notes toward a zeroth course in HTML

[Funny, we were just talking on our telecon -- off topic, by the way --
that community colleges are where the action is in this arena and where we
need to be getting the word out.  Here are a few off the cuff ideas, just
for fun.  Copied to EO Working Group so they can fill in the serious
answers I left out.]

a. Join the HWG yourself.  The teacher needs a life support system.

Don't tell them about this group until they have taken the exam.
<www.hwg.org>.

b. They should take a look at OPIE at NCSA.  This is part of cultural
awareness, understanding the setting for HTML and what is happening out
there.  Yahoo draws milions but they won't show you how they do it.  Here
is a portal with a claim to being open.

c. The WAVE.  Use it in your lesson teaching attributes.  Just happen to
use ALT as the example in teaching attributes.  This tool shows a lot about
what's happening in HTML, not just what isn't happening when the page is
inaccessible.

d. Teach them to use Alta Vista to find pages that use a particular tag.
Get them to bring back their examples of pages where they think their
assigned feature has been used the best and the worst, for an assigned
element or feature.  Deal out features, not all to do the same thing.  Pull
names out of the hat for recitation: they have to have a page of bookmarks
with their good and bad pages on a floppy (or have mailed the links to you).

e. More context awareness:  They should know about the web archive of IETF
documents that is available from faqs.org.  Yes, the IETF themselves have a
website, but it's not nearly so usable.  But your students should not be
totally ignorant about the Internet.  They should be aware of FAQs and
RFCs.  As you go through the syllabus pick some feature that is used well
or badly at this site and assign them to study it.

b. Disability Awareness.  Again, you can assign different students
different activity cards from a deck containing:  
- subscribe to the WebWatch mailing list
- listen in on OnARoll Radio.
- check out the Able Channel on TVonTheWeb
- read a bit at the EnablementZone.com

f. Use accessible sites in your lectures or homework assignments such as
wine.com.








At 03:54 PM 2000-09-19 +0000, you wrote:
>Greetings,
>
>Thanks to the highest for having you all so accessible.
>
>I am teaching my first HTML class at a local community college here in the 
>Boston MA area. I just wanted to drop a quick note to ask for both advice 
>and tell you a bit about my concerns.
>
>The total class time is 15 hours and we meet once a week. Do any of  you 
>suggest that I skip over the font tags and work in css? I know it's an odd 
>question. I guess all the school expects is that 15 hours of HTML is 
>completed. They feel that if the students are still interested they will 
>search it out after this initial introduction. The school is correct because 
>these folk are real new to HTML (nuge nuge wink wink). Any suggestions or 
>resources for me to pass out to the folk who are working quicker than the 
>class pace would be great. I want the ones who are digging in to have some 
>extra pathways. Unfortunately the class is set up to work with the slower 
>students, if that makes any sense.
>
>To my next question. Do any of you have any URI resources or recommendations 
>for me in the following areas:
>WAI/accessibiliby
>HTML Resources
>Intro CSS
>Intro anything u suggest
>Please I would take anything from color info, charts, to browser 
>compatibility links, but please remember these are non-tech, quite intro 
>newbies. The school only provides a small book, yet it's ok. But I want to 
>fill these little critters full of HTML options and pathways, and kiss lots 
>of butt along the way. Ha ha.
>
><del>Sorry bout da diff group submitions</del>
>
>I look forward to your wisdom and thanks!
>
>==
>Michael
>suffolkuniversity@hotmail.com
>
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Received on Wednesday, 20 September 2000 22:38:48 UTC