Schedule

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January (Blogs)

January 27 - Let's Get it Started

Course Introductions - Why are we here and what do we hope to learn? What are we going to learn? How can we get the most out of the course?
What is/are New Media?
Complete Wesch Video Assignment
Homework

Send Cripps an email that includes Full Name, Email Address you prefer, phone/cell number, and a 50-100 word biographical profile.
Read Neal Stephenson, In the Beginning Was The Command Line, pages 1-85 (up to "The Oral Tradition")
Course Weblog Post 1 - visit Course Blog, login, make a post or a comment (Need help? Find the Screencast in Resources)
Begin Major Blog Assignment by getting a Blogger Account, choosing a blog topic, and posting (Need help? Find the Screencasts in Resources)
Visit the Multimedia Lab (next to the TV Studio in 4M04) and spend an hour playing with a Mac. Go with a classmate.

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February (Blogs, Wikis & Web Dev)

February 3 - Interfaces, Command Lines, and Blogging I (Let's get blogging)

Discuss Stephenson and GUIs
Identify Blog Topics ("10 Tips on Writing the Living Web," Bernstein, 2002)
Build, Feed, & Style the Blog
Homework

Share 2/3/09 class work on Course Weblog (Bernstein's 10 Tips Real Blogs Assignment)
Finish reading Neal Stephenson, In the Beginning Was The Command Line
Continue Blog Assignment (Feed your posts and subscribe to peers' feeds (Feeds/Reader - Individual Blog Mini-Assignment)
Continue Blog Assignment (Make posts and complete Blogger Template - Individual Blog Mini-Assignment)
Read "Good Blog Writing Style" (Lenssen, 2006)
Make another post to your individual blog and post or comment on Course Weblog

February 10 - COLLEGE FOLLOWS THURSDAY SCHEDULE - NO CLASS TODAY!

February 17 - Blog Styles (textual and visual)

Get Reserve Readings
What makes weblogs good?
Discuss Stephenson & Lensen
Sampling Student Blogs
Homework

Read "How to Write a Better Weblog" (Mahoney, 2002)
Continue Blog Assignment (make another post)
Make a post to Course Weblog (start a post or reply to another post)
Read peers' feeds, reply to two or three
Be ready to strut your blog stuff next week (no excuses!)

February 24 - Blog Showcase & Personal Website I

Blog Showcase (12 blogs in 90 minutes)
Begin Personal Website Project by learning some HTML
Homework

Complete the Hand Code Starbuzz Coffees Assignment
Write Content for Personal Website Project
Make a post to Course Weblog (start a post or reply to another post)
Make a new post on Personal Weblog
Reply to two or three peers' blog posts

Recommended if you WANT to learn more - Read Chapter 3 in Head First HTML (Do the exercises so you actually learn.)

March (Web Dev and Wikis)

March 3 - Personal Website II

Share Results of Hand Code Starbuzz Coffees Assignment
Continue Personal Website Project
Personal Website Design Ideas
Introduction to Adobe Dreamweaver - Quick Tour, Connect to Server, Get Files
Homework

Use worksheets to comment on personal website content for 2 peers
Read "Basic Design Principles for Non-Designers" (Williams & Tollett, 2000) - on reserve
Prepare Design Sketch for Personal Website Project
Make a post to Course Weblog (start a post or reply to another post)
Make another post to your own blog
View several of the Dreamweaver Screencasts (Defining your Site and Quick Tour of the Interface), and take some time in the lab to play around with Dreamweaver.

Recommended if you WANT to learn more - Read Chapter 4 in Head First HTML (Do the exercises so you actually learn.)

March 10 - Personal Website III

Continue Personal Website Project
Basic Design with C.R.A.P. (Williams & Tollett, 2000)
Share Design Sketches and Ideas
Postponed! Photoshop - Scratching the Surface by making a header graphic
Hands-on Dreamweaver - Creating a new page based on template vs. Modifying a template
Homework

Read "Streetsigns and Breadcrumbs" (Steve Krug) - on Reserve
Postponed! Create a Header Graphic for Personal Website
Make a post to Course Weblog (start a post or reply to another post)
Make another post to your own blog

Recommended if you WANT to learn more - Read Chapter 5 in Head First HTML (Do the exercises so you actually learn.)

March 17 - Personal Website IV

Continue Personal Website Project
Basic Design with C.R.A.P. (Williams & Tollett, 2000)
Share Design Sketches and Ideas
Begin Making Webpages & Modifying CSS
"Streetsigns and Breadcrumbs" (Steve Krug)
Homework

Complete Create 5 Linked Pages for Your Personal Website Assignment
Complete Begin Modifying CSS for Your Website Assignment
Make a post to Course Weblog (start a post or reply to another post)
Make another post to your own blog

March 24 - Personal Website V

Continue Personal Website Assignment
Making sense of the "cascade" in CSS, illustrated links
Individual Work on Website
Homework

Complete Link Mods to Your CSS Assignment
Complete Streetsigns, Breadcrumbs, and Trunk Test Assignment
Make a post to Course Weblog (start a post or reply to another post)
Make another post to your own blog

March 31 - Personal Website VI

Continue Personal Website Assignment
Krug's Trunk Test & reporting out
Individual Work on Website
Homework

Begin the Write Portfolio Content assignment (put your Blog in)
Complete the take home Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS Skills Exam
Read Chapter 5 in Head First HTML (GIF, JPG, Pixels, <IMG>)
Complete the FIRST TASK ONLY in Header Graphic Assignment
Make a post to Course Weblog (start a post or reply to another post)
Make another post to your own blog

April (Collaborative Writing and Wikis)

April 7 - Personal Website VII

Continue Personal Website Assignment
Brief Introduction to Photoshop
Conferences
Homework

Complete the Header Graphic Assignment
Decide on your Tip, Trick, or Tut (come to class with a decision, or perhaps two options)
Decide on your Software or Interface Review (come to class with a decision, or perhaps two options

April 14 -SPRING RECESS - NO CLASS MEETING!

April 21 - Personal Website VIII

Iron out remaining kinks in Personal Websites
Discuss Tip, Trick, or Tut ideas
Discuss Software or Interface Review ideas
Introduce Mediawiki and Collaborative Writing Project
Homework

Complete the Getting to Know Mediawiki Assignment
Write a draft of the text or script for your Tip, Trick, or Tut
Make a post to Course Weblog (start a post or reply to another post)
Stay on top of your Personal Website Project

April 28 - Major Collaborative Project I

Making Wiki Pages & Organizing the Project (Tips & Tricks vs. Reviews)
Developing a Collaborative Model
Homework

Post Completed Tip, Trick, or Tut to the Wiki
Post a 350-word draft of the review for your Software or Interface tool to the Wiki
Make a post to Course Weblog (start a post or reply to another post)
Stay on top of your Personal Website Project & your own blog

May (Showcasing Collaborative and Individual Work)

May 5 - Major Collaborative Project II

Making Wiki Pages & Organizing the Project (Tips & Tricks vs. Reviews)
Adding Visual Elements to Tip, Trick, or Tutorial
How to Collaborate?
Peer Review - Relevant Links for Tips and Software Reviews
Homework

Revise your Tip, Trick, or Tut based on feedback
Revise and expand your 350-word draft Interface of Software Review based on feedback and others' reviews.
Narrow the links in your Tip, Trick, Tutorial wiki page and in your Software/Interface Review page down to 3 in each, based on your preferences.
Make a post to Course Weblog (start a post or reply to another post)
Stay on top of your Personal Website Project & your own blog

May 12 - Major Collaborative Project III

May 19 - Final Exam - Presentations

4-6 PM, Room AC 2A08
Note: Students in CT 205 should attend that exam and then come to 2A08 for the ENG 384 exam
Personal Blog, Wiki Work, and Personal Website (including portfolio) must be complete