SYLLABUS

Instructor Team

• Prof. Sanda Katila (Visual Communication Design)
• Prof. Paul S. Wang (Computer Science)
  

Prerequisites

• Web Design and Programming I
• CS, VCD and other students with equivalent background may register only after obtaining instructor permission.

Description

This 3-credit class is a joint Computer Science (CS) and Visual Communication Design (VCD) course on advanced Web techniques and multimedia Web design: Web servers, security, advanced design, Java servlets, applets, database connectivity, site maintenance, and creation of actual Web sites by teamwork.

Course Contnet

• Computer Science:
  • Dynamic page generation, active pages (PHP, PEAR, sessions, authentication, HTTP1.1)
  • Database connectivity, database supported webpages (SQL, MySQL, and PHP support for database access)
  • Object-oriented coding (PHP and Javascript)
  • Virtual hosting, content negotiation
  • Web servers and server configuration
  • Website access control
  • Server-side programs as web clients
  • Site and page search
  • Preparing and serving multimedia content: audio and video
  • Scripting for sound and animation (Actionscript for Flash)
• Visual Communication:
  • Programming and interface design; the essential components for effective commercial sites
  • Organizing large volumes of information; integrating effective programming with streamlined design
  • Application of typography, layout and sequencing to web sites
  • Introduction to Audio and Video for the Web for all major platforms
  • Exploring options, tools and effective uses of multimedia for the Web
  • Why, Where and How to Design Animation for the Web
  • Implementing design with advanced Web technology

Course Requirements

• Homework assignments 40%
• Mid-term exam 30%,
• Milestones and Finished team project 30%
• No final exam

Team Project

Students will form Web design and implementation teams to create new sites or upgrade existing sites. The projects will put the course materials to use in realistic situations. Teams will present finished, near production, Websites and submit a joint project report in lieu of final exams. Individual team members will also submit separate written project reports on their own activities and contributions to the team project.

Textbook

An Introduction to Web Design and Programming  by Paul Wang and Sanda Katila.

Book ordering information

Expectations for Students

WDP-2 builds on a solid foundation of Web Design and Programming from WDP-1. The focus of WDP-2 is to address more advanced issues of practical importance for creating and maintaining Web sites.

We are not expecting VCD students to become programmers. Although some html, php, and actionscript coding are required when that helps design and site information architecture.

We are not expecting CS students to become designers. Although understanding design concepts, use of some design tools can help the construction and maintenance of a website.

Here we list what we expect the course to teach and students to learn.

Expectations for VCD students

• VCD topics: GOLive/Dreamweaver: understanding page layouts and site architecture. Working with layouts, tables, layers, page structure, templates, rollovers, drop down menus, type and intermediate level CSS to create aesthetically pleasing, well designed websites.

  Flash Foundation: Understanding the basic concepts and logic of interactivity and motion. Creating and working with interaction, buttons, shape and mouse interactions, basic scripting in ActionScipt. Creating and applying external elements such as sound and video in Flash.

• CS topics: what is an active page, understanding PHP in order to appreciate and perhaps use PHP in HTML to organize a page templates into reusable parts, learning about PHP's support of graphics, understanding databases and how they can be applied to help a Web site, action scripting for Flash (some programming here), including audio and video, Flash in Web pages, understanding server-side access control, user authentication, and how to make a web site fast loading through HTTP 1.1 techniques.

Expectations for CS students

• VCD topics: Design: Learning and applying basic design principles such as hierarchy, contrast, asymmetry and positive/negative space to website design through page layout homework. Developing sensitivity and appreciation for layout and type while applying newly learned skills to homework assignments.

  Flash: Understanding the basic concepts in Flash; leaning program logic and applying ActionScripting to homework and final projects. Working alongside designers and serving as programming consultants on the final projects.

• CS topics: PHP, MySQL, PHP interface to MySQL, Apache, Apache configuration, access control, user authentication and session control, object-oriented Javascript and PHP, ActionScript, HTTP 1.1, HTTP caching, page deflation, audio, video, Flash deployment in Web pages and Javascript control of media, PHP support of graphics, actual use of database to support website operations such as user accounts