LIBR 240-04
Information Technology Tools and Applications
Spring 2007 Greensheet
Diana Bradley
E-mail
Office Location: Portland, OR
Office
Hours: Virtual by email, Skype, instant messaging, and Elluminate
| Greensheet Links Textbooks and Software Course Requirements Course Calendar |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials SLIS e-Bookstore |
The course will begin on Blackboard on January 24, 2007. Please do the following prior to the start of class.
- Order and receive the textbook.
- Purchase and install the required image editing software and check that you have MS Office, 2 Internet browsers, and a text editor installed.
- A course enrollment access code will be sent via MySJSU on January 20. Enroll in the Blackboard course site anytime between January 21 and January 24.
- I recommend that you begin the initial technical work described on Blackboard prior to the start of class.
- Enroll in Elluminate Web conferencing training if you have not done so already. Classes are being held during January. See the Student Guide for enrollment information.
Course Description
This course examines the different ways in which we can structure, store, process, access, and present information on a Web site. It emphasizes the tools of information technology.
With the aid of standards-compliant tools and best-practices techniques, we will develop DHTML (Dynamic HTML) cross-browser compatible Web pages using XHTML for structuring content, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) for presenting content, and JavaScript for dynamic interaction with content. We will apply information architecture design concepts, usability methods, and consider cultural and accessibility issues for developing quality Web sites. We will learn how to provide Web access on different devices. We’ll examine server side processes like simple search engines and SSI (server-side includes), and we’ll apply basic CGI and PHP programming scripts used in Web forms processing. Other Web technology tools we will consider include the use of blogs, wikis, Flickr photo sharing, multi-media links, syndication with RSS, podcasting, and Plone, a Content Management System (CMS). We will conclude the course with an introduction to basic XML and its stylesheet language, XSLT.
Course Prerequisites: LIBR 202
Course Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
At the completion of the course the student should be able to:
- Understand the client-server model as it applies to the World Wide Web.
- Work with files on a Web site located on a Unix server.
- Apply best-practices conceptual and practical strategies in the design and production of a professional Web site targeted to various information communities.
- Demonstrate modular Web site design techniques using standards-based XHTML and CSS markup languages.
- Create and edit images based on good graphic design principles, and know how to include optimized images on Web pages.
- Develop cross-browser compatible Web sites.
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of forms applications, interactive JavaScript, iframes, image maps, embedding multimedia, and use of other types of links on Web pages.
- Apply usability techniques, and consider cultural and accessibility issues when designing Web sites.
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of server-side processing using CGI, PHP, simple internal search engines, and server-side includes (SSI).
- Demonstrate basic use of XML, and XSLT.
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of blogs, wikis, Flickr, syndication with RSS, podcasting, CMSs, and making Web pages available on different devices.
LIBR 240 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:
- design, query and evaluate information retrieval systems;
- demonstrate proficiency in the use of current information and communication technologies, and other related technologies, as they affect the resources and uses of libraries and other types of information providing entities;
- understand the system of standards and methods used to control and create information structures and apply basic principles involved in the organization and representation of knowledge.
Textbooks and Software
Primary Text
- Castro, E. (2006). HTML, XHTML &CSS (6th ed.). Berkeley: Peachpit Press.
ISBN: 0321430840.
Recommended Supplemental Texts
- Griffiths, P. (2007). HTML dog. The best-practice guide to XHTML & CSS. Berkeley: New Riders.
ISBN 0321311396 - Freeman, E., and E. Freeman. (2005). Head first HTML with CSS & XHTML. O'Reilly Media.
ISBN: 059610197X
All 3 text books can be purchased at the SLIS eBookstore at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/courses/books/index.php. This new text book purchasing project is part of the Amazon Affiliates program and will bring in money for student scholarships. The discount price for the Castro text through the eBookstore and Amazon.com is about $20.00, while the full price at retail stores ranges from $24.99 to $29.99. The discount price for the Griffiths text is about $30, and the Freeman text, which is good for visual learners, is about $23.00. The Griffiths text is also offered for about $25 as a downloadable PDF file at the New Riders publisher’s Web site.
Required Software
The class requires installation of MS Office, 2 Internet browsers, image editing software, and a text editor. See below for the versions for each operating system.
If you do not already have image editing software installed (Photoshop, Elements, PaintShop Pro, Fireworks), you’ll need to purchase and install Adobe Photoshop Elements, which costs about $69.00 with an academic discount. Please complete this no later than the second week of class.
Windows Users
I can support Windows XP, version 5.1, service pack 2 at this time.
- Adobe Photoshop Elements, version 5.0, unless you already have image editing software installed. You can purchase this version with an educational discount online at http://store.adobe.com/store/products/department.jhtml?id=deptEducation. Read the academic eligibility page and the how to order page, then fill out the academic verification form and order online. If you have access to earlier versions of Elements, I can give limited support back to version 2.0.
- Internet Explorer browser, version 6+ or later, preferably version 7
- Firefox browser, the latest version 2 or later
- MS Office 2003 for Windows
- Text editor: either Notepad, Wordpad, Textpad (evaluation copy is free) – you may only use Dreamweaver in code mode.
Mac Users
I can support Mac OS X (10.4.8) at this time.
- Adobe Photoshop Elements, version 4.0. unless you already have image editing software installed. You can purchase Elements online at Adobe, but the same discount applies if you purchase at the online Apple Education Store, http://www.apple.com/education/ , or if you purchase at an Apple Retail Store, where you will need to present your academic credentials.
- Safari browser for Mac OS X, version 2 or later
- Firefox browser for Mac OS X, version 2 or later
- MS Office 2004 for Mac
- Text editor: either TextEdit, BBEdit (free), or TextMate (~$35.00) – you may only use Dreamweaver in code mode.
Course Requirements
Technology Requirements
This is an online course, and your computer must meet the SLIS Home Computing requirements (see http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/ecommunication/homecomputing.htm). Please do NOT enroll in this class unless you have access to high-speed Internet connectivity such as DSL, cable, or Fios. Dial-up modem speeds are too slow for this class, even with ‘Turbo’ image loading offered by some ISP vendors.
Course Demands
This is a challenging and demanding online course that requires at least 10 to 12 hours (or more) per week of detail-oriented preparation and completion of weekly assignments. Weekly assignments build on previous assignments, so work must be completed in a timely manner. Please do not enroll in the class if you feel you cannot commit the time and effort required to be successful.
Please do not enroll in this class if:
- you cannot download files and install them on your computer.
- you do not know how to create a folder or directory on your computer.
- you do not have access to MS Office or the required image editing software.
- you are not self-motivated or do not enjoy working independently.
- you do not have strong time management and organizational skills.
- you are not comfortable working and communicating totally online.
Assignments and Grading
There will be 14 weekly assignments, each worth 5 points for a total of 70 points. There will be occasional opportunities to earn extra credit points. Assignments will be graded beginning with 5 points with deductions for errors or incomplete work.
A final project is worth 30 points. The final project will be graded beginning with 0 points with points added for correct work.
Total: 100 points.
Late Assignments and Incompletes
I will accept late assignments up to one week late, excluding the final project which must be turned in on time. However, you’ll only earn half the number of points on a late assignment. After one week, I will not accept any late assignments. If you feel you cannot keep up with the demanding pace of the course, please do not enroll.
Grading Scale
The standard SJSU SLIS Grading Scale is utilized for all SLIS courses:
| 97-100 | A |
| 94-96 | A- |
| 91-93 | B+ |
| 88-90 | B |
| 85-87 | B- |
| 82-84 | C+ |
| 79-81 | C |
| 76-78 | C- |
| 73-75 | D+ |
| 70-72 | D |
| 67-69 | D- |
| Below 67 | F |
Academic Integrity
Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San José State University, and the University's Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The policy on academic integrity can be found at http://sa.sjsu.edu/student_conduct.
Reasonable Accommodation of Disabilities
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability,
please e-mail me as soon as possible. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires
that students with disabilities register with the Disability Resource Center
(DRC) to establish record of their disability.
No matter where students reside, they should contact the SJSU DRC to register. The DRC Web site: http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/
Course Calendar
*Calendar is subject to change with fair notice
| Date | Topic | Assignment Due (due by 11:59 pm on each date) |
Week |
| 1/24 | Getting Started Technical Setup, Unix, SFTP, File Types, Client-Server Model, WWW Development, Text Editors |
Week 1 | |
| 1/30 | XHTML Syntax, Basic Tags, Formatting, Validation, A Taste of CSS |
Assignment 1 | Week 2 |
| 2/6 | Images Image Editors, Creating, Managing, Optimizing, & Publishing Images |
Assignment 2 | Week 3 |
| 2/13 | Links Anchors, Targets, Image Maps, Embedding & Linking Multimedia, Flickr |
Assignment 3 | Week 4 |
| 2/20 | CSS Syntax, Formatting with Styles, Validation |
Assignment 4 | Week 5 |
| 2/27 | More CSS Layout, Dynamic Styles, Alternate Stylesheets for Handhelds & Printing |
Assignment 5 | Week 6 |
| 3/6 | Tables & Lists Structure & Styling |
Assignment 6 | Week 7 |
| 3/13 | Web Site Design Architecture, Usability, Cultural & Accessibility Issues, Final Project Planning |
Assignment 7 | Week 8 |
| 3/20 | Forms Forms Design & CGI Processing |
Assignment 8 | Week 9 |
| 3/26 – 3/30 | Spring Break | ||
| 4/3 | Client-Side Processing Scripts, JavaScript, iFrames, Objects |
Assignment 9 | Week 10 |
| 4/10 | Server-Side Programming PHP, SSI |
Assignment 10 | Week 11 |
| 4/17 | Web 2.0 Blogs, Wikis, RSS Syndication, Podcasting |
Assignment 11 | Week 12 |
| 4/24 | XML & XSLT Structure & Styling |
Assignment 12 | Week 13 |
| 5/1 | Extras Content Management Systems, Web Hosting Services, Search Engines |
Assignment 13 | Week 14 |
| 5/8 | Assignment 14 | Week 15 | |
| 5/15 | Final Project Due |
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