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LIBR 240-11
Information Technology Tools and Applications
Fall 2010 Instructions

Heather Ebey
E-mail
Office Location: Carlsbad, CA
Office Hours: Virtually by e-mail, Elluminate or Skype. Office hours in Elluminate are as needed via an email request from the student.


Resources
Course Links
Greensheet
Instructions
Calendar
Resources
ANGEL
ANGEL Tutorials
SLIS eBookstore

Things to do or make note of prior to the start of class.

  1. Required Software
    You must have Microsoft Word and PowerPoint compatible software, two Internet browsers, image editing software (see below), Adobe Reader (or Preview on Mac), an HTML text editor (see below), and the free version of RealPlayer. See SLIS Home Computing Requirements for links to some software download sites.

    Details of Software Required

    Image Editor
    You will be using an image editing program to crop, resize, change resolution, add text, fix red-eye in images, and to create GIF graphics files. If you already have access to an image editing program that can do these tasks, then you do not need to purchase one. There is an educational discount for some graphics software. Examples of image editing programs are Photoshop, Photoshop Elements (recommended), Paint Shop Pro, Fireworks, or an open source (free) package such as The GIMPlink outside www.sjsu.edu (recommended for techies - there is a lot of free online help). The week 4 lesson requires the use of an image editor and images are optional in weeks 1 through 3.

    Details of Software Required
    A dedicated HTML editor is highly recommended. Though you can use Notepad or Wordpad on Windows, or TextEdit on the Mac, you will find a dedicated HTML text editor with both a text and WYSIWYG mode and built-in sftp (secure file transfer protocol) will save you considerable time and frustration. Dreamweaver is also great, but you will use it mostly in code view mode. If you go with a paid version, I suggest downloading a trial version to try it out. Since these can usually be used only 15 or 30 days, wait until the class starts. Options — some are free software — are not limited to the following: Notepad++, CoffeeCup, NoteTab Light, TextPad or jEdit on Windows, and TextWrangler, TextMate, BBEdit or jEdit on Mac.

    Windows Users

    • Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 or newer is required unless you have other image editing software installed.
    • Internet Explorer version 8.00 or later
    • Firefox (browser) version 3.6.x or later
    • MS Word compatible software (You will turn in links to your assignments and any notes in a Word doc or docx file. I add comments to this and return it to you with a grade.) You need to be able to view PowerPoint files on occasion and PDFs weekly.
    • HTML editor: Consider Notepad++, TextPadCoffeeCup, NoteTab Light or jEdit. Dreamweaver is very good, but the course requires hand-coding HTML, so you must use it mostly in code view mode.  I strongly recommend trying the 30-day trial versions first and making your final decision after discussing editors with classmates in our ANGEL "software" forum.
    • Browser plugins: Adobe Flash player, RealPlayer, QuickTime for Windows, Windows Media Player
    • Web Developer Toolbar (WDT) link outside www.sjsu.edu, an extension for Firefox by Chris Pederick [instructions available in week 1]

    Mac Users

    • Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 or newer is required unless you have other image editing software installed. We have limited help for older versions of Photoshop Elements.
    • Safari 4.x or later
    • Firefox (browser) version 3.6.x or later
    • MS Word compatible (You will turn in links to your assignments and any notes in a Word doc or docx file. I add comments to this and return it to you with a grade.)
    • HTML editor: Consider TextWrangler, BBEdit, TextMate or jEdit. Dreamweaver is very good, but the course requires hand-coding HTML, so you must use it mostly in code view mode. I strongly recommend trying the 30-day trial versions first and making your final decision after discussing editors with classmates in our ANGEL "software" forum.
    • Browser plugins: Adobe Flash player, RealPlayer, QuickTime for Mac
    • Web Developer Toolbar (WDT)link outside www.sjsu.edu, an extension for Firefox by Chris Pederick [instructions available in week 1]
  2. Course Materials
    Depending on the type of material, lectures and supporting documents will be posted each week on ANGEL with additional reading or viewing posted on a LIBR 240 web site. Weekly assignments will be posted on ANGEL.

  3. Student Coursework
    Every student has to complete each assignment.
    Assignments and the final project total 1000 points.

  4. Assignments
    There will be 14 weekly assignments . Each assignment will be worth 12 to 65 points. Unless otherwise noted in the posted assignment, assignments are due by 8:00 a.m. PT each Tuesday and the new topic begins on Tuesday. The calendar will give you a general idea of what will be required in each assignment. Many assignments require hand-coding Web pages to meet specific technical requirements. You will be installing and using a personal blog on senna.sjsu.edu. Some assignments include posting occasional responses to assignment questions in a blog. You will have a couple of assignments that require modifying or configuring prewritten PHP and JavaScript scripts.

  5. Final Project
    The final project will be worth 20% of total points.

    The final 9- to 15-page Web site is due no later than Saturday, December 11, 2010, 11:59 p.m. PT. There is no late extension on the final project and any pages modified or uploaded after December 11, 2010, 11:59 p.m. PT will not be accepted as part of your final project. The final project is your opportunity to put together a professional Web site with a home page plus 8 to 14 subpages. You will use XHTML, CSS (XHTML and CSS must pass validation), a little JavaScript and PHP, SSI modular design, and will incorporate images, Web 2.0 features, graphics, a form, a data table, and other specific elements. Your professional Web site will require research, a comparison of similar Web sites on the same topic, a mission statement, and a brief analysis of the audience for your Web site.

  6. Handouts
    Most written lectures and assignment will be available in PDF format, though a few require MS Word compatible software. Before class starts, make sure you have MS Word or MS Word compatible software (e.g., OpenOffice) and the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.
  7. Computer Literacy
    You must be comfortable with using your computer. You can prepare for this class by browsing some of the videos at www.fas.harvard.edu/~cscie1/ link goes to non-SJSU web site.

    If you need an sftp client, I recommend FileZilla link goes to non-SJSU web site. If you do not know how to download files and install them on your computer or set up a directory or folder on your computer, this is not the class for you. I will not be teaching basic computer literacy. I will assume you are comfortable with your computer and operating system (MacOS, Windows, Vista, etc.).

  8. General Requirements
    You must be self-motivated and able to work independently. You need very good time-management and organizational skills. Most of the assignments require preciseness and detail.

    Please consider the following before committing to this class. You must be able to answer ‘yes’ to the following questions.

    • You are comfortable working and communicating with technology and can deal with glitches. Correspondence and assignments are 100% online.
    • You know how to download a file (software) and install it on your computer.
    • You know how to create a folder or directory on your computer.
    • You have strong time-management and organizational skills. Procrastinators will run into problems, as assignments are not as easy as they might seem.
    • You are self-motivated.
    • You enjoy or are comfortable working independently.
    • You enjoy challenging material where everything is not spelled out for you. Though coding is precise, there is usually more than one way to successfully accomplish the desired outcome.

    Each student will

    • assume responsibility for his/her learning;
    • manage his/her time effectively (plan a schedule and practice time management);
    • ask for assignment clarification in the weekly discussion forum when needed;
    • watch the ANGEL discussion forum for clarifications on assignments;
    • do all work at graduate performance levels;
    • contact the instructor directly via email if you are having XHTML or CSS validation problems. I will expect you to give it your best effort first, but I understand that validation errors are difficult to understand.
    • follow the guidelines for corresponding with the instructor – all email must have “LIBR 240” in the subject line and should have a concise description of the problem in the subject line. (e.g., LIBR 240: CSS validation problem in A1).

    Instructor commitment

    • Grade assignments within 15 working days and post the grade in the ANGEL Gradebook;
    • Provide feedback on errors in assignments;
    • Respond to questions in the ANGEL discussion forum within 48 hours;
    • Meet with student in Elluminate or via Skype as needed per mutual agreement.;
    • Work with the class on scheduling. I occasionally extend due dates by a day if the majority of the class needs it.

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