Goals

1. To provide a way for students to think critically about verbal and visual rhetorics as applied to the World Wide Web

2. To introduce students to the issues and methods of publishing to the World Wide Web

3. To develop an understanding of a Web site as a coordinated presentation of structured information

4. To develop criteria for the creation and evaluation of a Web site

5. To introduce students to the fundamentals of Web page creation and Web site design

6. To produce an online portfolio that demonstrates an understanding of the principles of representing knowledge visually and verbally on the World Wide Web

7.  To acquaint students with issues regarding the World Wide Web, such as free speech and copyright.

8.  To acquaint students with the history and projected future of the World Wide Web

Structure of course

This course is contains three modules, each of which lasts five weeks and is worth one credit hour. A student can take one, two or three modules in a semester.

Each module has two parts:
CONCEPTS--which includes readings and exercises having to do with verbal and nonverbal rhetorics, graphic design, hypertextual structures, etc.

<NUTS&BOLTS>--which includes instruction in Hypertext Markup Language and Web page design, with online examples

Each module will result in projects that will be published to the Web as part of an online portfolio. The projects should integrate both text and graphics as part of a unified online publication.

Students must elect an emphasis from the following:

Persuasive--a persuasive emphasis culminates in  Web projects that are designed to advance a position, as one does in a traditional liberal arts research paper or in a technical proposal, or to present information in an original and structured way.

Creative--a creative emphasis culminates in Web projects such as an extended piece of hyperfiction or a presentation of creative art in another medium via the Web (photographs, paintings, music, digital art of some kind)

Grading

Module One--exercises 30%, exam 30%, portfolio 40%

Module Two--exercises 30%, exam 30%, portfolio 40%

Module Three--This module involves an individual or group project. The project will count as 70% of the final course grade.

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