Course Syllabus

Course Information
ATEC 3361.003 – Internet Studio – Fall 2010
Web Site: http://randyhoyt.com/courses/

Professor Contact Information

Randy Hoyt – randy@randyhoyt.com

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

Prerequisite: ATEC 2382
This course has been designed for EMAC majors.

Course Description
As the web continues to grow in size and popularity, more and more professions require a basic
understanding of the core technologies behind the internet. We will look at how these technologies are
encapsulated into content management systems, spending considerable time working with WordPress as an
example. It is also becoming increasingly important for individuals to take control of how they are
portrayed online, and this course will explore how individuals can use these tools to do that. The course will
include discussion of popular hosted publishing tools and social networking sites, as well, looking at how
they contribute to an overall online presence.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

This course will provide undergraduate students with a working knowledge of HTML, CSS, domain
registration, web hosting, JavaScript, server-side scripting, FTP, and more. The final project will include
developing a functional web site using the concepts and the technologies discussed throughout the course.

Required Textbooks and Materials

• Web Site Owners Manual – http://boagworld.com/websiteownersmanual/

• Domain and web hosting account (approximately $100)
• WordPress theme (free to $100)

Suggested Course Materials

The instructor will recommend additional course materials to each student based on the content of their final
project. These will be optional resources, and many of them will be free.

Course Syllabus – ATEC 3361.003 – Internet Studio – Fall 2010 Page 1

Assignments & Academic Calendar
A number of small assignments will be assigned each week: read this chapter and take a quiz, write a 300-
word blog post about that online video, post comments on five different student blog posts, create an HTML
file with linked stylesheet and upload using FTP, add and configure two widgets to a blog theme, etc. Most
assignments will be completed online, and the details for all assignments will be posted on the course web
site two or three weeks before the due dates. The due dates will be evenly spread throughout the week – for
example, one assignment might be due on Monday, another on Tuesday, two on Wednesday, one on
Thursday, and three on Sunday – but students are encouraged to be pro-active and work ahead.

During the second half of the semester, many of these small assignments will contribute directly to the final
project. Instead of simply having one assignment – “Build a web site” – due all at once at the end of the
semester, the assignments for six or seven weeks will culminate in a completed web site. Students will be
required to give a five-minute presentation discussing their final project to the class and a panel of EMAC
faculty during the final one or two class periods.

Grading Policy
Each week, the assignments will be worth a total of 30 points. The smallest assignments will be worth 1 or 2
points, while the larger assignments might be worth as many as 9 or 10 points. Over the fourteen weeks of
the semester, there will be a total of 420 points. (Since the first week is a partial week, there will be no
points assigned for August 19-22. There will also be no assignments for the week of Thanksgiving,
November 22-28.)

Final grades will be awarded as follows, based on the total number of points earned during the semester:

• A – 380+
• B – 340-379
• C – 300-339
• D – 260-299

In addition to the assigned 30 points each week, the instructor may at times offer extra-credit activities:
these will typically be worth 1 or 2 points. Students can use these activities to make up for previous missed
assignments or to work ahead.

Course & Instructor Policies

Class participation makes up roughly 13% of the overall grade: each week, “Participate in class” will be
assigned for 4 points of the total 30 points. Additionally, a handful of assignments like “Give final project
presentation” or “Write blog post discussing three final presentations” can only be completed by students
who attend class.

Off-campus Instruction and Course Activities

No travel or risk-related activities will be required for the course. The instructor may offer extra-credit
activities related to participating in a local event not affiliated with the course (such as the monthly meetings
of the D/FW WordPress Meetup group), but these activities will be optional.

Course Syllabus – ATEC 3361.003 – Internet Studio – Fall 2010 Page 2

Policies and Procedures for Students

The University of Texas at Dallas provides a number of policies and procedures designed to provide
students with a safe and supportive learning environment. Brief summaries of the policies and procedures
are provided for you at http://provost.utdallas.edu/home/index.php/syllabus-policies-and-procedures-text
and include information about technical support, field trip policies, off-campus activities, student conduct
and discipline, academic integrity, copyright infringement, email use, withdrawal from class, student
grievance procedures, incomplete grades, access to Disability Services, and religious holy days. You may
also seek further information at these websites:
•http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm
•http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-HOPV.html
•http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm
•http://www.utdallas.edu/disability/documentation/index.html

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

Course Syllabus – ATEC 3361.003 – Internet Studio – Fall 2010 Page 3