Syllabus

Course Description

The World Wide Web has become a part of normal American life. Web URLs accompany advertising in magazines and television commercials, infusing themselves into our modern culture. Teachers have developed web pages to supplement course work, or, in many cases, deliver full courses over the web.

This course examines the design, development, and distribution of electronic documents, like Web pages. In the course, we'll:

• discover the basic components of how Web documents are created,
• discuss design considerations for page development, exploring what can be done by design teams of graphic artists and professional programmers as well as a single individual,
• look at a variety of user-friendly tools for web page development,
• learn how to include eye-catching graphics, interactive multimedia components, and sophisticated programming in a web page.

Though the course will focus upon the goal of designing and developing web pages for instructional purposes, the skills learned will apply to a wide range of communications media. The Web is currently evolving faster than most people had ever expected and too fast to maintain a currency with every aspect of its development or every toolset available. The course will provide a basic background and structure to keep an individual from being overwhelmed by the changes and quite competent to design and develop electronic documents that are beneficial to themselves and their clients.

The course is learner-centered, based upon the development of a series of projects that will lead to a culminating portfolio of work. Class time will be used for introductions to topics, sharing, and production. Information transmittal will be predominantly done through self-study of on-line lessons, selected texts, and web pages. Student participation in discussion and sharing activities will be emphasized.

This course fulfills most aspects of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills requirements for Web Mastering (126.28). You will find those specific skills and requirements identified by this logo throughout the lesson pages. Some aspects of these requirements are considered prerequisites to this course (from an Internet Fundamentals course, for instance).

Course Objectives

In successfully completing the course, students will:

• be able to successfully code a basic web page in HTML.
• be able to include tables, frames, and interactive multimedia elements in web pages.
• be able to design web pages that are consistent with good style and make efficient use of limited internet resources.
• be able to operate web page editing and creation software tools.
• be able to include elements of JavaScript to enhance web page interactivity
• be able to design and implement web-based forms.

UHCL has identified seven student-centered learning outcomes. The outcomes are thought to be essential skills and knowledge for all college graduates and included critical thinking, communications, information technology, interpersonal competence, ethical citizenship, global perspectives, and self-directed learning.

This course and its activities, projects, and assignments have been designed to develop and enhance your abilities relative to:

1. communicate through the use of the World Wide Web
2. learn information technology, such as the tools necessary to produce and disseminate web pages
3. interpersonal skills by providing opportunities for classwork to be published on the Web
4. global perspectives by publishing your web pages within the global internet community, and
5. self-directed learning through the opportunity to extend the basic information presented through links to web sites with additional information.

Course Materials

Required course materials include:

• Siegel, David. (1997). Creating Killer Web Sites: The Art of Third-Generation Site Design; Second Edition. Hayden Books. ISBN: 1-56830-433-1. You can purchase the book from any bookstore.
• Materials presented on this web site and on other linked sites.

Recommended course materials include the following books. You can purchase them on-line from .

For more information or help with the HTML aspects of this class, consider Sam's Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML and XHTML in 21 Days (3rd Edition) by Laura Lemay, Denise Tyler, and Rafe Colburn as published by Sams Publishing. ISBN: 0672320770
For more information or help with JavaScript, consider a book by Nick Heinle and Bill Pena called Designing With JavaScript: Creating Dynamic Web Pages (2nd Edition) published by O'Reilly Publishing. ISBN: 156592360X
For more information or help with Cascading Style Sheets, consider Cascading Style Sheets: Designing for the Web (2nd Edition) by Hakon Wium Lie, Bert Bos, & Robert Cailliau published by Addison Wesley Publishing. ISBN: 0201596253
For more information or help with Dynamic HTML, consider a book by Peter Belesis and others called Dynamic Html Unleashed published by Sams Publishing. ISBN: 1575213532
For more information or help with web page design, consider Jack David and Susan Merritt's The Web Design Wow! Book published by Peachpit Press. ISBN: 0201886782.

Technology Requirements

This course requires heavy use of computer tools. You will require extensive access to:

1. A modern World Wide Web browser which supports Java, JavaScript, and Cascading Style Sheets elements.
• Microsoft's Internet Explorer in version 5.0 or newer
• Netscape's Communicator or Navigator in version 4.5 or newer
2. While there are several ways to create HTML documents, this course will emphasize entering the HTML code manually using a word processor or other editor. Of course, this is not the easiest option. Using a web page development tool or editor, like FrontPage, DreamWeaver, or GoLive, is far easier and quicker. Unfortunately, HTML is a rapidly changing language. In just a few years, the language has gone through four different revisions. Because of this, software publishers who make the HTML editing tools or web page development programs can't keep up with the language's growth. Their software always lags one or two versions behind what is possible with the latest coding techniques. Most web developers know how to hand-code their HTML. Then, they may use a development tool, like those listed above, to produce their basic pages. Finally, they'll open up the output of their HTML development tool and fine tune the HTML it produced by hand. To work in this fashion requires that a developer know how to write, read, and debug HTML documents. The only way to learn that is to begin by writing and debugging pages straight into HTML. So, no development tools or short cuts are allowed in this course. First, you must put in your dues by learning to do HTML the hard way. Recommended editors to use for hand-coding your HTML are:
   • Microsoft's WordPad for Windows 95, 98, and NT systems.
   • Microsoft's NotePad for earlier Windows systems.
   • SimpleText for the Macintosh.
   It is your responsibility to locate the appropriate tool on your computer and to learn how to use its features.
3. A tool for FTP (file transfer protocol). I recommend Fetch for the Macintosh and WS_FTP LE for Microsoft Windows-based computers. You can download, install, configure, and learn to run them from the course's FTP page. Use of these software packages are required for transferring work onto the class web server. Class projects and your final portfolio will be turned in through ftp.

   Server or host name:	coursework.cl.uh.edu
   Username or Account:	The domain pclab\ followed by your UHCL Account Name If you don't know it, you can look it up. For example, if your user name was waltersb1103, you would enter: pclab\waltersb1103
   Password	Your initial password (the letter "p" followed by your UHCL student ID). This 7-digit number can be found on your registration receipts. For example, if your student ID number was 0012345, you would enter: p0012345

   Once you have FTPed something onto the server, you can see it through the Web by constructing the URL to your Web site. The URL will have the form of:

   http://server/rubric-section/username/pagename.extension

   So, if your username is waltersb1103 and you are in section 01 of INST5635 and your Web page is named index.html, your URL will be:

   http://coursework.cl.uh.edu/INST5635-01/waltersb1103/index.html

4. An email account. Grades for most classwork will be returned by email.  The WebCT tool includes a built in email function that you can access by clicking on the email link in the course menu. In addition, any internet-capable email account, such as one from your place of employment or home internet service provider, is acceptable.

Obtaining access to these tools is a student responsibility. Even though you are an online student, you are still authorized to use UHCL's on campus computing facilities such as the open computing labs in B-2312 and D-205. These facilities have browsers, ftp tools, and some of the page development tools available for student use. However, the level of help or assistance may not be consistent over all the facilities.

Should you have access to a personal computer at home or through your place of employment that can handle these functions, you may use those resources.

Class Schedule

The class calendar, a built-in WebCT tool that you can access from the course menu, will help you manage your progress through this course.   While you are encouraged to study and master the material at your own pace, you'll want to insure that you don't lag behind. The course calendar link will allow you to check your progress against the recommended timeline.

Lessons & Activities

Lessons for this class are contained in online units. You can access the information by choosing the "Course Content" link from the course menu.

Course Assignments:

Final portfolio. The culmination of this class will be the creation of a final portfolio. The final portfolio will be an instructional web site that you have designed, developed, and disseminated. In addition, you will also complete a series of projects and assignments. You can skillfully build your responses to the projects and assignments to fit into, complement, and reinforce your final portfolio's web site. The final portfolio Web page contains links to 10 sample portfolios as well as additional information about the assignment.

Assignments. To organize your progress toward the portfolio web site, you will complete four assignments. They will help you design, plan, and evaluate your web site work. Requirements, specifications, and a sample of these assignments are available in the lessons which assign them.

• Assignment 1 — Prepare a proposal for your final portfolio's web site. This assignment is done in Lesson One.
• Assignment 2 — Prepare a site map for your final portfolio's web site. This assignment is done in Lesson Seven.
• Assignment 3 — Prepare a self-evaluation of your final portfolio's web site. This assignment is done in Lesson Eight.
• Assignment 4 — Prepare a report that summarizes your evaluation efforts. This assignment is done in Lesson Eight.

Projects. To develop the HTML skill needed to build your final portfolio's web site, you will complete five projects that demonstrate your mastery of page development skills. Requirements, specifications, grading template, and a sample of these projects are available in the lessons which assign them.

• Project 1 — Create a basic text-only Web page which demonstrates your ability to handle text attributes, lists, and links. This project is done in Lesson Two.
• Project 2 — Create a Web page which demonstrates your ability to use graphics and multimedia. This project is done in Lesson Three.
• Project 3— Create a Web page that illustrates your ability to develop a form. This project is done in Lesson Four.
• Project 4— Create a Web page illustrating your ability to develop Web tables and frames. This project is done in Lesson Five.
• Project 5 — Create a Web page that illustrates your ability to use advanced Web page development tools. This project is done in Lesson Eight.

Activities. To hone your design skills and to insure that you develop mastery of the basic HTML commands, you will complete a variety of interactivities which will require you to share information with the class, evaluate Web sites, take online quizzes, and so forth. Each interactivity and what it involves is described in the lesson that requires it.

Support & Help

For help and support in this class, you have a number of options:

1. Send an email message to your instructor.
2. Telephone your instructor (if you don't connect, make sure your message includes your name and phone number so a return call is possible).
3. Join in on one of the virtual office hours through chat. To get to the chat rooms, follow the "chat" link in the navigation bar. The instructor will chat with you in the "General Chat for INST5635: Web Design and Development" Room on the dates and times specified in the class calendar. You are free to use rooms 1 through 4 for chats with other students in the class at any time.
4. Use the "Main" Forum of the class bulletin board system. Post your question or problem and maybe another student (or your instructor) can answer your question.
5. Consult with your internet service provider or internet guru where you work. This works best if you're wanting information on how those specific systems operate.
6. Ask a lab assistant for help in UHCL's Bayou or Delta Open Lab.

Evaluation & Grades

The projects, posting interactivities, assignments total, quizzes, and final portfolio are valued as show in the following table:
 

No grades of I or Incomplete will be given. Each student will receive the appropriate letter grade based upon the total points on record as of the final class session.

Honor Code. The Academic Honesty Policy at UHCL (as found on pages 76-78 of the 2002-2003 Catalog) states:

"Academic honesty is the cornerstone of the academic integrity of the university. It is the foundation upon which the student builds personal integrity and establishes a standard of personal behavior."

The Honesty Code of UHCL states:
      "I will be honest in all my academic activities and will not tolerate dishonesty."

Because honesty and integrity are such important factors, you should be aware that failure to perform within the bounds of these ethical standards is sufficient grounds to receive a grade of "F" in this course and be recommended for suspension from UHCL.

Disabilities. Any individual with a disability who requires a special accommodation should inform the instructor and contact the Disability Services Office Bayou 1402 or call 281-283-2627.

Student Life Policies. The Student Life Policies can be found at: http://b3308-adm.cl.uh.edu/PolicyProcedures/Policy.html.

Withdraw/Drop. The last day to drop or withdraw without penalty is July 28, 2003.