September 7, 2010 - Exercise 1 is due on September 13 - Final Projects due on December 6, 2010

Syllabus

DM 60A - Web Publishing 1: (X)HTML and CSS Level One

Fall 2010 at Cabrillo College
Instructor: Wally Parham

Overview

We will be exploring (X)HTML - Hyper Text Markup Language, the language used to write web pages. Other topics we will touch on include site organization; image manipulation and optimizing; troubleshooting; and having fun. DM 60A is a class for students with moderate computer skills but new to web publishing. It is not recommended as a first computer class.

The goal of the class is to get you comfortable hand coding standards compliant (x)HTML documents. Please use a text editor for your work. NotePad is included with the Windows operating system, TextEdit (in plain text mode) with Mac OS X; these are reliable simple editors to start with. Please refrain from using WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) (x)HTML editors such as DreamWeaver, GoLive, FrontPage, PageMill, and so on; any work generated with these will not be credited.

Class Web Site

All class materials, schedule, exercises, tutorials, and resources are found at the class web site: http://art.wallyzone.com/dm60a/.

Since this is a web class, there will be few (or no) physical handouts. While it is easy to print out the web pages (see the print friendly link in the top navigation), remember that web pages are always being changed. You would be prudent to print out the pages by the week on the day of the class. That way you are assured of the "freshest" version. When in doubt, check the "last modified" notice on the bottom of each page. Some pages will remain static; many of the tutorials will be this way. The schedule will almost surely change as well as some of the exercises. You will find flexibility an asset in web authoring.

Recommended Preparation

DM 1 is the recommended preparation for this class or the equivalent, such as DM 100 and DM 103. Have a general idea of how the World Wide Web functions. Be comfortable organizing files and directory structures. Be ready to learn several new applications.

While we will be using Window's PCs or Mac computers in the class and lab, (x)HTML is a language that is platform agnostic. Any computer that has a web browser and a connection to the Internet should be able to read your web pages. You can also make web pages from just about any operating system. If the classroom doesn't have your favorite operating system, relax: the language is the same even if the platform is unfamiliar. The class could very easily be taught in a classroom with only an instructors' workstation and no student computers.

Required Text

Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to (X)HTML, StyleSheets, and Web Graphics
(3rd edition)
by Jennifer Niederst Robbins.
Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc., June 2007.
List price: $44.99. 479 pages.
ISBN-10: 0596527527.
ISBN-13: 9780596527525.
Note, this is the 3rd edition.

Course Work/Grading

You will build two web sites for this class. One will contain your Weekly Assignments, they must be turned in on time. Most assignments consist of constructing and posting a web page demonstrating the (x)HTML lesson for the week. The other site is your Final Project which must be presented to the class at the end of the semester. The Project is a web site of at least five pages, see this page for more specific requirements. The Final Project should showcase your knowledge of (x)HTML as well as your own individual style.

Grading will follow these guidelines
30% Assignments
40% Final Project
10% Weekly Quizzes
10% Participation in the online Discussions
10% Attendance

Assignments will not be accepted after their due dates. The weekly assignment requirements are modest enough that you should easily complete them on time. Each assignment is a stepping stone building on the next to give you all the tools you need to make a wonderful final project. After you upload your weekly assignment, remember to use the associated exercise feedback form to officially "turn in" the assignment. The exercise does not receive credit without my receipt of the message from the turnin form!

The Final Project counts for 40% of your grade! While the weekly assignments can have a variety of looks, the final project needs a coherent "look and feel," a polished experience. Check here for the final project requirements. The most difficult aspect of the final project is deciding on a topic. Start thinking now. Today!

We will have ten quizes. Relax. These will be simple quizes whose purpose is to emphasize important concepts of (x)HTML.

Although I generally answer student email so quickly that it seems I don't have a life, I do. You will find that your classmates might have all the answers you need at our online Discussions. You may find that someone else has asked a similar question so you can find your answer more quickly. Or, you may be able to answer someone else's question. Explaining a concept to another helps clarify it for yourself. This is a "win³" situation for all involved. 10% of your grade is earned at the online Discussions.

Attendance is important. It is your responsibility to sign the attendance sheet at each class and/or remind me to take roll. If you need to miss class, please give me the courtesy of a "heads up" email; it confirms to me that you are still actively involved in the class.

This class has a very lively pace and a steady supply of assignments. If you are busy, taking the class for general interest, or do not need a letter grade, you may want to take this class on a credit/no credit basis. There is a place on the first few week's assignment turn in forms where you will indicate your preference. You have until October 2, 2010 to change your mind.

For a very detailed breakdown of the grading, check this page: http://art.sasquatch.com/dm60a/details/grades.shtml.

Class Runtime

The class begins with a lecture segment where new material is presented. All student workstations will be turned off or "slept" during this segment. My experience reveals that it is very difficult to type and listen at the same time.

After about an hour, we will have a ten minute break. The lecture continues after the break if needed. Please remind me to take role about this time.

When the new material is covered, we start the hands on period and put the new material to work. This is also the time for some individual troubleshooting of web problems. Often we will work on these as a class; troubleshooting is a very important skill.

Remind me to get everyone going when class is over so you can make it to your next class on time.

Lab Work

This class requires a computer and access to the Internet. Your registration in this class gives you access to the CTC (Computer Technology Center) in the 1400 building and an account on the Cabrillo "local area network" or LAN. The CTC has PCs and Macs for your use that have the same software that we use in our classroom.

The CTC hours are found at this link: http://www.cabrillo.edu/services/ctc/

On Campus File Storage

You have your own "student folder" on the Cabrillo LAN that you may access from the classroom or lab. Use this space to store your files and assignments from your classes like a school locker. Remember this; you are responsible for backing up your work. This network storage is on a computer hard drive and is subject to unexpected failure as is any hard drive. It is always a good idea to keep copies of your files in more than one location. The system administrator reserves the right to trash contraband files such as MP3s. Be forewarned. These folders are also scanned for viruses every day.

This on campus storage may only be reached on campus, not from your home computer.

Personal Portable File Storage

As of this writing, our classroom has iMac computers, all have CD (or DVD) "burners." The CTC PCs and Macs have CD-R/RW (and/or DVD) optical writers (burners) which have a capacity of up to 700 (or more) megabytes.

The preferred method of personal portable file storage are the USB based solid state storage devices known by various names such as "jump drives," "thumb drives," "pen drives," and so on. These drives are available in variety of capacities and prices. The best prices are found online or at brick and mortar store weekend sales. USB drives may be used interchangeably between PCs and Macs. To remove a USB drive from a Mac, drag its icon to the trash, control-click on its icon and pick eject, or eject it from its icon on the left side of the finder window. On PCs, choose to dismount the USB device from its icon on the right side of the task bar.

Portable external hard drives are very convenient as well, with much higher capacity than the thumb drive. Many of these drives can be run directly from the USB or Firewire bus although some will need an external power source as well. Bigger/faster external hard drives are very useful if you are taking a data intensive course, video classes are an example. Since both types of external hard drives are at their core computer hard drives, they are more fragile than the solid state thumb drives.

Portable music devices can also serve as method of storing and transferring files. Some are mini-hard drive based, others are solid state. The trick is to leave some space on the device for your coursework files instead of filling it to the top with music and videos.

Another way of moving your files around is completely based online. This site:
http://www.mediafire.com/ looks interesting. There are similar sites available.

Web Space for Publishing

To publish your web pages, you need space on a web server for your files. Cabrillo provides http://webhawks.org, a web server for student use. You will have your own password protected directory for your web files. Your space is limited on this web server, please only upload your web files there. Other files are best stored in your student folder on the Cabrillo network. Of course, you are keeping a backup of your work on your removable media/drive, aren't you?

When planning the content for your assignments and final project, remember the educational nature of Cabrillo and this class. Hate, violence, adult themes, divisive politics, and other controversies are not appropriate topics. Would you be comfortable showing your assignments or final project to your grandmother? Or to a potential employer as a part of your portfolio?

Students Needing Accommodations:

Contact the instructor ASAP. As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), accommodations are provided to insure equal opportunity for students with verified disabilities. If you need assistance with an accommodation, please contact Disabled Student Services, Room 810, 479-6379, or Learning Skills Program, Room 1073, 479-6220.

Courtesy and Respect

I intend to treat you with the utmost of courtesy and respect and request that you do the same for your classmates and me.

If you are late, please enter quietly and take the closest seat to the door.

Turn your cell phone off. If you must leave it on, give yourself a thrill and set it to vibrate. If you are expecting a call that you must answer, sit close to the door and slip out quietly before starting your conversation.

I find the conversations you have while I am lecturing much more interesting than what I am saying so I get quite distracted. That is rude to me and everyone else. Write a note (pencil and paper) if you need to communicate. Texting, typing emails, or being in chat rooms during lecture is also rude and distracting; some people are entirely incapable of quiet keyboard operation. This is one reason why we will be "sleeping" the workstations during lecture. The time to get the room in a buzz is the hands on portion of class when we are all working together.

Change

Get used to it. As with all web pages, these are subject to change.

Remember, make it fun!