Course Syllabus

Syllabus: GCOM 361
Beginning Creative Web Design, Fall 2017

Schedule: Full Term, Aug 19-Dec 14

Th        09:00AM-10:50AM LEC H.Hogan              SCC MAIN COS 110         19847 Textbook

Th        11:00AM-12:15PM LAB H.Hogan              SCC MAIN COS 110  

Heather Hogan, Adjunct Professor webdesignprof@gmail.com | Canvas | Text msg: 916-214-5608 |
Office hours: Tuesdays after class at 2:50pm , Thursdays after class at 12:15pm location COS 110

Class Description

Prerequisite: GCOM 360 with a grade of "C" or better (or professors OK) Course Transferable to CSU, Hours: 36 hours LEC ; 54 hours LAB

Description: Students will explore theory and processes involved in designing various types of websites using an industry-standard CMS (content management system). Through a series of incremental lectures, reading, and assignments, students will explore theory and processes involved in online communications and integration of online tools, culminating in the development of a live / functional website. This course provides an overview of HTML and CSS, usability (UI/UX), project and client management, preparing images for screens, marketing via social media, prototyping, and responsive design. Students will be required to have or purchase web hosting and a domain name ($50-$75). This course is a prerequisite for GCOM 362. There is no required textbook.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• discover, define, and document the needs and goals of a website project.
• employ usability strategies to direct various audiences to specific end goals through intuitive user interface design.
• choose and modify a visual theme appropriate to the site’s audience and goals.
• integrate additional tools and services for increased interaction and usability.
• manage a Web design project with a client from project proposal and discovery through design, development, launch, and maintenance.

Grading 

If you try, you will pass. If you contribute in class, complete the assignments, successfully adhere to visual theme in your work, create user‐friendly navigation, use consistent design elements, and incorporate other design topics covered in lecture, you will receive a good grade.

Creative solutions which go above and beyond the assignment will receive a higher grade than simply satisfying the parameters of the assignment. Your grade will be determined mostly by the 2 semester‐long assignments — fully functional Web sites with a minimum of 5 pages. Your grade on these projects will be determined by how well you met the guidelines in the rubrics (to be provided). You will grade the project yourself and I will review and possibly modify that grade.

Regular attendance is critical in order to comprehend and develop the skills required to successfully produce the semester‐long assignment.

Final Grade Scale 

A = 90‐100% of total points B = 80‐89% C = 70‐79% D = 60‐69% F = 59% and below 

Design Lab 

Located in the Technology Building, in Room T-109 (Google Map), our Design Lab features powerful iMacs and a complete suite of industry software, including the Adobe Creative Suite, Modo, Final Cut Pro, along with Microsoft Office and many others.  The Lab also hosts two flatbed scanners, two postscript laser printers, two color ink jet printers and an oversized inkjet printer capable of large format photo quality printing.

Class Policies 

1. At the beginning of each class, there will be an attendance sheet for you to sign next to your name. If you miss THREE OR MORE classes, and have not discussed these absences with me, I may drop you from the class. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate discussion with the instructor regarding illness, planned absence, or other situations like dropping the class.
2. Except for special, prearranged circumstances, no guests are allowed in class lectures. If you are planning on missing a class (vacation, etc) you need to check Canvas for the assignment and make up the missed lessons or tutorials.
3. NO active cell phones (turn the ringers OFF) in class or lab! No texting please.
4. Please raise your hand to ask questions or speak up if I’m not looking! Your questions are very important for me to answer and if I don’t have an immediate answer, I’ll let you know the following session.
5. Feel free to tape record lectures, but your recording device must be compact and you must come to class early enough to set it up without disturbing the class—do not interrupt the class to set up your recorder.
6. Please feel free to e‐mail me any questions. Do not wait until you see me again if it will affect your grade. Only extreme circumstances warrant a grade of “incomplete.” An incomplete grade is reserved for those who meet all of the following criteria: Student experiences an extreme situation which is unexpected. (Death in family, serious illness requiring student to miss several classes, employment loss) Student’s grades are passing (C or higher) at the time of extreme situation. Student notifies instructor within 10 days of occurrence (Home computer failure is not an acceptable excuse since the lab at SCC is available to everyone.)
7. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable and will be dealt with accordingly. The punishment for academic dishonesty will vary according to the seriousness of the offense. Sacramento City College’s Student Code of Conduct provides for the following possible consequences of dishonesty: Receiving a failing grade in the course Having a course grade lowered Receiving an “F” in the course Being placed on disciplinary probation or suspension Being expelled from Sacramento City College.
8. Late work will be accepted up until 3 weeks before the end of the semester but will lose 1-2 points.

GCOM Lecture and Lab Time Commitment Expectations 

Most of the Graphic Communications courses contain several components: Lecture, Lab, and Homework/study. The classroom lecture or LEC portion of the class is where the instructor provides explanation and demonstration of the concepts and skills for that particular lesson. Students are encouraged to actively engage and to ask questions to ensure concepts and skills are understood.

The laboratory or LAB portion of the class is the student’s opportunity to acquire and practice the skills and concepts demonstrated in the lecture, and to receive coaching and feedback as needed. The LAB component in most GCOM is TBA (To Be Announced). This means it is completed on the student's’ own time, outside of the Lecture.

Several GCOM classes have scheduled LAB time with an instructor, but even those classes have an additional TBA expectation as well. Each course has a required amount of LAB time per week (see below). Students are expected to spend this amount of time each week of class in Advanced Technology Design Lab (TEC‐109).

Students who have their own computer and applications have the flexibility of doing additional LAB time off site, but are expected to use the Design Lab on a weekly basis as well. Students will sign in and out of the lab to document the time spent, this determines funding and resources allocated to the lab.

Independent Study, Homework & Assignments 

This is the work you as an individual, need to complete independently in order to be successful in the class. Homework and assignments are given by the instructor, are evaluated by the instructor and you are provided with feedback.

A general estimate of this time is an average of 2 hours per 1 hour lecture. You are expected to come to LEC and LAB prepared, having read all required course materials.

• Full Term Lecture & Lab Courses: 54 hours listed for lab = 75 total minutes in scheduled Lab 90 total minutes in Design Lab each week

Semester Overview: GCOM 361: Creative Web Design

Second Half