Unit 8: Client Website

Overview

In Unit 8, students create a website for an actual client. This is intended to be a capstone project that requires students to synthesize all the skills learned in this curriculum. By this point they should be able to develop a simple web site that is highly accessible, standards compliant, and thoughtfully designed. Creating the site for an actual client is in our belief the best learning experience imaginable. When given an authentic purpose and audience, students tend to take the task more seriously, partly because the stakes are higher. Under these circumstances, students are motivated by more than just a grade; they have the satisfaction of seeing their work published and they are also motivated by a commitment or an informal contract they enter with the client to produce a site.

That said, creating a site for an actual client introduces several practical challenges that will need to be addressed:

When students do not have enough time to start a client site, or one or more of the above obstacles is insurmountable, an alternative is to have students develop a web site for a fictitious client. When doing so, they should still use the same process as laid out in this unit, which echos the process taught throughout the course. Also, think creatively about strategies for making the client seem authentic and real.

You might consider creating a certificate that acknowledges successful completion of the course to award students at the end.

Students can potentially earn college credit if there is a college in your vicinity that is willing to undergo the articulation process. The co-authors of this curriculum reached an agreement with three community colleges in our area to provide 5 college credits for students that complete two semesters of our curriculum and receive a B grade or better for each semester.

Estimated time required: 6 to 20+ hours. Completion time varies greatly.

Learner Outcomes

The student will be able to:

Modules