CINS/WEBT 143 WEH Web Standards
Course Data
- Semester: Spring 2008
- Class: WEBT/CINS 143
- Section: EWH
- Meets: M 6-9 - Every other week starting Jan 28
- Location: Essex campus, room J203
- 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
- Class Blog: http://webt.wordpress.com/
Course Description
This course introduces common Web Standards as set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium. Topics include HTML, XHTML, CSS, XML, and WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative.) The course emphasizes the important role standards play in Web Site development. Students learn how to use these standards to create and structurally mark-up web pages.
- 3 credits
- 2 lecture hours and 2 lab hours per week
- Prerequisite: CINS 101(can be taken concurrently) or CINS 155 or consent of the program coordinator
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion, the student should be able to:
- define XHTML and explain the differences between XHTML and HTML;
- list XHTML Syntax rules;
- explain the three different XHTML Document Type Definitions;
- use a text editor to mark-up an XHTML document;
- define CSS and explain its importance in the development of web sites;
- describe the CSS syntax and style sheet rules, including levels, grouping and selectors;
- define the CSS box model and explain how it impacts CSS development;
- code CSS styles to define properties for an XHTML document including background, text and positioning of elements;
- describe common Internet Protocols including HTTP, HTTPS, SSL, SMTP, POP, and FTP;
- define XML and list ways it can be used;
- structure content using XML and display the document in a browser using XSL;
- transfer web documents to a web server using FTP for successful distribution among common web browsers;
- identify and test differences among popular browsers; and
- explain other common web standards initiatives including WAI.
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
| Test I | 150 |
| Test II | 150 |
| Labs, Projects and Assignments | 250 |
| Class Blog Participation | 100 |
| Final Project | 250 |
| Attendance & participation | 100 |
| Total | 1000 |
Grades
| 900 - 1000 | A |
| 800 – 899 | B |
| 700 – 799 | C |
| 600 – 699 | D |
| 0 – 599 | F |
Tests
There will be 2 tests given throughout the semester, each worth 150 points. Tests will be given during a class period and students must complete the test in the given time frame. If a student is not present for a test and no prior arrangements are made, the student will earn a grade of 0, no exceptions. Tests may be written or hands-on.
Labs, Projects and Assignments
Labs, Projects and Assignments (referred to as just assignments from this point forward) will be given throughout the semester totaling 250 points. Students will be made aware of the assignments point value and due dates on the class calendar. Missing class is not an excuse for missing an assignment. Late assignments will not be accepted and there will be no resubmissions. If an assignment is not handed in on time it will receive a grade of 0.
Class Blog
The class blog can be found at http://webt.wordpress.com/. As a student in on of my WEBT classes you are expected to participate in the blog. That participation involves posting relevant articles, tutorials, examples, etc AND responding to fellow classmates posts. To earn a grade "C" (70 points) in the Class Blog requirement you must minimally participate weekly. That means posting and/or commenting on others posts at least once a week. You must post at least 7 times throughout the semester to get full credit for participation.
Final Project
Students will be responsible for one final project. More details will be given in class but the project will be an informative multiple page standard compliant web site. This projects acts as the Final Exam for the course. Final projects MUST be presented to the class. If the project is not handed in on time, a grade of 0 will be recorded, no exceptions.
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 3 classes are missed without proper notification or documentation the student will earn 0 points in the Attendance & Participation requirement of the course.
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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Html Dog: Best-Practice guide To Xhtml & Css by Patrick Griffiths, ISBN# 0-321-31139-6
- Designing with Web Standards (2nd Edition) by Jeffrey Zeldman,
ISBN# 0321385551
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
Topics
- What’s this class all about/Expectations/Review Syllabus
- Class Blog - http://webt.wordpress.com/
- Teaching philosophy
- Student server space – Access
- Week 1 p 1 PPT
- What are Web Standards?
- What is HTML, XHTML, CSS – other standards?
- Why standards?
- Conversation Topics
- Text Editors vs WYSIWYG editors vs browsers
- Creating a file and viewing it locally
- FTP vs. HTTP
- Text Editors vs WYSIWYG editors vs browsers
BREAK - During Break - Login to SIMON and retrieve your Student Unix Password
In Class Activity
- Simple HTML document to upload (html, head, body, h, p) - Save file as inclass.htm
- FTP into student space
- HTTP into student space
- Add a webt143 folder
- Upload simple document to webt 143 folder
Readings
- Read What are web standards and why should I use them?
- Read HTML Dog Introduction
- Read Chapter 1 – 99.9% of web sites are obsolete
(Some code may go over your head - that’s ok)
Activities
- Note:all activities due the next time we meet unless otherwise posted
- Email me from an address you will check regularly with the following information
- Subject WEBT143WEH-Student info
- NAME
- Web space you will use to submit your projects (URL)
- for example http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~vnoone/webt143
- Interest in the class
- I will then invite you to participate in the blog, get access and explore wordpress.com
- View this video (windows media player)
- video may get into advanced topics, no worries we will be covering this all semester. Watch it the whole thing, content in the middle we will be covering all semester.
- Visit Blogs listed in blog roll (others are ok too) Find a relevant current article relating to Web Standards and what we learned today. Post a link to the article and your reaction to it on the blog. Be sure to categorize it correctly!
- Explore each of the following links, check out each in the emulator. Bring written observations with you next class.
- Visit CSS zengarden – what’s it all about?
Week 2 :: 02.04.2008
Monday
- Work on Activities assigned last class
- Need help? email me and we can meet during the class off time
Week 3 :: 02.11.2008
Monday
- Welcome BACK!
- Student links
- Blog check
- What did you think of the video?
- emulator activity - observations?
- What is CSS zengarden all about?
- Basic XHTML The Nuts and Bolts PPT
- The Template Lab - start in class and get basics to validate
- Basic CSS nuts and bolts PPT
- embedded.html
- Let's add a simple embedded style to our template
- All About Text in HTML PPT
- Basic Text Formatting with CSS PPT
Activities/Readings
- Read HTML Dog read Chapters 1 & 2
- Read page 157-169 in web standards chapter 6 up to and including the rules of xhtml and chapter 9
- Finish The Template Lab - adding Meta info -REVALIDATE and post for credit
- Complete the Bio Text Lab - bio01.html Lab
- if unsure email me to check before completing bio CSS text lab
- Complete the Bio CSS Text Lab - bio02.html Lab
- Read Excerpt from CSS Mastery Book
- Read Chapter 7 in Web Standards
Helpful Links for more info
Week 4 :: 02.18.2008
Monday
- Meeting Not Required
- Need help? email me and we can meet during the class off time
- If you are NOT linked on this page you must email the URL of your webt143 folder on the student server so I can grade your labs.
- This is where you should be FTPing you labs for me to grade
- Review structural markup handout and material to date
- Finish activities from Week 3
- Review Structural Markup PPT - Corresponds with article handout
- Compare the following pages. What's the difference?
- Original
- Rewrite
- Online Original - http://www.campioninsurance.com
- Review for test and activities below
Week 5 :: 02.25.2008
Monday
IMPORTANT NOTE about the IMPORTANT NOTE (2/29): I realized after the fact that it is unfair for me to expect students to come on an off day to take the test. Because of this I will be placing test 1 in the testing center at all three campuses. You will have 1 week (3/3 to 3/10) to take the test at your convenience. I'm so sorry for the confusion and trouble. As of today, Friday I am still not 100% and had to take another sick day. I hope you understand. I will still be in class on Monday to give the lecture we missed this passed week. I will also be grading and providing feedback for the bio labs.
To make an appointment at the testing centers please visit the testing centers website.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I have caught the Winter bug. There is now way I will be able to lecture tonight and I really do not want to infect the entire class. Review the class notes and activities below. Use the class time wisely. Next week we WILL TAKE TEST 1 at the beginning of class and then I will fill in any gaps students need to review from tonights lecture. The test is on all lecture notes and readings from weeks 1-4.
- Document Hierarchy and structural Markup talk
- All About Lists!
- All About Links
- skipping Navigation/Dividing Your Page - A Basic Structure Example
- Test 1
Activities/Readings
- Check out About.com's list write up
- Read chapter 6 in HTML dog - lists
- Resume Project - Due
3/10
- Using your resume – or a fake one from here http://www.vault.com/nr/ht_list.jsp?ht_type=8 NOTE they are not structurally marked up so don’t bother copying and pasting the code
- Older article about list solutions to common problems - http://alistapart.com/articles/taminglists/ May have some advanced techniques
- Chapter 3 html dog
- Read this wonderful write up on how to Turn(ing) a list into a navigation bar. Try to create it as you read along. May have some advanced techniques
- Take a look at the best listing of CSS list examples one the web @ css.maxdesign.com.au May have some advanced techniques
- What is Hypertext?
Week 6 :: 03.03.2008
Monday
IMPORTANT NOTE about the IMPORTANT NOTE (2/29): I realized after the fact that it is unfair for me to expect students to come on an off day to take the test. Because of this I will be placing test 1 in the testing center at all three campuses. You will have 1 week (3/3 to 3/10) to take the test at your convenience. I'm so sorry for the confusion and trouble. As of today, Friday I am still not 100% and had to take another sick day. I hope you understand. I will still be in class on Monday to give the lecture we missed this passed week. I will also be grading and providing feedback for the bio labs.
To make an appointment at the testing centers please visit the testing centers website.
- Meeting STILL Not Required but reccomended
- I will be in to give last weeks lectures
- Take test at testing center - To make an appointment at the testing centers please visit the testing centers website.
- Check out this Video Tutorial: Choosing the Right Image Format
- Check out this box model write up
- Finish and post your Resume Project - Due 3/10
- Start your List Lab - due 03/17
- Review these links pages for more info on styling lists and using lists as styled nav
- the article may help Turn(ing) a list into a navigation bar. May have some advanced techniques
- Take a look at the best listing of CSS list examples one the web @ css.maxdesign.com.au May have some advanced techniques
Week 7 :: 03.10.2008
Monday
- All About Images PPT
- Basic Structure Example using images
- folder structure
- content vs eye candy
- external css
- Basic Structure Example using images
- Box Model PPT
- positioning Options PPT
Activities/Readings
- Chapter 4 HTML dog
- post Resume Project
- work on List Lab - due 03/17
- Chapter 5 HTML Dog
- CSS-P lab 03/24
- Read Chapter 16 in Web Standards Book
Week 8 :: 03.17.2008
Monday
Activities/Readings
- Post List Lab
- Finish CSS-P lab
- Review a Redesign - Check it out - What are the advantages of the redesign (even though it's not perfect)?
- Review
- Review the tables for data file and this nice tutorial about tables
- Come with questions! The more you know, the less we have to go over, the more time you have for the test!
- Read Chapter 8 (I didn't cover everything)
- good link http://www.snook.ca/archives/html_and_css/designing_data/
- Work on Table Lab due 3/24
- Read Chapter 9 and review Forms PPT
- Work on Form Lab Due 3/31
Week 10 :: 03.31.2008
Monday
- Meeting Not Required !
- Tables for Data
- table, tr, td, th, caption, thead, tbody, tfoot, col.
- Styling the table
- Review Site Redesign for test
- Need help? email me and we can meet during the class off time
Week 12 :: 04.14.2008
Monday
- Meeting Not Required - Need help? email me and we can meet during the class off time
- Review More then just Accessibility
- Review 508
- http://webxact.watchfire.com/
- Review the The Basics of XML - Eerily similar to what your final project should include isn't it?
- Complete the XML Lab (due at the end of next class)
- Look at the FinalLab (due 4/28)
- Work on your Final Project
Week 13 :: 04.21.2008
Monday
- Review Test (zip file)
- Review The Basics of XML
- Strategies for the Final Project
- Individual Meetings for Final Project Updates
Activities/Readings
- Complete the XML Lab
- Complete the FinalLab (due 4/28)
- Work on your Final Projects
Week 14 :: 04.28.2008
Monday
- Meeting Not Required - Need help? email me and we can meet during the class off time
- Be prepared to Present your final project NEXT CLASS
- Project should be in a subfolder on your student accounts named FinalProject
Week 15 :: 05.05.2008
Monday
- Final Project Presentations
- PIZZA DAY! - Come Hungry. :~)
Students
Grades
