UM - Department of Computer Science - Fall 2012
Instructor: Janet Sedgley janet.sedgley@umontana.edu
Contact options listed in order of instructor preference:



I try to answer emails sent to janet.sedgley@umontana.edu (with subject “cs181 …..” ) within 24 hours. However, due to
the amount of email I receive, please forward your first email again if I’m not responding soon enough for your tastes!
Thursdays 7 pm; (Scheduled chat – join if you have questions; read "Student Communication in Moodle" if you haven't
used chat before: http://umonline.umt.edu/Moodle%20Tip%20Sheets/tipsheetandvideosstudents.aspx)
Skype by appointment only (usually most easily available 4 pm to 9 pm);
Course Description & Information
This course offers a hands-on introduction to creating sophisticated websites that support users’ information needs. Course
content covers website design, implementation, and evaluation. Requirements include creating websites, composing text and
graphic files for the websites and understanding additional tools (such as scripts for interactive application and search engines)
and additional elements (such as web page/database interactions and multimedia elements). This syllabus is a guide and is
subject to change as we progress during the quarter.


Textbook: "Web Publishing with HTML and CSS in One Hour a Day" Sams Publishing - Teach Yourself Series.
Laura Lemay & Rafe Colburn. Sixth Edition. 2011
Software: The class will be exploring several software applications, including Dreamweaver and Adobe Photoshop
and some smaller cousins (such as Photoshop Elements)
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:







Design and implement a web site.
Create and maintain a complete web site on a server
Demonstrate an understanding of many of the elements of web design including advanced HTML techniques,
scripting, visual information design, and usability/information architecture techniques.
Understand and apply the basic concepts, theories and practices of website development as they apply to
information support in organizations.
Analytically evaluate web sites for target audience use to assure content delivery is maximized through information
organization, representation, and navigation basics.
Analyze and evaluate current software and tools for web development.
Appreciate the need for continuing self-education for web technologies
Course Assessment / Evaluation:




Your performance in this class will be evaluated by several activities. As this is a hands-on course, your web site
design and execution will carry the most points. However, the class is structured so that the processes leading up
to those “productions” provide a basic level of points.
Activities and Grading: Assignments are usually graded based upon the information that was shared up to the week
before the due date. If I am ever grading on a skill or knowledge presented later than that, I will explicitly state that
fact.
To be graded, assignments (unless otherwise specified) must exist on your class provided and administered web
area.
Early Warning System: I participate in the early warning system which means that I will indicate in Cyberbear if a
student is falling behind by the third week. This is done solely with the desire to assist students in meeting their own
academic goals. I will base this evaluation on Graded Assignments 1 and 2.
Assignments – General information:
Graded assignments are due by Sunday at midnight of the week when they are assigned and are to be placed in your
web area unless otherwise specified.
Late assignments will be accepted at the cost of one third of a letter grade for each day it is late up to one week. I will
not accept any assignments that are more than one week late.
Letter grades will be determined using a standard percentage point evaluation as outlined below.
A 90%-100% ; B 80%-89% ; C 70%-79% ; D 60%-69% ; F Below 60%
Original Work:
My intention is that you create original work. This is also University policy. If I discover that something you turn in for an
assignment is plagiarized or only minimally tweaked, you will receive an F for the assignment.
You'll need to include an "original work" statement on all websites. Work on each website (1 and 3) or web site design should
be unique and shouldn't replicate either the design or content of previous assignments. If you have a question about whether
you are creating sufficiently unique sites and designs, please check with me during the design phrase rather than after the site is
completed.
Other policies:




You will be asked at times to assess website examples including sites by your fellow classmates. In true collegial
spirit, all comments should be constructive in nature. You are especially encouraged to engage your classmates
with questions and/or difficulties encountered, and to help each other figure out how to work through the
assignments.
In addition, you are graded on class participation. Your "presence" in class thus is important and is noticed. I expect
you to enrich your experience and that of others by participation in the online evaluation activities and discussions.
The class is G rated – as should be your web site.
If you are taking this course P/NP, 70 or higher is passing and anything below is not.
Drops/Incompletes: Please see http://www.umt.edu/registrar/calendar.aspx for information on drop dates for this
semester. I follow the standard incomplete policy that can be found in the course catalogue.
Traditional grade only: This course can only be taken for a traditional grade – credit/no credit is not available.
Course schedule & flow:
Dates
Topics
1
Aug 27-Sept
Basic HTML
2
2
Getting
Sept 3 (Labor
published
Day) – 9
with style
3 Sept 10-16
Images,
colors and
more CSS
Study
Brief sense of assignments:
Implied are readings from the book
– which will be listed in Moodle –
and practice, practice, practice
Practice & timing
(3 hours of “class time” along with 2-3
hours of work; 9-12 hours)
Chapters 1, 3 2-4 hours reading
Graded assignment #1A: Class
&4
participation posting – 2 points
6-8 hours creating a simple .html page
2-4 hours reading
Chapters 5
(Lists),
6
Graded assignment #1B: Connect
with teacher by sharing your plan (Links) , 20
6-8 hours practicing additional .html tags
(Putting your and practicing place 1 page on your site
for the class this semester – 3
Site Online)
points
Graded assignment #2 Finish your Chapter 7 & 8 2-4 hours reading
first file and put it in your web area
by Sunday midnight – 3 points
6-8 hours practicing .css
Read chapter 2 1-2 hours reading
4 Sept 17-23
Scaffolding
Graded assignment #1C: Class
(Content and
participation postings – 2 points
Navigation)
5 Sept 24 - 30
Starting with
Photoshop
Graded assignment #3: Website1 Chapter 9
due by Sunday midnight at
midnight - 15 points
6-8 hours creating your skeleton file
9-12 hours finalizing and placing your first
website
Chapter 21
6 Oct 1 – 7
7 Oct 8 – 14
8 Oct 15 - 21
Photoshop
Continued
Website
Design &
Accessibility/
Usability
CSS for
layouts
Graded Assignment #4A: Evaluate
2 of your colleagues’ web sites by
Sunday midnight – 2 points;
Graded Assignment#1D: update
your teacher – 3 points;
Graded Assignment #5: Posts
about accessibility, usability and
best practices due Sunday
midnight - 5 points
½ to 1 hour evaluating
6-8 hours working with Photoshop
Chapter 18 & 2-4 hours reading
19
6-8 hours working with Photoshop
Chapter 13
10
Web 2.0 &
Multimedia
Javascript &
Oct 29 – Nov
Navigation
4
design
Nov 5 - 11
(6th Election
11 Day; 11th
Veterans
Day)
Getting
acquainted
with web
page editors
#6: Photoshop Comps due by
Sunday midnight – 5 points
Graded Assignment #7: Set of 2
webpage designs due by Sunday
midnight - 26 points
1-2 hours reading
2 hours on research and posting
Chapter 12
9 Oct 22 - 28
1-2 hours reading
6-9 hours on CSS layout work
2-4 hours reading & “playing” with
multimedia
6-10 hours on CSS layout work
Chapter 14-16 3-6 hours reading
Graded Assignment #4B: Evaluate
2 of your colleagues web sites by
Sunday midnight - 2 points
4-8 hours on CSS layout work
9-12 hours watching DW videos and trying
things
1 hour evaluation
Nov 12 – 18
12
The power of
Graded Assignment #8: Site map
web site
for Site 3 - 3 points
12th Veterans managers
Day holiday)
Nov 19 – 25
Dynamic
Graded Assignment #9a: text for
13 (21 Travel rd Sites & HTML
Site 3 – 4 points
Day; 22-23
5
Thanksgiving
holiday)
14
Chapter 22
Graded Assignment #9b: Post
Nov 26 – Dec
Programming 2 templates for your final web site
2
– 5 points
Dec 2-9
Keeping up to
speed &
everything
else
Dec 10 - 14
Finals Week
Graded Assignment #10: Due
Friday of finals week at 5 PM,
Website 3 – 20 points
3-4 hours watching DW videos on
templates and trying things
4-8 hours working on and looking ahead to
Assignment #9
1-2 hours thinking about and planning final
site
1 hour creating site map in Word or within
Dreamweaver (one time to use tables)
[Other non-turkey time on DW templates &
assignment #9]
1-2 hours reading
7-11 hours working on DW template
1 hour reading & playing
8-11 hours working on final site page
content & pages (template/structure is
done)
Up to 12 hours hours working on final site
page content & pages (template/structure
is done)