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Syllabus

Web Publishing 2: Graphics and CSS Level 2 (DM160B)
Cabrillo College, Fall 2011, section 72473
Mondays, 6:00 PM–9:05 PM, room 1303

John Govsky, instructor
john@teacherjohn.com
831-466-3269
PO Box 7624, Santa Cruz, CA 95061

In addition to this syllabus, students must read the following Web pages:

Class Web Site

All important information is at:
http://www.teacherjohn.com/cabrillo/dm160b/
Although you may wish to print out many of these Web pages, be aware that some of the information here may change before the course is over. For quick reference, the Sitemap contains a list of all this site’s pages.

You are responsible for regularly reading and participating in the online Discussion Forum section of the Web site.

Course description (from the schedule of classes)

Presents planning, design, and production of graphics and page layouts for Web sites using hand-coded (X)HTML and CSS Level 2, including image creation and editing, color, conversion, compression, Web typography, rollovers, tables, validation, and design considerations specific to online graphics. Taught on Macintosh. Adaptable to Windows. Prerequisite: DM60A and DM 1or equivalent. Repeatability: May be taken 2 times.

Course objectives

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Identify and explain what qualities are needed for producing effective web graphics.
  2. Plan strategies and solve problems involved in creating interactive online graphics.
  3. Examine graphics at various web sites and explain how to produce them.
  4. Anticipate skills and process needed to create effective and efficient web page graphics and layouts.
  5. Apply principles learned in exercises and guided technical explorations to complete complex web page graphics.
  6. Evaluate, compare, and improve each other's web pages.
  7. Analyze and calculate appropriate optimization and compression needed for particular graphic file formats.
  8. Determine and implement efficient online file sizes.
  9. Apply critcal thinking to solve practical final projects production problems.
  10. Apply production principles to methods used in the professional work environment.
  11. Apply principles learned in exercises and guided technical explorations to complete complex web page layouts using CSS Level 2.

Textbook

Learning Web Design textbook

There is no required textbook for this course. Most resources will be online.

Optional 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.

This class is about learning HTML and CSS hand coding

You are absolutely not to use any software that writes HTML or CSS code for you, such as Dreamweaver, CyberStudio, FrontPage, Homesite, or any WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) software. All work done for this class, except when specified, must be done using a text editor (such as Notepad++ for Windows, or TextWrangler for Mac) or a word processor. If you use a word processor such as Microsoft Word (which I do not recommend), do not use the program's "save as HTML" features.

Using software that writes any HTML or CSS code for you, unless authorized by the instructor, is considered cheating.

Prerequisite skills

You must be comfortable with hand-coding HTML and CSS; I will assume that you know how to create Web pages by hand, using proper structural formatting, lists, links, tables, images, forms, etc. I will assume that you have either taken the Web Publishing 1 (DM60A) class, or that you have equivalent knowledge and experience. You should also have a basic familiarity with Photoshop/ImageReady and Illustrator.

Because most of the work for this class can be done with a basic text editor (and Photoshop), it really makes no difference whether you use Macintosh or Windows to do your work. The important thing is that you know how to edit a text file, save a file onto a disk, and that you know how to navigate through a file system to find a file after you’ve saved it.

Software needed for this course

If you will be working on your own computer, you will need to download and install the following free software programs:

The text editor must be capable of saving files encoded as UTF-8, with no byte order mark (BOM). The recommended text editor for Mac is TextWrangler. The recommended text editor for Windows is Notepad++. See Text Editors for HTML and Script Editing for more information and downloading links.

The FTP client must be capable of using the SFTP protocol. The recommended FTP client for Mac is Fetch; see How to Upload to Webhawks.org with Fetch (Mac OS X) for more information and downloading links. The recommended FTP client for Windows is CoreFTP Lite; see How to Upload to Webhawks.org with CoreFTP Lite (Windows) for more information and downloading links.

See the Browser Downloads section of my Resources page for links to download Firefox and Firefox addons.

We will discuss image editing and image mapping software later in the course.

Grading

Grading will be based on your final project, exercises, tests and quizzes and participation in the online class discussion forum. See the Grades page, where you can check your progress and where grades will be periodically posted, for details on grading. Here is the percentage breakdown on how grades are calculated:

There are also Extra Credit possibilities.

If you are an extremely busy person and you do not need a grade, you may wish to take the class for pass/no pass instead of a grade. There is a place in the Student Survey form (exercise 1) where you can indicate that you elect to take this class on a pass/no pass basis. If you are not sure whether to take this course for a grade or for pass/no pass, you should discuss your academic goals with a Cabrillo counselor as soon as possible.

A quiz or test will be given at the very beginning of almost every class. If you miss a class (or arrive late) and miss a quiz, the quiz cannot be made up (but, again, there are extra credit possibilities). If you miss a test (which are worth more points than a quiz) you can make it up no later than the very next class, unless you talk to the instructor in advance. These dates of the tests are listed in the Course Schedule.

Note that there are deadlines throughout the term when your posts to the discussion forum are tallied for the pupose of awarding points toward your grade. These dates are listed in the Course Schedule.

Late work is not accepted

When you turn in work, you must also fill out an online "feedback form" stating what you have done, how many points you think you should earn, and any comments or feedback on the exercise. You will not receive full credit for an exercise, or for the final project, if you do not submit the appropriate feedback form by the due date and time.

Work is not accepted late. If your work is not finished, submit it by the due date and at least you may receive partial credit.

See the Homework Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for answers to questions about homework exercises and how they are graded.

If you lose points on homework you may wish to do some Extra Credit work to make up the lost points.

Validation

All Web pages done for this class must validate according to the W3C’s HTML Validator, using the “XHTML 1.0 Strict” standard, and perhaps to other standards later in the course. All cascading style sheets must validate according to the W3C's CSS Validator.

How this class works

Most classes will be a combination of lecture, discussion, and hands-on lab. Each class will start with a lecture and discussion on new material, during which all computers in the classroom are to be turned off. Then we will take a break, followed by more lecture and discussion, and, if time permits, the lab portion of the class where I will help students do the exercise on the computers in the classroom.

You will "turn in" your homework exercise by uploading it to the class Web site and submitting the appropriate online feedback form. (See the Homework Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for information on how feedback forms work.) Unless explicitly stated, homework is not accepted on paper or via email.

Most classes will begin promptly with a quiz. If you arrive late or miss class, you will not be able to take the quiz. You may wish to do some Extra Credit work to make up the lost points.

Class pace

This class will move at a good pace, and it is expected that you will be working on a computer outside of class each week. The purpose of the exercises is to keep you learning at a steady pace, and to give you guideposts of where you should be throughout the course. It is important that you complete each exercise on time, making a reasonable effort to get it right. For your own benefit, it is important that the exercises are completed on time, as we build on previous information and it is important to understand the material as we progress through the class. If you fall behind you will not get the optimum benefit from in-class troubleshooting. If you get ahead of the schedule, and work on exercises before they are due, please do not ask questions in class on topics not yet covered so we do not have to discuss the same material twice (but feel free to post such questions to the Discussion Forum).

Final project

Your Final Project will be to create an original Web site on a topic of your own choosing, within certain guidelines. As soon as possible, start thinking of a theme for your final project.

Attendance

Attendance is very important. Although class materials are online, this is not an online class. If you miss a class it is your responsibility to get the information, learn the material, and do the exercise. If you miss class, please do not ask me to explain to you everyting that you missed; post your questions to the Discussion Forum or get the notes from a classmate. You are responsible for knowing what was covered during your absence.

This course requires active participation each day of class so it is important for you to attend every class session, arrive on time, and come prepared. Your participation not only enhances your own learning, it benefits other students in the class, especially when the class is doing group work. Your level of participation is reflected in your grade and since you can’t participate if you are not in class, absences will also be reflected in your grade.

If you miss two or more classes in a row, you may be dropped from the course. If you have extensive absenteeism and you do not wish to be dropped from the course, please contact me as soon as possible. Roll will be called, or the roll sheet will be circulated, in every class; it is your responsibility to make sure you are marked present. Any student who does not attend the first class, and does not inform me in advance of the reason why, may be dropped to make room for those on the waiting list.

Communication with the instructor

In all communication with the instructor (written, phone message, or email) please include your name and the name of this class. Send email to john@teacherjohn.com; or leave a phone message at 831-466-3269. Important: when emailing me, always start the subject line with "DM60B" or I may not see your message!

For help with homework exercises, projects, or topics covered in class, do not ask questions through email; post your questions to the Discussion Forum, or see me during office hours. For questions regarding administrative or personal issues, contact me directly; do not post these questions to the forum.

See the Contact John page for my office hours.

Recording of lectures or discussion

Audio or video recording of lectures and/or in-class discussion is only permitted under the following conditions:

The recording of lectures is for private study use only. Duplication and/or publication of the recording, in any form (including, but not limited to, podcasting, on the Web, through email, or in print) is prohibited. In all cases the instructor owns the copyright to the material.

Special needs

Students needing accommodations should 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).

Server space

Please use your space on the webhawks.org server responsibly. You may not use this space to send junk email (spam), to send harrassing email, to try to gain unauthorized access to this or any other system, to store files unrelated to the course, or to engage in illegal activity.

Any files stored on the server that are unrelated to this course may be deleted without warning.

Use of copyrighted material

Unless you have written permission from the copyright owner, you are not to use any copyrighted materials in your work or on the server. This usually comes into play when you are looking for images to use, although it also applies to text. Do not simply copy an image from another site to use on your site; always make sure that the images you use are in the public domain or are from a copyright-free site. If in doubt, ask the owner for permission to use the image.

Plagiarism and cheating

Do your own work. Plagiarism or cheating is not acceptable under any circumstances. Any student who misrepresents another's work as his or her own, or uses prohibited software to do coursework, will recive zero credit for that work.

Courtesy and respect

All computers are to be turned off during lectures. If you will be bringing your own laptop to class, please talk to me first.

Please turn off all cell phones and electronic devices in class, or at least make them inaudible.

If you are late, please make your entrance quietly and sit in the nearest seat. Please wait until I have dismissed the class before packing up to leave; I do not appreciate shuffling or book slamming during the last few minutes of class. Listen respectfully when others are speaking.

Behavior policies

Be respectful and professional in all communication at all times — in class, as well as online in the Discussion Forum. To do otherwise is disruptive behavior and will not be tolerated. Examples of unacceptable disruptive behavior are as follows:

Consequences for Disruptive Behavior:

SEVERE CLAUSE — For very serious, intolerable behaviors, such as the use of language that is racist, homophobic, misogynistic, hateful, or otherwise offensive:

The schedule is subject to change

The nature of the Web is rapid, constant evolution and change. I may modify the Course Schedule as necessary, perhaps to accommodate a guest speaker or examination of a new technology.