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Archives - April 2007

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Staying Current—What a Web Design Teacher Needs to Know

Interviews with Real Professionals: Prepare Your Students for a Career in Web Design

Staying Current –
What a Web Design Teacher Needs to Know
Mark Evans, M. Ed., Program Coordinator for Technology Applications, K-12, Klein Independent School District, Houston, TX and co-author of Glencoe's Introduction to Web Design Using Dreamweaver.

Many technology teachers have access to professional organizations devoted to tying "real-world technology" and K-12 education together. However, organizations devoted to professional Web mastering and design that are also targeted to professional educators are few and far between. For today's Web design teachers, finding other teachers to connect with is important; staying in contact with professional designers is critical.

Teachers know that to remain current they need to read professional journals and online articles, participate in conferences and training, and stay in contact with professionals. Teachers want to ensure they are teaching students the basics of Web design, as well as preparing them for careers when they graduate. Students must know code beyond HTML and be able to work in a few design programs such as Microsoft Web Expressions, Adobe Dreamweaver, and Adobe GoLive. Students also need to be familiar with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and the differences between HTML and XHTML. In addition, since the world of technology changes so rapidly, students should stay up to date on emerging technologies.

Although professional organizations may not be readily available, a teacher's ability to communicate with professional designers can bring a real-world perspective to the classroom. While schools typically cannot purchase new hardware and software every time a new version, upgrade, or new product is released, teachers can still help students be familiar with these products by using demos/trial versions, and having technology vendors bring new products to the classroom. In addition, teachers can participate in educational technology organizations, even if the organization does not have an obvious or specific focus on Web mastering or Web design. Training sessions at conferences are often available relating to these course areas, and forming a network with others is critical. Teachers can also seek out related course areas within their own districts. For example, in Texas, some teachers are Web Mastering teachers under Technology Applications, and some teachers of Multimedia (and other courses) also teach Web Design under Career and Technology. Teachers can divide their memberships, each joining different organizations to make the most out of training, networking, and professional communications (newsletters, internet sites, etc.). Last, teachers can benefit from their students' knowledge. Students spend many hours seeking out information online, learning, collaborating, and exploring. Making use of the information motivated students bring to the classroom is a way to help both the teacher and the students remain current.

Curriculum support personnel can help technology teachers by making real-world connections between the classroom teacher and professional designers. Curriculum specialists can arrange to have teachers visit design firms over the summer; they can create blogs so that teachers and students can ask questions to professional designers; and they can arrange workshops to give teachers time to review professional design companies' Web sites both for site design and employment requirements. Innovative technology educators have access to a variety of means for remaining current, and making sure their students remain up-to-date; sometimes it just means creating those connections themselves.

Join the University of Minnesota Duluth's Information Technology Systems & Service webdev listserv and receive web site updates.

Web Design and Development, Graphic Design, and Related Organizations
In addition to learning about each association, organization, non-profit group at their respective Web sites, you can also access online membership submissions, helpful articles, information, and additional resources.
Interviews with Real Professionals: Prepare Your Students for a Career in Web Design
Michael Hamm, freelance graphic designer, Houston, TX and co-author of Glencoe's Introduction to Web Design Using Dreamweaver.

Question: How important is it for students to learn how to hand code a Web site? Do you recommend students learn XHTML instead of HTML?

Michael: I do feel it's critical as a Web professional to be able to write HTML rather than use a WYSIWIG editor every time. I have no problem with those editors, mind you, but personally, I'm able to get more done and know more of what's going on with a site if I write the code myself. This is particularly useful if something's not working. You have a better idea of what each and every tag does and are able to focus in on the problem.
Please send your article ideas classroom tips and tricks and
other items to
submissions@glencoe-techzine.com
With regard to HTML and XHTML, there's surprising little difference between the two. XHTML is more formal and less forgiving if you make mistakes. This forces you to write better code. This, in turn, makes for a better Web site structure that more closely adheres to accepted standards.

Question: What programs should students learn (Dreamweaver, Microsoft Web Expressions, Adobe CS2 or CS3) if they want to become Web designers or even if they just want to have their own Web site?

Michael: In my work, I've come to rely the most on three types of programs. The first is an image-editing application such as Photoshop. This is the program I use to design all my Web sites. The second application is a vector drawing application such as Adobe Illustrator. Graphics created in Illustrator are resolution independent so I can resize and create graphics without losing image quality. I can also create unique shapes for sites more quickly in Illustrator than I can in Photoshop. Lastly, an HTML editor is invaluable. Personally, I use Dreamweaver for this facet of Web design. However, because I know how to write HTML code, I can use Expressions, GoLive, or even Notepad if need be. This is yet another benefit of being able to write your own code. You can use whatever an employer has on hand.

Question: What other classes (academic or otherwise) were valuable to you as a Web designer?

Michael: I took a year long course in the fundamentals of graphic design. While this didn't tie in with Web design, I still benefit from knowing what colors to choose, what typefaces to use, and what others will respond to aesthetically. On my own, I benefit from a number of free Web seminars offered by companies such as Adobe and Microsoft.

Question: Describe a typical project that you would work on as a Web designer.

Michael: I'm not sure there is a typical project as a Web designer, because wants and desires change so often. You can, however, boil a project down into phases such as research, information architecture, design, production, and launch. There are, of course, a few other steps here and there but those are the basics.

In my current role at Microsoft, I was brought in to integrate a user interface with an existing HTML framework. It truly is form following function. In past projects with other clients, I've been there from the start. As a Web designer, you need to be able to hit the ground running regardless of what phase you're brought in at during a project's life cycle.

Question: What advice do you have for teachers who have students who want to pursue a career in Web design?

Michael: Let your students explore different ways of doing things. If there's one thing I've discovered over the years, there's definitely more than one way to code a Web site. If something doesn't work out one way, you learn from that and then try an alternate method. And ask students questions. You'll more than likely end up learning something from them. In fact, because I work with CSS and XHTML exclusively, and it's fairly new to the world of Web design, I often find myself in the role of teaching others new techniques or answering questions on why I've coded something the way I did.

Question: What resources do you keep tabs on to stay current?

Michael: When I have the time, I read articles and interesting posts on Web sites such as A List Apart, StyleGala, and K10K.net. For a perspective on graphic design, I turn to Speak Up. There are some really thoughtful and interesting articles and discussion about design.

Aside from the Web, I subscribe to a handful of design magazines such as Communication Arts, Print, and How. Last, through my affiliation with AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts), I can attend local events and receive email newsletters relating to the world of design. What I love about AIGA is the way they embrace all design professionals. It's quite possible I can learn valuable lessons from someone who works in the field of interior design. And as a member, I'd be doing AIGA a disservice if I didn't mention they give discounted memberships to students!

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