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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CS 130-2"
COURSE NAME: "Web Design I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring Semester 2012
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Scaramastra Marco
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 17:30-18:45
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The rapid development of increasingly sophisticated Internet web sites has made it necessary that students’ professional development should include a sound knowledge of Internet web page design.

The course provides students with the technical knowledge and skills required to design and build web site using HTML and HTML Editors, Web editors, CSS and Javascript
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Students will cover the following units:

1     Introduction: history and essential standards of the World Wide Web. How the Web works. References online: the W3C tutorial and other reference  material.

2      Web building primer. What is hypertext, a basic web page. Building blocks of a web page, adding colours, images, links and tables, HTML writing standards.

3      Usability and the art of Web design. Fonts, colours, cascade style sheets, page layout. Role, goal, target and audience of a web site.

4       Tools for Web design: Web editors, HTML Editors, Web publishing.

5       Elements of interactive site: XHTML forms, feeds and Javascript

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

On completion of the course students should be able to

1.      Write web pages using HTML directly or in combination with a HTML or Web editor.

2.      Make web pages available on the web using file upload programs.

3.      Use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to make web content attractive and comfortable to update.

4.      Distinguish between "static" and "dynamic web pages", explain the role of both "client-side" and "server-side" technologies.

5.      Use JavaScript and/or other online applications to create simple "client-side" dynamic content of various kinds.

6.      Demonstrate principles of good file and directory management, in the context of Web applications.

7.      Understand and implement the principles of web page/content/site design and usability

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Head First HTML with CSS & XHTMLElisabeth Robson, Eric T Freeman O'Reilly Media978-0-596-10197-8     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
W3Schools HTML & CSS TutorialsW3 Schools w3schools.com Useful website
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Attendance and class assignmentsThe weekly assignments are used to encourage students to continuously study throughout the course10%
PortfoglioThe portfolio will require the student to develop a web site in two steps (tasks): the first task must be ready for the midterm exam and the second one for the final exam. The design features and aesthetic quality of the web pages in the portfolio are expected to increase progressively throughout the course. The weigh of the two portfolio’s tasks is 25% each. Students will discuss their work during the exams’ sessions and the grade will be based upon the following: coding ability, page design and structure, content design, site design50%
ExamsBoth mid-term (20%) and final exams (20%) are aimed to test student learning against the course learning outcomes. </p> Midterm and final exams will take the form of an essay paper, following a scheme outlined by the teacher, to be delivered at fixed deadlines. Students will have access to the Internet and the possibility to make use of the class material40%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

Assessment Guidelines for assigning main letter grades: A, B, C,D, and F.

A:  Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensiveknowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.

B:  This is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.

There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.

C:  This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.

D:  This level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.

Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.

F: This work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.


-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is mandatory as all lessons will be held in the computer laboratory and will be a combination of theory and practice. Students spending most of the class time using smart-phones or the like will be marked absent.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Week

Topic

Assignments

1

Introduction to the internet: the language of the web.

How the web works: web servers and web browsers

HTML; a simple html page;

Styles: content separated from presentation.

First example.

 

2

Hypertext.

Adding hyperlinks to html and non-html locations

Structure of a web page.

Publishing a web site. FTP. URL. HTTP.

Weekly assignment

3

Inserting images into html documents: dimensions; captions; size; types; labeling

Using images as links: thumbnails; image editing

Weekly assignment

4

HTML standards. HTML Validation. Meta tags.

The semantic web.

XHTML 1.0

Adding a little more style. CSS external files.

Weekly assignment

5

More about CSS and style

Weekly assignment

6

Midterm week: review

Portfoglio task 1

7

Midterm exam

 

8

Portfolio Task I Q&A session

Portfolio presentations

 

9

XHTML elements.

Advanced  web page structure elements

Weekly assignment

10

Advanced Web construction

Weekly assignment

11

HTML editors: WYSIWYG or not?

Weekly assignment

12

Tables.

Box model

 

13

Layout

Embedding multimedia into html documents

Portfolio Task II Q&A session

Portfoglio task 2

14

Google applications

What is RSS?
Feedzilla

Submit Portfolio Task II

 

15

Final exam