UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE
School of Information Studies
INFOST 240 – Web Design I
FALL 2016 SYLLABUS – Sect 001
Instructor: Brittany Khatib Office: Northwest Quad, Building B Room 6483
E-mail: Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 9:00-10:30 or by appointment
Meeting Time & Location: Wednesdays 5:30-8:10 PM NWQ 19990
Important Dates:
· 9/7/2016- First Day of Class
· 10/26/2016-Midterm Exam
· 11/23/2016- No Class Thanksgiving Break
· 12/14/2016- Last Day of Class
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
Uses popular authoring tools to cover the basics of organizing information.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
· In this course students will learn the basics of the WWW and how to create basic web pages using HTML, and how to control the look and feel of web pages through the use of CSS.
· Students will learn how to work with fonts and graphic elements in HTML.
· Students will learn how to work with an open source content management system to create and manage a website.
· Development of websites will focus on the perspective of the end user.
· Students will learn the basics of web usability, accessibility, and search engine optimization.
· Students will use a text or HTML editing program only for this course. You may not use any WYSIWIG editing programs such as Adobe Dreamweaver.
PREREQUISITES: L&I Sci 230
OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Connect to a server, upload files to the World Wide Web, examine the history of the www, and understand how the web communicates.
2. Examine and be aware of the best practices for web design and usability.
3. Create a web page using HTML; examine and understand different tags and attributes
4. Control the layout and appearance of content through the application of CSS.
5. Understand the basics of content management systems and be able to install one and create and manage content within it.
METHOD OF DELIVERY:
Lectures & demonstration, theory, and hands-on learning in a lab setting.
Students with special test and note-taking needs should contact me as early as possible for accommodations. See policies below.
TEXTBOOK: None Required
Recommended Resources:
· W3C HTML Tutorial: http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp
· W3C CSS Tutorial: http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp
· W3C JavaScript Tutorial: http://www.w3schools.com/js/default.asp
· Lynda.com access: http://www4.uwm.edu/sois/resources/it/lynda/
o Training library with courses on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
o Login with your ePanther username and password
TECH RESOURCES:
UWM Help Desk: http://www4.uwm.edu/technology/help/campus/gettechhelp.cfm
SOIS Tech: http://www4.uwm.edu/sois/resources/it/,
The SOIS Tech office is open from 8am - 9pm during the week, 9am – 5pm on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays.
SOIS Tech Password Reset: Tool that allows you to reset your password without having to contact the tech office. The instructions are below.
1. Navigate tohttp://uwmsois.com/passwordreset/
2. Enter ePanther ID/username and if there is an account an email is sent to the UWM email account
3. The email contains a unique 1-time link to follow and reset the password. After clicking the linkandresetting the password the link no longer works.
SOIS Virtual Lab: http://www4.uwm.edu/sois/resources/it/virtuallab/
The link includes information, tutorials, and login information for using the Virtual Lab.
Lynda.com access: http://www4.uwm.edu/sois/resources/it/lynda/
Resources for SOIS students on IT related topics, includes many useful tutorials.
Addressing Emails:
Many of you are preparing for careers as a professional, and the tone and formatting of your emails should reflect that. When emailing me make sure to include a subject relevant to the email in the subject line and address me by name. Please sign the email with your name so that I don’t have to look you up in the class roster by your email id.
COURSE SCHEDULE:
Week: / Topics:1
Sept. 6 – 10th /
Introduction to the class and background overview of the Internet and introduction to the World Wide Web.
2Sept. 11 – 17th / Using SOIS webspace account, creating content using a text editor and connecting to a server via FTP.
3
Sept. 18 – 24th /
Introduction to basic HTML tags, and introduction to SEO (search engine optimization).
4Sept. 25 – Oct. 1 / Web Design Best Practices; usability, layout, color usage, mobile design.
5
Oct. 2 – 8th / Tentative- Guest Speaker
Basic structure and principles of an HTML form (input types and attributes), and structuring content using HTML tables
6
Oct. 9 – 15th / Introduction to CSS. Setting font type, size, color, and other attributes.
7
Oct. 16 – 22nd / Using CSS for page layout, styling different states of elements, layout using floats, div tags, span tag, margins, padding, etc.
8
Oct. 23 – 29th / Midterm Exam
9
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5th / Using CSS to enhance form layout and form input types.
More with CSS including new developments within CSS3, current browser support, and using CSS to create a responsive design template
10
Nov. 6 – 12th / Web and screen usability re-examined, designing for the screen, industries that have been disrupted by the internet, and how user behavior changes online.
11
Nov. 13 – 19th / Introduction to content management systems, focusing on open-source solutions and the most popular platform; Wordpress.
12
Nov. 20 – 26th / Thanksgiving Break- no in person class, online discussion about the social web and disinformation
13
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3rd / Working within the WordPress environment to create and manage web content.
14
Dec. 4 – 10th / Working with Wordpress themes and theme files to modify appearance of a site, including managing files and creating child themes.
15
Dec. 11 – 14th / An examination of plugins and widgets in WordPress; how they enhance a site and user-engagement.
16
Dec. 16-23 / Final Exams
ASSIGNMENTS:
Assignments are due on the specified date (midnight CST on the day it is due) *unless specifically noted by the instructor. The due date will be available in the assignment instructions. Post the link to the assignment in the drop box on D2L. Grades will be reduced one full letter grade (or 1 point) for each day that they are late thereafter. Most assignments are worth 10 points, so you will lose 1 point for each day that it is late. Submissions that include an incorrect link (such as a link to the local file path rather than the url for the file hosted on your webspace account or the submission of an actual HTML file rather than the url) will receive a 1 point deduction. Assignments submitted more than 5 days past the due date will not receive any credit. Rules of academic conduct require that you not use the work of others without clearly indicating it as such. Academic misconduct may result in a lowered grade, no credit for a given assignment, or removal from the course.
If you are going to miss a deadline due to illness, emergency, etc. let me know in advance. I am willing to accommodate students who let me know in advance of complications.
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS:
Assignments will allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the subject matter through the creation of web pages and other related content. Assignments will begin with creation of pages using HTML. As the semester progresses pages will incorporate CSS to control layout and styling, and eventually building sites using WordPress. Completing assignment requirements and having them done on time will account for the largest (60%) portion of your grade.
Assignment: / Objectives: / Point Value: / Due:Introduction to the class / Week 1
Creation of a home (assignment) page named index.html, and placing it on the web (using your webspace account). This can be used as a page for linking all of your subsequent assignments. / 1 / 10 / Week 2
Creation of your first web page using core HTML tags. / 1 & 3 / 10 / Week 3
Usability Assignment (comparison of website homepages based on certain criteria) / 2 / 10 / Week 4
Create an HTML form for a topic of your choosing. / 2 & 3 / 10 / Week 5
Create a calendar for your birthday month using a table / 2 & 3 / 10 / Week 5
Create a short resume for you or someone else as an example and add some styling through the application of a CSS stylesheet. / 3 & 4 / 10 / Week 6
Layout a simple webpage using CSS to control how page elements are displayed. / 4 / 10 / Week 7
Create a dropdown menu using CSS / 4 / 10 / Week 7
-Customize form input types with CSS / 2 & 4 / 15 / Week 9
-Creation of a page template using CSS / 3 & 4 / 10 / Week 9
-Usability Study / 2 / 15 / Week 10
-Installation of WordPress site on SOIS webspace account / 1 & 5 / 10 / Week 11
-Discussion Postings / 2 / 10 / Week 12
-Build out of WordPress site, adding content (posts/pages, media, comments, etc.) / 5 / 10 / Week 13
-Install and modify a WordPress theme, customize plugin settings, and insert widgets into WordPress site / 4 & 5 / 10 / Week 14
-Document management of WordPress site / 2 & 5 / 10 / Week 15
MIDTERM:
The midterm will be taken during the normal class period. The test will consist of a mixture of multiple choice and T/F questions and a practical section where you hand write a chunk of code. All of the questions are drawn from the course lecture notes. The test is paper/pencil based and will cover mostly HTML and some CSS.
CLASS PARTICIPATION:
Class participation will be based on being present for class and being an active participant. You get 20% of your grade just for showing up. It is important that you are on time to class. It will be difficult to catch up with the demonstrations. Consistent tardiness will impact your participation grade. Absences require the instructor’s approval in advance, and may require written documentation of medical or family emergencies. Multiple unexcused absences will be noted and will impact your “Attendance & Participation” grade. Simply emailing me to indicate you will be absent does not make it “excused”.
EVALUATION:
Criteria / Percent of GradeAssignments / 60%
Midterm / 20%
Participation/Attendance / 20%
Total / 100%
GRADING SCALE:
93-100 / A / 73-78.99 / C90-92.99 / A- / 70-72.99 / C-
89-89.99 / B+ / 69-69.99 / D+
83-88.99 / B / 63-68.99 / D
80-82.99 / B- / 60-62.99 / D-
79-79.99 / C+ / Below 60 / F
UWM AND SOIS ACADEMIC POLICIES
The following links contain university policies affecting all SOIS students. Many of the links below may be accessed through a PDF-document maintained by the Secretary of the University: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/SyllabusLinks.pdf. Undergraduates may also find the Panther Planner and Undergraduate Student Handbook useful (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/OSL/DOS/Handbook2005-06.pdf). For graduate students, there are additional guidelines from the Graduate School (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/Grad_Sch/StudentInfo/), including those found in the Graduate Student and Faculty Handbook: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/Grad_Sch/Publications/Handbook/.
Students with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in order to meet any of the requirements of a course, please contact the instructor as soon as possible. Students with disabilities are responsible to communicate directly with the instructor to ensure special accommodation in a timely manner. There is comprehensive coverage of issues related to disabilities at the Student Accessibility Center (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/DSAD/SAC/MainOffice.html ), important components of which are expressed here: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/DSAD/SAC/SACltr.pdf.
Religious observances. Students’ sincerely held religious beliefs must be reasonably accommodated with respect to all examinations and other academic requirements, according to the following policy: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/acad%2Badmin_policies/S1.5.htm. Please notify your instructor within the first three weeks of the Fall or Spring Term (first week of shorter-term or Summer courses) of any specific days or dates on which you request relief from an examination or academic requirement for religious observances.
Students called to active military duty. UWM has several policies that accommodate students who must temporarily lay aside their educational pursuits when called to active duty in the military (see http://www3.uwm.edu/des/web/registration/militarycallup.cfm), including provisions for refunds, readmission, grading, and other situations.
Incompletes. A notation of “incomplete” may be given in lieu of a final grade to a student who has carried a subject successfully until the end of a semester but who, because of illness or other unusual and substantial cause beyond the student’s control, has been unable to take or complete the final examination or some limited amount of other term work. An incomplete is not given unless the student proves to the instructor that s/he was prevented from completing course requirements for just cause as indicated above (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/acad%2Badmin_policies/S31.pdf).
Discriminatory conduct (such as sexual harassment). UWM and SOIS are committed to building and maintaining a campus environment that recognizes the inherent worth and dignity of every person, fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect, and encourages the members of its community to strive to reach their full potential. The UWM policy statement (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/acad%2Badmin_policies/S47.pdf) summarizes and defines situations that constitute discriminatory conduct. If you have questions, please contact an appropriate SOIS administrator.
Academic misconduct. Cheating on exams and plagiarism are violations of the academic honor code and carry severe sanctions, ranging from a failing grade for a course or assignment to expulsion from the University. See the following document (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/OSL/DOS/conduct.html) or contact the SOIS Investigating Officer (currently the Associate Dean) for more information.
Complaints. Students may direct complaints to the SOIS Dean or Associate Dean. If the complaint allegedly violates a specific university policy, it may be directed to the appropriate university office responsible for enforcing the policy.
Grade appeal procedures. A student may appeal a grade on the grounds that it is based on a capricious or arbitrary decision of the course instructor. Such an appeal shall follow SOIS appeals procedures or, in the case of a graduate student, the Graduate School. These procedures are available in writing from the respective department chairperson or the Academic Dean of the College/School (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/acad%2Badmin_policies/S28.htm).