Course work
The course work will consist of:
- In the first half of the term, a series of individual assignments designed to give you practice with HTML, CSS, and Photoshop.
- A large group project in the second half of the term. You will redesign an existing web site, and write documents associated with that process.
- Throughout the term, you will work on a Learning Record. (See “Grading” below for details).
The redesign project will be for a real live client.
Prerequisites
No previous experience in web design or development is required. We will be starting from the very beginning.
Books
See the list of books.
Attendance
You need to be in class. Many of our exercises will take place during class time, especially in the second half of the term. After FOUR absences you will fail the course (six absences is equivalent to missing three weeks of class). However, I will not assess a penalty for fewer absences. If you miss many classes, your grade will probably suffer anyway simply because you'll be missing important information.
The rule of thumb is — don't skip without a really good reason. But if you absolutely must skip, do what you need to do. You are an adult, and I will trust you to manage your time.
Grading
We will be using the Learning Record, a form of portfolio grading, to assess your learning in this class. Throughout the semester, you'll be asked to write brief observations about your own learning in the class. Half way through the term, and at the end of the term, I will ask you to write brief arguments for the grade you want, based on evidence from your observations and the assignments you've completed in the class. You will be given a set of detailed criteria for evaluating your progress. I will trust you to evaluate your progress fairly; however, I will make the final determination as to your grade, based on the arguments you've written and on my own assessment of the available evidence.
You will create and edit your Learning Record using the Learning Record Online.
Do not discard any files you create during the semester until you receive a final grade. Be sure to have a backup copy of every assignment. Your class folder is an ideal place to keep backup copies.
Office Hours
Mondays — 3:30-5, PAR 104.
Fridays — 1-2:30, FAC 9.
Lab Etiquette
The course meets in a computer classroom. Please do not place beverages next to the computers — keep them at the center table to avoid damaging the keyboards. Cleaning congealed high fructose corn syrup out of keyboards is an annoying and usually fruitless task. Also, no food. Eat before or after class, not during.
Know your username/password and log into the computers at the beginning of class. At the end of class, restart your computer so it will be ready for the next user.
Open Lab
The CWRL has an open lab (PAR 102) for students who are taking classes in our computer classrooms. All the software is the same as in our classroom. You can log into the PAR 102 computers with your classroom username/password.
Students with Disabilities
The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641 TTY or go to http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/ssd/.