Syllabus for COP 1830 - Ref.# 110913

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COURSE INFORMATION

Scope:

This course teaches the fundamentals of programming Web pages and sites. Topics include Web page design and client side scripting. Additional topics include XHTML, XML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Dynamic HTML with JavaScript. The course involves extensive reading, on-line discussions, practical exercises (projects) and examinations.

Prerequisites: Knowledge of computer programming is required.

Expected Course Outcomes: At the completion of the course, students should be able to:

• Apply critical thinking through problem solving.
• Communicate with clarity and precision.
• Define the terms normally associated with web browsing, searching, and web page design.
• Compose and validate web pages using XHTML.
• Define the differences between XHTML and prior versions of HTML.
• Demonstrate the construction of basic XHTML elements within a web page.
• Demonstrate how to link to elements both within and outside of a web page.
• Define clickable image maps within a web page.
• Prepare Web pages and sites using Cascading Style Sheets^™ (CSS).
• Define the difference between inline, embedded and externally defined style specifications.
• Explain how JavaScript is used on a web page to create Dynamic HTML (DHTML).
• Demonstrate the implementation of the fundamental control structures in JavaScript.
• Demonstrate the implementation of functions using JavaScript.
• Explain how scalar and array data structures are implemented in JavaScript.

Assessment of Learning Outcomes:

Learning outcomes are determined by measuring the ability of each student to accomplish the learning objectives of the course as measured against industry standards, job descriptions, and state curriculum frameworks. The assessment tools used for this course include observation of mastery of critical skills and performance-based methods, such as completion of discussion posting activities, assigned projects, and online quizzes and a written final exam consisting of either essay, multiple-choice, true/false or fill-in-the-blank questions.

Delivery Method:

This course delivered on-line via a web-based e-Learning environment named Blackboard®. To learn how students interact with this online version of the course, see the web page about COP 1830 Distance Learning Protocols. Students registered in online classes at the college are welcome to attend a general online orientation session on August 22nd at 5:30 PM in V-110 of the Kight Center for Emerging Technologies. For assistance, see the [IRCC Blackboard® Support Page].

Participation in a distance learning course demands extreme academic discipline from the student. The substitution of distance learning mechanisms in place of face-to-face classroom participation requires that students define and maintain their own rigorous schedule of study. Understand that in a conventional classroom setting, the average student should expect to spend at least as much time studying outside of class as spent in class. This means that the average distance learning student should expect to spend twice as much time working on this class as you would sitting in the classroom for a conventional class.

Dates: August 23 - December 18, 2007 - See schedule below.

A detailed course schedule for this online section of the course also can be found by viewing the course calendar on the [Blackboard server] for this course. It shows due dates for all course activities and provides links to instructions for each of them.

Textbooks:

• HTML Complete, Third Edition (Paperback) compiled by Sybex Inc. from multiple popular texts, ©2003, ISBN 0-7821-4209-5.
• Perl, CGI, and JavaScript Complete, Second Edition (Paperback) compiled by Sybex Inc. from multiple popular texts, ©2003, ISBN 0-7821-4213-3.

Web Site Addresses:

• Instructor's Page at http://faculty.ircc.edu/FACULTY/RGibson/
• Primary Class Page at http://www.gibson.vero-beach.fl.us/classes/cop1830/
• College Virtual Classroom (Blackboard) Site at: [http://webct6.ircc.edu/]
• Textbook Home Pages at:
  • HTML: [http://www.sybex.com/WileyCDA/SybexTitle/productCd-0782142095.html]
  • JavaScript: [http://www.sybex.com/WileyCDA/SybexTitle/productCd-0782142133.html]

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name & Department: Randolph Gibson, Computer Science

Office Location: V 424 (Main Campus) - 3209 Virginia Avenue, Ft. Pierce, FL 34981

Office hours: For latest schedule, view the web page at

http://www.gibson.vero-beach.fl.us/classes/contact.html

Phone Numbers:

Residence (Vero Beach) - 772-234-8941 (7 a.m.- 10 p.m.)
Main (Fort Pierce) Campus: 772-462-7620 (from outside S.L. County, dial: 866-866-4722 Ext. 7620)
Mueller (Vero Beach) Campus: 772-226-2500

College E-mail Address: rgibson@ircc.edu

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Attendance:

In this course, you are required to come to one of the IRCC Assessment (Testing) Centers to take your final exam (see the Course Schedule below).

Contact:

You are responsible for keeping me informed of changes in your contact information. You must send me a message within the first week of class that includes the following information: the course and reference number, your name, your phone number, your county of residence, and which IRCC campus you prefer to use to take your final exam (see the section on Quizzes & Exams below). All student email related to this course must be sent to the instructor via the Blackboard mail system. My email address within the Blackboard® system is my name "Randy Gibson". Keep a copy of all material sent. Please also maintain your personal contact records with the college via the [Online Registration Page of the IRCC Web Portal].

Assignments:

Blackboard® provides a group conferencing environment where students and teachers and can post questions and have asynchronous discussions about topics of interest in this course. You will be required to participate in this area which is accessible from the class home page [login here if desired] under the link labeled "Discussion". Deadlines for your postings in the discussion area are listed in the schedule below.

You will also perform projects which may involve answering questions from the textbook or performing activities involving either your own computer or an IRCC server accessible by Internet or from an IRCC Computer Lab. Typically you will submit results of those projects as email attachments via Blackboard.

Please note the following important constraints:

• You must do all assignments alone! Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in severe disciplinary action.
• Points will be subtracted from any assignment that is not submitted as requested. Only assignments that you submit by 11 PM on the evening of their scheduled due dates will earn credit.
• All assignments must be completed in order to pass the course. Note this well! A student with A's on every quiz and project will fail the course if they have not completed all posting activities by the deadline for the final one.
• Keep a copy of all work submitted.

Campus Computer Labs:

You are welcome to use the IRCC Computer Labs (in Room V 125 on the [Main Campus], Room J 211 on the [St. Lucie West Campus], Room 19 in [Stuart], and Room V 114 in [Vero Beach]) at times as noted on the lab doors. The Student Assistants who supervise the labs are there to provide general guidance in using lab equipment, but are not expected to be familiar with all software used in each course. Contact your instructor for help with software and other class topics.

Quizzes & Exams:

Your quizzes will be taken interactively through the Blackboard system and available for only a limited period of time as shown on the schedule below. These quizzes are accessible from the Blackboard® class home page [login here if desired] under the link labeled "Assessment". The final exam will be given in any one of the IRCC Assessment (Testing) Centers. Note that the Assessment Center on the Main Campus was recently moved back to W-109 in the W Building. You must take a photo ID (preferably a license) to the Assessment Center to take the test.

Grading:

One bonus point will be awarded for each posting that you complete to your instructor's satisfaction and submit on time. These will be added to your overall score total and can help to bolster weak scores. You can check on your class performance using the MyGrades area of the Blackboard system. Final grades result from the total points each student earns divided by the total points available, based on the scale: 100-90% = A, 89-80% = B, 79-70% = C, 69-60% = D, 59-0% = F. Final grades are posted to the college website shortly after the last day of final exams at the web address

https://webreg1.ircc.edu/FCCSC/navigate/student.jsp

Withdrawal:

If you feel the need to withdraw, please speak with me about alternatives. You will not be automatically withdrawn if you stop participating in the class. Withdrawal requires that you submit an official IRCC form through an Educational Services office on any campus or through online submission at:

[http://webreg1.ircc.edu/FCCSC/navigate/student.jsp]

Degrees & Certificates:

This course is a requirement of the Computer Information Technology A.S. Degree program at IRCC. You are strongly encouraged to consider the advantages of completing a Technical Certificate or an Associate Degree. Check with your counselor to see how close you may be to increased earning potential.

Publications:

The college provides extensive information to help students succeed. A list of links to some of the most important information can be found at

http://www.gibson.vero-beach.fl.us/classes/ircclinks.html

Professionalism:

Students enrolled in IRCC's Computer Science courses are encouraged to develop their professional character through participation in the local chapter of the national student organization, [Phi Beta Lambda]. For more information, contact Professor Terri Holly <tholly@ircc.edu> at 772-462-7669.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Review the schedule in advance to determine any conflicts that may arise regarding holidays or travel plans. With the exception of listed windows of opportunity to take online quizzes or protored exams, all other dates listed below should be interpreted as final deadlines for activities that you will be performing in the class. You are welcome to submit work early. Try to stay ahead of the schedule; don't just keep up with it. Contact me immediately if you cannot meet a deadline.

This schedule and any changes to it will be posted on the course web site. You also are advised to review the [web pages regarding academic schedules] on the [IRCC web site].

Reading involving either the textbook or notes (posted online) should be completed before attempting any assignment, quiz, or exam. With the exception of listed windows of opportunity to take online quizzes, all other dates listed below should be interpreted as final deadlines for an activity.

The textbooks used in this course are compiled from other popular texts related to the content of this course. Beware that we will be jumping amongst chapters in the two texts and will not follow numeric sequence in each book. Chapters from [the book about HTML] will be identified below preceded by "HTML:". Chapters from [the book about Perl, CGI, and JavaScript] will be identified below preceded by "JavaScript:". We will not cover all chapters from these books, although all are valuable reading. The Appendices in these books are extensive and extremely useful reference material. When listed as a reading assignment below, you are expected to browse through the appendix, but not to study it in detail. Exercises and review questions within the textbooks are useful, but will not be submitted for grading in this class.

to the Course Home Page

Last Revised: 21 November 2007			© 2007 Randolph Gibson
www.gibson.vero-beach.fl.us/classes/cop1830/fall/cop1830.html			E-mail: rgibson@ircc.edu