CGVC 167 CL1 Introduction to Web Publishing

Course Data

  • Semester: Spring 2008
  • Class: CGVC 167
  • Section: CL1
  • Meets: R 9AM - 1:10PM
  • Location: Catonsville Campus, room Q228
  • Instructor: Veronica Noone
  • Phone: 410.780.6862
  • Email: vnoone@ccbcmd.edu (best method of communication)
  • Web site: http://faculty.ccbcmd.edu/~vnoone
  • Office: J215, Essex Campus
  • Office Hours: M 10-1 & 5-6

Course Description

This course explores application software, tools, and skills required to create and publish interactive sites on the World Wide Web; includes hypertext markup language, image preparation, site organization and effective interface design using a variety of authoring software packages with emphasis on creativity and effective visual design.

  • 3 credits
  • 2 lecture hours and 2 lab hours per week
  • Prerequisite: CGVC 120 or MULT 121 or consent of the program coordinator

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion, the student should be able to:

  1. Produce XHTML code using effective development techniques
  2. Utilize Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to increase visual consistency within a web site
  3. Format text and define page attributes with and without CSS
  4. Place, edit, and effectively use Meta tags
  5. Create and edit absolute and relative document links
  6. Create tables and frames for content delivery
  7. Create templates for effective page structure and consistency
  8. Create efficient Web graphics using image-editing applications
  9. Create and incorporate image maps as navigational devices
  10. Design logical and intuitive navigation structure using visual cues
  11. Incorporate audience-specific design to Web site
  12. Develop criteria for evaluating the design and functionality of Web sites
  13. Use Web-based resources for site design
  14. Upload and edit files on a Web server

Instructor's Methods & Rationale

This course is taught using a combination of lecture, demonstrations, discussions, hands on class activities and projects. Students are responsible for all materials covered in the lecture and textbook.

Interactive Media, Web Technology, Multimedia, Web Design, Web Development, whatever we call it you are entering a class in creative technology. You may or may not consider yourself an artist or a designer but it does't matter. You are in a creative class. It may be creative in problem solving, coding, markup, scripting, maybe even page layout and design! Whatever the class, I stress creativity and innovation.

This class is not about learning the latest and greatest tool set. It is about learning how to react and respond to problems and offering insightful solutions.

What most employers want are people who can adapt, learn, and work in teams. These people need to be dedicated, curious, innovative, creative and have strong communication skills. Yes, yes, you need to understand the software but that software will constantly be changing. You should leave your studies, and consequently this course, with an understanding of the technology behind the scenes and have the ability to adapt in this ever changing field of technology.

I hope after this course you have a better understanding of the subject matter, not only the software, so you can apply that knowledge and present creative solutions to problems whether those problems are design or scripting related.

Requirements, Points and Evaluation

Points Possible

Autobiography Project 100
Student Server/Class Web site 150
CSS Project 200
Final Project 250
Pop Quizzes 150
Attendance & participation 150
Total 1000

Grades

900 - 1000 A
800 – 899 B
700 – 799 C
600 – 699 D
0 – 599 F

Projects

Four Projects will be assigned throughout the semester totaling 700 points (see point breakdown above). Students will be made aware of the assignment's requirements and due dates on the class calendar. Missing class is not an excuse for missing an assignment deadline. Late assignments will not be accepted. If an assignment is NOT handed in on time it will receive a grade of 0. Student projects that have gone through the class critique process can be resubmitted for additional point at the end of the semester.

Pop Quizzes

There will be 6 pop quizzes given through out the semester, each worth 25 points. Student will be given the first 10 minutes of class to complete the quiz. Quizzes will be collected EXACTLY 10 minutes after class has started, no exceptions. If a student is not present for a quiz and no prior arrangements are made, the student will earn a grade of 0, no exceptions. Quizzes are all based on assigned reading.

Attendance & Participation

Attendance and Participation are expected. Unexcused absences will result in a lower Attendance & Participation grade. If the student is consistently present for class and participates accordingly (has all necessary assignments completed, is ready for discussion, etc.) then the student will earn earn all possible points. Points will be deducted for students not present and actively involved in class. If 2 classes are missed without proper notification or documentation the student will earn 0 points in the Attendance & Participation requirement of the course, no exceptions.

General Course Policies

Policies will follow those outlined by The Community College of Baltimore County. The following additional policies are unique to this class:

  • Students should be on time for every class session.
  • Don't leave class early; if you do, you forfeit the right to ask for help the next session.
  • If you are absent, it is YOUR responsibility to catch up. Not the instructors responsibility to catch you up!
  • Respect your fellow students and the instructor; lack of proper respect and you're out.
  • If you come during office hours, come ready with something specific to discuss.
  • Office hours may be cancelled based upon the needs of the instructor.
  • You can email me work for review and questions about assignments but I will not complete your work for you.
  • Email/voicemail will be answered in a timely manner; please be patient. (email preferred)
  • Don't copy any other person's work; if you do, you fail.
  • Back up your work; it's your responsibility not my problem.
  • Use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right; it can be taken away at any time.
  • I reserve the right to show your work to others for academic purposes.

Texts and Supplies

Required Texts:

  • Visual Design For The Modern Web by Mc Intire, ISBN 0-321-51538-2

Required Supplies:

  • Removable media of your choice (i.e. - USB drive, CD-R, etc.)
  • Web space, either through the college (free to students) or through your own hosting service

Important Dates

  • Semester Starts - 01/28
  • 50% Refund Ends - 02/15
  • Midterm grades due - 03/17
  • Last day to apply for June Graduation - 03/15
  • Last Day to Withdrawal or Audit - 04/16
  • No Classes - 03/21 through 03/28
  • Last Day of Class - 05/10
  • Finals Week - 05/11 through 05/17

Exhibition Policy

The School of Applied and Information Technology reserves the right to retain examples of each student’s work. We also reserve the right to show student work for teaching purposes, for exhibition at the school and on the Internet or elsewhere.

Additional Note

The Community College of Baltimore County and the Instructor reserve the right to make adjustments to this syllabus and calendar, with proper notice to students, as dictated by faculty need or class progress.

Calendar

This is a tentative schedule. Content will change and be updated weekly. Please check back regularly for updates.

NOTE: This is a working calendar. IT WILL CHANGE - Check back REGULARLY

Week 1 :: 01.28.2008

Monday

Homework

  • Read Software Equals Interactive Design Education? and bring a short self analysis write up next class.
  • Read Chapter 1 in Introduction to Visual Design for the Modern Web
  • Bring printed Student Server connection information next class
    • Login to SIMON
    • Click on "Student Email and Unix Account Information"
    • Click on View
    • Print that page and bring it next class

 

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Week 2 :: 02.04.2008

Thursday.

  • Software Equals Interactive Design Education? Discussion
  • The web is nothing more then files made accessible through a web server
  • FTP vs HTTP
  • Dreamweaver SIte Management Tools
    • Why are they important
    • concept of a "local site"
    • File management!!!!
    • Dreamweaver "Utopia"
  • Demonstration - Logging on to the Student Server (note this is just a loose description)
    • Create a folder called MyStudentSpace on the Desktop
    • Create a local site is Dreamweaver
    • connect to student.ccbcmd.edu
    • transfer index.html to the MyStudentSpace folder
    • Open index.html in DreamWeaver
    • Make Changes
    • Transfer back up
    • Test
  • Your turn! 20 minute LAB time to modify your index.html file
  • Demonstration - Creating a folder for class projects
    • Create a folder inside MyStudentSpace on the Desktop called cgcv167
    • Create a new file and save it as inclass.html in the cgvc167 folder
    • Add some simple test text and upload it to the cgcv167 folder
    • Test
  • Your turn! 20 minute lab time to modify your index.html file
    • Extra time? "play" with and modify the index.html file
  • Demonstration - A complete sample site

Lab Time

    • Play with the Simple Site
      • Explore the files and folder set up
      • Change CSS properties
    • Be sure to save your MyStudentSpace to removable media or place it on the server.
    • Email me the URL to the cgvc167 folder so I can link your name
      • should be like... http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~username/cgvc167

Homework

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Week 3 :: 02.11.2008

Thursday

Lab Time

  • Continue to explore our class activity - focus on Type, Background, Block, Box, Border
    • Feeling adventurous?!? See if you can upload it to a subfolder in your cgvc167 folder on the student server then access it from the web
  • Create folder in your MyStudentSpace/cgcv167 for your Autobiography Project
  • Define a site locally and create the files and structure you will use for your project
  • Start to sketch ideas for you project

Homework

  • Read Chapter 7
  • Sketch ideas for Autobiography Project

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Week 4 :: 02.18.2008

Thursday.

Lab Time

  • Work on Typography Activity
  • Show me your sketches and plans for Autobiography project - Individual meetings
  • Work on Autobiography Project

Links!

Homework


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Week 5 :: 02.25.2008

Thursday.

Lab Time

Links

Homework

  • Work on Autobiography Project (DUE 3/13)

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Week 6 :: 03.03.2008

Thursday

Lab Time

Homework

 

 

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Week 7 :: 03.10.2008

Thursday.

  • AutoBiography Project Critiques
  • Lessons Learned
  • All About Color
    • projected Light - Additive color mode
    • Hex Color Codes
    • Web Safe Palette
  • 10 minute Activity - Color (download zip)
    • Blac & White
    • Color Schemes
      • Monochromatic - Tints & Shades of the same hue
      • Complementary - To opposing colors on the color wheel
      • Triad - Three evenly spaces colors on the wheel
      • Analogous - Several colors adjacent to each other
  • Student Server Project Assigned

Lab Time

  • Work on Student Server Project

Homework

 

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Week 8 :: 03.17.2008

Thursday

Lab Time

Homework

 

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Week 9 :: 03.24.2008

Thursday

No Class - Happy Spring Break!

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Week 10 :: 03.31.2008

Thursday.

Class,

I, unfortunately can not be here this morning. However, that doesn't give you a free ride! Someone will be in class to check up on you and take role. Do not leave until you follow these things IN ORDER!

  1. Student Server Project
    • Before Monday I should be able to access you Student server projects by accessing your accounts as the address of http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~yourloginName
    • To accomplish this you MUST name your student server HTML file index.html and place it in your WWW folder on the student server.
    • I should also still be able to access you autobiography project either by a link from your student server project OR by going to http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~yourloginName/cgvc167
    • All of this is folder management of your student server space. It's just like organizing files on your thumb drive!!!
  2. My Lecture today was going to be on CSS layouts. Below you will see sample files of the same XHTML file laid out in different ways just by changing the CSS file. This XHTML file is the basis of the CSS Project.
  3. Look through these files and notice the structure and relationship of the "boxes". Just as last class you positioned color boxes around the screen now we are placing boxes around the screen that happen to have more content in them.
  4. Now that you looked through them all, download the source file from here... (Everything zipped)
    • Unzip it on the desktop and create a local site to explore the sample files.
    • Each layout has it's own HTML and it's own CSS even though the HTML is the same for each (just linking to a different CSS file.
    • LOOK AT THE CSS IN CODE VIEW! I have left comments in there telling you how the layouts were achieved.
  5. Now it's time for the CSS Project
    • First look at the CGVC CSS Page - It is are own csszengarden.com
    • Click through some of the past student designs (some are good, some bad)
    • Read the CSS Project specs
    • Start to DESIGN on PAPER or in the graphics program of your choice. This is the first project where you do know have to worry about content and markup, I'm giving the to you. So do what you do best and design.
    • I will review your sketched design next week.

Lab Time

  • Start Sketching Ideas for CSS Project
  • Create Color Palette
  • Gather/collect/create images

Homework

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Week 11 :: 04.07.2008

Thursday

  • Quiz 5 Chapter 4
  • 45 Minute Activity
    • Surf the web to find a site that has “killer” layout, and another one that has a poor layout.
    • Analyze the sites using the checklist in the chapter summary.
    • Compare and contrast what the “killer” site did well that the other site didn’t do so well.
    • How would you redesign the site that has a poor layout?
  • Review CSS Project - Get Updates - Individual Meetings

Lab Time

Homework

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Week 12 :: 04.14.2008

Thursday

  • Quiz 6 Chapter 3
  • CSS Project work day
    • Individual Meetings - Projects due next week!
    • Post you version on your web space
    • Email me the CSS and graphics so I can integrate into our CSS Page

Lab Time

Homework

  • Read Chapter 3 AGAIN
  • Finish CSS Project

 

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Week 13 :: 04.21.2008

Thursday.

Lab Time

Homework

  • Sketch ideas for final project and bring to class

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Week 14 :: 04.28.2008

Thursday

Lab Time/Homework

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Week 15 :: 05.05.2008

Thursday

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Week 16 :: 05.12.2008

Thursday

  • Final Project Presentation

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Grades

Image of class grades