EDTECH 502 Syllabus

EdTech 502

3 Credit Online Course

Boise State University, Department of Educational Technology

EDTECH Website: http://edtech.boisestate.edu

Instructor Information

Stacey DeLoose

Phone: (586) 804-0219

E-Mail: staceydeloose@boisestate.edu

Office Hours: by appointment

Virtual meetings by appointment through GMail Voice and Video Chat. http://mail.google.com/videochat

(Works with BroncoMail)

Instructor E-Mail Response Time

I typically respond to e-mail daily Monday through Friday during the semester. Exceptions to this rule occur when there is a a holiday, BSU break, or during other unavoidable situations that sometimes come up (e.g. MLK day, spring break, power failure, out of town presenting a paper, etc.). If you send an e-mail during the week you should typically have a reply within 24 hours unless it is late Friday or the weekend. I catch up on weekend e-mail on Mondays. If you do not received a reply to your e-mail within a reasonable period of time please send it again. Sometimes e-mail is captured by SPAM filters, is addressed incorrectly, or just simply does not make it through. Also, check your own e-mail filters that screen out junk mail. In the past, my replies to students have sometimes been filtered out and they did not receive them until they checked the junk e-mail box.

Course Description

Locate, retrieve, and evaluate information found on the Internet. Design and produce instructional Web pages using a combination of software and HTML/XHTML/CSS code.  Apply appropriate instructional strategies and models to the design of digital curriculum.

Course Objectives

After completing this course the student will be able to

  • create Web pages using HTML authoring system;
  • develop Web pages using CSS templates;
  • create a default page for a website;
  • apply file management skills to maintain local and remote Web site files and folders;
  • write HTML, XHTML, and CSS code correctly so that it validates under W3C standards;
  • copy and paste code into a Web page;
  • write CSS to position Web page content;
  • write and apply an external CSS style sheet to multiple Web pages;
  • write and apply alternative style sheets;
  • create a navigation menu for multiple Web pages;
  • create graphics in the appropriate format for Web pages;
  • modify images using image editing software;
  • insert images correctly into Web pages;
  • create client-side image maps;
  • apply appropriate design principles to create professional looking websites;
  • create accessible Web pages for individuals with disabilities;
  • adhere to rules of netiquette when corresponding with others on the Internet;
  • identify and apply copyright and fair use guidelines for website development;
  • use Internet search tools to locate high-quality instructional content;
  • develop appropriate rules of netiquette for a specified group of learners;
  • develop a page of hot links to essential information about Web accessibility;
  • develop an Internet scavenger hunt learning activity that integrates Internet resources;
  • develop a Jigsaw cooperative learning activity that integrates Internet resources;
  • develop an online learning activity for mobile devices;
  • develop a WebQuest learning activity that integrates Internet resources;
  • develop a virtual field trip learning activity that integrates multimedia an Internet resources.

Course Location and Login Information

This is an online course delivered via the Moodle course management system. The login page is located at: http://edtech.mrooms.org

The Moodle login page explains how to login to Moodle. Contact Moodle Support at moodlesupport@boisestate.edu for assistance logging into Moodle. If you have forgotten your password, click the link below the login box, “lost password?” and you will be able to reset it. When you login to Moodle look for a link to EDTECH 502-4173 The Internet for Educators (Fall 2012).

Course Materials

Required Textbooks

There is one required textbooks for this course.

Non Designers Web Book Cover

The Non-Designer’s Web Book: An Easy Guide to Creating, Designing, and Posting Your Own Web Site (Third Edition)

Authors: Robin Williams & John Tollett
Date: 2006
Publisher: Peachpit Press
ISBN-10: 0321303377

Optional TEXTBOOKS

None of these textbooks are required but it is often helpful when learning a new piece of software to have a book to turn to for answers from time-to-time. The following are three of our favorites.

Dreamweaver CS6: The Missing Manual
Author: David Sawyer McFarland

Date: 2012

Publisher: O’Reilly
ISBN-10: 1449316174

Dreamweaver CS6 Bible 
Author: Joseph W. Lowery

Date: 2012

Publisher: Wiley

ISBN-10: 1118170636

Dreamweaver CS6: Visual QuickStart Guide
Authors: Tom Negrino & Dori Smith

Date: 2012

Publisher: Peachpit

ISBN-10: 0321822528

Please order your books immediately if you have not already done so. Here are two suggested vendors who can take your order online and send your books through the mail. If it turns out that one vendor cannot get books to you in a timely manner please cancel your order and look for another vendor.

REQUIRED vidEo Tutorials

Some of the videos you will use to learn HTML5, CSS3, & Dreamweaver this semester will come from Lynda.com.
Students are expected to purchase a Lynda.com subscription for this course.

You have two subscription options:

1. Monthly Subscription: You can purchase a monthly subscription (which is currently $25.00/month or about $100/semester) in which you have access to Lynda’s Entire Online Training Library at Lynda.com.
OR

2. Lynda Classroom Subscription: You can sign up for the Lynda Classroom plan (which is currently about $40 per student per semester) which gives you access to five pre-selected series of videos rather than the entire Online Training Library. The following five series of videos have been selected for this course:
—Dreamweaver CS5 Essential Training
—Dreamweaver CS6 Essential Training
—HTML5: Structure, Syntax, and Semantics
—CSS Fundamentals
—Fireworks CS6 Essential Training

Every student enrolled in this course will automatically be added to the Lynda Classroom roster (which enables you to sign up for the Lynda Classroom plan) on the first day of the semester. You will receive a welcome email explaining how you can setup your account and pay for the Lynda Classroom plan (and later access the Lynda videos) during the first week of the semester. If you have opted instead to do the Monthly Subscription, you can ignore this welcome email about the Lynda Classroom plan. If you register late or if you haven’t received a welcome email about Lynda Classroom during the week of class, you should contact EdTech Support (moodlesupport@boisestate.edu) to ensure that you have been added to the Lynda Classroom roster. We have replaced the required Dreamweaver / HTML / CSS textbooks with Lynda videos. All students are expected to sign-up for either the Monthly Subscription or the Lynda Classroom plan.

Note: If you are not using Adobe Dreamweaver CS5, 5.5, or 6 (e.g., if you plan to use an older version like Dreamweaver CS4), you will need to select the monthly subscription option so that you can select videos that align with your version of Dreamweaver.

Required Software

Adobe CS6 Design and Web Premium Suite
We use Adobe CS6 Design and Web Premium in the EDTECH program. This suite includes includes Illustrator CS6, Photoshop CS6 Extended, Acrobat X Pro, Flash Professional CS6, Dreamweaver CS6, Fireworks CS6, and InDesign CS6.

In EDTECH 502 we will use Dreamweaver CS6 and Fireworks CS6 (other applications in the Adobe CS6 suite will be used in other EdTech courses). But because Dreamweaver is only a tool to save time and effort on HTML and CSS programming, some tasks can be completed using previous versions of Dreamweaver (e.g., CS5.5) or even basic text editing tools (e.g., notepad). Therefore, you can also use versions CS4, CS5, and CS5.5 for this course but be aware that CS5.5 and CS6 are designed to work with HTML5.

 

Students are eligible for an academic discount on Adobe software. Software may be obtained at either of the following places:

System Requirements for Adobe CS6
Please check your computer to make sure that it will run Adobe CS6: http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/design-web-premium/tech-specs.html

Additional Software

 

Additional Technical Requirements

Internet Connection and FTP Capability

An up-to-date computer with an Internet connection is required to participate in this online course. We will be creating a series of Web pages over the semester and it will be necessary to FTP files to a Web server here at Boise State University. Dreamweaver uploads and downloads files through FTP (File Transfer Protocol). If you plan to work from a school or business location it may be necessary to request help from your network administrator. Sometimes FTP is blocked. Please be prepared for this possibility so that you can either get help or find a different place to do your assignments.

Alternative Website Space

We provide website space for students on the EDTECH2 server. However, sometimes things go wrong with the server or students are unable to FTP to it. This has sometimes been an issue for students who are outside of the United States. Please be prepared to obtain alternative website space if necessary. You may already have this as part of the Internet Service Provider subscription you are using. Free, or inexpensive website hosting is also quite easy to find.

Assignment Policy and Grading Scale

Assignment Information

Detailed information about assignments and how to complete them will be posted in Moodle as we progress through the semester. The course schedule has been set up so that new assignments will be posted on Mondays. Due dates are always set for Wednesdays. Please check at least twice per week to read announcements since these can be posted at any time. Also, check your BSU BroncoMail (http://broncomail.u.boisestate.edu/) at least once per week for course related correspondence. The default email address in Moodle is your BSU email address. For help using your BroncoMail account please see: http://boisestate.edu/helpdesk/email/broncomail/howto.shtml

List of Assignments and Point Values
Assignments Points
1 Self-introduction 25
2 Plain XHTML 502.html page 50
3 External CSS page for 502.html 50
4 Netiquette page 75
5 Web accessibility hot links page 75
6 Copyright scavenger hunt 75
7 Interactive concept map 75
8 Jigsaw activity 75
9 m-learning activity (mobile learning) 75
10 Edtech home page: default.html 75
11 Virtual field trip 150
12 WebQuest 150
13 Participation in online discussions 50
Total Points 1,000

Standards

The assignments in this course have been aligned to the AECT standards: http://www.aect.org/standards/initstand.html

Assignments Mapped to Standards
Assignment(s) AECT Standards
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12 1.1.2.b Create instructional plans (micro-level design) that address the needs of all learners, including appropriate accommodations for learners with special needs.
8 1.1.2.c Integrate information literacy skills into classroom and media center instruction.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12 1.1.2.d Incorporate contemporary instructional technology processes in the development of interactive lessons that promote student learning.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12 1.1.3.b Demonstrate personal skill development with at least one: computer authoring application, video tool, or electronic communication application.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12 1.3.b  Identify at least one instructional model and demonstrate appropriate contextualized application within practice and field experiences.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12 1.4.b  Describe and/or document specific learner characteristics which influence the selection of instructional strategies.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11,12 2.3.2 Design, produce, and use digital information with computer-based technologies.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12 2.4.1 Use authoring tools to create effective hypermedia/multimedia instructional materials or products.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12 2.4.2 Develop and prepare instructional materials and products for various distance education delivery technologies.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12 2.4.4 Use telecommunications tools such as electronic mail and browsing tools for the World Wide Web to develop instructional and professional products.
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12 2.4.5 Develop effective Web pages with appropriate links using various technological tools.
6 3.4.3 Identify and apply copyright and fair use guidelines within practice.
6 3.4.5 Identify policies and regulations which apply to the utilization, application, and integration of distance delivery technologies.

Final grades are based on the following scale.

Final Grade Scale
Grade Points Required
A 940 – 1000
A- 900 – 939
B+ 870 – 899
B 840 – 869
B- 800 – 839
C+ 770 – 799
C 740 – 769
C- 700 – 739
D+ 670 – 699
D 640 – 669
D- 600 – 639
F 0 – 599

An outline of topics and readings is available in the course schedule if you would like to read ahead.

Submitting Assignments

Web page projects:Most of the assignments for EDTECH 502 are Web pages that are submitted by posting them on the discussion forums.

Discussions: Participation in class discussions is accomplished by posting in the Discussions forums in Moodle.

Grading Cycle

All assignments are graded together as a group to maintain a higher level of consistency. Grading begins on the first day after a due date and is completed before the next due date. You may track your progress through Grades in Moodle. All of the assignments are listed in Grades and points will be added as we progress through the semester. Announcements will be posted when assignments have been graded.

Late Work

Due Dates: Please note that all assignment due dates fall on Wednesdays. Assignments must be submitted by midnight Mountain time on scheduled due dates. For time zone information please visit the World Clock Web site: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/

Point Deduction for Late Work: Ten points can be deducted for each day an assignment is late. For example, an assignment that is two days late will lose 20 points as a late penalty.

Emergency Pass: If you have a major event such as a death in the family, illness, hospitalization, or you are out of town without Internet, you may turn in one assignment under the emergency pass. This assignment may be up to one week late and still qualify for full credit. After the one week extension has passed ten points per day can be deducted until the assignment is no longer worth any credit.

Your Responsibility with Late Work: If you will be late for any reason please e-mail the instructor at staceydeloose@boisestate.edu on or before the scheduled due date. When the assignment is completed you must send a follow-up email to let the instructor know it is ready to grade. This is how we calculate the number of days for the late work penalty. Failure to notify the instructor could lead to a grade of zero.

Please Avoid End of Course Late Work: Please note that we work under University deadlines for submitting grades at the end of the semester. If you have an assignment that is late at the end of the semester there is a chance that it might not be in on time to make the deadline. In this situation, I have no choice but to grade whatever I have at that time and submit grades regardless of the late policy above. Please try to avoid this situation.

Plan Your Time: It is a good idea to schedule specific times to work on your assignments each week and keep the appointment with yourself. A three credit graduate course requires about 9 to 12 hours per week of work (This doubles during compressed summer sessions.) It is in your best interest to start early on each assignment to give yourself time to fix technical problems or get help before the due date passes.

Technical Difficulties

On occasion, you may experience problems accessing Moodle or class files located within Moodle, Internet service connection problems, and/or other computer related problems. Do make the instructor aware if a technical problem prevents you from completing coursework. If a problem occurs on our end, such as Moodle or EDTECH2 server failure, then an automatic due date extension is granted.

Reasonable Accommodations

Any student who feels s/he may need accommodations based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. You will also need to contact the Disability Resource Centerat 208-426-1583 located in the Administration Building, room 114 to meet with a specialist and coordinate reasonable accommodations for any documented disability.

Academic Honesty

It is expected that students in this class will create original works for each assignment. We will follow the BSU Student Code of Conduct and also observe U.S. copyright laws in this course.Several great links to copyright information are available on the BSU Academic Technologies site at: http://itc.boisestate.edu/resource.htm

Please adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Please do your own original work for each project. Projects that were created for other classes may not be submitted for credit in this course. Each project may only be submitted for credit one time by the person who created it. The BSU Student Code of Conduct states: “Academic dishonesty also includes submitting substantial portions of the same academic course work to more than one course for credit without prior permission of the instructor(s).”
  • All projects and other assignments should be composed in original text that is written by the student who is submitting it. The exception to this is the use of small amounts of quoted material that is properly cited. Copying and pasting from other Web sites or projects (including the instructor’s examples) is not permitted.
  • The practice of copying code from the instructor examples is strongly discouraged. It is best to write your own HTML/XHTML/CSS. The work you submit should be clearly unique and different from the instructor example code.
  • Images or other media used in projects should be original, used with permission of the owner, or come from the public domain. Please check terms of use on sites containing these items. If in doubt, don’t use it.
  • Please cite the source for materials that are obtained for your projects unless they are created by you. If permission is granted for use of copyrighted materials please post a statement explaining that near those materials.

In the event of academic dishonesty a complaint is filed with the BSU Student Conduct Office with supporting documentation. This complaint remains on file and actions may be taken against the student (e.g., loss or credit, grade reduction, expulsion, etc.).

Course Schedule

Detailed assignment information is posted in Moodle on Mondays and due dates are on Wednesdays.

The instructor reserves the right to make minor changes to the schedule as needed.

The reading assignments for the semester are listed in the course schedule below using abbreviations for each book title. Please note that a dash denotes a series of pages (e.g. 21-37 means to read pages 21 through 37.) In some cases single pages are listed (e.g. 130 means to read page 130.) Pages that serve as additional reference that you should at least skim through are listed using the word “skim.”

We have identified a number of recommended videos to watch each week. Some are videos we have found on the Web that are free (in fact, a number of are some of the free videos offered by Lynda.com) while others are Lynda.com videos which require a subscription. The following icons are used to illustrate the source of a video:

Boise State EdTech Department Logo= Video created by the EdTech Department

Web Resource Logo = Video found online that is free to view
[Note: While we check these videos each semester, let us know if the video resource is no longer available]

Lynda.com Video Icon = Lynda.com video that is part of a required series of videos

Important!

Students are expected to spend on average 9 hours a week (per 3-credit course) on each EdTech course. EDTECH 502 was designed with this expectation in mind. However, it is important to note that some students find that they need to spend more time than others at becoming proficient in HTML / CSS / Dreamweaver. Each week there is a series of videos and readings that will help prepare you to complete the course assignments. Estimated times for each video are listed below to help you plan your weeks accordingly. We recommend watching the videos early on in each given week in order to give you enough time to complete each assignment (as well as enough time for any necessary troubleshooting that might arise).

Course Schedule

Major Assignments Reading & Videos
Week 1: Introduction to the Course
Week 2: Getting Started with Dreamweaver and HTML
  • Create plain 502.html page
  • Discussions

Basics of HTML (est. 8 minutes)

Dreamweaver Interface (est. 43 minutes)

Dreamweaver Basics (est. 14 minutes)
Week 3: Getting Started with CSS in Dreamweaver
  • Create an external CSS style sheet for 502.html page
  • Discussions

CSS Properties and Values (est. 15 minutes)

CSS and Dreamweaver (est. 29 minutes)

More Dreamweaver Basics (est. 11 minutes)
Week 4: Typography on the Web

Common CSS Concepts (est. 44 minutes)

More about Dreamweaver (est. 27 minutes)
Week 5: Accessibility on the Web
  • Create accessibility hot links page

Creating Links in Dreamweaver (est. 41 minutes)
Week 6: Copyright and Fair Use
  • Create copyright scavenger hunt
  • Discussions

Become familiar with Fireworks workspace (est. 24 minutes)
Week 7: Images for Web Pages
  • Create interactive concept map
  • Discussions

Dreamweaver, CSS, & Images (est. 42 minutes)

Creating Images in Fireworks (est. 64 minutes)
Week 8: Creating Tables for Web Pages
  • Develop Jigsaw activity
  • Discussions

Creating and Styling Tables in Dreamweaver (est. 38 minutes)

More about Fireworks (est. 17 minutes)
Week 9: Web Pages for Mobile Devices
  • Create m-learning activity
  • Discussions

HTML & CSS concepts key to mobile devices (est. 29 minutes)
Week 10: Working with CSS Templates
  • Create default.html page
  • Discussions

Using HTML5, CSS3, and CSS Template(s) Videos (est. 65 minutes)
Weeks 11 – 12: Virtual Field Trip
  • Create virtual field trip
  • Discussions

Misc. Videos (est. 26 minutes)
Week 13: Thanksgiving Break Nov. 19th-25th
Weeks 14 – 15: WebQuest
  • Create WebQuest
  • Discussions

More about HTML5 & CSS3 (est. 44 minutes)
Week 16 – End of Course
  • Last day to submit discussion posts

Please refer to the BSU Academic Calendar for University dates and deadlines:http://registrar.boisestate.edu/academic-calendar.shtml

Conceptual Framework

College of Education – The Professional Educator

Boise State University strives to develop knowledgeable educators who integrate complex roles and dispositions in the service of diverse communities of learners. Believing that all children, adolescents, and adults can learn, educators dedicate themselves to supporting that learning. Using effective approaches that promote high levels of student achievement, educators create environments that prepare learners to be citizens who contribute to a complex world. Educators serve learners as reflective practitioners, scholars and artists, problem solvers, and partners.

Department of Educational Technology Mission

The Department of Educational Technology supports the study and practice of facilitating and improving learning of a diverse population by creating, using, managing, and evaluating appropriate technological processes and resources. Believing technology is a tool that enhances and expands the educational environment, we promote the use of current and emergent technologies for teaching and learning in a dynamic global society. Educational technologists are leaders and innovators, serving in institutions of higher education, public or private school settings, federal, state, or local educational agencies, and educational organizations in the private sector.

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