the class is called: introduction to interactive web design and Authoring.

I was looking for a class at my local comumunity college for web design. I have tought myself quite a bit, but was hoping to learn more and also too have a class which forces me/motives me to work on it. So far, I have been using notepad++ to design websites, using only lines of codes. I was hoping of finding a class which teaches the languages, xhtml, css, php, JavaScript, ect.
However, the description of the class at my community college does not say that.
This is the description.

This course is an introduction to developing interactive content for publishing in the World Wide Web using object-oriented software. Students will survey online content and gain an understanding of effective design principles for online publishing. Students will learn how to produce interactive content using a variety of programs to create and process text, sound, graphics and video. As a final project, students will produce an interactive Website authored with Macromedia Dreamweaver.

Now, is this class worth taking, or am i better off not and just keep learning more of the languages on my own?
Also, i would like further information to help me decide whether or not i am going to enroll.

& would I have to pay for a copy of Dreamweaver of my own?
Thank you

When I first took web design classes, we were not allowed to use Dreamweaver until the end of that series of classes. The reason for that is because the code that Dreamweaver puts out using the "object oriented", that is, design mode, is garbage, and they wanted us to see that for ourselves.

From the course description you give, the code part of that isn't really being taught. Check the course catalog to see if actual web design classes are being offered; this sounds like an extension class for people who don't want to learn code, which is anything but a real web design class.

Now, everyone involved in web design should learn sound design principles, but much of that I got just from being an artist with experience in print layout in books and newspapers.

BTW, most of the time students use download a demo copy of the programs they're using if it's just for a short time. If it's for longer you can qualify for a student discount version, which is the same as the full version, just cheaper and you can't upgrade it for a discount.

tim

Originally Posted by serandfae

When I first took web design classes, we were not allowed to use Dreamweaver until the end of that series of classes. The reason for that is because the code that Dreamweaver puts out using the "object oriented", that is, design mode, is garbage, and they wanted us to see that for ourselves.

From the course description you give, the code part of that isn't really being taught. Check the course catalog to see if actual web design classes are being offered; this sounds like an extension class for people who don't want to learn code, which is anything but a real web design class.

Now, everyone involved in web design should learn sound design principles, but much of that I got just from being an artist with experience in print layout in books and newspapers.

BTW, most of the time students use download a demo copy of the programs they're using if it's just for a short time. If it's for longer you can qualify for a student discount version, which is the same as the full version, just cheaper and you can't upgrade it for a discount.

tim

ty for your help. Thats what I was worried of,
it is definitely a disappointment.
The community college offers no more web design courses.. so I guess I just won't take it

There are other options -- I started out taking certificate courses at an extension of NC State University, then learned the rest on my own.

tim

Yeah my high school class freshman year I took Web Design I, we didn't even start Dreamweaver until the last month of that semester, and really by that time all we had to learn about it was the FTP client built into it.

Although the design mode of DW isn't too bad, I've experience a couple problems with it not displaying correctly, but other than that it pretty much is a good way to see what you will get in a browser without having to open it with a browser.

After the first class though I didn't like where it was going... We went into Macromedia Fireworks (web 2), and then Flash (web 2). Although they changed it around a little now, it's called Digital Design and it starts out in Photoshop then goes into HTML. I really wish they taught PHP though.

If you want then you can. It may be very helpful in your future endeavors. This can give you a headstart on what you want to do.

I think learning the languages would be better than learning DreamWeaver.

Dreamweaver can be a great tool if you don't use any of it's features except live view and FTP. You should still hand code everything. Your code will thank you.