Course Descriptions

Summary of Available Courses

Computer Programming

Introduction to Programming

Prerequisites: Basic computer skills
Text: Learn to Program Using Python; Alan Gauld

This course takes a student with no computer programming background and introduces the fundamentals of variables, I/O, conditions, loops, and functions using a modern computer language well-suited for first time programmers and heavily used for world-wide-web programming (Python). It touches on object-oriented programming, and is a good lead-in to the Intermediate Programming course. A CD containing all required software (optionally for MS-Windows, Mac OS, or some UNIX platforms) is provided.

Intermediate Programming

Prerequisites: Introduction to Programming
Text: Learn to Program Using Python; Alan Gauld

This course covers all the concepts of object-oriented programming including classes, inheritance, composition, polymorphism, namespaces, and exceptions using a modern computer language well-suited for beginning programmers and heavily used for world-wide-web programming (Python). It is a good lead-in to the Advanced Programming course.

Advanced Programming

Prerequisites: Intermediate Programming
Text: Core Python Programming; Wesley J. Chun

This course covers GUI programming (using Tkinter), network programming, external database access, and module creation using a modern computer language well-suited for beginning programmers and heavily used for world-wide-web programming (Python). Upon successful completion of this course, the student will have all the basic tools needed to create sophisticated computer programs

Web Programming with Python

Prerequisites: Intermediate Programming, Intermediate Web Technologies
Text: Core Python Programming; Wesley J. Chun

This course covers CGI programming, the primary means by which web page designers create interactive online programs. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will have all the basic tools needed to create programs that get statistics about site visitors, validate form input, and other common web site tasks.

C++ Programming

Prerequisites: Intermediate Programming
Text: C++, How to Program; Deitel Deitel

This course covers the popular C++ language in its entirety including everything from the fundamentals of variables up through the latest additions to the language including the STL.

Java Programming

Prerequisites: Intermediate Programming
Text: Java, How to Program; Deitel Deitel

This course covers the popular Java language in its entirety including everything from the fundamentals of variables up through the latest in web applet design.

Internet Technology

Introduction to Web Page Design

Prerequisites: Basic computer skills
Text: None, all online or provided

This course covers the most fundamental aspects of web site design including basic page construction using a WYSIWYG tool (Amaya), file formats (image, audio, and general multimedia), and URI definitions. Upon completion of this course, a student will have all the basic tools required to make a personal home page on the web. A CD containing all required software (optionally for MS-Windows, Mac OS, or some UNIX platforms) is provided.

Intermediate Web Page Design

Prerequisites: Introduction to Web Page Design
Text: None, all online or provided

This course covers HTML, XHTML, and CSS. It stresses the importance of Internet standards and helps the student identify non-standard, non-portable constructs that will not be properly viewable in all browsers. It is a good lead-in to the Advanced Web Page Design course.

Advanced Web Page Design

Prerequisites: Intermediate Web Page Design
Text: None, all online or provided

This course introduces DHTML (with JavaScript / ECMAScript) and Flash. Upon completion of this course a student will have all the basic tools required to build basic interactive web sites.

Web Servers

Prerequisites: Intermediate Web Page Design, Introduction to Programming
Text: None, all online or provided

This course covers the basics of web server set-up and maintenance (Apache) and the basics of web server security.

Introduction to Zope

Prerequisites: Intermediate Web Page Design, Web Servers
Text: The Zope Book (available online); Amos Latteier Michel Pelletier

This course introduces Zope, the premier tool for designing web applications and high-end interactive sites. It covers Zope set-up and maintenance as well as basic Zope usage including both DTML and Page Templates. Upon completion of this course, the student will have all the basic tools required to build complex, fully interactive web sites.

Intermediate Zope

Prerequisites: Introduction to Zope
Text: Zope: Web Application Construction Kit; Martina Brockmann, K. Kirchner, Sebastian Lühnsdorf, Mark Pratt

This course covers advanced topics with DTML and Page Templates, extending Zope via free publicly available products, accessing external databases with Zope, and introduces portal design with the CMF.

Miscellaneous

Introduction to Interactive Fiction Composition

Prerequisites: Basic computer skills
Text: The Inform Beginner's Guide (available online); Roger Firth and Sonja Kesserich

This course covers all the basics needed to partake in the rewarding hobby of interactive fiction composition using the most popular interactive fiction language today (Inform). It also provides a gentle introduction to object-oriented programming concepts, and is thus perhaps an even more basic introduction to programming than the Introduction to Programming course itself. Upon completion of this course, the student will have all the basic tools needed to write typical interactive fiction stories. A CD containing all required software (optionally for MS-Windows, Mac OS, or some UNIX platforms) is provided.

Intermediate Interactive Fiction Composition

Prerequisites: Introduction to Interactive Fiction Composition
Text: The Inform Designer's Manual (available online); Graham Nelson

This course covers numerous Inform capabilities that could not be covered in the more basic Introduction to Interactive Fiction Composition including topics like loops.

A Guide to Free Software

Prerequisites: Basic computer skills
Text: None, all online or provided

This course introduces the student to the wonderful world of free software. Different platforms and windowing systems are discussed in addition to free applications. Basic usage of many of the most popular free packages is covered. A CD containing some free software (optionally for MS-Windows, Mac OS, or some UNIX platforms) is provided.

An Introduction to OpenOffice

Prerequisites: A Guide to Free Software
Text: None, all online or provided

This course covers all the basics required to use any of the popular StarOffice / OpenOffice / NeoOffice applications, popular low cost alternatives to MS Office. A CD containing all required software (optionally for MS-Windows, Mac OS, or some UNIX platforms) is provided.

Using Free Software Online

Prerequisites: A Guide to Free Software
Text: None, all online or provided

This course covers all the basics required to use free software (including applications like Mozilla, Mahogany, and Dict) to get the most of your online experience. A CD containing all required software (optionally for MS-Windows, Mac OS, or some UNIX platforms) is provided.

Introduction to the Internet

Prerequisites: Basic computer skills
Text: None, all online or provided

This course introduces the beginning computer student to all the concepts required to use the various features of the Internet including (among others) e-mail, Usenet, and of course the World Wide Web. The course covers not just the software involved in accessing the Internet, but also common conventions and "netiquette" to help the new user avoid social difficulties. A CD containing all required software (optionally for MS-Windows, Mac OS, or some UNIX platforms) is provided.

Custom Courses

We can also design courses to satisfy particular needs in areas ranging from home video production to digital photography to using the high-end Adobe applications.