Build your own website with html and css

This instructor led course uses basic software to give people with no previous experience a good grasp of building web sites. It won't turn you into a professional web designer, but it will start you off and give you the confidence to author and edit your own web pages, and use Cascading style sheets (CSS) for design.

The course explores planning a website, browser issues, basic mark up, creating hyperlinks, tables and forms, some web design and working with graphics. No matter what your previous experience this course will give you the skills and confidence to author and publish your own web site without the need for any expensive software.

Required skills and experience.

A working knowledge of Windows, with the ability to create and manage files and folders
Some experience of using web sites.
The ability to use at least one mainstream web browser.

Duration

4 consecutive saturday mornings from 10 to 12 am.
OR
6 consecutive weekday evenings (Tuesdays or Wednesdays) from 7.30 to 9.30 pm.

Location

These courses are currently held at Guildford college on Stoke Rd, Guildford.

Commitment

Once booked you will be expected to attend from the start date for the relevant number of consecutive sessions. If you are unable to attend one of your sessions I will do my best to try to reschedule you where possible, however I cannot promise, and I will not be able to spend time helping you catch up.

No home study commitment is necessary, however, some practice between sessions will help you learn more quickly. Assembling ideas and materials between sessions will also see you progress faster, and you will be asked to think about a design for your site on our first session.

Price

This part time course costs £130 per person, and is limited to approximately 12 delegates.

Program

Structuring a web site

Overview of how websites work
Overview of web servers and hosting
Understanding how a web site is organised
File names and conventions
Folder names for web

Creating your first home page

Introduction to HTML and XHTML
XHTML and HTML rules
Adding some text
Previewing and testing your page/s.

Adding non visual elements

Creating a page title
Adding a page description
Creating keywords
Other page information (meta data)

Adding basic structure

Creating headings and sub headings
Creating paragraphs
Working with special characters
Creating line breaks
Creating horizontal rules

Creating and working with lists

Numbered (ordered) lists
Unnumbered (unordered) lists

Working with images

Inserting graphics into your page
Which graphic file formats to use
Preparing your graphics
Making graphics efficient
Adding alternate text, titles and descriptions for images

Creating links

Linking to other websites
Linking to your other pages and creating navigation
Linking to page anchors

Tables in (x)HTML

Creating a simple data table
Adding rows and columns
Using headings
Adding a table caption and summary

Forms in (x)HTML

What is a form
Creating a basic feedback or contact form
Adding form fields, radio buttons and check boxes
Grouping form items together
Adding submit and reset buttons
Using form methods
Making the form work with actions

General web design considerations

Planning your page layout
Choosing colours
How colours work on the web
Web safe colours
Choosing different type
How type works on the web

Intro to CSS

Separating content from presentation
The difference between CSS and Mark up
What can CSS do?
CSS structure
Inserting styles

Basic page layout

Plan your layout
Layout options with CSS
Creating layout structures
Using images in layout

Styling text

Deciding which elements to style
Styling basic text elements
Using serif and sans serif font sets
Specifying font size and colour
Specifying font alignment

Styling a table

Styling row and column headings
Creating borders
Adding colour

Styling a form

Styling form input elements
Styling background areas and grouped items
Adding colour
Styling your buttons

Styling links

Creating hover effects
Keeping track of links

Publishing issues

Finding a host
Finding an FTP client
Up-loading your site
Proofing and testing your site
Troubleshooting