Why Learn To Code (or Do I Really Need to Know This?)

Learning should be "hard fun"

Halfway through the week and some of you (most of you?) are probably wondering if learning about this HTML stuff is actually worth the frustration. As I mentioned the first day, although I am not expecting you all to be able to, or even want to, sit down and write out HTML code to build out your websites, I do think that understanding what you are looking at, and being able to troubleshoot your work because you are at least a little familiar with tags and attributes and what you are looking at.
So you are probably wondering "is it worth my time"? Can't I just use one of the products or systems out there that allow me to create a website without looking at any code at all? And of course the answer is yes.
But the other answers can also be, it satisfies a certain curiosity about what coding is all about, that is you know some of the rules, you are then able to break them, that as designers or artists, you can have more control over the design and functionality of your website.
I don't wish frustration and angst upon anyone! Remember to take a few deep breathes throughout the day and realize that much of what I am showing you and demonstrating for you is indeed somewhat complicated to figure out in just 1 week. There are many websites out there that can be helpful, tutorials you can follow to learn HTML, CSS, and even more complicated web tools.
Code Academy is another way of learning about coding. My middle school students have enjoying learning JavaScript using this site. You work through lessons and progress at your own speed.
There are also some great basic books on HTML that you can use to help you. If you plan on using Dreamweaver to build your sites, there are books that specifically talk about that program. Just make sure you get a book that matches up with the version of Dreamweaver you are using.
If you have a little time this summer look through some of these resources. If you have any questions, please email me!

Anatomy of a Tag

This morning we will look at tags in more detail and how you can adjust the attributes of a tag to adjust the look of your page. I will also be reviewing tables and table tags.

Downloads/Handouts

• Dreamweaver Lesson 1 (pdf)
• Dreamweaver Lesson 2 (pdf)
• Dreamweaver Lesson 3 (pdf)
• Dreamweaver Lesson 4 (pdf)
• Dreamweaver Lesson 5 (pdf)
• Creating Tables in Dreamweaver (pdf)

Online Image Editors

There are a number of online tools that allow you to edit or resize your images. Here is a list of a few that you can look at and see if they suit your needs. Not everyone has a computer with Photoshop so this online tools can be a great way to work with images.

• Pixlr
• Sumo Paint
• Google+
• Aviary

Preparing Images For The Web

This morning's demonstration will be about image file formats that are used on web pages. For the most part you will be either using a .jpg file or a .gif file. If you are resizing or processing photos using Photoshop you will have to use the "Save For Web" feature to save the files.

jpg file format

JPG files are compressed in a way that makes them most suitable for photographs or images with a lot of color. Digital cameras are typically set to save your photos in this format.


GIF files contain at the most 256 colors and are best used for images which don't contain a lot of color. Line art, logos, are examples of this.

gif file format

The purpose of using different file formats is both for image weight (meaning how many kb or mb the image is) and visually, how the image looks when compressed. Using the Save For Web option allows you to preview the image before you save it.

Welcome

Driving to VSW

Welcome to the class. This week you will have an opportunity to create website and as you are designing and constructing your website you will be learning more about the "behind the scenes" stuff that make up a website. HTML, CSS, .swf, ISP, .xml, CMS, wikis, blogs, and html editors are just a few of the topics for this week. (sound confusing?? good!)
This morning I want students to think about what they want to come away with by the end of the week. I will be using Dreamweaver to demonstrate how to create a website and to show the building blocks of web design/development, it may be that you choose to go with a WordPress, or Blogger type site in the long run. If you understand what is under the hood you have a better chance at understanding how to tailor any of the ready made templates to your own needs.