Aggregate Pages - Protopage

Our challenge this week was to try a site for aggregating pages.  I chose Protopage.  I had no idea what an aggregate page, but I quickly found out, after creating a login, it was a housing site for all forms of created multimedia and information.  I was able to quickly review the page and delete prefilled widgets to create a blank canvas.  I renamed my prototype page and played with the color filled widget boxes.  I uploaded a picture to use as my background.  All of this was very easy and straight forward.

I reviewed the assignment and started to add the required feeds.  I clicked on add a widget and chose to add a Twitter feed by search type.  I entered the #ETEC527, and it created a widget for that search on the site.  It was easy to click, drag, and resize the widget on the screen.  I was able to add my personal Twitter feed, a link to my blog, and a link to our class syllabus. 

Then, came the downfall.  The task was simple: imbed your YouTube channel and playlist.  I added a widget and tried every which way I could to add my YouTube channel.  I tried as a website, newsfeed, link, etc.  Each time it said unable to be found with a sad face ☹ I think started googling.  I watched YouTube videos on how to imbed a YouTube channel; none of the suggestions worked.  I went in and cleared all my cached information and deleted cookies – still nothing.  The only thing I could get to work with YouTube was just by imbedding each individual video by itself, which really defeats the purpose of how the hosting site is to be used. I created an additional tab, renamed it YouTube, and posted a few videos from my channel on there.  I could have gone ahead and created a different tab for each playlist and then linked each individual video under the tab, but that’s what YouTube playlists already do.  It really defeats the purpose to do it twice.

Overall, Protopage is useful.  I can see it is similar to a wiki site wear you could have your own personal class webpage.  You could also create a different page for each unit you are covering in class or for each six weeks.  It is user friendly, and maybe someday I can figure out how to correctly link YouTube.