SQUALICUM HIGH SCHOOL 2011-12
WEB DESIGN COURSE DESCRIPTION
OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT OR ELECTIVE

Joe McAuliffe
Joe.mcauliffe@bellinghamschools.org
My purpose for the course: The course is intended for students who have an interest in learning to design web pages that communicate effectively and make information accessible to as broad an audience as possible.  I also intend to expose students to professional software and the ethical and professional standards of behavior in the workplace. 

Relevance to the Culminating Project: Many students have used their web development skills as an integral part of their culminating project. Some have done entirely web-based presentations. Others have developed web sites as their project for a community organization. There have even been students that have gone beyond the scope of this course and learned entirely new web related skills.

My expectations regarding ethics: Each of you was selected because of your technical, artistic or interpersonal skills to be in this course.  I fully expect that you will comply with the district ethical guidelines concerning use of the Internet.  Staff members need to trust you. Remember, you represent the web design program.  If you lose your Internet logon and/or file server access, you may not be able to continue this course for credit.

Attendance: Tardiness is not a something employers value.  Absences effect your participation in our group. Group participation is 15% of the grade. As for tardies, after four tardies you will receive ASA. After six tardies, you receive Saturday school. If you are more than ten minutes late, you are absent. At 12 absences, including excused and unexcused but excluding school related absences, you will be referred to an administrator to enter an attendance contract. An absence must be excused within 48 hours from the time you return.  If you miss class, YOU are responsible for getting all missed work.  Each time you are absent assume you missed something. Then act responsibly and check in with me.

Additional Expectations:
1.	Use and take care of the computers. 
•	Boot-up & shut down properly.
•	Leave settings as they were intended.
2.	Communicate with the instructor when you need to leave the room.
3.	Maintain a business like atmosphere.
4.	If absent the day an assignment is due, turn it in the next day.  This is you responsibility.
5.	Always perform at peak efficiency.

Units that will be covered during the semester are as follows:
1.	Designing & planning web pages
2.	Creating pages with HTML
3.	Formatting web pages with style sheets
4.	Graphics 
5.	Scripting
6.	Quality control
7.	Web site management & authoring tools
8.	Client web site
		25 project points 
55 project points
45 project points

65 project points
30 project points
25 project points
20 project points

40 independent project points

A major focus will be on designing and developing actual web sites some of which will be published on the WWW:
A.	A portfolio web site for incorporating new concepts (not for publication),
B.	An optional mock site for a business or organization (not for publication), or
C.	 A site (Sites) for an actual client(s) to be published.

Grading philosophy: As of the first day, you have a “B” grade.  You can maintain that grade by doing all that is expected of you.  If you consistently do more than is expected and produce high quality work, you will receive an “A” grade.  If you do not meet the basic expectations of the course you’ll receive a lower grade than a “B”.

Grading Scale:
100% - 95% = 	A		75% - 76% =	C+	
93% - 94% =		A-		71% - 74% =	C	
90% - 92% =	B+		66% - 70% =	C-	
80% - 89%=	B		50% - 65% =	D	
77% - 79% =	B-		Below 50% =	F