assignments+&+grading

Your assessment and course grade is broken down as follows: (6 pts/week, 10 weeks) ||
 * Assignments and Grading**
 * < **Assignments** ||> **Points** ||
 * < Participation ||> 60 pts
 * < Homework 1 ||> 10 pts ||
 * < Homework 2 ||> 30 pts ||
 * < Homework 3 ||> 20 pts ||
 * < Final Project ||> 60 pts ||
 * < Total Grade ||> Out of 180 pts ||
 * < Total Grade ||> Out of 180 pts ||


 * Participation (60 pts)** - Your participation grade will be awarded each week. This grade is comprised of two components. First, prior to each week, I will provide for you a list of keywords or discussion prompts for the coming week's reading. You should prepare a word document with these keywords or responses to the prompts. In your own words, write a short blurb that defines what each concept is, and how it is important.

For keywords, you do not have to complete all the keywords before class, but you should complete **as many as you can**.

Second, we will discuss these in class and you will have the opportunity to take notes about each keyword. You should edit your document (completing all the keywords) and email it to me by midnight of the next day (Tuesday).

You will receive up to 6 pts each week for (a) sending me your document of complete keywords and your blurbs, and (b) participating in the class discussion and helping your peers understand the various concepts.

This component of the class is a substantial part of your grade, so keeping up with everything each week is really important!


 * Homeworks** - There will be 3 homework assignments in the semester, and taken together will account for 60 pts or 1/3 of your grade. The homeworks are designed to help you apply what we learn in class and labs and give you hands on experience with programming, databases, and applying information technologies in actual tasks.

Setup and access your TerpConnect accounts. You will need to familiarize yourself with the Unix shell and accessing your TerpConnect Account through a terminal application. In addition, you should learn how to transfer files between your computer and your TerpConnect account. We will be using your TerpConnect account all semester to create your portfolio of homeworks and web assignments.
 * Homework 1 - Setup (10 pts)**

For this assignment, I will give you a placeholder HTML file, and your task is to upload it into the correct directory of your TerpConnect account. I should be ale to see it when going to terpconnect.umd.edu/~[yourusername]/

Skills needed to complete this assignment include: understanding your terp account, basic unix commands (creating folders, navigating folders etc.), and setting up a way to transfer files to your terp account.
 * ~ Element ||~ Pts ||
 * Placed index.html file into the correct directory.

When going to the URL terpconnect.umd.edu/~[yourusername]/, I should be able to see the index.html file. || 5 pts ||
 * Create a subfolder in your root web directory and place another file there.
 * Create a subfolder in your root web directory and place another file there.

Email a link to me (the instructor) with the URL of this file. It should be in the form of: terpconnect.umd.edu/~[yourusername]/[folder you created]/[filename].html || 5 pts ||
 * Total || 10 pts ||
 * Total || 10 pts ||

You are the media specialist in an elementary school. You have been asked to develop a new Web interface to assist children in locating library resources and other resources on the Web.
 * Homework 2 - HTML & CSS (30 pts)**

Here are some examples of sites with similar purpose:
 * [|PG County Library Catalog]
 * [|Arlington Public Library's Kids Catalog]
 * [|KidSpace at the Internet Public Library]
 * [|Children's Books Online: The Rosetta Project]
 * [|ICDL]

Regardless of which scenario you explore, keep in mind the interaction issues discussed in class, for example:
 * Is the navigation consistent?
 * Do users always know where they are?
 * Is it easy to get lost?
 * How well is the site organized?
 * How is content organized?
 * Is it easy to tell what's where?

Based on what you think is effective and ineffective in these digital resources, develop a Web interface to support elementary-age children in finding books in your collection as well as resources online (decide what online resource you think are appropriate!). "Develop a Web interface" as in create a mock-up; for example, the search functionality doesn't have to work, links don't necessary have to go anywhere. The Web mock-up should contain at least three pages and demonstrate understanding of user interface design principles discussed in class.

Your webpage must use CSS; to demonstrate how much of an effect the CSS has, create a page that doesn't use your CSS page.

Points will be awarded based on the following (each worth 3 points):
 * **Correct number of pages**
 * **Links work**
 * **Clean, consistent navigation**
 * **Good use of CSS**
 * **Use of an image**
 * **Clean layout of code**
 * **Use of advanced structures (e.g. lists, tables)**
 * **Use of comments in code**
 * **Tasteful variety in display and presentation**
 * **Reasonable titles and filenames**

This assignment should be placed online in your TerpConnect account. In grading the assignment, I will navigate to http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~USERNAME/lbsc_690_1, where USERNAME corresponds to your UMD directory id. At that URL, I expect to see this assignment.

A teacher comes to you and they would like to create an online quiz for their students. Create 1 webpage for the quiz. The quiz should include an HTML form with 5 multiple choice questions. Your Javascript should assess whether each question is correct and then display a ratio to the student that shows how many questions they answered correctly (i.e. 3 of 5 correct).
 * Homework 3 - Javascript (20 pts)**

Points will be awarded based on the following (5 pts each):
 * Use of CSS to make the quiz interface appealing
 * HTML Form for the Quiz input
 * Good use of Javascript to take the form input and assess correct answers
 * Good use of Javascript to display the quiz score to the student

This assignment should be placed online in your TerpConnect account. In grading the assignment, I will navigate to http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~USERNAME/lbsc_690_2, where USERNAME corresponds to your UMD directory id. At that URL, I expect to see this assignment.

In groups of 3-4, pick a problem that is relevant to your work/professional or personal life. You might also choose to define a problem of great need (for example see the United Nations Millenium Goals: Ending Poverty, Universal Education, Gender Equality, Child Health, Maternal Health, Combat HIV/AIDS, Environmental Sustainability, and Global Partnership). Maybe you create an application to better connect stakeholders with specific information, maybe you make a game to teach literacy skills etc etc. The ideas are up to you.
 * Final Project (60 pts)**

Develop a prototype website or application to help solve or address that need. You will be graded on your ability to use the skills covered in this course (i.e. HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc) to create this solution.

Points will be awarded based on the following:
 * A clear link between a problem to be solved and the technological solution created by the team **(3pts).**
 * The complexity of the project. A project that utilizes basic HTML and CSS, with little interactivity or programming will be less complex than a project that requires extensive knowledge of Javascript to complete. Teams undertaking more ambitious ideas will be rewarded **(3 pts).**
 * Use of subdirectories and correct links between files/pages to demonstrate knowledge about file organization, networks, and development. For example, pictures could be organized in a pics folder, javascript files in a js folder, and css files in a css folder. The resulting HTML pages should correctly reference these external files, stylesheets, or javascript files **(3 pts).**
 * Relevant use of HTML, CSS, and Javascript to create your solution **(3 pts).**
 * The site is fully functional **(3 pts).**
 * The interface is usable, appealing, well designed **(3 pts).**
 * Oral Presentation **(2 pts).**

At the end of the project, I will ask you to fill out a short group assessment (here is the link to the form) and assess the contributions of your fellow group-mates to the final project. I will multiply the average of your peers' assessments (which will range from 1-3) to the points above. For example, if your group achieved 20 pts on the final project, and your peers' assessment of your contribution was 2.7, your grade would be (20*2.7 = 54 of 60).


 * Timeline:**

11/14 - Form Groups and Project Ideas: You should upload a short description of your final project idea to our Final Project Wiki Page. Please include the names of your group members in the post. In the description, state what problem you are trying to solve, and your initial idea of the application/website you will build for it. I'll provide some feedback on how clear your problem statement/solution is, and how complex I think the project might be.

11/28 - Bring an initial prototype to class, and we will spend class time working through any issues and providing feedback to each other on projects.

12/12 - Group Presentations of our Final Projects

12/13 - Final Projects are DUE by midnight on Tuesday 12/13. Please add a link to our Final Project Wiki Page by this date/time.

For examples of project from previous semesters, see Jimmy Lin's LBSC 690 Gallery of Final Projects, Allison Druin's prior LBSC 690 Course, or some examples from Jordan Boyd-Graber's course from last year: Subsidized Corn, Guide to Computer Basics.