Website Design Course (Level 3 Award)

Overview

A distance learning course is the ideal way to gain a qualification in Web Design.

Whether you're looking to go on to further education, improve your job prospects or expand your knowledge, distance learning Web Design is a flexible and convenient course, which allows you to comprehensively prepare for an exam or career through home study.

What's more, because the distance learning Level 3 Website Design course is a fully comprehensive course, no prior knowledge is required.

Whatever your current situation, here’s a superb opportunity to completely change the direction of your life and get involved in something sexy and cutting-edge.

The truth is, we are in the middle of a revolution. A technical revolution. The internet has completely changed the way we think, the way we communicate and the way we do business. Yet surf the web and you come across so many websites that are pretty useless. Either a design nightmare, difficult to navigate, or they hardly give any useful information at all. Here’s your chance to profit from these big mistakes!

Nowadays, almost anyone can throw together some sort of website using available design tools. But to design a great website, a website that works, a website that can make money…well that’s where professional web designers come in. And this great course is designed to set you along the road to become an in-demand professional web designer.

COURSE KEY TOPICS 

Section 1 – concentrating on HTML, giving the student a thorough grounding in HTML mark-up.

Unit 1: The internet
Unit 2: Organising files and folders
Unit 3: Email communications
Unit 4: Create your first web page
Unit 5: Hypertext links
Unit 6: The use of lists
Unit 7: Advanced HTML formatting
Unit 8: Forms and feedback
Unit 9: Tables
Unit 10: More about images
Unit 11: Frames
Unit 12: Image maps
Unit 13: Multimedia
Unit 14: More creative techniques

Section 2 – bringing the student up to date with the latest web standards and the use of cascading style sheets. Includes an introduction to the 2 main types of web development software; a clear explanation of search engine optimisation methods that work, and information on web accessibility and usability issues. Culminates in the final assignment which requires the student to build and publish a complete web site.

Unit 15: HTML editors – introduction to TSW WebCoder
Unit 16: WYSIWYG web editors – introduction to Dreamweaver 8
Unit 17: Preparing your website for the internet
Unit 18: Publishing your website
Unit 19: Promoting your website – SEO/SEM (search engine optimisation/marketing)
Unit 20: Aesthetics
Unit 21: Web accessibility guidelines
Unit 22: Web usability basics

WHAT STUDENTS HAVE SAID ABOUT THIS COURSE

"I would like to say a big thank you for providing such a great course from which I have learned so much. The course was very well structured and the support facility was unfailingly efficient and patient" - LA, Nr. Lewes, E. Sussex.

"I would like to compliment you on this course it’s really straight forward to follow (unlike other courses!!!)" - DB

"Thoroughly enjoying the Webstart course. My thanks to you all. Two hours in and all OK thus far !! Impressed by the structure of the course. Thanks," JA

"Thanks for the new information that you have sent. I am now getting on with my course nicely. I am very impressed with the support that you have given so far. Many thanks" - MP, Havant

HOME STUDY SUPPORT

You will be provided with comprehensive materials designed to provide you with everything required to complete your course of study. You will have your own personal tutor helping you with your course work and with any questions you may have. Plus you can contact our Student Advisors by email or phone for all the practical advice you may need – so we really are with you 100%.

What's more, you'll have access to the online student portal, where you can interact with other students, browse our resource library and manage your account.

Description

COURSE ASSESSMENT

This course is marked through a process of continuous assessment guided by your tutor following NCFE guidelines. This means that your qualification will be awarded according to your performance on assessments rather than by taking an exam.

The NCFE Level 3 Award in Website Design is divided into twenty two comprehensive units:

Section 1 – concentrating on HTML – giving the student a thorough grounding in HTML mark-up.

Unit 1: The internet

• What is the Internet?
• How did it come about?
• World Wide Web
• Accessing the Web
• The Internet and You
• Installing a Browser
• Internet Providers
• Browsing the Net
• Favourites
• Accessing a We Page Stored in URL
• Printing a Web Page
• Saving a Web Page
• History

Unit 2: Organising files and folders

• Introduction and Procedure
• Assignments Folder
• Supporting CD ROM
• WebEx Folder

Unit 3: Email communications

• Reply
• Forward
• New Message
• From
• To Copy (Cc) and Blind Copy (Bcc)
• Multiple Send
• Subject
• Message
• Spell Check
• Send
• Sent Items
• Deleted Items
• Address Book
• Sending Attachments
• Sending Folder
• Preferred Message
• Save and Print Messages Received
• Access and Store Attachments
• Different Email Formats
• Send/Receive All
• Security
• Your Email Identity

Unit 4: Create your first web page

• Welcome to HTML
• View the Source Code
• To Print the Source Code
• How to make HTML Tags Work
• Organising the Layout of Your Page
• Body Attributes
• More Control
• Adding Images
• Using and Image as a Background

Unit 5: Hypertext links

• Hypertext Links Explained
• How to Create Hyperlinks
• Using Text as a Link
• Using an Image as a Link
• Open Linked Page in a New Window

Unit 6: The use of lists

• Why do we use Links
• The Ordered List
• The Unordered List
• Nested Lists
• Definition Lists
• Navigating with Lists – Hypertext Links & Anchors

Unit 7: Advanced HTML formatting

• Controlling Text and Background
• Adding Colour to Text and Background
• Download a HEX Code Generator
• Adding Colour to Body and Text
• Adding Colour to Hypertext Links
• Set the Colour for a Selection of Text
• Setting the Font Style
• Setting the Font Size
• Combine the Font Attributes
• And Alternative Way To Set the Font Size

Unit 8: Forms and feedback

• Feedback Via Email
• Feedback Via Forms
• Radio Buttons
• Check Boxes
• Selection Menu
• Text Boxes
• Align the Boxes
• Password Boxes
• Text Areas
• Submit the Reset Buttons
• Create Your Own Submit Button
• What Happens When the Submit Button Is Pressed?
• Using a Form in a Live Web Site
• CGI Form Handling

Unit 9: Tables

• HTML for Tables
• Set up Your First Table
• Tables within Tables
• What can be Placed in a Data Cell

Unit 10: More about images

• Overcoming Image Loading Problems
• Create a Heading
• Create a Button Image
• Selecting Colours in PSP
• Advanced Image Placement
• Images as a Background
• Re-Sizing Images
• Compression of JPEG Images
• Displaying Photographs
• Saving Images From the Web
• Creating Animated Images
• The PNG
• Organising Files and Folders
• Using Layers

Unit 11: Frames

• Creating a Basic Frames Site
• Nesting Frames
• Not all Browsers can Display Frames
• Formatting Options
• Creating a Heading
• Linking Frames
• Confused Search Engines

Unit 12: Image maps

• What is an Image Map?
• Creating an Imagemap

Unit 13: Multimedia

• Animations
• Video
• How to Inset a Video File
• Sound
• MIDI Files Explained
• Using Sound Files
• Obtaining Sound and Video Files

Unit 14: More creative techniques

• Creating a ‘Splash’ Page
• Invisible Spacers
• Horizontal Rules-The Sequel
• Scrolling Text

Section 2 – bringing the student up to date with the latest web standards and the use of cascading style sheets. Includes an introduction to the 2 main types of web development software; a clear explanation of search engine optimisation methods that work, and information on web accessibility and usability issues. Culminates in the final assignment which requires the student to build and publish a complete web site.

Unit 15:

• HTML editors – introduction to TSW WebCoder 2005
• Introduction
• HTML Editors

Unit 16:

• WYSIWYG web editors – introduction to Dreamweaver 8
• What You See Is What You Get
• Macromedia Dreamweaver CS3
• Define a Site
• Create a New Document
• Adding a Style Sheet
• Adding More Style
• Design a Professional Stie
• A Quick Rundown of Additional Features

Unit 17:

• Preparing your website for the internet
• W3C
• HTML 4
• Define The Nature of the Document
• Define the Contents of the Document
• Meta Information
• Meta Information for Search Engines

Unit 18: Publishing your website

• Publishing Your Site
• The FTP Program
• How to Use Cute FTP

Unit 19: Promoting your website

• SEO/SEM (search engine optimisation/marketing)
• Offline Options
• Online Web Site Promotion
• SEO/SEM
• FAQ

Unit 20: Aesthetics

• Site Aesthetics

Unit 21: Web accessibility guidelines

• Web Accessibility and Why it is Important
• Disability Discrimination (DDA)
• Benefits of an Accessible Website
• Accessible Forms
• Label Prompt Text

Unit 22: Web usability basics

• Descriptive Link Text
• Site Map Provided
• No Unannounced Pop-Up

Requirements

No prior knowledge or experience is required.