Introduces the fundamentals of developing web user-interface/user-experience (UI/UX). This course will focus on core concepts and best practices involved in developing web applications that are not tied to specific libraries or frameworks. Topics include HTML, CSS, Javascript, and basic accessibility (a11y).
This week emphasizes the importance of Semantic HTML and explores the definition and value that Semantic HTML provides .. We will cover how to use resources like MDN and the browser Developer Tools (DevTools)while being cautious of AI tools like ChatGPT. An examination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript roles will follow, including HTML syntax, structure, and semantic elements.
What's included
24 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
24 readings•Total 335 minutes
Course Introduction•2 minutes
Northeastern University - Prior Learning Assessment •5 minutes
Syllabus - Web Design and User Experience Engineering Part 1•10 minutes
Meet Your Faculty•1 minute
Course Content Overview•2 minutes
Course Software and Tools•2 minutes
Core Course Concepts•5 minutes
Course Fundamentals•4 minutes
Academic Integrity•1 minute
Week 1 Overview: HTML Fundamentals•1 minute
Evolution of Web•15 minutes
What is the Web?•15 minutes
Servers and Browsers•15 minutes
General and HTML Casing Styles and Indentation•20 minutes
Intro to the Command Line•110 minutes
"serve" Webserver•4 minutes
Finding Good Sources•35 minutes
The Risks of ChatGPT, Copilot, and other LLMs when learning•20 minutes
Using MDN•5 minutes
The Roles of HTML/CSS/JS on a Web Page•7 minutes
Fundamentals of HTML Syntax•30 minutes
What and Why of Semantic HTML•10 minutes
Most Common Elements•15 minutes
Steps to Run the Code on Your Laptop•1 minute
3 assignments•Total 95 minutes
Assess Your Learning: General and HTML Casing styles•50 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Web servers•25 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Semantic HTML•20 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
Meet Your Fellow Learners!•10 minutes
CSS Fundamentals
Module 2•8 hours to complete
Module details
This week, we examine CSS syntax, specificity, and semantic class names. We discuss loading CSS, the CSS box model and related properties, and the differences between inline, block, and inline-block elements in the flow layout. The week also covers debugging CSS using the browser DevTools and applying the box model to create various common layouts. The main assignment for this week involves creating CSS for an existing HTML page to match a requested appearance.
What's included
5 videos10 readings7 assignments
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 68 minutes
Demo: Applying Styling•9 minutes
The 4 Parts of the CSS Box Model•4 minutes
Demo: Applying the Box Model - Horizontal Menu•22 minutes
Demo: Applying the Box Model - Vertical Menu•15 minutes
Demo: Dev Tools and CSS•18 minutes
10 readings•Total 287 minutes
Week 2 Overview: CSS Fundamentals•1 minute
Basic CSS Syntax•35 minutes
Advanced CSS Syntax•25 minutes
Loading CSS•45 minutes
Flow Layout•8 minutes
CSS Box Model•105 minutes
Additional Resources•25 minutes
CSS Precedence and Specificity•25 minutes
CSS Class Names•17 minutes
Steps to Run the Code on Your Laptop•1 minute
7 assignments•Total 98 minutes
Assess Your Learning: CSS Syntax Selectors•10 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Final Paths of Absolute vs Relative•20 minutes
Assess Your Learning: CSS Loading•3 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Box Model•15 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Styling the Box•15 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Precedence and Specificity•20 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Semantic vs Utility Class Names•15 minutes
Page Layout with CSS
Module 3•11 hours to complete
Module details
This week, we cover some common web design concepts, such as placeholder text and images, the issues that drive and complicate font selection, and important accessibility issues such as respecting text size and alt text. We examine some common misunderstandings regarding copyright law and how this impacts work as a web developer. We explore more layout options with CSS, learning about Flexbox, Grid Areas, and multi-column grids. We discuss the meanings and implementation of responsive and adaptive design in web pages.
The main assignment for this week provides an approximate layout with changes between desktop sizes and mobile sizes and asks you to write the HTML and CSS to create a solution.
What's included
7 videos16 readings6 assignments
Show info about module content
7 videos•Total 96 minutes
Demo: Flexbox•12 minutes
Demo: Flexbox Part 2•14 minutes
Demo: Grid Areas•16 minutes
Demo: Grid Areas Part 2•9 minutes
Demo: Responsive and Adaptive•16 minutes
12 Column Grid•9 minutes
Demo: 12 Column Grid•20 minutes
16 readings•Total 404 minutes
Week 3 Overview: Page Layout with CSS•1 minute
Lorem Ipsum•5 minutes
Emmet •20 minutes
Font Basics•55 minutes
Images in Foreground•5 minutes
Images in Background•35 minutes
Practical Copyright for Web Devs •20 minutes
Flexbox•105 minutes
Grid Areas•5 minutes
Responsive and Adaptive•7 minutes
Mobile Viewport Considerations•1 minute
Mobile First Design •3 minutes
Mobile First Implementation •3 minutes
Grid Columns and Spans•105 minutes
Choosing between Flexbox and Grid •33 minutes
Steps to Run the Code on Your Laptop•1 minute
6 assignments•Total 165 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Identifying Semantic Class Names•15 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Images•10 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Practical Copyright•15 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Flexbox vs Grid•65 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Mobile Considerations•30 minutes
Assess Your Learning: 12 Column Grid•30 minutes
HTML Forms and Positioning
Module 4•8 hours to complete
Module details
This week, we focus on the structure and layout of HTML forms, covering the syntax of various form-related elements and the related basic accessibility needs and mistakes, along with the limited HTML-based validation available for forms. I present common layouts for form labels and fields, including exceptions, and discuss how these layouts are or are not beneficial for your user experience. We also cover the different options for the position property and how these options are used to resolve common web design desires, including building a "dropdown" navigation menu.
The main assignment for this week requires you to match a requested layout on a form that will submit data to a provided server.
What's included
3 videos11 readings4 assignments
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 50 minutes
Demo: Applied Positioning•11 minutes
Demo: Applied Positioning Part 2•19 minutes
Demo: Dropdown Navigation•20 minutes
11 readings•Total 302 minutes
Week 4: Overview: HTML Forms and Positioning•1 minute
HTML Form Syntax•12 minutes
Keyboard Navigation•20 minutes
CSS Reset•13 minutes
Float•7 minutes
HTML Form Layout•27 minutes
Regex Patterns •12 minutes
HTML-Based Form Validation•70 minutes
Server-Based Form Validation•75 minutes
Position Properly•55 minutes
Week 4 Resources•10 minutes
4 assignments•Total 145 minutes
Assess Your Learning: HTML Form Elements•45 minutes
Assess Your Learning: 1 Column Form Layouts vs 2 Column Form Layouts•20 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Positioning•40 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Dropdown Navigation•40 minutes
CSS Transitions and Animations
Module 5•7 hours to complete
Module details
This week, we introduce BEM (Block, Element, Modifier) class naming conventions and explore their use, reasoning, and potential benefits. We cover common UI/UX concepts such as hero images, calls-to-action (CTAs), the concept of "the fold," panels, cards, and breadcrumb navigation.We also dive into the syntax and practical application of CSS transforms, transitions, and animations. Finally, we will learn to restrict any animation to respect user settings about reduced motion and add motion to our dropdown navigation example.
Week 5 Overview: CSS Transitions and Animations•1 minute
BEM: Why and How•35 minutes
Simple UI/UX Concepts•20 minutes
Additional Resources•175 minutes
Transform Concept and Syntax•28 minutes
Transition Concept and Syntax•25 minutes
CSS Animation Concept and Syntax•20 minutes
4 assignments•Total 110 minutes
Assess Your Learning: BEM•20 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Common UI/UX Concepts•35 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Transforms•20 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Transitions and Animations•35 minutes
Introduction to Javascript
Module 6•6 hours to complete
Module details
This week provides an introduction to JavaScript, focusing on key concepts and practical applications. You will explore how to load JavaScript and understand its basic syntax through this week's readings and quizzes. Topics such as variables, functions, arrays, objects, conditionals, loops, and lexical scope will be discussed, alongside some video animations to illustrate more complex concepts. We will also delve into the Document Object Model (DOM), a method of manipulating web pages dynamically using JavaScript. Finally, we will explore debugging techniques used to help identify and fix errors.
To reinforce your learning, you will complete an assignment in which you will build a "Rock-Paper-Scissors" game that integrates buttons and console interactions, thus demonstrating the above core skills.
What's included
3 videos13 readings5 assignments
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 28 minutes
Object vs Array Lookup•6 minutes
Lexical Scope•4 minutes
Demo: Debugging JS•18 minutes
13 readings•Total 256 minutes
Week 6 Overview: Introduction to Javascript•1 minute
JavaScript (JS) Overview•7 minutes
Loading and Running JS•6 minutes
JS Linting and Basic Syntax•11 minutes
JS Variables and Primitives•15 minutes
JS Functions and Callbacks•13 minutes
JS Arrays and Objects •30 minutes
Conditionals and Comparison•11 minutes
Mutation and Scoping•6 minutes
JS Loops•80 minutes
What is the DOM•6 minutes
Action on a Button Click •20 minutes
Debugging Concepts and Approach•50 minutes
5 assignments•Total 105 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Loading JS•10 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Running JS•22 minutes
Assess Your Learning: DOM•20 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Basic JS Syntax•35 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Debugging JS•18 minutes
Applied Javascript
Module 7•3 hours to complete
Module details
This week, we deepen your understanding of JavaScript by introducing advanced syntax concepts, including spread and rest operators, destructuring, JSON, and regular expressions. You will explore how to interact with the DOM by manipulating node contents and handling JavaScript events, reinforced with quizzes to check your understanding. This week also covers JavaScript-based form validation, highlighting best practices, common pitfalls, and the importance of balancing front-end convenience with backend security. The week culminates with an assignment where you create a form submission feature with integrated JavaScript validation, applying key concepts from the lessons to ensure functionality in web applications.
What's included
13 readings3 assignments
Show info about module content
13 readings•Total 125 minutes
Week 7 Overview: Applied Javascript•1 minute
Spread and Rest Operators•4 minutes
Destructuring•28 minutes
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)•2 minutes
Regex & JS Syntax, and Common Mistakes •3 minutes
DOM Node Contents•30 minutes
JS Events•30 minutes
Backend is Security, Frontend is Convenience•1 minute
JS Based Form Validation•3 minutes
JS Form Validation Pitfalls•15 minutes
Web Service Calls/AJAX•2 minutes
Steps to Run Code on Your Laptop•1 minute
Congratulations! •5 minutes
3 assignments•Total 39 minutes
Assess Your Learning: More JS Syntax•12 minutes
Assess Your Learning: JS Events•15 minutes
Assess Your Learning: Common Form Validation Pitfalls •12 minutes
Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university with a distinctive, experience-driven approach to education and discovery. The university is a leader in experiential learning, powered by the world’s most far-reaching cooperative education program. The spirit of collaboration guides a use-inspired research enterprise focused on solving global challenges in health, security, and sustainability.
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