Welcome to ITC240, Web Application Programming 1!

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In this class you'll learn the difference between web pages and web applications. We'll work with two of the world's most popular web server applications, PHP, which provides server side scripting language to add functionality and MySQL, the database to store the data as we build web applications.

Canvas: This class uses the Learning Management System (LMS) named Canvas. Canvas can track assignments & submissions, online quizzes, grading, discussion forums and more! It's possible you could have more than one class inside Canvas and can even have separate Canvas instances to reach particular classes. Therefore the link to this class can always be reached via the following URL:

http://www.billnsara.com/

To reach the login screen for a particular class, click on the course number on the page above and you'll be prompted for your login.

Communication/Syllabus: Be sure to use the Canvas Inbox (left side of your screen) for questions. For much more detail on how to succeed in this class, please view the ITC240 Syllabus

No textbook, lynda.com videos instead: This class does not use a textbook, but instead requires a lynda.com video subscription. You'll be informed of how to access your video subscription during the first week of class. Most of us are eligible for free access to lynda.com videos once we have a Seattle Public Library, or King County Library card.

If you have a Seattle Public Library card, you now have access to all of lynda by using your library card number and pin: SPL Lynda.com access

If you don't live in Seattle but are a King County resident, you are eligible for free access to lynda.com videos once we have a King County Library card. KCLS Lynda.com access

Dreamhost PHP/MySQL Web Hosting: We require all ITC240 students to obtain PHP/MySQL web hosting with dreamhost.com. This provides a consistent experience for students and a place to put portfolio work. If you wish to use a different host, contact me in advance for permission. Check out Dreamhost's Educational Discount

USB Headset: If your classes are funded by financial aid, explain to them a USB headset is a requirement of the course, as you're required to do online interaction and listen to a lot of videos. Here is a good USB headset: Logitech ClearChat Headset

Announcements: As things happen in the class you'll be notified via Announcements. You can also scan through these to see what may have been covered on a particular day as I'll try to use this section to keep a record of where we're going and where we've been!

Coming Up: When you first come to the class website, pay attention to the items on the right side of the front page, which tell you which items are due soon. Items that are overdue may not show here, so be sure to check the modules as well.

Modules as our Guide: In Canvas, Modules allow us to move through the materials in a relatively sequential manner, and are the first place to look for what's required. Each module has a >> start here << page to give context to items in the module.

Lessons: Near the top of each module you'll find study materials that give context to the hands on work we'll be doing in class. They are designated by the letter "L", for example L1, L2, L3. Please study these items prior to class.

Assignments: These make up the most detailed obligations for the class, and include web applications you build, and other items as deliverables. Generally you will submit a link to where your assignment exists on the web or upload a file by a specific date and time. Select assignments may be allowed up to one re-grade request. View the class syllabus for details on re-grades.

Video Q&A: We'll use videos as our main reference material, and I'll present video questions & answers as assignments with hard due dates. These questions will directly relate to specific videos Lynda.com videos, and occasionally elsewhere. The deliverable will be a word document of questions & answers and has a hard due date.

Quizzes: At intervals Quizzes consisting of online multiple choice questions will test our understanding of materials and concepts. Quizzes are dated and can only be taken once. I allow 24 hours to ask questions about a quiz when it is made public, so please let me know if anything needs clarification. Failure to take or finish a quiz by the due date will incur a zero score.

Discussions: In this class you'll be expected to participate in graded Discussions. These are discussion forums that allow you to post comments or answers to questions. We'll use this to keep our heads in the game and allow some class interaction. Remember to be polite as these are public.

Class Exercises: Most of us learn best when we type in fundamentals while learning web development. To that end you will be required to post a google doc to weekly hands-on exercises. These exercises will be code we work on during class that you will copy to a weekly exercise document. The weekly exercises must be linked on your staging page and submitted via Canvas. If they are not linked you could lose points.

Hard Due Dates: There will be certain assigments and other class deliverables which must be complete by a posted due date. If you see an alarm clock icon, there are date restrictions on the item!

Typically the things that have hard due dates don't involve code. The items that will always have a hard due date are:

Discussions
Quizzes
Class Exercises
Video Q&A

Some items, such as quizzes may not have the alarm clock, so please view the instructions for each deliverable.

Online Participation via Collaborate: Although this class is designed to be attended live, if you are out of town or otherwise indisposed, you can usually attend this class live via Collaborate. Attending remotely via Collaborate is a privilege and should only be done when necessary or if you are all caught up and don't need help from me to complete class work. If you are having any difficulty completing work, you are required to attend class in person in order to receive live help during lab time. The live collaborate link is the following: Collaborate Live

Class Recordings: Collaborate not only allows live attendance of classes, it also records the class. Therefore if you miss a class, or need a review, I attempt to record all lectures. My goal is to post a link to a recorded lecture within 24 hours of a class. Class recordings will be linked here at the bottom of the front page once class starts.

There are 2 sections of ITC240, one that runs Monday/Wednesday and one that runs Tuesday/Thursday. Feel free to watch either recording, but the contents may differ slightly so be sure to watch your section's recording primarily:

ITC240 Fall 2015 Monday/Wednesday Class Recordings

ITC240 Fall 2015 Tuesday/Thursday Class Recordings