| Eve Fisher, Instructor, efisher@westwood.edu |
GD480 Web Technologies - Syllabus
Week 1 - Aug 7
- Lecture: Site Planning and HTML Design
- Reading Assignments:
- Project Assignments:
- Class Assignments: Comparing good and bad sites.
Pick one site from each location listed below and write a 2 page review. Compare the sites in terms of page code, structure, design, fonts, layout, navigation and content (including text, images and animation). What make a site effective (good) and ineffective (bad)?
Be prepared to share your favorite sites with the class.
- Quiz: HTML
Week 2 - Aug 14
- Lecture: Cascading Style Sheets
- Reading Assignments:
- Resources:
- Project Assignments: Take the page from Week 1 you created and modify it to work with external style sheets for the fonts, links and layout.
- Class Discussion:
Debate the merits of CSS. Discuss the difficulties of creating multi-column layouts in CSS, versus using tables. Is CSS worth the effort, why or why not? Create a list of pros and cons of CSS over HTML-based designs.
- Quiz: CSS
Week 3 - Aug 21
- Lecture: Introduction to JavaScript & Programming Languages (Guest speaker - Louis)
- Reading Assignments:
- Project Assignments: Create a Search field and functionality for your e-commerce site.
- Project Presentation: KGA #1 Class presentations - Powerpoint presentations summarizing research findings
Week 4 - Aug 28
- Lecture: Databases & Web Services (Guest speaker - Mike Elliott)
- Reading Assignments:
- Project Assignments: Develop a database using Access for the products on your e-commerce site. Find a shopping cart program, customize it and place it on your site.
- Class Discussion (TBD): Research implementing a Web service (stock price, weather, etc) on your site. Identify the data that the service will require as input, the data produced as output, and formats for both. Present your sample service to the class when finished.
Week 5 - Sept 4
- Lecture: User Input, Cookies, and Sessions (Guest speaker - Louis)
- Reading Assignments:
- Project Assignments: Create a JavaScript-based login system that includes a username/password form, error page, and valid login page. Once validated, a cookie should also be set on in the browser. Submit a description of your development efforts and any problems you encountered along with your pages. Implement this as a members login on your e-commerce site.
- Class Discussion: Web privacy and online data collection - consider accepting user input, tracking user sessions, and setting cookies. How can Web developers help ease users’ concern over these potential privacy issues?
- Quiz: User Input, Cookies, and Sessions
Week 6 - Sept 11
- Lecture: Ensuring Usability and Accessibility, (Guest speaker)
- Reading Assignments:
- Class Discussion: Review 5 of your favorite Web sites with accessibility in mind. For each site, write a short paragraph that describes the accessibility features they’ve used, how they could improve accessibility to their site, and why you feel they’ve included or excluded accessible design in their products. Pick one and discuss with the class.
- Project Assignments: Conduct a usability test on one of your favorite sites. Select 5 user tasks for the site. Take turns and have the other students in class take the test. Take notes on the test results for each user. What recommendations would you make for site updates, if any, based on the test results? Hand in the user tests and 1-2 page summary.
- Quiz: Usability and Accessibility
Week 7 - Sept 18
- Lecture: Server-side Scripting Languages - PHP and ASP (Guest speaker - Mike Elliott)
- Reading Assignments & Resources:
- Project Assignment:
- Class Discussion: Select one of the following to research and report findings to the class: ASP, JSP, PHP, or CFML. Use the Internet to research what equipment, software, and licenses are needed to deploy a server that uses the technology selected (one per student).
- Quiz: PHP & ASP
Week 8 - Sept 25
- Lecture: DHTML and AJAX (Possible Guest Speaker)
- Reading Assignments:
- Project Assignments: Create a simple Web page that uses the Scriptaculous JavaScript library to implement DHTML effects, such as Google Map-style comments and fading text. Put this on one of the pages of your e-commerce site.
- Class Discussion: Review your materials from week 6, “Ensuring Usability and Accessibility”. In 2 - 3 paragraphs, describe how AJAX and DHTML do or don’t fit with the goal of building usable and accessible Web sites. Share your findings with the class.
- Quiz: DHTML and AJAX
Week 9 - Oct 2
- Lecture: Secure Site Development and Deployment Techniques
- Reading Assignments:
- Project Assignments: Identify an SSL websitecertificate provider and obtain the SSL certificate application information. Complete an application for a fictitious websiteunder your own name. Apply the certificate to your e-commerce site for class.
- Class Discussion: Discuss Web security and its importance in reference to federal laws such as HIPAA and FERPA. What do laws like this mean for Web developers? What liabilities does a developer face if a protected site is compromised? Write 2-3 paragraphs and discuss your findings with the class.
- Quiz: Secure Site Development and Deployment
Week 10 - Oct 9
- Project Assignment: Presentations of KGA #2 to class and peer review.
Resources
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