LIBR 240-02
Information Technology Tools and Applications
Fall 2006 Greensheet
Paul Smith
E-mail
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Students must self-enroll in the Blackboard site for this course. An access code for enrollment will be sent via MySJSU.
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San José State University
School of Library and Information Science
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0029
Phone: 408-924-2490
E-mail
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.
For the Fall 2006 Session, we will focus on modular Website design and coding pages for the Internet. We will learn to write XHTML (correct web page tags and syntax), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and get an introduction to Javascript and XML. Also, DHTML (Dynamic HTML), graphic (picture) elements’ creation, usage, and their editing tools will be explored.
Previous experience with computer programming languages is not a prerequisite and there is no required textbook for this class. All required readings and materials will be available in class and online. However, I strongly recommend that you get one of the following recommended texts for reference and additional material:
- HTML for the World Wide Web, Fifth Edition with XHTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart Guide
- HTML & XHTML : The Definitive Guide
This course will include an introduction to, and usages of the following software:
- Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator
- Simple text editors (Simple Text, NotePad, WordPad, etc.)
- FTP clients (ssh, etc.)
- Photoshop and ImageReady
- Dreamweaver, FrontPage, and website coding tools like MapEdit, etc.
(All of the above are available either free or as a free 30-day trial; for example, you may want to search cnet's download site http://www.download.com/ or www.adobe.com for the Photoshop demo.)
In this class students will:
- Understand the client server relationship and work with a Unix server.
- Design easy-to-navigate, logical web sites.
- Create content in XHTML format.
- Design interfaces using CSS
- Incorporate Web design features such as frames, interactive forms in a cgi directory, image maps, internal search engines, and Perl scripts.
- Work with Javascript
- Create and edit GIF and JPG graphics, and optimize their usage.
- Study design, accessibility, and cultural issues
- Learn to appreciate that, while less is often more, it may take hundreds of overly complex designs ideas to finally create the perfect “simple” site.
Course Objectives
At the completion of the course the student should be able to:
- Target specific information communities that he/she wishes to reach via the Internet.
- Create conceptual and practical strategies for reaching these various information communities.
- Understand the modular building block techniques of modern Web site design.
- Design professional Web sites using XHTML and incorporating tables, frames, multimedia, and graphics.
- Understand cgi form design, image maps, Javascript, internal search engines.
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.
Course Requirements
Course Schedule
Libr 240-02 meets online with Blackboard including 3 "Live" online meetings:
- The first class meeting Sept 11 - Introduction - Mon 6 PM to 10 PM
- Midterm student projects review on Oct 23 - Mon 6 PM to 10 PM
- The final project review and class wrap up on Dec 4 - Mon 6 PM to 10 PM.
These online sessions will utilize Blackboard's live discussion components and testing tools. For those sessions without a live group discussion, I will still be online every Monday evening to answer questions, troubleshoot problems, and discuss concerns.
Mondays
- 9/11, 9/18, 9/25,
- 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30,
- 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 11/27,
- 12/4.
Assignments and Grading
| Project: Personal/professional home page or Web resource. | 25 points |
| Weekly Assignments & Quizzes | 50 points |
| Final Web Project | 25 points |
Late Assignments
Late assignments will not be accepted. If you have an illness (medical certificate supplied) or a family tragedy please contact the instructor.
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+ |
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 are required to report all infractions to the Office of Judicial Affairs. The policy on academic integrity can be found at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/F06-1.pdf
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/
School of Library & Information Science
One Washington Square - San José, California USA, 95192-0029
Phone: 408-924-2490
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