Transcript Web Development for Non

Web Development for Non-Techies
Ralph Westfall, Ph.D. updated June 2013
http:/www.csupomona.edu/~rdwestfall/120common/WebDev4Non-Techies.ppt
Opportunity
• Web sites are a very effective form of
communication
• anything that can be published in other media can
be published on a web site
• web pages can include interactive and multimedia
content, as opposed to print media
• content can be updated faster than print media
• content can be available to over one billion people
• less "gatekeeping" than in mainstream media
Web development NOT difficult
• If students know what tools (mostly free) are
available
• If assignments are coordinated into an efficient
sequence: simpler to more complex
• If pedagogy effectively exploits possibilities for
social learning
Problems
• General perceptions that
• web development is difficult and/or
• requires a lot of technical skills
• Demands on students' time discourage them
from taking courses "for fun"
Solution: CIS 120
• FUNdamentals of Web Site Development
• Credit/no credit minimizes risks for students
who lack confidence in their ability to do this
• Online delivery makes it easier to fit course into
complicated schedules
• allows students to use computers at convenient
locations: home, campus lab, at work (with
permission), friend's residence, etc.
• Online mode also facilitates students learning
from efforts of other students
10 Assignments - One per Week
• 1st: post message on CourseSites (Blackboard)
discussion board (actually creates a web page)
• 2nd and 3rd: use free servers and images that
are not subject to copyright restrictions
• 4th: upload scanned plans to campus server
• 5th: use a very "hands on" HTML tutorial
• 6th: use a trial or free authoring tool
• 7th and 8th: graphics, multimedia and widgets
• 9th: search engine optimization
• Term Project: "Dream Web Site"
Social Context Enhances Learning
• Every student posts summary of work on each
assignment (including links) to discussion board
• providing examples for students who are less
knowledgeable about that week's topic
• In some weeks, each student posts a
constructive critique of another student's work
• provides more exposure to the possibilities
• encourages critical thinking
• Downside: some students skipped some
requirements on the last assignment and a
number of others followed their lead
High Level of Student Autonomy
• Assignments tell generally what to do, what to
use, but students can apply these base
requirements to any topic they want
• promotes "ownership" of the learning activities
• contrary to what some might expect, students do
not abuse this freedom
• Assignments usually include options
• can choose between doing this or that, this way or
that way
• Credit/no credit assignments allow students to
do more than minimum if they have time or are
very interested in week's topic
Problems/Solutions
• Credit/no credit draws enrolment of students
who don't do any work or do substandard work
• contract plus follow-up reduces registration abuses
• escalating resubmission penalties (1st10%; 2nd 20%;
3rd 40%; 4th 80%) encourage greater focus
• Students have difficulty with written instructions
• continuous improvement of assignments based on
problems that show up in grading and/or student
email to instructor in CourseSites's Messages area
• Subject matter keeps changing/evolving
• environmental scanning + things students find
What Kind of Textbook for Class?
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Textbooks are expensive
Students don't read them that much, anyway
Textbooks quickly become out-of-date
Class is on and about the Internet
Textbook (and Additional Material)
Self-Service Not Always Good
• Course emphasizes autonomy and encourages
students to find what works best for them
• However web authoring tools have become so
sophisticated that it's becoming unrealistic to
expect students to find, evaluate and select
ones that will work best for them
• Shifted to identifying recommended alternatives
and good online tutorials for them
• recommendations are tailored to self-perceptions of
capabilities i.e., technical level
Keys to Success
• Credit/non-credit reduces the risk for nontechnical students
• Allowing students to pick their own topics leads
to increased involvement
• Discussion board posting requirement for every
assignment—and peer reviews for almost half
of them—provide examples, help generate
ideas and encourage better efforts
• Distance learning format reduces schedule
conflicts
More Success Factors
• Emphasis on locating and using free materials
from the Internet
• reduces barriers to being in the class (no software
or textbook costs)
• provides a model of Internet usage that students
could continue to follow after the end of the term to
maintain the skills learned in the class
Samples of Student Work
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Animal Shelter
BelizeanExperience
ChowChow Rescue
Danielle's Delights
Edwardson Designs
Fist2Face Productions
Gamer's Union
Sweet Pastries Boulangerie and Café
Technology-Assisted Learning
Outside Sites Initiated in CIS 120
• Following the Sun
• fundraising by a survivor for research on a very rare
cancer, and support for people who have it
(subsequently migrated to WordPress)
• Stazi Summers
• page created by student for her niece
• The DoubleKnot
• one of the twins prototyped this site in the course,
and then had a professional developer enhance it