Texas A&M University-Commerce

Department of Secondary and Higher Education

ETEC 525
Internet Applications for Education and Training

Syllabus

 

Instructor: Dr. Jason Lee Davis

Office:             Education North – Room 114

Phone:            903-886-5598                                               FAX:               903-886-5603

E-mail:            Jason.Davis@tamuc.edu

URL:               http://faculty.tamuc.edu/jdavis/

Online URL:   http://online.tamuc.edu/

Office hours:  See website for current instructor schedule.

 

Term:        Summer II 2003  (035)               Call Number:      10324

Section:     01W                                         Credits:             3 hours

Day:                Monday-Thursday                                         Time:                          variable

Location:        On-line, web-based course.

 
Course Description

A study of Internet applications for teaching training, with an emphasis on online research activities and the development of effective computer-mediated-communication methods to facilitate online learning communities.  Methods of accessing, obtaining, managing and utilizing information from a variety of sources will be explored, as will the evaluation of online materials.

 
Practical Description

The prevalent means of providing and acquiring information on the internet is through the use of the World Wide Web and its associated set of materials made available by Hyper-Text Markup Language.  The focus of this course will be centered on the vehicles through which on-line information is made available; namely, web creation and management applications.  This course will guide students through activities of webpage creation using Netscape Composer and develop site management and creation skills using Microsoft FrontPage.

 
Prerequisite

ETEC 524 or permission of instructor.

 

Textbook:

None.  Built-in software help files and other on-line resources will be utilized.

 
Resources:
Software:

Students must have access to both Netscape Composer and Microsoft FrontPage.  Students’ personal home computers may be used or students may use available labs on the University Campuses to access computers with the required software.  Netscape Composer has been packaged with the free Netscape Communicator for several generations of the software, so, no cost is involved for acquisition of the software which may be downloaded for free directly from the Netscape Website.  (If you have Netscape without Composer, you have an extremely OLD version of Netscape and you need to upgrade anyway.)  Microsoft FrontPage is packaged with the Professional version of Microsoft Office or as a standalone application.  Personal purchase of this package is not required as it is readily available for student use in multiple labs on both the Commerce and Mesquite campuses and at many school districts which individual students may have regular access to as faculty.

Webspace:

Students will need to identify and acquire webspace on which FrontPage webs can be uploaded and maintained.  Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide users with webspace for personal pages as a standard service.  Check with your ISP if you are not already using your allotted space and have it set-up to allow FrontPage access.  Alternatively, numerous companies provide “free” webspace.  Costs are generally offset by pop-ups or banner ads of supporting sponsors.  Students should identify a service that supports FrontPage webs and apply for a free web account.  Commercial webspace and a domain name is not required; however, may be used if already in place and accessible.  Note:  Pre-existing webpages may not be used to satisfy the requirements of this course. (see “Scholarly Expectations” below.)

 

Course Goals and Objectives

            Upon completion to this course, the learner should be able to…

 

1.      determine an appropriate web authoring application based on size and scope of the project.

2.      use the basic features of Netscape Composer to create webpages with commonly used page elements.

3.      demonstrate an understanding of site structure and planning.

4.      layout and create a website using Microsoft FrontPage.

5.      use the basic features of FrontPage to create webpages with commonly used page elements.

6.      use advanced features of FrontPage, such as shared borders, to create cohesive pages on a site.

7.      recognize variations in browser interpretation of html code and implement programming strategies for maximum portability.

8.      identify factors effecting viewability of pages and imbedded graphics and implement appropriate coding to achieve most desirable results.

9.      demonstrate the ability to incorporate standard and non-standard file types into webpages.

10. demonstrate the ability to merge existing pages into a FrontPage web.

11. provide internal and external links in a webpage.

12. embed media components in a webpage.

13. create and edit tables in a webpage.

14. recognize the need to avoid the use of frames on webpages.

15. recognize accessibility guidelines for compliance set forth by the ADA.

16. utilize a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list to seek answers to common questions.

 

Requirements and Assignments

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) List – 30%:  Students are required to post all “how-to” questions to the FAQ rather than addressing them directly to the instructor.  The instructor will monitor the FAQ and if a satisfactory answer is not provided by other students with a reasonable time, the instructor will contribute.  Students will be given first opportunity to earn response credit.  Credits will not be earned by submitting calls for program assistance to the instructor prior to posting a request to the FAQ.  Questions may also be posed by the instructor to allow students to address particular issues.  Each student must post a minimum of five (5) questions to the FAQ list during the semester.  Each student must respond to a minimum of ten (10) questions during the semester.  Questions must be specific and clearly posed, and responses must be well thought out, informative, and helpful to receive full credit.  Participation MUST be spread throughout the semester.  FAQ postings during last week will receive half credit. (Important:  Posting the minimum required number of questions and responses in the last week WILL result in a letter grade reduction!!!)

Netscape Composer Project – 20%:  All students must complete a page building project using Netscape Composer.  Project details will be forthcoming.

Microsoft FrontPage Project – 40%:  All students must design and build a multi-page website using Microsoft FrontPage.  Project details will be forthcoming.

Project Evaluations – 10%:  Each student must provide a comprehensive evaluation of two other FrontPage projects.  Each project must be evaluated by two (2) classmates.  Students are responsible for making arrangements for their projects to be evaluated.  Additional information regarding assessment criteria will be forthcoming.

Projects and assignments MUST be completed and submitted by due date.  Full credit cannot be earned by late or incomplete assignments.  10 points will be deducted for each class day an assignment is late.

 

Evaluation and Grading

FAQ:                                                   30%

Netscape Composer Project:          20%

Microsoft FrontPage Project:          40%

Project Evaluations:                          10%

A         90-100%

B         80-89%

C         70-79%

D         60-69%

F          59% or less

                                   

Attendance

As this is an on-line class with no regularly scheduled meeting, following the initial face-to-face meeting, attendance is equated to regular active participation and appropriate progress toward timely project completion.

 

Accommodations for Disabilities

Students requesting accommodations for disabilities must go through the Academic Support Committee.  For more information, please contact the Director of Disability Resources & Services, Halladay Student Services Bldg., Room 303D, 903-886-5835.

 

Student Conduct

All students enrolled at the University shall follow the tenets of common decency and acceptable behavior conductive to a positive learning environment  (see Student’s Guide Handbook, Policies and Procedures, Conduct).

 

Scholarly Expectations

All works submitted for credit must be original works created by the scholar uniquely for the class.  It is considered inappropriate and unethical, particularly at the graduate level, to make duplicate submissions of a single work for credit in multiple classes, unless specifically requested by the instructor.  Work submitted at the Graduate level is expected to demonstrate higher order thinking skills and be of significantly higher quality than work produced at the undergraduate level.  Writings must exhibit correct form, style, and grammar and demonstrate the student’s ability to communicate clearly and effectively in the English language.  References and citations should be made in accordance with established APA 6 style.

 

Additional References

           

Coming soon.

 

Rev. 11/19/2003