James A. White, Ph.D.

SCHEDULE: Thursday Evenings, Fall: 5:15 - 8:00 PM, EDU213

PREREQUISITES: Graduate standing, OS fluency (MS Windows 95/98 or MacIntosh OS or equivalent), and fluency with applications (wordprocessing, email, web browsing, database, etc.)

University of South Florida, 4202 Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620-5650

SCHEDULE: There are NO class meetings except for the final exam. The course is conducted by email/WWW. See Schedule of assignment submission and other deadlines. Ignore any materials or web pages indicating any initial meeting for this class. I won't be there.

The Distance Learning option is offered to a limited number of qualified students for whom the on-campus course is not a productive option.  These are students who have substantial programming experience. Participants are expected to be highly motivated and self-directed. Additional prerequisites that you must have are: 1) previous programming experience, knowledge of and experience in using basic data structures (e.g. scalar and arrayed variables) and basic control structures (e.g. if, case, for, do.); 2) email and the ability to use it to send messages with attachments; 3) some previous experience with HTML; 4) your own web space at which you already know how to publish web pages; 5) a Windows 95 system (or later); 6) willingness to come to Tampa for the final examination; 7) you must email the instructor for a permit to register.

REQUIRED: McDuffie, T. S. (2003). JavaScript Concepts & Techniques: Programming Interactive Web Sites. Wilsonville, Oregon: Franklin, Beedle & Associates.  ISBN: 1-887902-69-4 BUY IT AT http://www.fbeedle.com/69-4.html

Web Programming 1 is an introduction to problem-solving and programming within the field of education. Course content is developed in the context of its application to instruction and to the collection and manipulation of educational data.

The Course Products that comprise the basis for evaluation of the student's performance are seven formal benchmark Assignments (0-VI), a Course Project (optional), and a Final Examination.

Before attempting to write any of the Assignment programs described below:

1. Complete the corresponding chapters in the textbook, run & study the demo programs provided with the textbook, and do many exercises.
   
2. Try to write some programs of your own invention that apply your new knowledge. Try to write a whole bunch of them. You learn to program by PROGRAMMING -- what a concept!
   
3. Then, run & study the related instructor-provided demo programs. You are able to see all the code of these programs, as with the text-provided programs.
   
4. Run the appropriate Sample Solution (Sample0.html, for example) to get a visual example of the kind of program that you must write and submit to the instructor. In most cases, I have taken steps to hide some of the code from you in these programs so that you won't be tempted to parallel them too closely.
   
5. NOW try to write your Assignment submission.

In each of the Assignments you are instructed to demonstrate mastery of the objectives by creating a single, culminating product. This single, culminating product should be made to demonstrate your mastery of the concepts in a straightforward, spartan manner.  The online sample solutions are, in most cases, more complex than what you should create.  I will evaluate your assignment solutions and give you feedback (by email) regularly as you notify me (by email) of their completion.  However, if you expect to learn the course material well, you will have to write/study many, many more programs other than your Assignment submission. (There are abundant exercises and examples in the course text.)

As you create your assignment submissions, adhere to the general intent of each task, not the exact detail of how it has been accomplished in the sample solution. I don't want you to recreate the sample programs, just to do something comparable -- as long as you accomplish the same general objectives about learning programming.  Throughout your work, remember to refer regularly to the appendices in your textbooks, to the resources located at the web sites that support the textbooks, and to the resources online at the course web site (http://www.coedu.usf.edu/webprog1/). Also, be sure that all your work functions well at 640X480 (very low) resolution.

How Will You Know If Your Assignment Is Correct?  In most cases it should be self-evident, but whatever the case you will always receive a return email from me with feedback in response to your message to wwwprog@tempest.coedu.usf.edu telling me that the assignment is ready for evaluation.  If the assignment is OK I will tell you so.  If it is not, I will tell you what I think you should do.

For those who seek the course "A" by submitting a Course Project, I evaluate projects at the very end of the course, so I normally send no email response. My evaluation is factored into the overall course grade. However, I will respond to specific questions about course projects as best I can.

How Soon Will I Respond?  I prioritize.  I try to respond to direct questions from distance learners within 24 hours of my receipt the message.  For on-campus students, it depends upon the nature of the question, but most issues should be addressed in the weekly lab sessions, not by email.  For assignment submissions and resubmissions about which you don't have questions, I try (and almost always succeed) to respond on a weekly cycle, much as you would experience in an on-campus class.  I try to let NO message of any kind go unanswered for longer than a week, except during University holidays.  Also, although I will receive assignment and project submissions after the overdue deadline near the end of the course, I won't usually respond to them.

Assignment #0: Introduction to HTML

NOTE: Many students find this unit to be the most difficult part of the course. It is not normally possible to achieve an "A" grade if you fail to "get" these concepts, however it IS still readily possible to get a "B."

Assignment #VI: Data Storage and Multimedia

See additional sample items at: http://www.coedu.usf.edu/webprog1/wp1sampleitems.pdf

1. Take the examination with my evening on-campus class as indicated in the Course Schedule. Let me know if you want to do this. 
2. If that option doesn't work for you, let me know as soon as possible and we will start working on an alternative.

1. All assignments must be completed and submitted according to the Course Schedule, roughly an assignment every two weeks in Fall, every week in Summer.  For on-campus students, assignments are due the evening of class.  For Distance Learners, assignments are due MIDNIGHT SATURDAY of the given week. The term "submit" means that:
   
   1.  the assignment is complete to the best of your ability
      
   2. an email message has been sent to the instructor stating that the assignment is complete and has been posted at the student's web site.  You must establish a permanent web presence for this course to which I can go and just click links labeled "Assignment I", "Assignment II", and so on.  I have posted a sample site at an account that I maintain on the USF student server --  http://jwhite.myweb.usf.edu/wp1 .  It will take some time for you to establish your own access to the USF student server and get this all working, so start as soon as you can.

   You must revise incorrect assignments until they are correct. In order to secure a Course "B" grade, no fewer than 4 assignments must be submitted on-time. 

2. A score of 60% or higher must be obtained on a written final examination of the course content.

3. Class Participation - Students ARE expected to attend every class and to participate. Students are NOT required to complete assignments in the COE computer labs -- lab activities may be performed at home or at other suitable locations. Prepare readings in advance of class and spend enough time working outside of class to ascertain that competencies are being met. Expect to spend a substantial amount of time outside of class entering, modifying, and executing many different programs. The COE computer labs are open most weekdays and some evening & weekend hours. Check the labs for posted hours of operation.

4. Note that you do NOT have to create a Course Project to secure a "B"

TO EARN A COURSE "A":

In addition to meeting all the conditions for a "B":

1. No fewer than 6 on-time, correct assignment submissions.
   
2. A score of 80% or higher must be obtained on a written final examination of the course content.
   
3. A course project must be created that makes substantial and appropriate use of modular structure to display a high level of command over the course content. Inherent in this concept is the appropriate use of data at global and local levels and the consequent passing of data and objects between subprograms.
   
4. The course project must include appropriate amounts of clearly-written internal documentation (remarks contained within the program code.)
   
5. The course project must move beyond the level of "brute force", situation-specific programming to the substantial use of generalizable algorithms. For example, if the program needs to present the subject with a number of multiple choice questions, a brute force approach is to make each question a different subprogram of the main program. A more generalizable approach is to write one question subprogram that either generates the questions or reads them from storage.
6. Don't submit an Assignment VI if you intend to submit a course project.  Just incorporate the Assignment VI criteria into your project.
   

USF Graduate School policy affords professors the "Incomplete" option only when a small portion of the student's work is incomplete and only when the student is otherwise earning a passing grade. Students sometimes fail to progress in technology-centered courses because adequate prerequisite technical skills are not possessed or because adequate time management and study skills are not exercised. These are NOT appropriate bases for the issuance of an "Incomplete" grade. No "I" grades will be awarded in this course without extenuating, documented circumstances, such as death in the family or extended illness. If you should happen to arrive in such unfortunate circumstances, be sure to provide me with suitable documentation when you approach me about the "I". Don't ask me what form the documentation should take or what is acceptable. If I find any problem with it I'll let you know. "I" requests must be made and valid documentation provided before the course is over and grades have been issued.

This policy, combined with the Graduate School's current policy of refusal to entertain any petitions to take actions retroactive to a previous semester, means that you must make a firm commitment to the complete the course, or drop it very quickly.  If you decide to drop the course be sure to do so formally and follow up to verify, otherwise you are likely to receive a poor grade in the course -- one that cannot be removed.  There is no "grade forgiveness" policy at the graduate level.

Once issued, an "I" will normally buy you one more semester in which to finish your work. If you haven't earned a higher grade by that time, your grade will convert permanently to the grade that you have otherwise earned. If you are not satisfied with that outcome your only option will be to repeat (re-registering and re-paying) the course.

ADA Statement: Students with disabilities are responsible for registering with the Office of Student Disabilities Services in order to receive special accommodations and services. Please notify the instructor during the first week of classes if a reasonable accommodation for a disability is needed for this course. A letter from the USF Disability Services Office must accompany this request.

USF Policy on Religious Observances: All students have a right to expect that the University will reasonably accommodate their religious observances, practices and beliefs. Students are expected to notify the instructor in writing by the second class if they intend to be absent for a class or announced examination, in accordance with this policy.

1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.2.2, 1.2.3, 1.2.4, 1.3.1, 1.3.5, 2.2.1, 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 2.3.3, 2.4.2, 2.4.3, 2.4.4, 2.4.5, 2.4.7, 3.1.9, 3.1.12, 3.2.8, 4.1.1, 4.2.1, 4.2.3, 4.3.1, 4.3.2, 5.2.1

Approximately 50% of class meeting time is allocated for instructor-facilitated laboratory work.