Resources
WebCore Handouts
4. HTML Editors . Guides to Faculty Computing at Brooklyn College
WebCore Handouts
HTML code basics Converting files into HTML Making your own tables Brief intro to how to use the FTP program Using Caucus conferencing software.
/Links
AIT Guide to Creating Web Pages
Bare Bones Guide to HTML (off site)
Color: Ignoring color theory, we'll just say that if you use any combination of any of the these two digit codes -- 00, 33, 66, 99, cc, ff -- you'll end up with a safe color. So, for example, this is purple (9900ff), this code (cc0033) is red, this code (009900) produces green, yellow (ffffcc), blue (0066cc), orange (ff9900) etc. The complete 216 palette safe color guide can be found by clicking here. To see the HTML codes for changing the color of your background, the text, links (active and visited), click here (off site). To change the color of bits of text, as above, type <font color="9900ff">yadda, yadda, yadda</font color>
HTML Codes for Character Entities such as ò, õ, à ©, etc. (distributed in the workshops)
A list of members was also distributed in the packet at the first WebCore meeting.
BEGINNING GROUP
Friday, October 9th: HTML code basics, using Caucus conferencing software, introduction to FTPing.
Friday, October 23rd: More beginning HTML. If you missed the class, (or not) try this WebMonkey tutorial. And be sure to check out Gil Midonnet's HTML cheat sheets.
Wednesday, October 28th: Gil Midonnet explained the basics of HTML -- HEAD, TITLE, BODY, etc. -- and explained color principles (see above).
Friday, November 6th: Thinking about Web Design: tables, graphics, page layout. See the Yale C/AIM Web Style Guide.
Wednesday, November 18th: How to work with tables. See the table guide.
Friday, December 18th: How to structure your pages and your site. See AIT guide to Site Architecture. Also WebCore Evaluation. See also the Yale Guide on web site design.
ADVANCED GROUP
Wednesday, October 21st: Demonstration by John Blamire on the joys/importance/thrills of web interactivity, including JavaScript. To see some JavaScript in action, and to brush up on your knowledge of enzymes, click here. After this demonstration, the advanced group decided to focus on learning JavaScript.
Friday, October 30: Using JavaScript to write a quiz. See Tim Shortell's JavaScript review quiz at by clicking here. See how easily Paisley Currah stole his code and adapted it for her own course by clicking here.
Friday, November 13th: More JavaScript
Thursday, December 3rd: We took apart JavaScript scolling code for scrolling texts. To see an example, click here.
Friday, December 18th: We worked on graphs. Click here to see what we've come up with.
Future meetings
Beginning Group:
Last meeting of the semester was on December 11th but the Academic Computing Lab will be open in January.
JavaScript Group:
Friday, December 18, 11:00 a.m. in the Sociology Computer Lab on the third floor of James. Assignment: Paisley will bring JavaScript code to deconstruct.
nd problems with.
Resources
1. Caucus Conferencing Software
2. Templates
3. Images and Graphics
4. Ways to Create HTML pages
5. HTML and JavaSCript Guides
6. Online Guides for BC faculty
7. Reserving a multimedia classroom
1. Caucus
A "Caucus" conference is a virtual room you can set up for your class. You, as the instructor, can determine the parameters this forum -- Who can participate, etc. Detailed instructions for setting up a Caucus conference at Brooklyn College are available here.
If you've never used Caucus before, click here to register and have a look around to see what other instructors do. You can also take a short tutorial explaining how Caucus works. This tutorial, along with other useful help files, is available on the Caucus site by simply clicking on the help button.
When you're ready to create your own conference, email Bill Goodridge at bill@its.brooklyn.cuny.edu to give him the pertinent details:
a. your name
b. your login identity (you choose it)
c. your email address
d. a suggested conference name
e. the course (or purpose if it's a committee or something like that)
f. some means that Bill can use to verify that you are a Brooklyn College instructors, (such as your presence in the college directory, or the number of the department you're teaching in at present)Once you've been designated as a particular Caucus Conference organizer, you'll see that there is a detailed guide to learn how to set up and run a conference. Detailed instructions for setting up a Caucus conference are also available here.
We have a caucus for Webcore discussion which you can check out as you're browsing around. This conference is a place to engage in threaded discussions of pedagogical issues, different kinds of technical problems, your evaluation of the WebCore program, and whatever else emerges. Be sure to join the WebCore Conference. (There are several WebCore conferences-- be sure to join the one that has Paisley Currah listed as the conference organizer.)
Finally, check out "Resources for Moderators and Facilitators of Online Discussion." (offsite)
2. Templates
Distance Learning Lab
The Distance Learning Lab, part of Academic Information Technologies, is in the process of putting up templates that you can use to learn html. These lessons and templates are here.
Steal that page!
If, when you're browsing, you see a page you like and want to know how it was designed, you may be able to view the html code by clicking on "view" and selecting "page source" to view the html code. (Some pages don't reveal all their codes, because they're set up as frame pages.) You can also save the page to play around with later by going to "file" and choosing "save as."3. Images and Graphics
As you surf the web, if you see an image you like, click on it with the right button on your mouse, and choose "save image as" to save it on your hard drive. Note that some images (especially digitalized photos) may be copyrighted.
Some common graphics have been put in a separate file.
4. HTML Editors
A. Learn HTML by using an ascii text editor like Notepad
i. Use the WebCore Help file, "You too can write HTML" - a short two-page file, that gives you enough info to creating a working page
ii. Use the tutorial/template system Gil Midonnet is designing at Academic Information Technologies.
iii. Coffeecup HTML editor, $40 to download.
B. Use a WYSIWYG Editor
WYSIWYG: "What You See is What You Get": you don't generally see the HTML code in these editors
- Netscape 4.0's Page Composer (available under the Communicator Menu at the top of your screen.) Use the help menu to learn Composer.
- Microsoft FrontPage '98 (can easily switch between HTML code and WHYSIWG screen)
- Word '97
C. Use an ascii editor in combination with a WYSIWIG editor:
For example, you can run Notepad and Netscape Composer at the same time.
Use Composer to create a new page or to paste in an entire Word or WordPerfect file. Composer can do all the boring formatting -- all the essential codes, the line and paragraph codes. You can also use it to choose colors, fonts, etc.
Save the file and then fine-tune the HTML by opening it up in Notepad.
You can view both programs at once by "tiling" your Windows screen vertically. To this this on Windows '95, hit a blank area on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen with your right mouse button. Choose "tile vertically" and maximize or minimize the programs as necessary.
5. HTML and JavaScript GUIDES:
Webcore Guides
HTML Beginner Guides
HTML Beyond Basics
HTML Advanced
HTML Evaluators
JavaScript ResourcesBrief intro to how to use the FTP program
HTML GUIDES: For the Beginner:
WWW Sites of Interest to User Interface Designers, Developers, and Evaluators
Have your pages checked by an expert (machine): Submit your URL here.
Netscape's JavaScript Guide
The JavaScript Bible, the first six chapters of which can be downloaded in PDF format here.
Tutorials and lots of free scripts at
http://www.jsworld.comCharity Kahn's JavaScript tutorial pages
Cool Tool Quiz creator
Webmonkey's JavaScript Tutorial (from Wired). Explains JavaScript as slowly as you need, with lots of examples.
6. Guides to Faculty Computing at Brooklyn College
The TechRep's page, with lots of good information, especially to frequently asked questions, available here.
Produced by jointly by AIT and ITS, the Guide to Faculty Computing at BC covers a lot of ground. It's available here.
Finally, Information Technology Services has a mini-site with information about its services and FAQs. Click here.
7. Reserving a Multimedia Classroom
The two Multimedia Classrooms located in the Library are now available for you to reserve for your classes. Please be sure to meet with Nick, niron@brooklyn.cuny.edu, the manager of the faculty computer lab, well before your inaugural class meeting, to address your special hardware and/or software needs for the classes you plan to conduct in these rooms. More information about these rooms is available here. Instructions for reserving these rooms are available on the web here.