Introduction to Cascading Style Sheets Course

Cascading Style Sheets have become an important component of W3C recommendations. (X)HTML Strict relies on stylesheets for all stylistic presentation, the Web Accessibility Initiative makes use of CSS for improving access for the disabled, and new work on HTML and XML will continue to make heavy use of CSS for the future. In this course, you will learn the basics of separating style from structure within an HTML document.

Students will develop an introductory understanding of how to code for the web using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and to establish an awareness of the inconsistencies in rendering CSS between browsers. Secondary course goals include increasing students' abilities to:

Know when and where to apply CSS2 style rules
Create effective pages using CSS2
Critically evaluate peer work
Experiment beyond the scope of the course

Each week students will be presented with a series of written lecture notes that supplement a textbook and online readings. Students will learn through reading these materials, working through the supplied examples, participating in online message board discussions, through peer evaluation, and through instructor comments on publicly posted project and review questions.

Outline

Week 1: Introduction

What is CSS?
Structure of selectors and declaration blocks
External, embedded, and inline styles

Week 2: Id, Class, Descendant and Grouped Selectors

Differences between id and class selectors
Using grouped selectors for common styles
Use descendant selectors effectively

Week 3: Pseudo Class and Element Selectors

Differences between pseudo class and pseudo element selectors
Common uses for pseudo class/element selectors
Styling hyperlinks

Week 4: Testing the Cascade

Specificity basics
Review and testing of Cascade rules
What is the !importance rule?

Week 5: Backgrounds and Borders

Adding background images
Borders for block-level and inline elements
Browser quirks with borders

Week 6: Sprucing up Lists and Tables

Adding style to lists
Styles allowed for table layout

Week 7: Margins and Alignment

Basic rues of the box model
Overlapping blocks
Positioning content with margins

Week 8: Putting It Together

Basic CSS-based layout
Comprehensive review of properties discussed
Final project

Prerequisites

Students should be comfortable with HTML or XHTML, similar to the content in this course Introduction to HTML (H101).

Requirements

Students must have webspace where they can post their assignments. Students will need to have at least two browsers installed on their computer. Current versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari, or Mozilla are recommended.

Books:
Required Book	Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide (current edition)
Suggested Book	Sams Teach Yourself CSS in 24 Hours
Additional information:
Your place in the course is confirmed by your payment. Introductory courses are intended for students with no experience in the subject matter and are seeking beginner level training. Refund Policy: Please read our Terms and Refund Policy before registering for this course. Additional Cost: Book and software might be required for the course. Read the Requirements and Book section for more information. Course fee does not include the book and software cost . How eClasses Work:Instructors post lectures (text-based, no video or audio), reading selections, and hands-on assignments once a week in the online classroom. Students can discuss the assignments with the instructor and amongst themselves in the classroom area. This format has no set meeting time, which allows students to attend class at a time most convenient to them, yet still provides logically organized communication between class participants. Students can apply for the completion certificate after finishing the class.

Price:

$220.00

IWA-HWG Price:

$120.00

Course No.:

H151

Instructor:

Chimene Long

Co-instructor/TA:

Karen Plummer

CEUs:

Duration:

8 weeks

Open Courses:

Start Date: Oct 11, 2010

Testimonials

Instructor's Profile:

Chimene Long has been a web author for almost seven years and has sixteen years experience with computers. She has provided contract web design services and web accessibility consultation. She also has experience with various adaptive technology for clients with disabilities.

Before you register for this class, please read the Outline, Prerequisites, Requirements, Books, and Refund Policy sections carefully.

Ratings

"I wish I would have taken this class a long time ago. CSS is an often un-tapped resource due to its level of intimidation. Chimene did a wonderful job of illustrating the principles. I very much appreciated her in-depth lectures that provided tons of examples to really help us grasp and let us see the concepts. The problem with books is their lack of illustration - Chimene was able to bridge that gap with her excellent lectures...not only this, but also challenging us with assignments to put what we learned to work. This is one of the best eclasses I've taken." - Joshua Rowe

"I really enjoyed this class and found it a smooth and easy transition into CSS. Thank you very much!" - Divo Brevik

"Chimene was great. I definitely know more about CSS than I ever thought possible in such a short time too!" - Kevin Zollicoffer

"Great class. Chimene is wonderful to work with." - Leslie Scouras

"I came out of this class with genuine affection for CSS. That may sound odd, but it makes so much sense and is so versitle, really, that it's enjoyable to use! I look forward to CSS II and learning yet more about this 'artform'." - Laura Ashton