Working on the Web - ARC00040M

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  • Department: Archaeology
  • Credit value: 5 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module summary

This module aims to equip students with the skills to design and build a basic, static website from their own code that they will learn to write over the course of the module. Students will learn the principles of design, layout and interactivity, and will use these principles to generate HTML and CSS code to create an archaeological/BioArCh/cultural heritage themed website of their own choice.

The module is aimed at students with no prior knowledge of web technologies, who may wish to learn and apply these technologies in an archaeological, science or heritage setting. Past students have produced extremely impressive final projects.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2022-23

Module aims

  • To introduce the principles of effective web design
  • To equip students with the technical skills necessary to implement a simple web site

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should:

  • Be able to create well-formed, valid HTML documents and understand their application in archaeology
  • Understand web standards, and know how to apply them
  • Understand what makes good web design
  • Be able to apply valid CSS
  • Understand accessibility issues and address these in their own web documents
  • Understand the basics of dynamic webpages

Module content

The World Wide Web is an integral part of our lives. Most of us interact with web applications on a daily basis, often so seamlessly that the underlying technologies are invisible to us. But how does the web actually work? And what application does it have in a heritage context?

Over the course of this module, students will learn the history of the development of the World Wide Web, and the technologies that are used in its operation. You'll create your own website from the ground up, learning how to write well-formed code and finding solutions to problems that may arise. Building upon the principles of good web design, you'll style your website and critique other sites with archaeological and heritage-related themes. You'll learn best practice with regard to layout, standards and accessibility, and finally you'll be introduced to the principles behind dynamic web development.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Feedback will be available within 4 weeks

Indicative reading

DUCKETT, J. (2014). JavaScript & JQuery: interactive front-end web development. Indianapolis, IN, Wiley

DUCKETT, J. (2011). HTML & CSS: design and build websites. Indianapolis, IN, Wiley

KRUG, S. (2006). Don't make me think!: a common sense approach to Web usability. Berkeley, Calif, New Riders Pub.