A COURSE IN WEBPAGE DESIGN, PRODUCTION,
AND MAINTENANCE USING HTML AND CSS

Cleborne D. Maddux, Ph.D.
Office Hours: Tuesday: 9-11, Wednesday: 2:00-4 p.m.
Office: 775-682-5509; FAX: 775-784-1990

This is the Home Page and Syllabus for CEP411/611 - online version.

Welcome. My name is Dr. Maddux, and I will be your instructor for this online version of CEP411/611, Programming Languages in Information Technology in Education. This course will teach you to design, create, and maintain your own site on the World Wide Web using HTML and CSS . HTML is a simple markup language - the language of the Web. The course is intended for those with some basic computer skills, but absolutely no knowledge of HTML. If you are already proficient in HTML and/or CSS, this course is not for you.

You can reach me several different ways. My telephone number is 775-682-5509. You can email me through the email icon on the WebCT home page for this course, send me email at my regular UNR mail account at maddux@unr.edu, or you can send me regular post office mail at Dept. of Counseling and Educational Psychology; College of Education; University of Nevada, Reno; Reno, NV 89557. You can also FAX me if you want at 775-784-1990.

TOPIC

There are two books for the class:

1. Castro, E. (2007). HTML, XHTML & CSS (6th ed.). Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press.

NOTE - The above is an excellent reference book. However, it sometimes assumes that the reader already knows things he or she does not know. Also, it goes into more depth than we need for this class. For this calss we will use transitional HTML only and will only scratch the surface of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Your book covers three levels of HTML, XHTML, and CSS. This may be confusing to you at first.

Don't worry about that. You will be responsible for the things in the course lectures, things in the book I wrote and any additional things I make avaialble via worksheets, email, etc. The bottom line is that the Castro book covers much more than we will cover in this class. The book will be a good reference book for you, but you will not be held responsible for any material that we do not cover elsewhere.

2. Maddux, C. D. (2004). CEP411/611: Programming languages in information technology in education: Home Pages and HTML. Reno, NV: College of Education.

This is a photocopied book I have written for you, and you should regard this as the textbook for the class. It can be obtained only from the Office of Independent Learning, NOT at the UNR bookstore. I supply the text to INDEPENDENT LEARNING free of charge, and the Office of Independent Learning charges students only for their photocopy and labor costs - no one will profit from this book, and I receive no money at all for it. You can purchase both these books from the Office of Independent Learning. Call 775-784-4652.

PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION (3+0) 3 credits. Examination of selected programming languages, including authoring languages, as they apply to school settings. Special instructional fees.

NOTE - The above is a generic course description. The content of this course for this semester is the use of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) for Web construction and maintenance.

Activities and assignments of the course are related to the four goals of all programs in the College of Education at UNR. The faculty strives to educate professionals who:

• possess a love of learning;
• develop a strong fund of knowledge;
• engage in reflective practice; and
• value democracy and multiculturalism
.

The course also contributes to the ISTE/NCATE Standards as follows:

Standard Two: Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences
Standard Three: Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum
Standard Four: Assessment and Evaluation
Standard Five: Productivity and Professional Practice
Standard Six: Social, Ethical, Legal, and Human Issues

Each of the above Standards has a number of Performance Indicators and Tasks associated with it. Throughout this syllabus, course activities will be keyed to the standards, the performance indicators, and the tasks. For example, if an activity is listed as TL-II B.1., that would mean that this activity is for Standard II: Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences, Performance Indicator B., Apply Current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences, and Task 1., Locate and evaluate current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences.

Choose the following link to go to a page containing a list of all of the above standards and the performance indicators that go with each of them:

NCATE/ISTE Standards and Performance Indicators

Specifically, the course addresses the following objectives. Participants who finish the course will:

1. be able to evaluate home pages on the Web in terms of technical competence
2. master HTML, XHTML and CSS sufficiently that they can author their own educational home pages
3. master HTML, XHTML and CSS sufficiently that they can trouble-shoot their own and other home pages
4. be able to evaluate home pages on the Web in terms of pedagogical competence

ALL STUDENTS MUST ENROLL FOR 3 CREDIT HOURS.

Since grading is on a point basis, it is easy for class members to keep track of how they are doing. There will be approximately 10 in-class assignments (TL-IV.A.; TL-IVB.; TL-IVC.), a few simple quizzes, plus a Final Home Page Project (a home page, written in HTML, printed out, saved on a diskette, and posted on the FALLON Web server.) (TL-V.C.- all tasks.) Students taking the course as a graduate course (cep611) will have some additional assignments that those taking the class as an undergraduate course (cep411) do not have. I will provide those assignments to the graduate students by email later in the course.

NOTE - The in-class assignments and quizzes carry NO POINT VALUE, BUT ALL MUST BE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED to receive credit for the course. The final home page project will be worth up to 200 points.

Again, the in-class assignments must all be acceptably completed. I will score each of them as acceptable or unacceptable. Unacceptable assignments must be redone until acceptable in order to receive credit for the course. ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THE COURSE .

REQUIRED FINAL PROCTORED ACTIVITY

There will also be a final, proctored session that all students MUST attend in order to obtain credit in the course. THIS IS NOT A TEST!!! THIS IS NOT MY REQUIREMENT, THIS IS A UNR REQUIREMENT FOR ALL ONLINE COURSES! There is no assigned points for this activity, but you MUST attend. There must also be an acceptable proctor for this activity. This is not an exam. You will simply be asked a number of questions about your experiences in the class in constructing and troubleshooting a site on the Web.

If you want to do this final, proctored activity at the Independent Learning Office in Reno, please call 775-784-4652 to schedule an appointment AT LEAST TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE. Residents in the Reno, NV area MUST complete this activity in this office. This activity can be scheduled to take place from May 4 through May 6. The final, proctored session must be completed by Wednesday, May 6 by 5 p.m..

If you live outside the area and would like Indpendent Learning to mail this final activity to an approved proctor, you must arrange this with Independent Learning. Contact Independent Learning by phone at the above number, by emailing istudy@unr.edu, by FAXING 775-784-1280, or by sending by postal mail to the address in the next paragraph. There is also a FINAL ACTIVITY FORM that must be submitted. Here is a link to it (If you have problems with this form, do not contact the instructor. Call the Independent Learning Office at 775-784-4652):

GET THE FORM

Point values will be as follows:

Final Home Page Project - 200 points possible

EARNING AN A: the student must earn 180 points or more.
EARNING A B: the student must earn 160 or more points.
EARNING A C: the student must earn 140 points or more.
EARNING A D: the student must earn 120 points.

EXTRA CREDIT: No "extra credit assignments" are allowed. ALL FINAL PROJECTS MUST BE turned in on time (that means they must be up and running on the Web without any errors).

You will have an assignment to complete almost every week after the first week or two. These assignments will be hands-on assignments, most requiring you to build an HTML and/or CSS file and turn it in as an Email attachment or by placing it on the Web for me to view there. If you elect to send as an eamil attachment, you must use WebCT E-mail (not FALLON Email, and NOT your regular email from a private company such as AOL). Sending by WebCT email attachment is almost always the best alternative until we reach the point in the class in which your pages are all on the Web.

What will be covered in each assignment? Material from lecture and from the reading assignments in both the Castro text and the binder. The course calendar below lists all reading assignments.

You will sometimes need to contact the Independent Learning Office at UNR. U.S. Postal mail can be sent to Independent Learning, PO Box 14429, Reno, NV 89507. If you need to go to the independent learning office, you can do so from 7:15-5:00 p.m., Continuing Education Building, 1041 N. Virginia St., Room 225.

There is also a drop-box in the lobby of the University Inn that is checked every morning, M-F.

If you would like to visit me in my office, come to the third floor of the Raggio education building (WRB) and go to the COUNSELING AND EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY suite on the third floor. You can always call me at 775-682-5509.

If you elect to submit assignments in any way except WebCT email, there is a lesson cover sheet that should be filled out. You can access it through the following link. You will need to have the Adobe Reader installed on your computer in order to get this form. If you have any problems with this form, DO NOT contact the instructor. If you have any problems with the form, contact Independent Learning at 775-784-4652.

GET THE ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET - (Ignore the instruction on the form to include your social security number)

FINAL HOME PAGE PROJECT - DUE UP AND RUNNING ON THE WEB BY 5 P.M., MAY 6

By this date, I must be able to view your final project on the Web. It should contain your HOMEPAGE file

which must be named index.html,

and all related files for your home page. The final project files must be in your FALLON account in a directory (folder) named:

public_html

(There are complete instructions for how to do this in your 3-ring binder - the module on using Filezilla to upload your files to the FALLON server.)

• Be sure to Email me the complete URL for your final project Web page, so that I can evaluate it on the Web.
• Be sure to double check all links in your project to be sure they work ON THE WEB from both FIREFOX and INTERNET EXPLORER. NOTE - Just because they work when running from your PC does NOT mean they will work correctly when placed on the Web.
• Be sure your home page is named index.html, and that all text files end with the .html extension.
• Photo quality graphics files should be .jpg files.
• Clipart quality files should be .gif files.

  NOTE - Choose this link for a more complete description of what the final home page should contain:

The following is the schedule of readings and a short summary
of homework assignments. For complete information on each
assignment, go to the homework page. You will find a link
to it from the main WebCT page for this class.

Week...............Reading...Topic
Jan 19             Activate your FALLON account.
                   Become familiar with WEBCT and explore
                   Website for the class.

Jan 26             STUDY LECTURE #1
                   Complete Quiz #1
                   Fill Out and submit PERSONAL BACKGROUND FORM (click this link)
                   Log on to WebCT, Email your instructor FROM FALLON,
                   introduce yourself on the class bulletin
                   board (TL-VD2), review the syllabus for the class.
                   In the Castro book, study:
                   pp. 13-26 - Introduction - Castro Book
                   pp. 27-42 - Web Page Building Blocks - Castro Book
                   In your 3-ring binder, work through -
                     Introduction to FIREFOX (Do the activities only if you need this - 
                                               turn nothing in)
                     Using FIREFOX Bookmarks (Do the activities only if you need this -
                                               turn nothing in)
                     Searching for Information on the WWW - FIREFOX Version - Turn nothing in.
                        (TL-IIIE, 1-2)

Feb 2              STUDY LECTURE #2
                   Complete Quiz #2
                   In your 3-ring binder, complete - 
                      Basic Home Page Design (TL-IIA1-3; TL-IIB; TLIIC1; TLIIF;
                                              TL-IIIA1,2,3,4,5,6,7;
                                              TL-IIIB;TL-IIIC;TL-IIIE,1,2)
                      Beginning HTML
                   pp. 43-53 Chapter 2 Working with Web page files - Castro Book
                   pp. 55-68 Chapter 3 Basic (X)HTML Structure - Castro Book

                   
Feb 9              STUDY LECTURE #3
                   Complete Quiz #3
                   In your 3-ring binder, complete Advanced HTML
                   pp. 69-79 Chapter 4 Basic (X)HTML Formatting - Castro Book
                   pp. 81-102 Chapter 5 Images - Castro Book

Feb 16             STUDY LECTURE #4
                   Work on EXERCISE ONE (Due March 1)
                   pp. 103 - 118 Chapter 6 Links - Castro Book
                   pp. 119 - 126 Chapter 7 Style Sheet Building Blocks - Castro Book
                   pp. 127 - 136 Chapter 8 Working with Style Sheet Files - Castro Book
                   pp. 215-225 Chapter 15 Lists - Castro Book

Feb 23             STUDY LECTURE #5
                   Complete and submit EXERCISE ONE (Due March 2)
                   Complete and submit TABLE EXERCISE (Due March 2)
                   pp. 227-252 - Chapter 16 - Tables - Castro Book
                   pp. 137 - 149 - Chapter 9 - Defining Selectors
                   pp. 151 - 168 - Chapter 10 - Formatting with Styles

                   PLAN FINAL PROJECT
                       
Mar 2              STUDY LECTURE #6
                   Complete and submit COLOR EXERCISE - WEEK SIX (Due March 9)
                   pp. 361-373 Chapter 24 - Getting People to Visit - Castro Book
                   pp. 169 - 188 - Chapter 11 - Layout with Styles - Castro Book
                   ADVANCED TOPICS UNTIL END OF SEMESTER - STUDY DEMO
                   PAGES ON WEB AS ASSIGNED    
                   
Mar 9             STUDY LECTURE #7 No text to read. Work on Final Projects
                      and review the rest of the Castro book
                   Complete and submit EXERCISE TWO (Due March 23)
                   Complete selection of topic for FINAL PROJECT

March 16           SPRING BREAK - NO ASSIGNMENT

March 23           STUDY LECTURE #8 No text to read. Work on Final Projects
                      and review the rest of the Castro book
                   Complete and submit QUICK ASSIGNMENT #1
                   Look at samples of past FINAL PROJECTS
                   
March 30           STUDY LECTURE #9              "
                   Complete and submit ALIGN EXERCISE

April 6            STUDY LECTURE #10             "

April 13           STUDY LECTURE #11                   "
                   Complete and submit TABLE ASSIGNMENT (Due April 19)

April 20           STUDY LECTURE #12 - Last lecture.
                   In your 3-ring binder: PUTTING YOUR PAGE ON THE WEB - FILEZILLA
                   Make sure you FINAL PROJECT is on the Web and send me the URL
                   pp. 253-280 - Chapter 17 - Forms - Castro Book
                   Work on Final Project (TL-IVA,1,2;TL-IVB,C1;TL-VC[all])
                   Schedule final proctored activity

April 27          Work on Final Project - Complete Final Proctored
                  Activity by 5 p.m., May 6.

May 6             Get project on the Web. Email me with the URL by 5 p.m.,
                  May 6. COMPLETE FINAL, PROCTORED ACTIVITY AT INDEPENDENT LEARNING by May 6, 5 p.m.

University of Nevada, Reno
Please direct questions to: maddux@unr.edu
URL of this document: http://www.scs.unr.edu/~maddux/prog/online/index.html