The way my school approached it was interesting. My major was in a combination of Interactivity, Video, and Animation under the label of Time Arts. It was definitely different than what I hear you describing here, so I think it depends on the university.
For the interactive/web end of things, we had a Director class, Flash class, and Web development class. The Director class had nothing to do with the web, and the Flash class was never about making websites. In fact, we used to make small flash applications which could theoretically be used on websites, and it was easy to see how you could potentially make a website in Flash. I think our teacher was against it, though - interestingly enough, his portfolio site used to be all Flash - I just took a look and he redid it with XHTML/CSS (granted, frames too, but you can't expect miracles). The Web Design class was actually a really awesome basis, and more schools should have a Web course like this. The teacher was from the Graphic Design area of the school, and he taught a few classes to our major as well. He took us through the conceptual approach to developing for th web - our first site was based off architecture, the second off redesigning an existing site, and the third off an abstract concept. It gave us quite the realm to work with. While the layout was done using tables and some CSS for styling, it gave us a great foundation for moving forward and I was able to easily learn the remainder of CSS a short while after. I guess it depends on the major and what people are focusing on, too - for this class, not a lot of people would eventually become Web Developers (in fact, I'm one of the only few) so the lack of focus on code wasn't a big deal (we did code a lot in the Flash course). For those of us who wanted to expand there, it gave a great foundation just like all the other courses in that major. /End rant. Tim Palac http://www.timpalac.com AIM: TymArtist On 10/22/07, Christian Snodgrass <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I am actually having a similar problem. I was able to skip the Web > Development class, so I didn't have to sit through it, but I am sure it > is similar to how yours is. We have a Javascript class and the HTML that > is taught in there is hideous. Also, my teacher in my Multimedia class > is wanting us to create a Flash-only website, which I've told him is not > right. > > I'm actually planning on talking to them one-on-one to help them get up > to today's standards. Also, I work for a group who's primary duty is to > maintain the residential network, but also does things such as > computer-related websites. I'm planning on putting together one for > today's website standards as well as for accessibility and invite pretty > much every computer and technology related teacher to it so I can help > try and open some eyes. > > I think it is such a shame when the schools turn out sub-par web > developers, who later become more roadblocks to acceptable standards > usage. > > But, like others have already said, don't be confrontational, be > informative. I am in my 5th semester so I know many of the teachers in > quite well already, so I can talk to them without them getting > defensive. You have to be helpful or else they'll just plug their ears > and refuse to listen. > > Good luck with your school, > Christian Snodgrass > > James Jeffery wrote: > > Good Morning! > > > > Here is my problem. Im at college this year, preparing for University > > (Hopefully Birmingham) to > > study Software Engineering. At college we have a class on a Thursday > > called "Web Development" > > and the guy thats teaching the class in an absolute joke, no > > seriously, he is. > > > > He is teaching students how to create web pages using Dreamweaver in > > "Design" view, and then > > telling students if they can do this, they are Web Designers. > > > > I was angry, i instantly replied and questioned his knowledge on HTML > > and asked the age old question: > > "What are tables in HTML used for?", he replied "To lay out web pages > > and for tabled data", i replied with > > "wrong", he laughed and told me he knows what he is talking about. > > > > I seriously want to raise a huge issue at the college, but im not sure > > how to do it. This guy is on 22k+ > > a year, and cannot even teach people correctly, he may have been a pro > > back in the days when tables > > were acceptable to lay out web pages, but in todays world he is a fool. > > > > Its half term now, we have an assignment to complete using > > Dreamweaver, and he said i have to use > > tables, its not a problem, i will do as the assignment requests. I > > will walk the extra mile and create the > > same page without tables, with semantics, with accessibility in mind > > and without the bloated mark-up, > > and then write a essay comparing the both. > > > > What power do i have (if any) to try and get the college to understand > > they cannot use a cowboy to > > teach tomorrows computer experts. Should i use my essay and examples > > and take it to the head of > > the college? I really don't know how to go about this, but its > > definatly a problem. > > > > I really am angry and annoyed, you pay money to be taught the correct > > methods. People who don't > > understand are fine, they will believe him, and thats the shocking > > part about it all. > > > > I await some advice. > > > > ******************************************************************* > > List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm > > Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm > > Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > ******************************************************************* > > > > ******************************************************************* > List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm > Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm > Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ******************************************************************* > > ******************************************************************* List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *******************************************************************
