Web Design Course Textbooks
This course does not require you to purchase any specific textbooks. Instead, your course instructor will work with you to decide what instructional resources work best in your situation. Most students find that the just-in-time videos are the best way to get started. Viewing these videos enables you to peruse the tools in action and get an idea of which approach feels best in terms of your personal working style and objectives.
After you begin working with your tool of choice, your instructor will help you decide what kind of supports you need to master it. Recently, the tool vendors have made significant improvements in the quality of their built-in help and online support. You may discover that the tutorials and examples provided by the vendor suffice in getting you started.
O’Reilly’s Online Safari Service
O’Reilly operates an online service named Safari, which provides full-text access to four thousand books dealing with all kinds of technical subjects including Web design and develpment. You can either purchase printed copies of specific books, or you can subscribe to the Safari service at one of two levels: 10-slot Bookshelf at $22.99 per month, or Safari Library unlimited access at $42.99 per month. The 10-slot Bookshelf lets you select any ten books from the Safari Library, whereas the unlimited subscription provides online access to all four thousand books, plus Safari Labs, articles, video courses and instructional tutorials. Imagine having full-text electronic access enabling you to search for ideas and code examples from Safari books such as these:
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 Unleashed by Zak Ruvalcaba, published October 18, 2007 by Sams, ISBN 978-0-672-32944-9.
- Dreamweaver CS3: The Missing Manual by David Sawyer McFarland, published June 15, 2007 by O'Reilly, ISBN 978-0-59-651043-5.
- CSS Cookbook by Christopher Schmitt, published October 1, 2006 by O'Reilly, ISBN 978-0-59-652741-9.
- Transcending CSS: The Fine Art of Web Design by Andy Clarke, Molly E. Holzschlag, and Dave Shea, published November 15, 2006 by New Riders, ISBN 978-0-321-41097-9.
- The JavaScript Anthology by James Edwards and Cameron Adams, published February 1, 2006 by Sitepoint, ISBN 978-0-97-524026-7.
- JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 5th Edition, by David Flanagan, published August 1, 2006 by O'Reilly, ISBN 978-0-59-610199-2.
- Ajax Design Patterns by Michael Mahemoff, published June 1, 2006 by O'Reilly, ISBN 978-0-59-610180-0.
- Adding Ajax by Shelley Powers, published June 1, 2007 by O'Reilly, ISBN 978-0-59-652936-9.
Also in the Safari library are video tutorials that provide just-in-time instruction on many of the topics covered in this course. Videos you may find particularly useful include:
- Dreamweaver CS3 Essential Training by Garrick Chow, published April 16, 2007 by lynda.com, ISBN 1-59671-331-3.
- Flash User Experience Best Practices by Robert Hoekman, Jr., published December 01, 2005 by lynda.com, ISBN 1-59671-137-X.
Instructional Design
School of Education graduate students are strongly encouraged to purchase an instructional design textbook entitled The Systematic Design of Instruction, seventh edition, by Walter Dick, Lou Carey, and James Carey. The publisher is Allyn & Bacon, ISBN 978-0205585564.
