CSIS 6961: Client-Side Web Development and Programming

Instructor:

Dr. John R. Sullins

Office hours: MTWTh 10:00 – 10:45, MW 1:45 – 2:45, or by appointment

Office: 333 Meshel Hall

Phone: 941-1806

Email: john@cis.ysu.edu

Web site: http://cis.ysu.edu/~john/

   Check the web site regularly, as assignments and announcements will be posted here.

Description:

Design and development of interactive, multimedia Web pages. Effective uses of forms, graphics, and animation. Client-side programming tools such as dynamic html, document object model, and JavaScript for graphics and form validation. Storyboarding techniques and user interface design principles.  


Objectives:

  • To introduce you to the concepts of designing, storyboarding, and testing an interactive, multimedia web site based on good user interface design principles and accessibility guidelines.
  • To apply those concepts using web markup and scripting languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as web site creation tools such as Macromedia Dreamweaver.
               

Prerequisitse:

CSIS 2610: Programming and Problem Solving or CSIS 6901: Principles of Computer Programming, or equivalent experience with programming (particularly in the context of web site development). It is assumed that you are familiar with the basic concepts of object-oriented programming and software development.

Textbooks:

Yes, I do list a large number of books here. However, you can probably get them all on-line for about $100 – that is, approximately the cost of one “normal” textbook.

  • JavaScript: The Complete Reference, 2nd Edition, Thomas Powell and Fritz Schneider, McGraw-Hill/Osborne, ISBN 0-07-225357-6.
  • HTML and XHTML Pocket Reference, 3nd Edition, Jennifer Niererst Robbins, O’Reilly Media, ISBN 0-596-52727-6.
  • CSS Pocket Reference, 2nd Edition, Eric Meyer, O’Reilly Media, ISBN 0-596-00777-9.
  • Usability for the Web, Tom Brinck, Darren Gurgle, and Scott Wood, Morgan-Kaufmann, ISBN 1-55860-658-0.

Programming Assignments:

There will be a number of small web site development assignments during the early portion of the course, in order to introduce you to website design, HTML, CSS and JavaScript. While we will be experimenting with Macromedia Studio at time in the first part of the course, all of the early assignments can be done using a normal text editor.

Web Site Project:

The latter portion of the course will involve developing a large-scale interactive web site (possibly as part of a team), designing the site based on client needs, implementing it using Macromedia Studio tools, and performing usability testing on the site and refining it as needed.

 

 Grading:

Web Programming Assignments (3 – 5 assignments)

60%

Web Site Project

40%

The course grade will be based on the required material:

  • 90% will guarantee at least an ``A'' for the course,
  • 80% will guarantee at least a ``B'' for the course,
  • 70% will guarantee at least a ``C'' for the course, and
  • 60% will guarantee at least a ``D'' for the course.

Last day to withdraw with a "W": Thursday, March 29.

Academic Integrity
You are required to adhere to the CSIS Department Policy and all University policies related to academic integrity, as well as to those outlined on the attached Policy sheet.  Additionally, you are expected to develop and implement your own HTML and related source code unless you have written permission from the instructor to integrate the code of other authors into your projects.  All copyright materials must be fully credited. 

 

Tentative Course Outline:

WEEK

TOPICS

1/17

Issues in client-side web design, introduction to Macromedia Dreamweaver

1/22

HTML and XHTML. Page layout, usability, and accessibility issues in HTML

1/29

Tables, frames, and image maps

2/5

Cascading Style Sheets

2/12

CSS positioning elements. Uniformity issues in site design

2/19

JavaScript syntax and event handling

2/26

Forms, validation, and submission to server. Defensive design.

3/5

Dynamic page content. Document object models.

3/12

Spring Break

3/19

Browser detection and redirection, rollovers, cookies

3/26

Web site analysis: Scenarios, needs and task analysis

4/2

Web site design: Storyboarding, wireframing, and prototyping

4/9

Testing and usability. Accessibility and ADA guidelines

4/16

Plug-ins and embedded objects. Flash, Java applets.

4/23

XML, XSL, and WML

4/30

Web site project presentations