This
course is an introduction to several web programming languages
and their real world applications. Concepts and programming
languages covered include: document structure (XHTML), formal
layout (CSS), interactivity (JavaScript), and structure of
content (XML). Students learn how to organize and present
information on the World Wide Web. No programming knowledge
is presupposed, however a basic background in computing is
expected.
My responsibilities on the
project were to co-manage a group 5, design and create the
online website, gather and write content for each of the languages,
as well as design and create the interactive exercises.
Interactive exercises were
the main feature of the course. They allowed each student
to individually solve fun projects that incorporated the material.
The design of the interface needed to allow students to solve
the exercises was a difficult task. Four things needed to
be included, all above the fold: What to Do, What You Need
to Know, Code Box, and Preview window. After struggling to
keep everything above the fold in a usable way, we decided
to layer the What to Do and What You Need to Know sections.
This way, the coding box and preview window are always visible.
After testing the design on multiple users, we finalized the
design with the aid of the feedback that the users gave us.
The class was a great success
as the students gave the course a 95% approval rating in an
anonymous survey.
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