Faculty Syllabus

Beginning Web Programming

• To learn HTML tags and JavaScript Language programming concepts and techniques.
• To develop the ability to logically plan and develop web pages.
• To learn to write, test, and debug web pages using HTML and JavaScript.
• To understand DOM and how to manipulate using JavaScript.
• To utilize frameworks such as Bootstrap in order to simplify web page interactivity and responsiveness.

After successfully completing this course, a student should be able to:

• Support the development of web pages.
• Write scripts using JavaScript in a web page.
• Effectively incorporate JavaScript in a web page.
• Create forms and check for data accuracy.
• Use JavaScript system objects.
• Embed objects in a web page.
• Effectively use decision and looping statements in JavaScript programs.
• Effectively manipulate strings.
• Effectively use array processing.

How to Pass This Course!

This course is built around a competency-based structure, meaning you must demonstrate mastery in one area before moving on to the next. Think of it as building a strong foundation—each level prepares you for the one that follows.

To begin, you must complete the Orientation assessment with a perfect score (100%). Until that’s done, Competency 2 remains locked. Once Orientation is completed successfully, Competency 2 becomes available, and so on...

Each competency starting with #2 ends with an assessment, and you must earn a minimum score of 70% to unlock the next stage. This ensures you’re ready to take on the next challenge with confidence.

About Assessment Attempts

You have up to four attempts for each end-of-competency assessment. However, your most recent attempt is the one that counts. For example, if you score a 72% and move on to the next competency, but then decide to retake the assessment and score a 68%, that lower score becomes your final one—and you’ll lose access to the next competency until you pass again. Choose to retake only when you're confident in your improvement.

If, after four attempts, you're still unable to achieve 70%, YOU must send me an email so we can discuss next options on opening the next module. Your final score for that assessment will be calculated as the average of all your attempts.

Capstone Competency: Start Planning Early

The Capstone is the exception to the sequence. Once you complete the Orientation assessment, you’ll have access to the Capstone materials. You’re not required to finish it right away, but you should review it early. It outlines your final project, and understanding what’s expected ahead of time will help you stay focused and organized throughout the course.

Follow the Sequence — It’s There for a Reason

This course is set to a forced sequence, which means you must complete each section in order. Skipping ahead or jumping around will either be blocked by the LMS or result in confusion if you just click "completed". The material has been carefully arranged to build your skills step-by-step and taking shortcuts will only create unnecessary setbacks. Stick to the path and trust the process. You’ll be glad you did.

To "complete" each section, there should be a button or checkbox to click saying you are done with that section.

Pace Yourself — But Stay on Schedule

You’re welcome to move quickly through the course, but please note that Competency deadlines are firm. Once a due date passes for that competency, you will not be able to go back and submit. Be sure to manage your time wisely and stay on top of all requirements.

Project Submissions and Assessments

Each competency includes a project that must be submitted. Look for the corresponding “PROJECT #X – Submission” link. There should also be an "Instrtuctions" link for each project. READ carefully!

Important submission policies:

• Late submissions: 10% deduction for each calendar day late
• Incorrect file format: 20% deduction

To help guide your progress, the system is set up so you cannot access the final assessment until you have opened the project submission link. You don’t need to submit anything right away—just opening the link signals your readiness to proceed. If you believe the assessment isn’t unlocking correctly, please contact me immediately.

📋 What [Each] Competency Includes

1. 📖 Assigned readings (textbooks + online sources)
2. 🧠 Custom-written lectures
3. 🥾 Labs and walkthroughs
4. 🛠️ A project that applies your learning
5. 🦉 A competency assessment

⚠️ Important: You should complete the project before the assessment. It directly prepares you for what you'll be tested on. Skipping the project could lower your grade.

🚦 How Progress Works

You can move through the material faster if you want 👍, but you cannot skip required content or assessments. Each competency assessment must be passed (70% or higher) to unlock the next section.

You won’t be able to view the next set of lectures until the current assessment is complete and passed. Everything is released in order — this is not a free-for-all.

📅 Due Dates & Deadlines

All due dates are listed in Blackboard Ultra and linked to the calendar tool 🗓️. You're responsible for checking this calendar regularly. Late work policies still apply.

This course is flexible in pace, but that flexibility requires excellent time management skills. You can work ahead — but not behind.

By following the sequence, staying engaged, and managing your time effectively, you’ll be well-positioned for success. Let’s make the most of this course together.

Approved Course Texts/Readings

New Perspectives on HTML, CSS, and Dynamic HTML — With MindTap

We will be using topics from this book but not actually using the book.

COMPETENCY 1 - START HERE: ORIENTATION and AI USAGE

Understanding how to ethically and legally use AI is essential in today’s digital world, where technology decisions can have real-world consequences. Students must be aware of the risks of bias, misinformation, and privacy violations that can arise from improper AI use. Learning responsible AI practices helps ensure compliance with laws, fosters trust, and prepares students for professional environments where these tools are increasingly relied upon.

COMPETENCY 2 - JAVASCRIPT AND LOGICAL THINKING

Introduces the core principles of JavaScript and how it brings interactivity to the web. Students will learn the difference between client-side and server-side programming, why JavaScript’s interpreted design makes it so flexible, and how to embed scripts into HTML. Key topics include variables, data types, operators, arrays, loops, conditionals, and functions, along with objects and the Date object for handling structured and time-based data. Debugging techniques and best practices are also emphasized to build reliable code. With hands-on examples, students will see how these tools work together to transform static pages into dynamic, responsive applications. You will learn how to break problems into smaller parts using Decomposition.

COMPETENCY 3 - HTML & CSS

Students will learn how HTML forms the foundation of every web page and explore its history and role in the development of the World Wide Web. Students will understand how browsers act as clients, requesting and rendering HTML documents, and examine the structure of an HTML file, including the doctype, head, and body sections. Students will practice writing code using elements, attributes, and semantic HTML5 tags while working with links, images, captions, and comments to build meaning and clarity. Students will also use text editors, IDEs, and validators to check their work, and see how HTML interacts with CSS and JavaScript. By the end, students will construct a simple, standards-compliant webpage.

COMPETENCY 4 - DOM

Students will learn about the Document Object Model (DOM), the structured representation of a web page that allows JavaScript to access and manipulate HTML elements. They will see how the DOM acts as the link between structure, style, and behavior, making it possible to change text, add new content, or update entire sections of a page dynamically. Students will also explore events, such as clicks and key presses, which let programs respond to user actions, as well as APIs, which provide tools and data to extend functionality. By the end of the module, students will be able to use JavaScript to update the DOM, handle events, and integrate APIs to build interactive and engaging web experiences.

COMPETENCY 5 - CAPSTONE

For the capstone, students will integrate skills from all previous projects to create a complete, functional application. They will apply HTML, CSS, and JavaScript together while following professional practices to ensure clean, maintainable work. The project challenges students to manage both front-end presentation and back-end logic, showing competence across the full stack. In doing so, students will demonstrate creativity, problem-solving, and the ability to validate and secure user input effectively. Ultimately, the capstone allows students to showcase a polished final product that highlights their growth and readiness for real-world IT projects.

Introduction

In this course, Generative AI (GAI) tools—such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Bard, and similar platforms—can be powerful aids for learning and creativity. I support their responsible, transparent, and ethical use when it enhances understanding and does not replace your own critical thinking or original work. In fact, you will have AI assignments which must be completed before starting other course work.

Used correctly, these tools can help you explore ideas, understand terminology, and see multiple approaches to solving a problem. Used incorrectly, they can hide gaps in understanding and produce work that looks correct but is not. This policy sets clear expectations so you can use these tools in ways that strengthen your skills and protect academic integrity.

Rationale

In the world today, being able to use AI is a must. Even in non-programming roles, the understanding and uses of AI are inescapable and required for all jobs eventually. But to use it correctly, you need to understand what it can do and how it can be used to break things very easily. Imagine GAI as a 6-foot chainsaw that everyone now has. But do you need a 6-foot chainsaw for everything? Use it responsibly.

In technical fields, AI can speed up learning, but it can also amplify mistakes. AI can generate insecure code, misleading explanations, and incorrect citations with high confidence. Learning to verify outputs, recognize limitations, and document your process is part of professional readiness. This course treats AI literacy as a real-world skill that must be practiced with discipline and good judgment.

Definition

For this course, GAI refers to any technology that can generate text, code, images, audio, or other media in response to prompts, including—but not limited to—OpenAI ChatGPT, Google Gemini, GitHub Copilot, DALL·E, and similar AI-driven content creation tools. If you must tell the system what to do, chances are it is AI and falls under this category. Applications like Grammarly and Zotero are great for typos, grammar, and citations BUT they do not always work! Please double check your citation submissions!

This definition includes tools embedded inside editors, browsers, learning platforms, and search engines when they produce generated output rather than simply retrieving sources. If a tool is “suggesting” full sentences, paragraphs, solutions, or code blocks based on prompts or context, it is included. When in doubt, treat the tool as GAI and disclose its use so there is no confusion later.

Resources

• Review the tool’s terms of service and privacy settings.
• Cross-check AI-generated content with authoritative sources.
• Use AI output only as a starting point, not as a final submission, unless noted in assignments and assessments.
• Apply proper citations when AI output informs your work.

For technical topics, “authoritative sources” means official documentation, standards, reputable textbooks, and instructor-provided materials. If AI provides a claim, you should be able to verify it independently. Keep brief notes about what you asked, what you received, what you accepted or rejected, and why. This habit strengthens learning and makes disclosure easy.

Assessment

Unless otherwise noted, all assignments must reflect your own comprehension and skills. AI assistance must be disclosed as a formal APA 7 citation when used. See Resources link for how to use APA 7 properly.

Disclosure is required whether AI helped you generate content, refine wording, produce code, summarize sources, or brainstorm approaches. If AI influenced your final submission in any meaningful way, cite it. Your grade depends on demonstrating your understanding, so you should be prepared to explain and defend your choices, your code, and your reasoning without relying on the tool during grading.

Penalties

Failure to follow this policy—including failure to disclose AI use—will be treated as a violation of the college’s academic integrity policy. Penalties may include a zero for the assignment, additional work, or escalation to the Academic Integrity Committee.

This includes submitting AI-generated work as if it were entirely your own, using AI during restricted activities, or presenting generated output that you do not understand. Penalties may also apply when citations are missing, misleading, or intentionally vague. If you are unsure whether your use requires disclosure, disclose it. Transparency protects you.

Exceptions

Specific assignments may prohibit AI use entirely (e.g., in-class exams) or require it (e.g., AI prompt engineering exercises). Such exceptions will be clearly stated in the assignment instructions.

When AI is prohibited, you must complete the work without AI assistance, including drafting, rewriting, or “checking” your work with a tool. When AI is required, you must follow the stated workflow, including documenting prompts and outputs, and meeting any citation or submission rules. If instructions conflict, the assignment instructions take precedence.

Usage Permissions

Please closely read requirements for all assignments and submissions as they differ from one to the next.

Some tasks will allow AI for brainstorming but not for final wording. Other tasks may allow AI-generated starter code but require you to modify, test, and explain it. In all cases, you are responsible for the final product you submit, including correctness, security, and clarity. If an assignment requires disclosure details, follow that format exactly.