Why make a static website that requires expensive tools when you can make a dynamic one using online open source software!?
Please come and register at Studio XX before the 17 March.
In this workshop dynamic websites made with web-based applications called content-management systems (CMS) will be introduced and explained. Participants will learn to install customize and style an easy to update and maintain website using Drupal, a well-known Open Source software.
Lesson One: Conceptual basics:
Topics covered;
What is a website?
What is file transfer?
What is a database?
How does it all work together?
Outcomes: Participants will leave class having the theoretical basis to understand the technical details of installing and using web based software. By workshops end participants will sign up for a hosting plan and domain name.
Lesson Two: Introduction to Web-based software
Topics covered;
What is Drupal?
How does it work?
How do I get it on my server?
Outcomes: Participants will finish the class with an installed version of Drupal 5.0 on their server. They will also have begun to explore the various administrative and publishing options available through the interface.
Lesson Three: Intro to Drupal Administrative options
Topics covered:
Site settings - adding and removing features;
Making navigation and pages;
Building menus;
Practical outcomes: Participants will leave the class having learned the basics of administering a Drupal website.
Theoretical outcomes: In this class we will discuss information architecture briefly. Information architecture refers to placing information like menus on your website in such a way that it is easy to locate all the site contains and a user does not get lost.
Assignment: Class is requested to go home and develop a site map and a sample page layout in hard copy to bring to the next class.
Lesson Four: Advanced Drupal Administrative options
Topics covered:
Adding and removing modules;
Making blocks and block-placement;
User management;
Adding Themes;
Practical outcomes: During this class the class is requested to look at their wire-frames and begin laying out blocks and menus according to their plans. We will also learn about selecting themes and modules and adding them to our Drupal sites.
Theoretical outcomes: In this class we will learn about customizing site functionality and the look and feel.
Lesson Five: Getting under the hood adjusting; your theme
Topics covered:
Basic CSS;
Basic Xhtml
Practical outcomes: During this class we will learn about Cascading style sheets and XHTML and how those two mark-up languages are used to style the templates used to display information on your Drupal website. By the end of class students should understand basic CSS for styling text, background colours, and borders.
Lesson Six: Getting under the hood adjusting your theme part 2
Topics covered:
++ CSS;
++ XHTML;
Practical outcomes: During this class we will learn more about Cascading style sheets and how they are used to style the templates used to display information on your Drupal website. By the end of class students should understand some more advanced techniques for displaying images as backgrounds, floating blocks, and other nifty tricks.
