Maximizing Teaching & Learning

1. Maximizing Teaching & Learning For the Short Course

2. Short Course Problem Overview • Inherently have problems getting students to learn required material due to their limited duration • Compounded when there are clear distinctions in the skill levels of the students taking the class

3. Two main questions arise: • How can course content delivery be maximized? • How can you keep more advanced students interested while still maintaining an appropriate course content level?

4. Class Information • CST 135, Introduction to the Internet & World Wide Web • Five-week course taught at Broome Community College • Content includes • How to use email & search the Web • Discussion of ethical issues • Creation of basic Web sites

5. More Class Information • Skill levels range from those with no computer skills to those with a programming background & have created some Web content already • Class meets 3 hours per week in a laboratory classroom equipped with a projection unit

6. Methodology

7. Immersion:Key to the 1st Question • Created Web site http://www.sunybroome.edu/~hinton_r/CST135Home.html • Aside from the textbook, no paper is used • Assignments are exchanged via email • Quizzes are form-based Web pages submitted to the instructor & returned via email • Forces students to work in a Web environment for all phases of the course even though they’re in same room • Available outside of class

8. Web Site Content:Addresses the 1st Question • Designed (for the most part) to teach good design principles • Navigation methods • Page dating • Layout • Screen resolution • Displaying information in the browser title bar • etc

9. Web Site Content:Addresses the 1st Question • My Web pages contain these elements & serves two purposes: • Site is easier for the students to use while learning the course material • Access to standard course documents, such as Course Policy & Class Outline • Current assignments with instructions are also available • Study Guides serve as lecture tools as well as reference documents for assignments • As students repeatedly use the site, they realize why the design principles are important, making them more likely to include them in their own projects

10. Pedagogy Dictates I Break the Rules! • While consistency is an important feature in good Web site design, this rule wasn’t strictly enforced • Students are told up front that this was done to provide as many online examples as possible

11. Pedagogy Dictates I Break the Rules! • Consistency is illustrated in my design of the menu system for the Study Guides pages • All menus associated with the Study Guides use the same screen layout • While the backgrounds for each individual study guide are different, each provides a similar format • After the heading, most pages provide a topic overview followed by the details, which are organized by subtopic • Most pages not only provide sample code that can be copied and pasted to a student’s file, they also present the material using that method • See Lists screen shot • Aside from links (for navigability), each page builds on the previous topics, reinforcing their concepts

12. Web Site Content: Addresses the 2nd Question

13. Why is keeping the interest of more advanced students considered difficult? • Common approach is to write the information for two different audiences • A better solution lies in subtlety, enhancing the way the information is presented • On the surface, Web pages look very straightforward

14. The Home page is menu-based providing access to all other areas of the Web site & a link to the textbook’s Web site

15. Study Guides teach students how to use email, create a basic Web page, create a template, utilize basic HTML elements, & Tips & Tricks

16. Piquing Their Curiosity • Advanced techniques are embedded in most of the pages • Usually not apparent to novice students • Students are encouraged to review the source code for all the pages on the site • In fact, the first HTML lesson teaches the students how to look at a Web page’s source code • Since these screen shots are static, the more obvious advanced techniques aren’t apparent here • Play with the Web site & see what interests you • http://www.sunybroome.edu/~hinton_r/CST135Home.html

17. Sample Techniques

18. Page Loading Effects • Home page contains a JavaScript forcing the window to open in a 800 x 600 window or smaller depending on the available screen space • JavaScript isn’t taught in this class • Opening Web pages • Links to Web pages I created open in the current browser window • Links to Web pages at remote Web sites open in a new window

19. Text Effects • Way of capturing the user’s attention • Implemented on both sample pages • Internet Explorer & Netscape provide different effects • These Web pages contain the code for both types: • In Internet Explorer the title scrolls across the screen • In Netscape the title blinks

20. Displaying Different Fonts • Need to know the font’s name • Default Web page font is Times New Roman • These pages are designed to support a range of fonts that might be installed on a user’s machine • Student can download a self-extracting Zip file containing a set of fonts designed work with the site • Instructions for installing them are provided

21. Displaying Special Characters • Need to know the special character’s HTML code or its numeric Unicode value • Each guide provides sample code that a student can copy & paste into a file they are creating • The advanced student will wonder how the tag brackets (<>) were displayed

23. Pushing Them Forward • Links are provided to more advanced resources • As I learn new techniques, they are incorporated into the Web site’s design • When I have time, I plan to add guides for creating forms & advanced use of color & links

24. Instructor Information • Rachel E. Hinton • Assistant Professor/Adjunct Lecturer • Broome Community College/Binghamton University • http://www.sunybroome.edu/~hinton_r/ • Takes you to my personal Home page which has links to this & other sites I’ve developed