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Digital Media Workshop:

Web Publishing and Design

 

 

The vitals

  • JRL390 (class number: 15011)
  • Fall 2006 semester, University at Albany
  • Instructor: David Washburn
  • Room: Digital Workshop 3, Science Library
  • Time: Wednesdays, 5:45-8:35 p.m.
  • Phone: 469-7157 (cell), 242-8934 (work)
  • e-mail: canadaeh2004@yahoo.com
  • Website: http://www.albany.edu/~washburn/
  • Office: Humanities 361 (442-2647)
  • Office hours: weekly after class, 8:35-9:35 p.m.; also available via email conversation, advice and guidance

 

Course overview

Digital Media Workshop I focuses on the science and art of editing and design required in today’s world of online journalism. The class is taught in a hands-on workshop atmosphere in an electronic classroom. Students will learn to use the following software: Photoshop, notepad and an HTML editor. Students will also be required to report and write original works of journalism, which will be included in personal and team projects.

            Because of the emphasis on writing and editing and the assumption that students have a base knowledge of these skills, JRL 300Z (Intro to Journalism) is a prerequisite.

 

 

Goals

To provide students with an introduction to (X)HTML, online journalism and online storytelling and to create an environment for students to use these new skills in practical use. To enhance students’ editing, design, storytelling and computer skills.

 

Grading and attendance

  • Three projects account for 85 percent of your final grade.
    • Project 1 is worth 25 percent.
    • Project 2 is worth 35 percent.
    • Project 3 is worth 25 percent.
    • See 'Projects' section near end of syllabus for dates and details.
  • One quiz is worth five percent.
  • Attendance is worth 10 percent.

 

Perfect attendance equals 10 points; one absence equals 9 points; two absences equal 6 points; three absences equal 3 points; more than three absences equal 0 of possible 10 points and mean you will struggle to achieve a passing grade. You will also hurt your teammates in the workshop atmosphere. No excuses expected or accepted to adjust attendance grade. Absence excuse desired to make up missed quiz.

Also, leaving early or habitually arriving late will adversely affect your grade. Lectures are only a small part of this class; in-class practice is a large part. Please be considerate. If you are tardy, make sure you see me before class is over to make sure I have not marked you as absent; the mark I include when taking attendance is the official record. Attendance is taken at the beginning of each class.

This is a journalism class, so a late assignment is the equivalent of missing a deadline. For each class meeting that an assignment is late, one full letter grade will be deducted.

You will be asked questions and be asked to demonstrate your progress during the term. Your answers and participation level go toward the final grade.

 

 

Textbook and materials

·        "HTML for the World Wide Web, 5th Edition" by Elizabeth Castro

·        Also “Web Style Guide” by Patrick J. Lynch and Sarah Horton (refer to the book’s website at www.webstyleguide.com), online references and other handouts TBA

·        Portable computer memory (“flash” drive, floppy disks, for example)

·        Camera (digital, conventional or disposable)

·        Sticky notes

CLASS 1         Wednesday, Sept. 6

·        Welcome and syllabus overview.

·        Guidelines for computer use and file storage, including FTP and how to upload computer files to a Web server.

·        See University’s Web Space Guide at http://www.albany.edu/its/web/space_guide.html

·        See Web Page Creation at http://www.albany.edu/its/web/students/ and http://www.albany.edu/its/quickstarts/qs-webunix.html

·        Brief introduction to HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), the standard language used for World Wide Web sites.

·        In-class introduction of information covered in chapters 1-4

·        Your first Web page. Everyone creates an individual Web page in class tonight. It’s the first step toward the completion of Project I – personal Web site.

·        Reading due Sept. 13: Read textbook Introduction and chapters 1 (Web Page Building Blocks), 2 (Working with Web Page Files), 3 (Basic (X)HTML Structure) and 4 (Basic (X)HTML Formatting)

·        Assignment due Sept. 13: Set up your university web space

·        Next week: Quiz on chapters 1-4

 

 

CLASS 2         Wednesday, Sept. 13

*** QUIZ on chapters 1-4 ***

·        More in-class practicing of information covered in chapters 1-4

·        Refine your first web page from last week and create a second page

·        Reading due Sept. 20: Read textbook chapter 7 (Links)

 

 

Monday, Sept. 18 -- Last day to add/drop semester-length class

 

 

CLASS 3         Wednesday, Sept. 20

·        Analysis of local, national and international newspapers and magazines online. What works and what doesn’t. Discussion of how the World Wide Web has changed publishing and created a competitive career field. How newspapers, magazines, TV and radio have reacted. A discussion of the future of publishing, on paper and the Internet.

·        The anchor tag. Create links to sites for your assignment below.

·        Assignment due Sept. 27: Research and link from your personal Web page to the home pages of three (3) newspaper Websites, two (2) magazine Websites and one (1) E-zine site that are examples of quality design work. Be prepared to discuss these in class Sept. 27.

·        Reading due Sept. 27: Read textbook chapters 5 (Creating Web Images) and 6 (Using Images).

CLASS 4         Wednesday, Sept. 27

·        Student discussion of links to news websites.

·        Photoshop for the Web – creating and using images online.

·        The process: acquire the image, crop, adjust resolution, adjust size, adjust levels, sharpen, compress, and prepare IMG tag and ALT attribute.

·        The terms: GIF vs. JPG, Web-safe colors, dithering, download speed.

·        Online resource: http://builder.com.com/5100-31-5074620.html

·        In-class workshop time – designing your personal website. So far, you have created a few pages. Now it’s time to design the hierarchy, linking structure and content that turns pages into a site.

·        Review “The Process”

·        Your personal Web site will consist of a “home page” and a minimum of three interior pages. The site should say something about who you are. Sketch due in class Oct. 4. Project due Oct. 18.

·        Assignment due Oct. 4: Choose your three favorite websites. Create an HTML page with the names of those sites, links to those sites and a description of what you like about each. Include one or more images to accompany each link.

·        Reading due Oct. 4: Read textbook chapters 13 (Lists), 14 (Tables) and 15 (Frames).

 

 

CLASS 5         Wednesday, Oct. 4

·        Personal website sketch due today. We’ll review in class.

·        Page layout and frames

·        In-class work on style sheets.

·        Reading due Oct. 11: Read textbook chapters 8 (Creating Styles) and 9 (Applying Styles).

·        Assignment due Oct. 18: Personal website project.

 

 

CLASS 6         Wednesday, Oct. 11

·        Continued: Page layout and frames

·        Continued: In-class working on style sheets.

·        Assignment due Oct. 18: Personal website project.

·        Assignment due Oct. 25: Begin brainstorming for your reporting project. An executive summary with a “home page” sketch is due Oct. 25. Final project is due Nov. 15.

·        Reading due Oct. 18: Read textbook chapters 10 (Formatting with Styles) and 11 (Layout with Styles).

CLASS 7         Wednesday, Oct. 18

** Personal website project due **

** Please turn in printout of homepage with your name, contact information (email, phone) and site URL. **

·        Continued: Practice with style sheets.

·        Announcement of teams for storytelling assignment. Discussion of possibilities, requirements and restrictions of this project. It will include original writing by each team member. You and your partner will design a site that tells a story. Consider interactivity. Allow users choices and options. Grade is based on creativity, clarity, design and a good story. Final project is due Dec. 6.

·        Assignment due Oct. 25: An executive summary with a “home page” sketch for project 2, journalism project. Final project is due Nov. 15.

·        Reading due Oct. 25: Read textbook chapter 19 (JavaScript Essentials).

 

 

CLASS 8         Wednesday, Oct. 25

** Assignment due: Executive summary of individual reporting site with a “home page” sketch. **

·        Team building -- design the structure and goals of your storytelling site using sticky notes.

·        Continued: Practice with style sheets.

·        In-class demonstration of common uses of JavaScript.

·        Continue individual project and team project in class.

·        Team project executive summary with a “home page” sketch is due Nov. 8.

 

 

CLASS 9         Wednesday, Nov. 1

·        Return to students critiques and grades for project 1.

·        Return to students journalism site summary/sketch feedback.

·        100% workshop night: continue individual reporting project and team project in class with one-on-one assistance.

·        Assignment due Nov. 8: Executive summary with a “home page” sketch of team project. Include names and contact information.

CLASS 10       Wednesday, Nov. 8

** Assignment due: Executive summary with a “home page” sketch of team project. Include names and contact information.

·        Continue journalism and team projects in class.

·        Assignment due Nov. 15: Individual reporting project. Please turn in printout of homepage with your name, contact information and site URL.

·        Reading due Nov. 30: Textbook chapter 20 (Symbols and Non-English Characters)

 

 

CLASS 11       Wednesday, Nov. 15

** Individual reporting project due. Please turn in printout of homepage with your name, contact information and site URL.

·        Return to students team site summary/sketch feedback.

·        Continue team project in class.

·        Reading due Nov. 29: Textbook chapter 20 (Symbols and Non-English Characters)

 

Wednesday, Nov. 22 – NO CLASS (holiday)

 

 

CLASS 12       Wednesday, Nov. 29

·        Continue team project in class.

·        Assignment due Dec. 6: Team project.

 

 

CLASS 13       Wednesday, Dec. 6

** Team project due. Please turn in printout of homepage with your name, contact information and site URL.

·        Full demonstration by each team.

 

Projects

 

1 – Personal website

Due Oct. 18

Produce a site that describes you – personal history, favorite places and things, resume, personal photos, friends, activities, academics, links to outside sites. Think ‘myspace’, but you’ll also be doing all of the web programming.

 

2 – Individual reporting

Due Nov. 15

Produce a site that emphasizes writing, journalism and research. Tell an original story, whether it’s hard news or feature. It should illustrate generous amounts of research, using links to sources rather than bibliography. Final product can be displayed in chapter format, chronological format, subject format or other. Consider ease of navigation for the user. Use style sheets, images, text, and links. Heavy emphasis on reporting and writing for this grade.

 

3 – Storytelling

Due Dec. 6

Two-person project that tells a story and gives user a full, interactive experience.

For samples and brainstorming concepts, see past projects:

Please include notes, sketches, maps, etc. as well as your team URL and contact information. The notes, etc. will be part of grade.

 

Bonus

You have an option to redo either project 1 or 2 between the time you are returned the critique and the semester’s final class. Please hand in the original critique and a home page printout.

 

Web development resources

 

Online

 

Textbook

http://www.cookwood.com/html5ed/

 

General

http://www.tizag.com/

 

HTML

http://www.htmlgoodies.com/

http://builder.com.com/

http://www.webdevelopersjournal.com/

http://www.webdeveloper.com/

http://www.w3.org/

 

DHTML, JavaScript

http://www.dynamicdrive.com/

http://javascriptkit.com/

 

Cascading Style Sheets

http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/

http://builder.cnet.com/webbuilding/pages/Authoring/CSS/table.html?tag=st.bl.3880.ref_l.bl_table

 

Glossaries and terms

http://www.webopedia.com/

http://www.cwru.edu/help/webglossary.html

 

Software

 

HTML editors

Web Notepad (free)

            http://www.digicraft.com.au/webnotepad/

Notepad2 (free)

            http://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html

HTML Kit (free)

            http://www.chami.com/html-kit/

Hot Dog ($39.95 to $99.95)

            http://www.sausage.com/products.html

Dreamweaver 8 ($399 … ouch; 30-day free trial download)

http://www.macromedia.com/products/dreamweaver/

Homesite ($99; 30-day free trial download)

            http://www.adobe.com/products/homesite/

 

Image editors

Adobe Photoshop CS2 ($649)

            http://store.adobe.com/store/products/master.jhtml?id=catPhotoshop

Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 ($90)

            http://store.adobe.com/store/products/master.jhtml?navAction=jump&id=catPhotoshopElementsWin

 

For university academic discounts, call (518) 442-5690 or fax (518) 442-5685

 

Also: http://www.academicsuperstore.com/

Photoshop CS2                        $289.95

Photoshop Elements 4.0           $ 64.95

 

Also: http://sprysoft.com/

Photoshop CS2              $293.80

Photoshop Elements      $68.80

 

FTP

Core FTP (free)

            http://www.coreftp.com/

Download.com (searchable software downloads)

            http://www.download.com/

 

Hardware

The Interactive Media Center (http://library.albany.edu/imc/ and http://library.albany.edu/imc/tools.htm#loan) has three digital cameras available for loan. They are available only if you are a currently eligible registered borrower of the Library and a University faculty, student or staff member. They are popular items. Contact Regina Conboy, telephone 442-3608 or email: rconboy@uamail.albany.edu.

The IMC is located on the lower floor of the Main Library at the Uptown Campus.

Monday - Thursday: 8am-1am

Friday: 8am-10pm

Saturday: 9am-11pm

Sunday: Noon-1am