Introduction to Web Design: Focus on Social Action
This course attempts to bring to the student a fundamental understanding of web design, the tools necessary to conceptualize, design and implement a website. The course will focus on the practical applications, stressing the importance not on brute force memorization but on the efficient use of available resources to continue expanding one's knowledge and proficiency of web design.
The textbook we will be using is Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to (X)HTML, StyleSheets, and Web Graphics (Third Edition, ISBN: 0596527527) by Jennifer Niederst Robbins. It is available for purchase on Amazon.com or if you should desire an eBook edition (23.6MB) is also availble.
| Tentative Schedule | Content |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Introduction: gauging the extent of web design knowledge by the class. Discussion of what web design is, how it has changed, what things students might have noticed, the positive and the negative aspects of certain websites, taking a look at some of the more oft-visited websites like CNN.com, Facebook. Talk briefly about emerging technology like AJAX. Set up accounts with SCCS. Second session covers basic insertion of images, getting to and from pages, overall architecture and framework. Things we covered and will be useful for later:
Session 2:
Some other interesting stuff:
|
| Week 2 | Introduction to (X)HTML: tags, structure, semantics, font, coding, images, graphics. Extensive coverage of CSS. View source. WYSIWYG Editors vs handcoding, editing existing websites.
Session 1:
Session 2: We will focus on CSS, images, and linking in an attempt to abstract away from Macromedia. CSS Galleries will be visited to take a look at layout, color choices, font choices and image choices.
|
| Week 3 | XHTML and site architecture: Layout, positioning, divisions and tables. The first session was a catchup day with a small quiz game, after which I worked individually with everyone to make sure they were clear with what projects they wanted to pursue and to make sure everyone is on the same page with the material. The second session involved making a webpage from scratch.
Session 2: The following download allows you to inspect the entire website that we designed: it contains test.html and a corresponding stylesheet, style.css |
| Week 4 | Session 1:
|
| Week 5 | The first session introduced the concept of scoring, using Photoshop to design and provide a layout to a website. The second session will delve into the actual translation of Photoshop into HTML code. There will also be a section on PHP: forms, includes. Students will have begun planning and implementing their own websites, including selecting domain names.
Session 1:
Session 2:
|
| Week 6 | Session 1:
|
| Week 7 |
Session 1: Talk about domain management via GoDaddy, fonts, sans serif vs serif, sIFR, JavaScript and AJAX.
Session 2: What does a website need? Clarity, permanence, standard layout, coherence, color, text, branding. Focus on color. Color harmony (www.colorlove.com), complementary, analogous and triadic color schemes. Cross-browser color management, color schemes. Understanding fonts: serif and sans serif, spacing. We will also touch on site management using Google Analytics, Webmaster tools. |
| Week 8 | We worked on creating a gradient effect on a site as well as making fluid as opposed to static layouts. We ended the class on talk about the benefits and disadvantages of iframes.
Session 1:
|
| Week 9 | Image galleries!
Session 1:
Sites we compared and visited
Sites to find cool scripts Student final projects |
Credit Breakdown
- 10% Homework
- 35% Bi-Weekly Quizzes
- 55% Final Project
Credits: 0.5
More:
The primary software used for this course will be Adobe/Macromedia Dreamweaver™ and Adobe Photoshop™. WinSCP™ will be used to upload files to the SCCS server. Each student will be given online space to which they will add and access their work. The choice of one domain name with a year's registration will also be given. An emphasis will be made in line with the Focus on Social Action theme on communicating across to the masses and employing multimedia and graphics to that effect.
The text for this course will be determined.
Prior experience in the use of any of the software is not necessary, nor will it be assumed. In recognizing that certain students may already be familiar with some of the material the course will proceed at a reasonable pace. Basic computer proficiency is expected. Each session will involve actual applications of the material, as well as lectures.
The class will take place in Trotter 201 on Wednesdays from 4:15 - 5:30 and from 2:00 to 3:15 on Fridays, unless otherwise scheduled.