August 27

Conquering Code Academy

Up until this week, I had no idea what coding was. I had heard that it had something to do with computer languages, but i did not even know what those were. In my political science class, “coding” refers to color-coding and annotating legal texts, so i assumed computer coding was some form of labeling documents with “computer language.” Needless to say, I was clueless. Despite my lack of knowledge, when Dr. Wharton mentioned codeacademy.com, I froze. I was terrified. I immediately thought to myself, ‘Well, there goes my chances of an A. I can barely use Microsoft Office.’ At work on Wednesday, I looked up the subjects of the first Code Academy lesson: HTML & CSS. Acc0rding to Wikipedia (not the most credible, I know), HTML is a markup language and CSS is a “style sheet.” From what i had read, HTML & CSS did not look as daunting as Python or Java, so I got home and decided to give Code Academy a try.

Code Academy is very different from  Lynda.com, which I have been an avid user of for the past year. Instead of instructional videos paired with quizzes, Code Academy utilizes a hands-on approach that let you physically practice typing out HTML and coding languages while you learn them. The “Introduction to HTML” section was surprisingly easy to understand. Line by line, it taught the rules of HTML syntax, and I could not move on in the lesson until I had correctly typed the correct syntax in the practice box, which helped me grasp the information much better than if i had watched a video or just read about HTML.

First, I learned how to “tell” the computer which language is being used by using the following heading in the first line of text:

<!DOCTYPE html>

The next line starts the document, which looks like this so far:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

To close the document, I must include </html> to the end of the text:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

</html>

An HTML text is divided into two parts, the head and the body. The head typically includes the title of the webpage, so my HTML document with a title looked like this:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

<head>

<title>

My First Code Academy Lesson

</title>

</head>

</html>

Next, I learned how to add paragraphs to my titled page via HTML document. The <p> represents paragraphs, as shown below:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

<head>

<title>

My First Code Academy Lesson

</title>

</head>

<body>

<p> Code Academy is a great tool for learning computer coding skills </p>

</body>

</html>

In closing, I learned how to add bolded headings via the HTML document, as shown below. Headings come in 6 sizes, with the number before the “h” in the heading tag representing the size. h1 is the largest, and h6 is the smallest.

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

<head>

<title>

My First Code Academy Lesson

</title>

</head>

<body>

<h1> Benefits of Code Academy </h1>

<p> Code Academy is a great tool for learning computer coding skills </p>

</body>

</html>

I was surprised at how quickly I was able to grasp the Introduction to HTML lesson. When the steps were broken down, I was able to clearly understand the different parts of a HTML document. In the next lesson, which I will start tomorrow, I will learn to add images to a webpage with CSS. I am actually looking forward to it, and I think having a basic knowledge of HTML and CSS will be very beneficial when working on my personal site.

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August 26

Syllabus & Course Information Quiz

Major Projects:

Final Grade:

The Final Grade will be based on several factors. First, the individual reading annotations will be worth 300-600 points. Second, the individual pitch presentation will be worth 125-250 points. Third, the collaborative final service learning client packet will be worth 300-600 points. Fourth, the individual online professional profile will be worth 125-250 points. Fifth, points will be rewarded for preparing for class, attending class, completing in-class work, studying, major projects, and coming to office hours. Points will also be deducted for missing class or assignments.

The Submission Form:

“Embed info here”

Units & Weekly Overview:

An overview of what is due and the readings for each unit and week is located on the course website, under the “calendar” tab, which includes a “units overview” and a “weekly overview” that include  hyperlinked lists of assignments due and readings.

Attendance Policy:

Students will earn points for attending class and lose points for unexcused absences. On average, students will lose 10 points for each unexcused absence or missed class prep assignment and earn roughly 20 points for each class attended.

Office Hours:

Dr. Wharton’s office hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 9-11, but a student can make an appointment via email at rwharton3@gsu.edu.

How to Earn Participation Credit:

http://techwritingf16.robinwharton.net/syllabus-course-info/#Overview||Participation|1

Tip: Students can earn up to 25 points for participating in or organizing a group study session.

How to Get an A:

In order to achieve a final grade of an A, I will need to achieve 2,180 points, complete all four major assignments, and miss no more than four days of class.

How to Pass with a C:

In order to receive a passing grade of C, students must complete all four major assignments and miss no more than four days of class which would result in achieving 1,330 points.

Participation Tip:

If you are unsure about how to document your participation to earn points, use the submission form to submit any questions to Dr. Wharton.

Unit 1 Readings:

The following readings can be annotated via Hypothes.is

 

 

 

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