Web Development and Interactive Media
LV Childers Hall (Fine Arts Bldg)
Room 2016 (Design Lab/Classroom)
Instructor: Tony M. McEachern
E-mail: tony@tonymceachern.com
Twitter: @relicAngel
Course Number: Course Days & Time: Mondays & Wednesday 5:10 pm – 7:00 pm
Undergraduate: 87547-126-01
Graduate: 87553-314-01
Course Syllabus
Course Description:
This course takes an in-depth look at the processes of web design and interactive communications via the Internet. Students will learn how to plan, design, and maintain fully operational interactive web sites that consist of graphic user interfaces, sound, motion, text and online forms using Adobe’s industry leading web design tools.
Topics include, but are not limited to, how the Internet works, basic coding syntax, site development and maintenance, frames, tables, forms, site publishing (ftp and http), and interactivity. Students will also be introduced to web marketing, Internet business models and e-commerce trends to inspire entrepreneurship.
Course work will consist of lectures, tutorials and studio time. Each student will develop a comprehensive interactive web site that will be uploaded to the worldwide web.
This class will primarily cover the Mac OS X and the Adobe Creative Suite applications the web:
Adobe Dreamweaver and Adobe Fireworks
Course work will consist of lectures, studio/lab work, course projects, possible quizzes, a multiple-choice mid-term examination and critiques. Students will create interactive web sites for inclusion in their portfolios.
Course Objectives:
- To establish an understanding of basic vocabularies pertaining to web design.
- To encourage usage of the computer as an “extended support tool” to facilitate the design and production processes.
- To familiarize students with industry standards as well as, industry trends.
- To enhance the skills and techniques developed in Digital Design I and II, as they pertain to new media technologies and the World Wide Web.
- To develop an understanding of the front-end or “client side” interactive interface.
- To develop strategies for working with clients to give oral presentations of web design concepts.
- To gain a thorough working knowledge of Macromedia Studio 8 web development applications.
- To conceive, plan, design, and develop a portfolio-quality web site for a client or yourself (or both).
Class Supplies:
- 1 Storage Medium Device, 1 GB or greater (Jump Drives, Media Keys, Flash Drives, Portable Hard Drives) for image/file storage, transfer, and backup,
- Sketching materials to comp out your web site designs, wireframes and mock-ups:
(DO NOT USE NOTEBOOK PAPER FOR SKETCHES)- Tracing OR Layout Bond Pad
- Black Markers (i.e. Sharpie, Lumocolor)
- Sketching Pencils, 4H (preferably) for construction lines
- Binder or Pocket Folder to store and organize class handouts, assignments and materials.
Course Requirements:
- Attendance: Every effort should be made to attend each class session. The class sessions are divided into both lecture/tutorial and studio/lab situations. Lecture/tutorials and class critiques, as well as scheduled check-ins for progress reports and approvals are held on Mondays and are mandatory. This valuable discussion, feedback, and work time is difficult to make up. Therefore, three or more absences during the semester will be considered excessive and will result in extremely negative consequences. Five unexcused absences will result in automatic failure of the course.
- Required Texts:
Recommended Text: Gralla, Preston. (2006) How the Internet Works. 8th Ed. Que Publishing - Timeliness of Projects: Course projects are modeled after professional practices, thus it will be crucial to meet your project deadlines. Late work will be penalized one grade per class, up to two class periods. No work will be accepted after two class periods past due. Computer glitches and problems are not acceptable excuses for late work.
- Class Critiques: Projects will be critiqued on specified days, as a class. Students will be required to attend and present work at class critiques. Professional dress is requested and will be rewarded. Critiques may be photographed for archival purposes with Art Department and Design Area of Concentration.
IMPORTANT: The Nature of Digital Production:
Production relies heavily on computers; production is a collaborative process, requiring different people to work together; production is a process requiring a number of steps – it is not something that can be done at the last minute.
- You will have access to a limited amount of equipment, which you will be sharing with other students. It may not be available “at the last minute.” Arranging for production equipment is a “normal” production problem – your responsibility is to work and plan ahead. Take advantage of all of the University’s resources and feel free to use your own resources when available. This is an advanced course so much of your work will be done outside of class.
- Computers will crash at the worst time, data will be lost and you may find that a computer is not available when you are. These are NOT considered emergencies but part of the normal process of production.
Grading / Evaluation
| Evaluation Method | Overall Weight |
| Concept, Planning, Presentation of Creative Approach | 10% |
| Basic HTML Coding | 10% |
| Fireworks Interactive Interface Design Workshops | 10% |
| Mid-Term Multiple Choice Exam | 10% |
| Flash Interactive Interface Design Workshops | 10% |
| Dreamweaver Workshops (including FTP & Site Management) | 20% |
| Final Project & Critique | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
Tutorials / Outline:
- Concept, Planning, Presentation of Creative Approach Project/Critique 05 pts
- Basic HTML Web Page Project/Critique 05 pts
- Web Publishing (Dreamweaver / FTP) 05 pts
- Mid-Term Multiple-Choice Exam (How the Internet Works) 15 pts
- Web Page Design using HTML & CSS (Dreamweaver) Project/Critique 10 pts
- Animated Splash Page Design (Flash) Project/Critique 10 pts
- Interactive Interface Elements and Image Optimizing (Fireworks / Flash) Critique 10 pts
- Interactive Interface Elements and Publishing (Flash/Dreamweaver) Critique 10 pts
- Web Forms, Frames & iFrames (Dreamweaver) 10 pts
- Final Project – Completed Web Site (Dreamweaver) & Presentation Project/Critique 20 pts
Total 100 pts