This part includes Course Objectives, Criteria for Assessment, Requirements for Individual Projects, and Grading Policies.

This course is an introduction to tools and techniques for developing computer-based multimedia programs. Features of authoring systems are compared / contrasted for producing web-based and stand alone multimedia. Packaging multimedia programs for distribution on delivery systems is emphasized.

Course Objectives

By completion of this course, students will:

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of effective and meaningful applications of technology, especially authoring systems for teaching and learning;
• Increase their capacity to embed and evaluate web-based and multimedia-enhanced learning materials;
• Develop instructional and organizational web sites using Dreamweaver;
• Compare and contrast Dreamweaver with other popular web authoring tools;
• Define key concepts related to web site and web application development.

Criteria for Assessment

You will be evaluated on the following:

1. Discussions and facilitation: 25% (12 postings with 2 points each, plus or minus based on quality)

Activities and goals: reading and weekly discussions: reading, participating and facilitating the discussions, making connections between the reading and practice, contributing original ideas, incorporating and responding to the other colleagues' perspectives.  

2. Individual Project: 50% (including the required elements and the quality of the site based on criteria of good web design)

Activities and goals: learning to use Dreamweaver, one of the popular authoring tools; making design decisions based on the intersection of theory, experience and connections; making consistent applications with teaching and learning purposes.  

3. Discussions, feedback and collaborative support for design and projects: 25% (12 pieces of feedback on colleagues' web designs, 2 points each, plus or minus based on quality)

Activities and goals: Evaluating existing web designs based on readings and personal experiences; offering assistance and suggestions to the other colleagues’ design questions; providing constructive and authentic critiques to colleagues so as to help everyone to learn.

Method for Feedback

1. Provide feedback to 4 unique colleagues during each review period (week 9 - Oct. 23rd to Oct. 30th, week 11 - Nov. 6th to Nov. 13th, and week 15 - Dec. 4th to Dec. 11th). This means that each person should have provided feedback for individual projects to 12 colleagues by the end of the semester;
2. Each time, please choose and give feedback first to those who have not received feedback from another 4 colleagues already;
3. Provide feedback under the Vista discussion forum https://vista.kent.edu/webct
4. Feedback should include but not limited to the following elements:
   • purpose (Does the designer have a purpose for the site?)
   • User or targeted audience (Who is the user and is it clear?)
   • Interface (What do you like or dislike about the Interface?)
   • Navigation and accessibility (Is it easy to navigate? Is it accessible?)
   • Links and images (Are there broken links or images?)
   • Included elements (What required elements are missing?)
   • Suggestions for improvement
   • Other

Requirements for Individual Projects

Your final project should contain at least the following required elements:
• One template
• At least one rollover image
• Animated gifs or graphic images
• Three JavaScript actions (behaviors). You can choose among the following: Rollover, Display status message, Popup message, Open Browser Window, Check Plug in, Drag Layer
• Two of the following: movie, sound, flash or shockwave or interactive forms
• One Java Applet or at least one page with CSS
• Library items

Optional (extra credits)
• CourseBuilder Actions
• Dreamweaver extensions
• More cascading style sheets
• Any cut and paste JavaScript

The final individual projects are due by Dec. 4th (midnight), 2006

Grading Policies

C     Not acceptable
B-   Acceptable, but can be improved
B     Quite acceptable
B+   Good
A-   Very well done
A     Superior (and Fun!)

We will adopt the following policy for the course (copied from this site http://fpdc.kent.edu/FCubed/modules/gettingstarted/examples.html#grading):

All assignments are due on the date specified in the syllabus. Five points will be subtracted for each day the assignment is late. If an assignment is later than one week, and prior arrangements have not been made, the assignment will not be accepted. NOTE: If you are overwhelmed or feeling behind, please contact me before the assignment is due to discuss options.

All students are expected to meet graduate standards by obtaining a "B" average on all assignments. This graduate standard indicates that the work was well done, complete, met stated criteria, represents a strong professional effort, and was turned in on time. Students seeking an "A" will need to demonstrate superior performance through critical thinking, exemplary products, positive and supportive interactions with colleagues and sustained active participation across course activities.

Any assignment that receives less than an 80% may be reworked and resubmitted. In order to gain additional points, participants must indicate what they would like to improve upon and how they plan to do so. Participants will then have one week following receipt of a grade to make revisions. Participants are encouraged to work with their peers and share their work in order to receive feedback prior to due dates.