Course Syllabus - Spring 2014
| WEEK 1 (Jan. 17) |
What's Out There Course overview - goals and objectives What is HTML/CSS - History and trends - where we've been and where we're going Brief introduction to Wordpress and Content Management Systems Purchase domain name and hosting Review student sites from previous years Assignment 1: Comparative research - Critical site reviews (3 sites) Email us your domain choice |
| WEEK 2 (Jan. 24) |
Planning your site; Domain setup; Organizing your site Site approach: goals, objectives, & target audience Idenitify site content (text, images, audio, video etc.) Domain registration and hosting status update Cpanel Introduction - controlling your site Filezilla Setup - connecting to your site Site Setup, Files, folders and paths Tips for keeping your site well organized and easy to manage Assignment 2: Define needs, goals, & objectives; Gather digital content (text. photos, music, video etc.) |
| WEEK 3 (Jan. 31) |
Getting started with HTML Filezilla Review (re) connecting to your site Introduction to Text Wrangler (HTML editor) HTML basics, http://www.webpaws.com/HTMLPlayGround.php HTMLdog.com - HTML Beginner Tutorial Checkpoint 1: Upload basic html content to your site with Filezilla |
| WEEK 4 (Feb. 7) |
Intermediate HTML HTMLdog.com - HTML Intermediate Tutorial Developing a complete HTML page - a walkthrough Checkpoint 2: Upload full working HTML page to your site with Filezilla |
| WEEK 5 (Feb. 14) |
Designing your site; Intro to CSS, CSS Layout Quiz 1: HTML Basic Design Principles: Color Schemes, layout styles (fixed and fluid), typography CSS Identifiers, class, and rules - relationship to html document HTMLdog.com - CSS Beginner Tutorial Checkpoint 3: Add CSS layout to your working HTML page from week 4 |
| WEEK 6 (Feb. 21) |
Intermediate and Advanced CSS HTMLdog.com - CSS Intermediate Tutorial (partial) HTMLdog.com - CSS Advaced Tutorial (partial) Brief overview of server-side code: PHP Step by step Wordpress setup and install on your host Checkpoint 4: Complete your Wordpress installation and selection a sample theme. |
| WEEK 7 (Feb. 28) |
Configuring Wordpress, Customizing your Wordpress Theme with CSS Quiz 2: CSS Basic Wordpress Configuration Choose, install and configure themes Creating a Child Theme for wordpress Checkpoint 5: Create a child theme for your site. Begin customizing the CSS for your theme. |
| WEEK 8 (Mar. 7) |
Web Graphics File formats (JPG, GIF, PNG) - strengths and weakness Preparing images for web Banner and Logo graphics Alt tags and accessibility CSS Background images and Image replacement techniques Favicons (for bookmarks etc.) Checkpoint 6: Add continuous (jpeg photos), and discreet graphics (gif, png) to your site |
| WEEK 9 (Mar. 14) |
Spring Break — No Class |
| Week 10 (Mar. 21) |
Audio and Video for Web Wordpress Child Themes continued Audio and video formats Preparing and inserting audio and video (HTML 5) YouTube and external video hosting Wordpress plugins: HTML5 Audio/Video Player - MediaElement.js, VideoJS Checkpoint 7: Add audio and video files to your site |
| WEEK 11 (Mar. 28) |
Integrating other applications and functions Wordpress Plugins and best practices: Editing: TinyMCE Advanced Contact Form - Contact Form 7 Events Calendar - The Events Calendar Mobile - WPtouch, UppSite Spam protection - Really Simple CAPTCHA Syndicating your blog content with dlvr.it Checkpoint 8: Add and configure wordpress plugins |
| WEEK 12 (Apr. 4) |
Protecting and Announcing Your Site Wordpress Security - BulletProof Security Copyright and Terms of use Search Engine optimization, Writing for the web Adding your domain to search engines Monitoring your site and stat tracking - Cpanel Google Analytics for WordPress All-in-One SEO Pack Checkpoint 9: Install Security plugin; Add terms of use; Register your site with Google |
| WEEK 13 (Apr. 11) |
In-class Work Session We will review your site with you and address specific questions Checkpoint 10: Complete your site |
| WEEK 14 (Apr. 18) |
In-class Work Session We will review your site with you and address specific questions Checkpoint 10 (continued): Complete your site |
| WEEK 15 (Apr. 25) |
Jury Week / Help Week— No Class Good time to make 1 one 1 appts. if needed |
| WEEK 16 (May 2) |
Class Presentations Final class; site presentations |