This course is part of the CSN Computer Graphics Program offerings and applies toward a Computer Graphics Design degree and certificate.

GRC 175
(3 Credits)

Section DED01 (#50868)

Prerequisite: GRC 103 or approval of instructor

CSN Online Campus CE login

Weekly Schedule

Instructor: Ed Kanet,
CSN Professor

Office:  Room 2659G, Cheyenne

Office Hours: Monday–Wednesday 12–2pm
or by appointment.

CONTACT:

Phone:  651-4159 (Office) • 326-9240 (Cell)
Email: ed.kanet@csn.edu
Web: sites.csn.edu/cg/kanet/homepage

READ THIS FIRST:

The one task that will be most helpful in both preparing for and completing this course (besides reading this Syllabus) is to go over the Online Procedures

Index

Course Description:

Creating graphics and pages for distribution on the world wide web. Emphasis on designing professional web page layouts and creating and incorporating graphics, animations, multimedia and sound.

Class time consists of, on the average, at least two hours of lab per week with the balance for lecture and/or demonstration. Activities include hands-on demonstrations, in-class assignments, self-paced tutorials, and projects.

It is highly recommended that students plan to acquire additional lab time outside of the scheduled class period.

Prerequisite: GRC 103 — Introduction to Computer Graphics.

Course Outline:

Note:  The course outline shows the content which the course covers. The course schedule outlines when the material will be covered.

* material is covered in prerequisite course.
Red type means Dreamweaver is used

1. Internet / Web basics
1. Brief history
2. Standards
3. Technologies (email, ftp, http)
4. Browser basics
2. Web Design overview
1. Web as a medium
2. Client side / Server side
3. Web generations
4. Web Page standards (navigation, download speed, understandability, stickiness, content, design)
5. Form vs. Function
6. Design issues
7. User Interface Design
1. Interface usability issues
2. Navigational design and usability issues
1. Navbars
2. Templates
3. Web Page Elements
1. Basic HTML construct, building blocks*
1. Editing code
2. Working with images
3. Working with links
1. Kinds (relative, absolute, anchors, email, image)
2. Making/editing links
3. Changing colors
4. Insert and playing media
5. Using the Code Reference, Quick Tag Editor.
6. Selecting Parent and Child Tags.
7. Inserting Comments.
8. Setting HTML Preferences.
9. Cleaning Up HTML.
2. XHTML
3. Color
1. Web safe, setting page/background color
4. Formats—images, multimedia
4. Production Tools
1. HTML editors
2. WYSIWYG applications
1. Dreamweaver
2. Setting up a local site
1. Site Window
2. Moving Files
3. Managing Assets
3. Other applications
1. Image Editor
2. Animation
3. Audio
4. Video
5. Pre-production
1. Acquiring the web project (initial contact to contract)
2. Planning
1. Flowcharting
2. Templates
3. Title Blocks
3. Setting up the work environment (browser, FTP client, web editor)
6. Layout and Design
1. Design principles (clarity, consistency, unity, contrast, simplicity, structure, emphasis)
2. Design issues (color, frames, fonts, resolution, browser inconsistencies)
3. Fonts and typography
1. Formatting type
2. Special Characters,
3. Spelling Check
4. Lists (Dreamweaver and HTML)
4. Cascading Style Sheets
1. Applying, removing, creating, editing
5. Controlling layout design
1. Frames
1. Good, bad, and ugly
2. Navigation with frames
3. Setting up a frameset
2. Tables
1. Setting up, adjusting, adding/removing rows and columns
2. Merging/spitting cells
3. Aligning
4. Working in Standard View
3. Image Tables
1. Slicing/assembling images
4. Graphics with Image maps
5. Flash
6. PDF
7. CSS positing and layers
1. Absolute vs. Relative
2. Creating, selecting, renaming, moving, resizing
6. Creating mockups in a graphic editor (Illustrator . Photoshop)
7. Accessibility and Internationalization issues
8. Content Creation
1. Writing for the web
2. Capturing, preparing images (scanning, digital cameras)
1. Inserting images
2. Optimizing
3. Rendering type
4. Animation
1. Creating, using animated GIFs
2. Basic SWF animation
1. Creating Flash Objects in Dreamweaver
3. DHTML
5. Digital audio/video overview
9. Interactivity, Feedback
1. Rollovers
2. Forms
1. Creating, formatting (text boxes, checkboxes, radio buttons, menus/lists)
2. Submit/Reset buttons
3. Email
4. Other types (programmed, database-driven, user-to-user)
5. Scripts
   1. Status bar message
   2. Popup message
   3. Preload images
10. Site Testing and Optimization
1. Site check (consistency, links, browser compatibility, media, code validation)
2. Speed optimization
3. Usability testing
11. Implementation, Marketing
1. Client sign-off
2. Uploading and launching
3. Search engine listings
4. Banner ads
5. Advertising and other offline strategies
12. Hosting
1. Housing the site
2. Name registration
3. Service providers

General Policy

Use of Class ListServs (Mailing Lists): Effective July 1, 1998, a new "anti-spam" law went into effect in Nevada, which makes it an offense to send unsolicited email on the internet (unless a prior business relationship exists or you have given your consent to receive it).

The law makes the offense punishable by a fine of $10 per mail address. This shows how serious society has gotten to assure a non-harassing environment on the internet. In that spirit, the CCSN Computer Graphics Program will not tolerate messages sent to the listserv that are not relative to the course content, the computer graphics program, CCSN or of an academic nature, especially those that contain comments that are offensive, obscene, or of a personal nature.

Those who do not abide by this policy will lose class email privileges.

You are also encouraged to follow basic email etiquette.

Course Objectives & Outcomes

Course Objectives:

1. To demonstrate the fundamentals of graphics preparation for the internet, emphasizing file formats and size
2. To learn the basic design principals and various layouts of a web page.
3. To explore the fundamentals Adobe Photoshop to prepare graphics for the internet.
4. To learn how to navigate and search the internet to gather information.
5. To learn about the software and hardware requirements necessary for internet browsing and publishing.
6. To learn the basics of HTML as a means for graphic design.
7. To learn to transfer files using FTP.
8. To learn to communicate and transfer files using e-mail.
9. To learn how to make 2D animation for the web.

Course Outcomes:

What the student can do at the end of the course.

1. 1. Set up web pages using basic Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). 
2. Use Photoshop to prepare graphics for the World Wide Web, with optimal file formats, bit depth, resolution, and size. 
3. Demonstrate good graphic design and layout of web pages, using tables, image maps, and HTML. 
4. Navigate and search the internet to gather information. 
5. Describe differences of the software and hardware requirements necessary for internet browsing and publishing. 
6. Transfer files using FTP.
7. Communicate and transfer files using e-mail. 
8. Make a 2D animation for the web. 
9. Organize the files of a web site for efficient updating.

Required Text:

Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 Hands-On Training, Garrick Chow. Peachpit Press. ISBN: 0321509854, 513 pp. U.S. list: $49.99

Recommended Text:

Dreamweaver CS3 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide, Toom Negrino/Dori Smith, Peachpit Press., ISBN-10:0-321-50988-9, 560 pp. US list $23.99
Available through Safari Tech Books Online (see below)

Safari Tech Books Online is a collection of thousands of full text electronic technical books from industry-leading publishers such as SAMS, O'Reilly, Cisco Press, Adobe Press, Macromedia, Java. Access from CSN campus computers is direct, however, CSN students can also access it from off campus by logging on as they would in the CSN Online Campus CE. (See help if necessary.)

Other Recommended Texts:

Highly recommended book HTML For the World Wide Web with XHTML and CSS, Visual Quickstart Guide by Elizabeth Castro, Peachpit Press, ISBN #0-321-15068-6. (Check out the book site. )
OR any HTML book for reference.

Also recommended Designing Web Usability by Jakob Nielsen, New Riders, ISBN #1-56205-810-X

NOTE: There are many sites on the web which have HTML references. See Resources Page

Depending on the assignment, handouts and/or instructional sheets will either be dropped on the server, posted on-line or distributed in class

Required Supplies:

Each student will need some web space. While it could be free, advertising-supported at the beginning, you will need banner-free (no advertising) web space to submit your final project.

.A few of the many sites offering low-cost web space hosting are shown on the course's Resources Page.

Since all projects are to be done using Macromedia Dreamweaver, each student needs access to that software. A 30-day trial version is available from the Adobe site for both Dreamweaver CS3 (free download) and Adobe Creative Suite Design (which includes Dreamweaver CS3,ordered on DVD for $9.99).

Grading:

In order to acquire a passing grade, the student must  accumulate a minimum of 60% of the total points possible in the course. See Responsibility Statement

Final grades are determined by accumulated scores (out of 550 possible points) on the quizzes, exercises, assignments, and final exam/practicum, according to the following scale:

Because the emphasis is on doing and producing, grades will be weighted as follows:
 

MISSED QUIZZES AND FINAL EXAM:

Missed quizzes and final exam count as zero points.

Only a student who has made arrangements beforehand—or is victim to an emergency beyond his / her control—will be given a chance to makeup the missed opportunity. See Responsibility Statement

Submitting Assignments:

All assignments must be submitted to the student's web space with a link from his / her Projects Management page.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS:

Assignments that are late run the risk of not being being regraded on resubmission. The score earned will be lowered according to when the project was finally submitted.  Deduct 10% if one week late; 25% if two weeks late. Not accepted after two weeks late.

Resubmitting Assignments:

Students may resubmit graded assignments (any one but the final project) with the necessary corrections or adjustments to raise their score, however, resubmissions must be made within a week from the time the assignment or project was graded

Special Services to Help You Succeed

TUTORING SERVICES

If you need help with your classwork, go to Tutorial Services to see if there is a tutor available. You may receive up to 4 hours of tutoring for each credit hour you are taking, at no charge. The charge after that is $8.00 per hour. 

    Cheyenne Campus in the Library, 651-4232. 
    West Charleston Campus, Building D, 651-5732 
    Henderson Campus in the Writing Center, Building C, 651-3187 

If you are at Green Valley, Palo Verde, or Western, you should contact any of the locations above to sign up.

Degree seeking low-income, first-generation college, financial aid-grant recipients, and disabled students can contact TRIO’s Student Support Services at 651-4441 / Room 1121 Cheyenne campus for more information.

DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER:

If you have a documented disability that may require assistance, you will need to contact the Disability Resource Center located in the Student Service Center on each campus. The DRC can be contacted at the following numbers: Cheyenne Campus 651-4045, Henderson 651-3086, and West Charleston 651-5089.

For those students who would like to earn a little extra cash, stop by the Disability Resource Center to fill out a job interest card. This office hires students as note takers, readers, protectors, scribes, lab assistants, and research assistants as needed.

RETENTION OFFICE:

Thinking of quitting? Consider taking advantage of the services offered by the CCSN Retention Office:

• Free Guidance Appointments
• Faculty/Staff Mentors
• Tutoring Assistance (Student Coaches)
• College Survival Skills
• Learning the Ropes at CCSN

The Retention Office will help you come up with practical solutions to any challenges you may encounter and get you connected to the right resources.  The mission of the office is to help you stay in school and achieve your dreams for a brighter future.  They are here to help you and work with you.  Don’t quit CCSN before calling them at 651-2626.

The student is responsible for her own learning. In the event the student doesn't understand the material or assignment, he should take the initiative to get the help he needs. The instructor is available during lab periods, office hours and by appointment. Tutorial Services, as well as fellow students via the listserv, can provide additional assistance.

The student is responsible for communicating with the instructor concerning tardies, absences, missed work, difficulties in understanding the material or assignments and for saving and protecting his own work.