Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

Joining an online class can be a bit overwhelming, this page was created to give you a guideline for how this online class works, and what to do the first week.

Step 1: Get your materials
The class textbook is : Stylin' with CSS: A Designer's Guide (2nd Edition) (Paperback) by Charles Wyke-Smith (Author). amazon link

Required DVD: Online student are required to purchase a DVD or use the one in the Santa Rosa or Petaluma lab. Classroom students do not need to use the DVD.

The DVD has video demonstrations and written instructions for each lesson within the course. The name of the DVD is Cascading Style Sheets, and is self-published by Linda Hemenway. It can be purchased at CCNow - buy DVD online, or in the campus bookstores. When at the bookstore you need to ask for the DVD, it won't be displayed on the shelf.

Step 2: Create bookmarks for this class Web site
Once you have found this page bookmark the following pages:
home page,
assignments,
grades
syllabus

Step 3: Submit your week 1 homework
The following assignments are due the first week of class:

check in part 1 - using this form you will create a username and password which you will use all semester to submit homework and check your grades

check in pt 2 - by completing this form you will introduce yourself to the class so we can all begin to get to know each other

tools evaluation - First locate an HTML Editor, software which I recommend include: Notepad (Windows), HomeSite (Windows) Dreamweaver (both), TextEdit (Mac), BBedit (Mac).

Next you need to obtain an account on the SRJC Web server "student". Many of you may already have an account on this server. To check click here. If you have an account, great, if you do not you can begin the process of getting an account by the student account request form. Detailed instructions regarding how to get and use a "student" account can be found on the class DVD in the "Begin" lesson.

Now you need to obtain FTP software, I recommend SSH Client for Windows users and Fugu for Mac users. See the DVD "Begin" lesson for instructions on how to obtain this software.

Finally everyone needs to download the Web Browser "Firefox". We will be using this browser to view the web pages which are styled using CSS. We will also use Internet Explorer, after the first 8 weeks of the class have passed. Firefox does a better job of interpreting CSS code so we will use it in the begriming of the class.

After you have located an HTML Editor, obtained a student account, obtained FTP software and downloaded Firefox fill out the form listed above to receive points for this assignment.

Step 4 - Read my description of a "typical" week.
I will send out 2-3 email messages per week, please check your email daily to ensure that you are reading the class email and understanding the class expectations.

I typically send out a note on Monday explaining what is happening in the coming week.

Work is typically due on Wednesday. I try to send out an email reminder about the upcoming homework on Tuesday or Wednesday, but may not remember that every week.

Once the work is graded (within 3-5 days) I send out a note announcing that the gradebook has been updated. It is the student's responsibility to send me an email if your work was not graded, if late work needs to be graded, or if you have a question about your grade.

Step 5 - Read my recommendations for succeeding online

1. Read your textbook, until your brain is full and you feel the need to start making code.
2. Insert the class DVD and access the lesson that corresponds to this weeks lesson
3. Each DVD lesson has sub lessons within each main lesson. After watching the video and reading the Web page instructions for each sub lesson, open your HTML editor and try doing the code.
4. If your code behaves as expected, move on to the next sub lesson.
5. If you are stuck for more than 1 hour, stop, take a break for 30 minutes or more, then try again for about 10 minutes. If the code is still not working send me an email. I can help, so don't drive yourself crazy. Just make sure you include the URL for the page with the broken code and a description of the problem in the email.
6. Do the required homework FIRST, and then if you have time try to modify the sample code on the DVD or in the textbook. Some students spend huge amounts of time putting extra features into their homework and then run out of time and energy when trying to complete all the requirements.