LIS 753: Internet Fundamentals and Design

Spring 2008 – Section 98

Dr. Kate Marek
Dominican University Graduate School of Library and Information Science
Crown 331
708-524-6648
kmarek@dom.edu

Office hours before class as arranged by appointment.

Course Overview

LIS 753 is an introduction to the fundamentals of the Internet, including its origins, evolution, current state, and future. Critical Internet issues such as privacy, copyright, and other related topics will be examined. Students will have a basic understanding of Web content languages and the Internet as a result of this course. Pre-requisites are 701 and 703.

Course Goals

To gain a basic understanding of networking principles and techniques, Internet protocols and architecture, and major telecommunication issues.

To gain a basic understanding of the World Wide Web, coding standards, Web site design and page layout, and current issues.

To develop the understanding and skills to produce a group of linked HTML documents that can be published on the Internet.

To understand the use and benefits of the World Wide Web in libraries today, and to gain an appreciation for the Web's many complex social and legal issues.

To gain an understanding of the complexities that are involved when libraries today mount digital resources on the Web, and how this fits into a national and international information infrastructure.

Textbook and Readings

Castro, Elizabeth. HTML, XHTML & CSS: Visual Quickstart Guide. Sixth Edition. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2007.

Additional readings are available electronically as referenced for each class meeting.

Course Design

This course will begin with one full-day, face-to-face meeting on the Dominican campus. The remainder of the class will be conducted fully online using Blackboard course management software.

Content includes HTML training and exercises, readings relevant to Internet issues and theory, and class discussion forums. Detailed assignments and instructions are posted on the Blackboard site.

The course is divided into ten Sessions on Blackboard. Students should move through the Sessions sequentially, finishing the Exercise and Readings for each before proceeding to the next. A total of ten Discussion Forums will stay active throughout the term. Small groups will be assigned as Forum leaders and will be responsible for posting relevant questions based on the readings as well as continuing to lead the discussion throughout the term. Discussion board posts should be carefully proofread before posting (you may want to write in a word processing program first and then cut and paste them in to a dialog box).

There will be four synchronous online meetings using Adobe Connect software. Discussions during these sessions will focus on course readings; there will also be opportunities to discuss the XHTML exercises and for questions / general comments. Students are required to log in to two of the four sessions. See the course calendar handout for schedules; specifics (including the URL for session log-in) will be distributed via email.

Refer to Grading Rubrics (posted in the Blackboard Course Documents folder) for information about assignment evaluation.

Blackboard support documents are posted at http://domin.dom.edu/documents/blackboardstu.htm

For minimum system recommendations, see http://domin.dom.edu/Intranet/infotech_files/Minimum%20System%20Recommendations.pdf

Students are required to have access to a standard computer microphone (headset not required but might be useful) and a digital voice recorder.

Course Assignments

Due Date

Part #1: Gaining competencies and understanding

HTML / XHTML Exercises, 10 @ 3 points Weekly as listed 30 points

Discussion Forums on Blackboard, By April 6 15 points

3 @ 5 points

Part #2: Demonstrating competencies and understanding

Audio Essay: Web-based lecture

review and report March 9 10 points

Final Web Page March 30 25 points

Final Exam April 6 15 points

Class contribution and participation

(via two Adobe Connect sessions) 5 points

Total possible points 100

All due dates are posted with the Course Sessions. Late assignments will not be accepted beyond two days of the due date; grades will be reduced 10% per day late.

Grading:

A 94 -100 %

A- 90 – 93 %

B+ 86 – 89 %

B 82 – 85 %

B- 78 – 81 %

C+ 74 – 77 %

C 70 – 73 %

C- 65 – 69%

F 0 -- 64 %

See also the GSLIS Grading Policy as distributed in class and as posted on Blackboard.

Expectations

It will be especially important in an online environment that you are a self-directed learner, It is essential that you keep steady attention to the course, to the readings, and to the Blackboard postings from your classmates.

Academic Honesty and Integrity:

"All students of the GSLIS are expected to observe high standards of academic honesty and integrity. Any student whose conduct violates such standards may be subject to disciplinary action as determined by due process." (GSLIS Bulletin, p. 23) Plagiarism is unacceptable and will result in project failure. See Purdue University's "Avoiding Plagiarism" at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html or Indiana University's "How to Recognize Plagiarism" at http://education.indiana.edu/~istd/test.html if you feel unsure about what is and is not considered acceptable behavior when using other people's words and ideas.

Course Readings:

(Note: Additional course readings may be posted throughout the term. Check Blackboard’s Assignments section for the most current list of readings; readings are organized on Blackboard by Session for Sessions 1 – 10.)

These readings are listed by broad topic in the order they appear in the course assignments.

Introduction to HTML." W3C. Available online at http://www.w3schools.com/html/html_intro.asp.

"HTML Code Tutorial." Available online at http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/ .

"Structure of an HTML 4.0 Document." Web Design Group. Available online at http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/html40/structure.html .

Internet History

Internet Society. "A Brief History of the Internet." Available online at http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/brief.shtml