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JMC
690:
Advanced Websites
6-8:30
p.m. Tuesday and Thursday
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Fall,
1999
Thomas
Gould, Instructor
What
You Will Learn
Materials to Help You Learn
How You Will Demonstration What You Have Learned
Class Participation and Attendance
Grades
Class Schedule
Interesting Web Links
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Take a look
behind you: there's an 8-year-old catching up. If all you think
the Internet is for is learning the computer technology and setting
up pages that look cool, that 8-year-old will turn you into toast.
Fried. Road kill. This isn't about some new software. It's not about
some cool graphics. It's not about some cute javascript applet.
It's about
organized content that informs and entertains. In that order.
That's
what this course is about. Content. Organization. And, oh yea, you'll
learn a few new tricks with Dreamweaver, Fireworks and maybe even
Flash. But I'll never let you forget that Content is way more important
than bells and whistles.
This
course is a clinic, a hands-on experience that includes client management,
concept invention, planning, content development, and publishing.
It is labeled "advanced" inasmuch as it extends talents
you have learned in other classes. The prerequisite is my approval,
and each of you have obtained that. Don't undervalue that: I have
assessed each of you and believe every person in this class is capable
of great work. Each of you with work and dedication
can learn a lot in this class.
In
the course, you will learn that websites are more than just what
you see on the screen. Site construction is a process that starts
with research, and moves through analysis, planning, action and
evaluation. Increasingly, "webbing" also includes forms
of marketing communication. As the statement above suggests, for
many corporations, websites are seen as "keeping up with
the Joneses."
The
readings and class discussions will introduce you to the process
of site construction. You will also learn how to use some basic
research sources and will learn how to work with clients. The
cooperative learning project will require you to do the kind of
strategic thinking, planning and execution.
You
will learn about ISPs, PPs, web color, tables, hexadecimals, hot
images, transparency, type, CSS, animation, sound, rollovers,
forms, and some HTML. And more.
This
is the first class of its type to be offered in the Journalism
school. Let's show 'em how it's done, okay?
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| Materials
to help you learn |
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Creative
HTML Design.
Lynda and William Weinman. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders. 1998.
Assigned
readings from various sources. These will be available online through
the class schedule.
This course
will include several online assignments, including web site readings.
Again, refer to the schedule for daily assignments.
Contrary
to popular belief -- at times subscribed to my me -- merely owning a
book is not sufficient. Your text book will be an invaluable guide in
this course only if you actually read it. This text has been used by
classes before you and has been found very useful. Of some note, you
will find that your ability to participate in class and fully appreciate
the daily discussions will be greatly enhanced if you read the text.
To this
end, it is essential that you read the assigned material before
class. Instead of lecturing, I may at times ask you questions about
the assigned material, and I will not always rely on volunteers who
raise their hand to answer. I will call on you whether you volunteer
to answer or not.
You should
bring your book to class every day because we will frequently discuss
cases and other material from the chapters.
I will
be adding material to the schedule during the course: Don't Print
Out the Schedule! Access it!
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| How
you will demonstrate what you learn |
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You will
have different ways to demonstrate what you learn in this course.
One, I
expect you to do the assigned reading in advance of the specified date.
I expect students to take active participation in class discussions,
and I will call on individual students to answer questions and discuss
material from assigned readings. Make sure you can participate fully
in such discussions and demonstrate what you have learned from the reading.
I also urge you to come to class with questions and opinions about advertising
you see or are curious about. Consequently, you should pay increased
attention to advertising and relate it to what we are talking about
in class. As part of this, I will ask each of you to discuss a special
topic. For instance, Rita Richardson will be talking with you about
some elements of Photoshop. This area is worth 10%.
Two, you
will have three small quizzes (20 minutes) to reward you for keeping
up with the reading. These will be held before classes and generally
amount to questions on assigned reading or the previous day's lecture.
They will count 5% each (15% total) of your grade.
Three,
and most importantly, you will work with a real client, probably a local
nonprofit group (some will be working with public school classes). These
groups expect great things (I've really built you up to them). They
are expecting people who know much more about the web than they (and
you do). The finished website will count 75% toward your final grade.
You will receive specifics on how this will be graded: suffice to note
that research, content and organization will large parts.
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| Class
attendance and participation |
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I believe
learning is enhanced by active involvement in class discussion and activities.
That's why I will ask questions to elicit your opinions and knowledge
of the reading material. It is impossible to participate in class without
attending class (as proved by Einstein). I would add only that attendance and grades on exams have been
found to be highly correlated.
I ask
for your cooperation in being seated when class begins at 6 p.m. It
is distracting to me and other students if students come in and sit
down after class begins. If you are unavoidably late, please find the
first seat available, rather than walking across the classroom to join
your friends.
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| Determinants
of your course grade |
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Group
projects: 75 percent
Quizzes:
15 percent
Class
participation: 10 percent
Vitae
Academic Professional
Personal Home
Page Last Updated 9/4/99
Copyright 1999 Thomas Gould
If you encounter problems on this site, please contact
me.
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