Expect this to be a fun but intensive and informative course. I am looking forward to see what kinds of Websites you will create using the tools presented to you this term.
[tiff http://rkenny.org/6207/480px-Internet_map_1024.tiff]
The above image was selected as picture of the day on the English Wikipedia on March 31, 2007. It represents what the Internet would look like if it were viewed as some celestial constellation at that point in time. The visualization from the Opte Project of the various routes through a portion of the Internet
This is a featured picture, which means that members of the community have identified it as one of the finest images on the English Wikipedia, adding significantly to its accompanying article.
Ok, in case you can visualize how ubiquitous the web is into our daily lives and how fast things are growing, take a look that theis one:
Let’s get started with some comedy. The video below is from a classic episode of the Simpsons (from about 2004) when Web pages were becoming a household word. The episode is called the “Computer Wore Menace Shoes”. I have edited the full episode down to about 8 of its original 22 minutes. What remains is enough to make the point…
Comedy is funny because it has one foot steeped in reality… and it plays on that fact here. Watch this episode and then think about the questions/points outlined below:
Did the episode make you laugh? if so why? if not why not? It is our intent to help you become conversant in those tasks and stylistics needs to create utilitarian Websites... those that serve your purpose.. Hopefully, when we are done you will become an independent creator of sites for your personal use and/or for your classes.
This is a short introduction to help you get acquainted with the workings of this course. This course is designed to give you a background in the Web, how it evolved and to give you some practice in setting up your own site. We hope you enjoy this course. There is a good bit of work to do, especially as this time it is being offered over the summer, which is only 10 (instead of 15) weeks long.
Let’s review some things to help you become familiar with what we are about to be doing:
- This course is organized in lesson cycles. The first one is two weeks, the second one last about three weeks. You are expected to log-in to the course for enough time to complete your assignments on time. The duration of online log-ins depend on the nature of the task. For example, after a log-in, a student might only check the course Announcements and email and spend a total of 5 minutes online in the course. Or, after a log-in, a student might work extensively on various course assignments and spend 50 minutes online in the course.
- In addition, we have scheduled a few online synchronous meetings via Adobe Connect. As the course is officially billed as a virtual curse, you are not required to participate. However, it will behoove you to do so in order to take full advantage of the discussions. If you cannot attend, they will be recorded so you can at least hear what what talked about.
- Most assignments are individual. We have set it up that the final project so that it can be done as a team of two-to-three individuals. This is to help you share experiences and learn from one another... kind of like a 'study buddy' approach.
- For this course you are expected to have some basic computer knowledge and skills. The course is all about practice but it is based on lots of theory and supplementary materials that we have assembled on your behalf. Teaching and learning (and course integration) is at the heart of the course. As you read through the the syllabus, you will note that this course has three primary requirements: completing the discussion forum assignments, production activities, and integration. The lesson cycles modules more or less topically according to the central organizing themes.
- Read the Announcements that appear on the first page you come to after you enter Canvas.
- All course materials and resources, links to articles and video clips, course notes, etc. are found on this site. Canvas plays the role of course organizer. It is also where grades are published as well as discussion forums and drop boxes where you will confirm successful completion of the activities so a grade can be posted. These are found under the Assignments tab.
- The Calendar is also posted on this site. As the lesson cycles become active, the entries on the Calendar become active links to the content.
- On Canvas I have opened a discussion area called Pajamas Cafe where you can post questions and seek help from your classmates. Pajamas Cafe is your place to communicate with each other.
- All assignments are due by 11:55 PM on the last Sunday of each cycle (unless otherwise posted).
It is stated in the Course Information page that the textbook for this course (How to Design Websites by Alan Pipes) is required. That is not because we are going to cover it page by page, chapter by chapter. each lesson will identify the page range/chapters that relate to the topic/content of that lesson. You MAY wish to use the text to supplement your knowledge. The book was chosen because it offers a concise, well documented overview of the content. This is one book that you will want to keep and add to your professional library as reference material. It is very economical in terms of the number of words used to describe outline the content. It has many, many pictures/graphics to demonstrate the point it is trying to make. it also provides some good reference materials (such as the chapter on Coding where several alternative freeware applications are offered as alternatives to Dreamweaver). So, while each lesson will indicate where appropriate pages in the text that relate to the content, it is up to you whether you use the book as a supplement.
Alternatively, we also recommend you spend look into one of two vary good online resource/tutorial tools: lynda.com and vtc.com. each offers a monthly subscription of about $30 or less and each has literally hundreds if not thousands of video tutorials covering the topics we will be reviewing this term. We would rather you spend your money on these kinds of tools than expensive textbooks. Money much more well-spent in our opinion.
So lets get started... Click on the Calendar link or go back to Canvas. How you navigate through the content is a matter of preference .. but just know that there are always more than one way to get to the material.