This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of web design and development. Students will learn about web technologies and standards while building accessible and usable web sites.
Students are not expected to have previous experience in creating websites – this course will focus on beginner/intermediate aspects of web design and markup languages—specifically, HyperText Markup Language (HTML/HMTL5) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS/CSS3). Class discussion and readings will focus on the Web’s architecture and its history, the basics of site development, and current best practices (such as responsive design, grid systems, and mobile technologies). Students will study web technologies and apply best practices—creating a semester-long portfolio—while developing a rhetorical and technological understanding of web-based communication.
There are two required text for this class:
Robbins, Jennifer Niederst. (2012). Learning Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide to HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Web Graphics. O’Reilly Media. Digital Version available on O'Reilly's website
Hagen, Rebecca & Kim Golombisky. (2013). White Space Is Not Your Enemy: A Beginner’s Guide to Communicating Visually Through Graphic, Web, & Multimedia Design. Focal Press. Digital Version
I will also ask you to use several specific pieces of free software (we will install these, together, in class):
Finally, you will have the opportunity to purchase web hosting & a domain. This isn’t required, but it is recommended. We will discuss all of the above in class.
First: This course is an introduction to web design and development. You don’t need to have any specific technology skills or experience, and I am assuming that each of you is a beginner and new to the world of web work. You must, however, enter the class with curiosity, perseverance, and a desire to experiment (and thusly break things). Many web developers don’t come from traditional education channels; they are often self-taught, spending many hours studying and experimenting with web languages. Although you will have the privilege to learn in (and to use the resources of) a university classroom, I hope that you will embrace a very DIY approach: Apply the classroom lessons to your own projects and begin building sites. A collective spirit of creativity and invention is one of the web’s most important gifts, and channeling that spirit is one of this course’s most primary goals.
More traditionally, upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
The final grade will be determined by performance on the following projects. The specific details of each project will be included on the project’s assignment sheet and discussed in class. You must complete each assignment to earn a passing grade!
Course Portfolio (5%) This will be your home base for your course. It will serve as your course "portfolio", serving as a showcase for your coursework. We will build this together thoughtout the semester, and you will add links to course assignments. Will consist of (at minimum)
Codecademy Exercises (5%) Throughout the course, you will work through the Web Fundamentals Track on CodeCademy. This will help you to better practice your HTML and CSS skills.
Coding Check-ins (20%) Each week you will complete a minor coding challenge, building small pages that reinforce and showcase the week’s major concepts. (Expect to spend 2-3 hours per week on this.)
Final Web Portfolio (60%) Although it will be assessed at the semester’s end as one portfolio, this portion of your grade actually consists of several different objects. Each of the following items will be given a tentative grade when initially submitted, and that object can then be revised and reworked throughout the semester. The final portfolio will be assessed as a whole, and we will discuss specific evaluation criteria in class. (Expect to spend 2-3 hours per week on this, varying based on your schedule and deadlines.) The breakdown:
* **Personal Website**: You will use a web framework (Bootstrap is recommended) to prototype and build a personal portfolio website.
* **Personal Narrative**: You will write, in HTML/CSS, a personal narrative essay that serves as homepage for and links to all other portfolio materials.
* **Coding Check-in Revisions**: You will apply Bootstrap (or another framework of your choice) to at least three of the early coding check-ins. These revisions will also be submitted with the portfolio.
Informal Projects, Class Prep, & Attendance (10%): This category will be assessed based both on your contributions to github and your attendance to and in participation in class activities. Specific criteria will be discussed and negotiated in class. (Beyond class time, you will have to devote 3-4 hours per week to reading and prepping; however, you should do that in tandem—and expect it to overlap with—your work on the coding check-ins).
As this course is highly interactive and practice/discussion-driven, your success is absolutely tethered to your presence and participation. The course will move quickly, and each successive meeting will build upon the concepts of the previous. Missing a class puts you at a serious disadvantage in terms of the larger semester arc.
In Short: Like a math course, each of our meetings adds a new skill that builds upon those previously learned. By missing one class, you will be very behind for the next.
Please come to class on time, prepared, having completed the assigned reading and writing, and ready to contribute to class discussions, to listen seriously and respectfully to the thoughts of others, and to participate in all in-class activities. Lateness is also unacceptable; if you arrive late to class or leave early, you can be marked as absent. Only three absences are permitted, and these should be used for illness or emergencies (i.e. this does not mean three absences plus absences for illness etc.). Each absence after your third will result in a .25 deduction from your final grade—making, for example, a 3.25 a 3.0. After the sixth absence, you will fail the class (a grade of FA). Your primary responsibility is to be in class and fully present.
Beyond mere presence, however, a successful course requires student participation. Students are expected to come to class on time, prepared, having completed the assigned reading and writing, and ready to work in the lab, to listen seriously and respectfully to the thoughts of others, and to participate in all in-class activities. I strongly urge you to attend every class, as most of the work done in class is necessary for successful completion of the course.
The course website for this class can be found at http://com372-14.github.io/. You should get in the habit of checking this regularly as I will post suggestions and thoughts about the readings here, as well as links to other things that might interest the class. The syllabus can be found here as well, and any changes to the syllabus will be posted here.
Although a majority of the tools we will be using in class are open source and free, they aren’t all web based or easily portable. We do have lab computers on which you can work; however, you will probably find it easier to use your own computer, if possible. Bringing your own computer and configuring it during class and lab sessions might save you time later.
Should you need to use additional materials: In the IT office in the basement of Merion Hall (directly below our classroom), COM students have access to a variety of audio/visual equipment. Check out time is 48 hours.
Many of the assignments throughout the semester will require participation in online spaces. Students should work to preserve the same atmosphere of respect and consideration that occurs in the classroom. Disagreements may arise and consensus is not always possible (indeed disagreements are productive). However, name calling, harassing, flaming, trolling etc. is antithetical to the goals of this course.
I am a full-time administrator member at SJU, typically on campus from 8:30am – 4:30pm. I am often at my desk, but do have meetings (and occasionally leave to eat lunch). You are encouraged to visit my office to ask questions, share concerns, or just say hi. Before stopping by, please email at kpipe@sju.edu. This is especially true if you need extended help. For short queries, you can message me via Google Chat (kellyanne.martin@gmail.com).
When emailing me, keep in mind that—depending on the day and email volume—it might take me 48 hours to respond. If I haven’t responded to you in 48 hours, please email me again. I won’t be offended or bothered: Things can get lost in digital transit, and I want to make sure your questions are answered in a timely fashion.
My office is Barbelin 40. This will likely change in mid-September, at which point I will change it on this syllabus and inform the class. My official office hours are on Wednesdays from 2:30pm – 4:30pm (I will do my best to not schedule meetings during this time); however, I’m frequently in my office.
Specific grading criteria for each assignment will be discussed in class, but in general: I will evaluate your work on a 4.0 grading scale, where an outstanding performance yields a 4.0 (an A), good performance yields a 3.0 (a B), fair performance yields a 2.0 (a C), and work that simply meets the minimum requirements yields a 1.0 (a D). I will use an assignment-specific framework to evaluate each project, and each of those frameworks will be detailed on the assignment sheet and available to you before you submit your final draft.
Unless it is cleared with me before the deadline, late work will be penalized at 1 grade point per day late. So an A assignment becomes a B if submitted a day late, etc. If you feel that your project is going awry or that you won’t be able to meet a deadline, please contact me before the deadline. Depending on the project and the context, I can sometimes help with deadline pressure—if contacted in advance. After the deadline, the penalty stands.
The semester grade breakdown (based on a percentage of total available points) follows:
| A | B | C | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B+: 89-87% | C+: 79-77% | D+: 69-67% | ||
| A: 100-94% | B: 86-84% | C: 76-74% | D: 66-64% | F: 59-0% |
| A-: 93-90% | B-: 83-80% | C-: 73-70% | D-: 63-60% |
Academic Honesty: There are a few basic rules regarding the use of information in this course:
In short: If you use media, information, or ideas that are not yours and not common knowledge, you must cite a source. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the University’s Academic Honesty Policy.
Disability Support: In accordance with state and federal laws, the University will make reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. For those who have or think that you may have a disability requiring an accommodation (learning, physical, psychological) should contact Services for Students with Disabilities, Room G10, Bellarmine, 610-660-1774 (voice) or 610-660-1620 (TTY) as early as possible in the semester for additional information and so that an accommodation, if appropriate, can be made in a timely manner. You will be required to provide current (within 3 years) documentation of the disability.
For a more detailed explanation of the University’s accommodation process, as well as the programs and services offered to students with disabilities, please see the Student Resources Page. If you have any difficulty accessing the information on-line, please contact Services for Students with Disabilities at the telephone numbers above.
This syllabus was originally developed by Tim Lockridge for use in Fall of 2013, but has been udpated for the Fall of 2014. Thanks to him for sharing his syllabus.
Should any aspect of class confuse/concern/trouble you, or if you have any questions, please see me.