TagTutor
Overview
TagTutor is a free, student-centered web resource designed to support ENGL 3368 students learning HTML and CSS. The platform addresses critical gaps in existing learning resources by providing tailored explanations, visual examples, and practice questions that focus on the "why" and "when" of web development concepts, not just the "how."
As Project Manager and Lead Content Writer, I coordinated a three-person team to create a supplemental learning tool that directly responds to student-reported struggles with CSS Grid, Flexbox, and layout concepts. Our goal was to build conceptual understanding beyond rote memorization while providing practical exam preparation resources.
The Challenge
ENGL 3368 students consistently struggle with understanding web development concepts at a deeper level. While resources like W3Schools, Quizlet, and search engines exist, they often fail to address the specific needs of students learning in an academic context. Our initial survey of six students revealed several key pain points:
- 83% don't always understand why their code works or doesn't work
- 66% struggle with layout problems and knowing when to use Grid versus Flexbox
- 50% find CSS Grid and Flexbox particularly challenging
- 50% have difficulty with floating and positioning concepts
- Existing resources emphasize syntax over conceptual understanding
- Free study tools like Quizlet require accounts and show ads, creating barriers to access
My Approach
As Project Manager, I led the team through a structured development process, ensuring we stayed aligned with our goal of creating a truly student-centered resource. My role as Lead Content Writer involved crafting clear, accessible explanations that bridged the gap between technical documentation and student comprehension.
Research & Planning
We began with a comprehensive survey of ENGL 3368 students to identify specific pain points in their learning journey. This data-driven approach ensured we were building a solution for real problems, not assumed ones. I analyzed the survey results to prioritize content areas and establish our competitive advantages over existing resources like Quizlet, W3Schools, and general search engines.
I also conducted a competitive analysis to understand what made each existing tool valuable and where they fell short. This helped us position TagTutor as a complementary resource that fills specific gaps rather than trying to replace textbooks or course materials.
Content Development & Team Coordination
Using GitHub for hosting collaboration, we coordinated content creation across our three-person team. I extracted key concepts from the Learning Web Design textbook and transformed them into accessible guide pages with line-by-line code explanations. Working closely with Theresa (Lead Web Designer) and Jessica (JavaScript Specialist), we ensured content was properly structured for the modern, content-first design we envisioned.
We developed original practice questions that tested conceptual knowledge rather than rote memorization, focusing on the types of questions students would encounter on exams. We also created external tools and resources, organizing them into two categories: informational tools for learning and practical tools for immediate website development assistance.
Design Collaboration & Usability Planning
To ensure the visual layout supported the educational content, we planned comprehensive usability testing with 4 participants who would test the site on their preferred devices and provide feedback on navigability and information relevancy. This testing phase would inform final adjustments before launch.
Project Gallery
Visual documentation showing TagTutor's responsive design across different devices and key features of the platform.
What Makes TagTutor Different
Through our research, we identified clear differentiators that make TagTutor uniquely valuable to ENGL 3368 students:
vs. Quizlet
- No account required and completely free with no ads
- Focuses on conceptual knowledge and code visualization rather than flashcard-based memorization
- All features accessible without paywalls
vs. W3Schools
- Tailored specifically for ENGL 3368 curriculum and assignments
- Answers "why" and "when" questions, not just "how" to implement
- Directly addresses the most common student struggles based on survey data
vs. Search Engines & GenAI
- Curated content based on documented student needs
- Consistently follows best practices without conflicting information
- Requires less effort than searching and filtering through multiple sources
- Supports active learning without creating dependency
Results & Impact
TagTutor successfully addresses the core challenge identified in our research: students need to understand not just what works, but why it works. The project demonstrates several key achievements:
- Created a comprehensive, student-centered resource tailored to ENGL 3368 curriculum
- Developed original practice questions and line-by-line code explanations that build conceptual understanding
- Designed a modern, accessible platform requiring no account, showing no ads, and maintaining all features free
- Established a clear competitive position addressing gaps in existing learning resources
- Built responsive design supporting learning across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices
- Prepared comprehensive usability testing framework to ensure the platform meets real user needs