P017: Internet Technologies
Course Synopsis · Assessment · Lecture Notes · Practical Handouts · Suggested Reading · Student Projects
The delivery of content and information via electronic communication is becoming increasingly dynamic and device-driven. This course introduces students to the basic concepts of markup (including the Extensible Hypertext Markup Language XHTML), website structuring and design, and the issues involved in generating and delivering content dynamically. Topics include the syntax of hypertext markup, cascading stylesheets, SQL, database design and integration, manipulation of images, site structuring, visual design and user interaction.
By the end of the module students will have an understanding of how content can be ported across different environments. They will be able to create valid hypertext documents and apply appropriate styling, write SQL statements to interrogate databases via a Web front-end and deliver documents over the Web to different devices. They will also be able to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of website design and implementation, especially as regards usability and accessibility for different audiences.
This module is compulsory for students undertaking the Masters degree in Electronic Communication and Publishing, and Information Science.
This module is assessed by coursework only, giving 10 credits. The coursework
consists of two parts: a web resource, and an associated essay which gives
a commentary on the design and implementation of the web resource. A full
specification on what is required for the assessment is available here
(MS Word, 29KB), and a courseplan is also available. Students will also
be expected to have completed all of the practical sessions.
- Precouse Lecture: Introduction to HTML (MSPowerPoint)
- Lecture 1: Internet History, XHTML (MSPowerPoint)
- Lecture 2: Evaluation and Usability
- Lecture 3: Introduction to CSS(MSPowerPoint)
- Lecture 4: Advanced CSS
- Lecture 5: PHP and MySQL
- Lecture 6: MySQL and PHP
- Lecture 7: Images and the Internet
- Lecture 8: Testing and Search Engines, Assessment Recap
- Lecture 9: Accessibility Guest Lecturer, Peter Barnes, Senate House Library
- Lecture 10: Multimedia
- Precourse Practical: Introduction to HTML (MSWord)
- Practical 1: XHTML (MSWord)
- Practical 2: Evaluation and Usability (MSWord)
- Practical 3: Cascading Stylesheets (MSWord)
- Practical 4: Cascading Stylesheets(MSWord), Mounting pages on the server
- Practical 5: PHP and MySQL
- Practical 6: MySQL
- Practical 7: Photoshop Elements start.psd
- Practical 8: Dreamweaver
- Practical 9: Accessibility workshop
Suggested Textbooks
- "HTML and XHTML, the definitive guide". C. Musciano and Bill Kennedy, O’Reilly, 2002.
- "HTML for the World Wide Web", E. Castro, Peachpit Press, 2003.
- "Web design in a nutshell", J. Niederst, O’Reilly, 2001.
- "Macromedia Dreamweaver for Windows and Macintosh", J. T. Towers, Peachpit Press, 2003.
- "Cascading style sheets: the definitive guide". E. M. Meyer
Cambridge, O’Reilly, 2000.
In the library
- "History of the Internet: A Chronology, 1843 to the Present". Christos J. P. Moschovitis, Hilary Poole, Tami Schuyler, Theresa M. Senft, 1999, ABC-CLIO.
- "A brief history of the future : the origins of the Internet", John Naughton. London : Phoenix, 2000.
- "A social history of the media : from Gutenberg to the Internet". Asa Briggs and Peter Burke. Malden, MA : Blackwell, 2001.
- "Inventing the Internet". Janet Abbate. Cambridge, Mass. London : MIT Press, c1999.
Web Resources
- Webmonkey: http://www.webmonkey.com
- W3C Schools: http://www.w3schools.com/
- Jakob Nielson: http://www.useit.com/
- Donald Norman: http://www.jnd.org/
- Technical Advisory Sevice for Images: http://www.tasi.ac.uk/
- Web Pages That Suck: http://www.websitesthatsuck.com/
- CSS Zen Garden: http://www.csszengarden.com/
- Atlas of Cyberspace http://www.cybergeography.org/atlas/atlas.html
- W3C XHTML validator http://validator.w3.org/
- W3C CSS Validator http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/
2004/5
- Nelson Anyomi: Basic Guide into the World of Digital Imaging
- Kenneth Asamoah: African Women and Childrens Link
- Alex Boden: eBooks: The Future of Reading
- Richard Brown: David Mach
- Rebecca Chi-Fang The Story of the Piano
- Marzena Markowska: Weekends in Eastern Europe
- Peter Morris: Beginner's Guide to the Internet
- Xania Rodriguez: Sources of Information in Venezuela
- Yves Sibre: All City: The Rise of Graffiti in New York City
- Magda Weglowska: The Tarahumara Indians
- Agnieska Kacprowicz: Guide to Canoeing in Poland
- Min Xiong: The Power of Blue
2003/4
- Yipei Chen: Yipei's Italian Recipes
- Mandy Gardener: Occasion Magazine
- David Gyertson: Granada Study Abroad Guide
- Mubina Islam: Beck and Al Hanson
- Stephanie Manning: Pi Magazine
- Grazia Manzotti: Enquiry Desk Quick Reference
- Sharon O'Donnell: Lowbrook Primary School Governor's Website
- Daryl Rozario: Student Recruitment Publications Office
- Suzanne Sinnott: Edgar Allan Poe's Dupin
- Marion Stevens: Riley Register Wiltshire Area
- Andy Sutton: PaulSkeldon.com
- Stephen Tapril: UniHub
- Veronica Uribe: GastroAtlas
- Claire Webster: Taxi Driver's Trivia
- Bulent Yusuf: Theatre Run