s “Conservation Resource Issues” and/or “Nature and Heritage Tourism Opportunities.”  Often an audio/video clip will be available to actually see and hear a resource person at the site describing features and issues related to the 360-degree view.

What we are attempting to do with the JPAT web site protected areas is to make a visit to the site “look and feel” a lot like the experience a person would have if they actually did visit one or more of the protected areas in person. 

Ideally a viewer who visits one or more of the protected areas in real life or on the Internet would become interested in actively participating personally in protected area activities. And, they would also want to continually use the web site to stay informed about specific locations and issues they are interested in.  The wealth of information that can to become available on the JPAT web site will make it possible for an individual to see dynamic multimedia information in a few hours or a day that could take weeks or months to find any other way.  The Conservation Network Center is designed to facilitate discussion and submission of content for the web site.

A visitor to the Interactive Virtual Tour section of the JPAT web site, who wants even more information about how to get involved, will be encouraged to visit and participate in the various sections of the Conservation Network Center.  Here they will find Discussion Forums, a Calendar of Events, Educational Activities, Volunteer Opportunities, Public Input, Resource Sharing information, and a Reference Library.

In the Conservation Network Center (CNC), visitors are invited to use the different sections and also to participate in the ongoing development when they feel they can contribute.  This will make the JPAT CNC grow into the best possible collaborative and interactive on-line information source available over time.

A special part of the CNC is the On-Line Multimedia and Web Site Production Workshop found in the Educational Activities and Resource Sharing sections.

Another objective of the JPAT web site and the Conservation Network Center is to create a continuously developing On-Line Multimedia and Web Site Production Workshop.  We hope this will inspire interested people who want to learn more about photography, multimedia and web site production.  We also expect these same people will help create web information for the JPAT web site and for other protected area web sites for their favorite places where they live or visit.

The web site being developed now by Mountain Visions will need care, support and upkeep in the future.  We are developing online discussion forums for collaborative project development.  This will facilitate the opportunity for local individuals, tourists, community groups, protected area personnel and global web site visitors to participate in the development of the JPAT web site.

Collaborative Discussion and Project Development Opportunities (Username and password required)

As a part of the Conservation Network Center, discussion forums and collaborative project development will be encouraged.  As a beginning effort, several distinct JPAT project groups have been set up.  These are identified below.  In addition, it is expected that more public discussion groups for specific JPAT projects and for each of the Protected Areas will be developed in the future as well.

Jamaica Protected Areas Trust/ Projects

1. JPAT Administration
   1. Directors Forum
   2. FCA (Forest Conservation Agreement)
   3. NISP (National Implementation Support Partnership)
      
      
2.  Protected Area System Plan
   1. Strategic Action Plan Workshop
   2. Social Marketing
   3. Public Education
   4. Legal and Policy Framework
   5. Scientific Data
   6. Rationalization of Resources
      
      
3. Protected Areas Projects
   1. Conservation Training Week
   2. List Protected Areas (to be done)
      1. Cockpit Country Reserve
      2. Blue and John Crow Mountain National Park
         
         
4. JPAT Web Site
   1. Mountain Visions Photography
   2. Main Pages Production
   3. Conservation Network Center
   4. Reference Library
   5. History and Image Sources.
      
      
5. Project Help
   1. Frequently Asked Questions

The JPAT web site is being designed by Mountain Visions and JPAT to be a unique and collaborative interactive production project.  We expect the site to include a lot of exciting, interactive multimedia and a wealth of information about the protected areas.  We also expect a lot of the content and ideas for the web site to be produced and contributed by individuals, organizations and visitors who have a special interest in one or more of the Jamaica protected areas.

The challenge is to produce the best web site possible with the available resources, at the same time inviting participation from interested people.  How this web site looks and functions in the future will depend on a lot of collaborative communication and cooperation from everybody.