Day One: Class Preparation

Overview

As with any academic course, the first day of class is typically a day set aside for introducing the course and outlining the curriculum, class rules, and expectations.

Most teachers have specific introductory activities that they like to (or are required to) incorporate into the first day or two of any class. On day one, or prior to the start of Module 1 for this course, the teacher will want to cover some of the following aspects of the course as they apply to a particular school and lab:

1. Ethical elements of computer use in this course
2. Potential job paths (webmaster, web designer, web developer, etc.)
3. Rules and consequences
4. Grading criteria (see our Recommended Assessment), as well as incremental checks on capstone projects
5. Syllabus
6. Documentation and record keeping requirements

It is also helpful to have students complete a short survey of students' web design skills and background. This information can help with planning for initial activities and to decide on team orientation for early projects, as well as set the pace and overall goals of the course. For an example, see our Survey of Web Design Skills.

Resources Needed

• Syllabus
• Other typical first-day-of-class documents (e.g., pertinent district, school, and/or classroom rules)
• Survey of Web Design Skills