Introduction to Cascading Style Sheets

Cascading Style Sheets have become an important component of W3C recommendations. (X)HTML Strict relies on stylesheets for all stylistic presentation, the Web Accessibility Initiative makes use of CSS for improving access for the disabled, and new work on HTML and XML will continue to make heavy use of CSS for the future. In this course, you will learn the basics of separating style from structure within an HTML document.

Students will develop an introductory understanding of how to code for the web using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and to establish an awareness of the inconsistencies in rendering CSS between browsers. Secondary course goals include increasing students' abilities to:
  • Know when and where to apply CSS2 style rules
  • Create effective pages using CSS2
  • Critically evaluate peer work
  • Experiment beyond the scope of the course
Each week students will be presented with a series of written lecture notes that supplement a textbook and online readings. Students will learn through reading these materials, working through the supplied examples, participating in online message board discussions, through peer evaluation, and through instructor comments on publicly posted project and review questions.
Outline
Week 1: Introduction
  • What is CSS?
  • Structure of selectors and declaration blocks
  • External, embedded, and inline styles
Week 2: Id, Class, Descendant and Grouped Selectors
  • Differences between id and class selectors
  • Using grouped selectors for common styles
  • Use descendant selectors effectively
Week 3: Pseudo Class and Element Selectors
  • Differences between pseudo class and pseudo element selectors
  • Common uses for pseudo class/element selectors
  • Styling hyperlinks
Week 4: Testing the Cascade
  • Specificity basics
  • Review and testing of Cascade rules
  • What is the !importance rule?
Week 5: Backgrounds and Borders
  • Adding background images
  • Borders for block-level and inline elements
  • Browser quirks with borders
Week 6: Sprucing up Lists and Tables
  • Adding style to lists
  • Styles allowed for table layout
Week 7: Margins and Alignment
  • Basic rues of the box model
  • Overlapping blocks
  • Positioning content with margins
Week 8: Putting It Together
  • Basic CSS-based layout
  • Comprehensive review of properties discussed
  • Final project
Prerequisites
Students should be comfortable with HTML or XHTML, similar to the content in this course Introduction to HTML (H101).
Requirements
Students must have webspace where they can post their assignments. Students will need to have at least two browsers installed on their computer. Current versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari, or Mozilla are recommended.

Books:
Required Book Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide (current edition)
Suggested Book Sams Teach Yourself CSS in 24 Hours

Additional information:

Your place in the course is confirmed by your payment. Introductory courses are intended for students with no experience in the subject matter and are seeking beginner level training.

Refund Policy: Please read our Terms and Refund Policy before registering for this course.

Additional Cost: Book and software might be required for the course. Read the Requirements and Book section for more information. Course fee does not include the book and software cost .

How eClasses Work:Instructors post lectures (text-based, no video or audio), reading selections, and hands-on assignments once a week in the online classroom. Students can discuss the assignments with the instructor and amongst themselves in the classroom area. This format has no set meeting time, which allows students to attend class at a time most convenient to them, yet still provides logically organized communication between class participants. Students can apply for the completion certificate after finishing the class.

1962

Price: $220.00
Course No.: H151
Instructor: Chimene Long
Co-instructor/TA: Karen Plummer
CEUs: 4
Duration: 8 weeks
Open Courses:
Start Date: Mar 19, 2012
(Register by: Mar 22, 2012)
Start Date: May 29, 2012
(Register by: Jun 01, 2012)
Start Date: Aug 06, 2012
(Register by: Aug 09, 2012)
Start Date: Oct 15, 2012
(Register by: Oct 18, 2012)

Testimonials

Instructor's Profile:
InstructorChimene Long has been a web author for almost seven years and has sixteen years experience with computers. She has provided contract web design services and web accessibility consultation. She also has experience with various adaptive technology for clients with disabilities.
Before you register for this class, please read the Outline, Prerequisites, Requirements, Books, and Refund Policy sections carefully.
 

 Testimonials

Ratings
"This is a great class for beginners. The explanations/lectures are good, the reading and book are a great reference. I will definitely use these skills in the future..." - Holly Cornish
"Excellent introduction to learning CSS. Get up to date with your design, learning how to create valid CSS for your web pages. You will learn a great deal about styling pages during this class." - Philip Napora
"Chimene' was very patient and helpful. I learned a lot and found it very educational. I am looking forward to taking more classes." - Diane Hamilton
"This was a productive class for me, I improved my authoring skills, learned a great deal, and realized I have more to learn. This makes for a good course." - David Ledel
"This was an overall great class. Very informative. Excellent instructor and good material!" - Tyler Dahl
"Ms. Long is an excellent instructor. Her lectures are very informative, and they introduce and illustrate core concepts of the course material very effectively. Ms. Long's homework assignments are challenging, and they make you think - they are the opposite of busy work. Ms. Long's criticism of submitted homework assignments has been constructive and encouraging. Even though a sudden increase in the workload and working hours at my job prevented me from completing the course successfully, I still felt that I learned a lot, and got a lot out of it. I appreciate that Ms. Long was understanding and compassionate when it turned out that I was not able to complete the course. The whole experience whetted my appetite to take this course again, in hope of completing it successfully next time. My sincere thanks go to Ms. Long, and to IWA-HWG.

Best Regards,
John Kowalski " - John Kowalski
"I thought the class was good. There were troubles I had because of things outside the class at work and with my car so at the end it was difficult to get the class work done. But I thought the progression of the class was good and I learned a lot from it." - Curtis Booker
"I learned a great deal. This introductory class simplified a great many aspects of CSS about which I was previously confused. I am very much looking forward to taking the Intermediate level class. Anthony Beal" - Anthony Beal
"Chimene is an excellent teacher. I loved the class; I'm looking forward to future classes with her. Excellent program!" - Russell Santana
"Chimene was just wonderful. I learned alot ad appreciated her encouragement and expertise." - Molly Ruggles
"Chimene provided tons of helpful links to help us understand the concepts of CSS. Coming from someone who had never worked with CSS before I walked away with a great understanding of CSS and how to use it effectively." - Richelle Anderson
"I think the class was great. The format was good and the subjects were great also. I would like to suggest that more step by step examples be presented for clarifying certain difficult topics such as working with absolute and relative placements along with the z-index. All in all I found the course very helpful as well as rewarding. Thank you. " - Antonio Chavez
"Chimene is always great. Great materials. Helpful feedback. Challenging yet doable assignments. I look forward to future classes with her." - Jason Sowards
"Finally with eClasses I was able to get a handle on CSS! It gave me the structure of an in-person class with the convenience and flexibly of a virtual class. I am looking forward to the Intermediate Class. " - Sherri Locker
"Thank you for an interesting class! It was interesting and challenging. Thank you, Chimene, lectures and explanations were great!" - Katherine Fenrickson
"I had so much fun with this class. The assignment for week 8 really showed me how far I had come and how well I was able to now use HTML for structure only and CSS for styling my site." - Jennifer Conner
"This was a very good course and the instructor was excellent. The assignments were challening but I leared a lot from each assignment. I highly recommend this course" - Sheila Hazzard-Kimbrough
"Excellent class! I can see the difference in web pages I previously designed after applying what I have learned in this class. Thank you." - Catherine Gurganus
"Chimene did a great job of challenging our abilities, keeping us involved in the class and with each other. All of the material presented was fresh and current. I particularly enjoyed the freedom we were given to be creative. Thanks for a great class!" - Craig Rollins
"I really appreciated the help the instructor gave. This is the best class I have taken so far from eClasses.org" - Lynn Eades
"Chimene was great. She was clear on how to do the assignments, very patient to check and let her students resubmit exercises, her lecture notes were helpful, and she's very encouraging. I learned a lot. Thanks Chimene." - Ma. Teresa Ulat
"This class was extremely helpful and I learned a lot. I will be able to apply what I've learned immediately. Chimene is a wonderful instructor and I was amazed at how quickly she responded to questions since there were so many people in the class and so many projects to check!" - Kim McConnell
"CSS is a fantastic technology. This course is a must for anyone interested in the code behind web pages. The course is a good introduction to the power of CSS, and also good for people like me who need to consolidate self-taught knowledge and fill in all the gaps. This was my second class with Chimène Long. She is a very good teacher, patient and supportive, very important with the arcane code of CSS! Chimène Long's choice of course book was excellent (Eric Meyer's CSS The Definitive Guide, O'Reilly). It must be the definitive work. Chimène Long's had prepared a series of (text) lectures to introduce each new major topic area. They were very clear, and served as a useful stepping stone to the sometimes daunting complexities of the set text. I really enjoyed the practical challenges of the weekly assignments. I feel like I've had a good workout and am now much more knowledgeable and fluent with CSS than at the start of the course. I look forward to studying in one of Chimene's other classes. I salute eClasses.org for providing a brilliant learning environment -exactly what I was hoping to find. Thank you so much for the four great courses I've done so far." - Geoff Taylor
"Prior to taking this course, my old designs were quite disorganized and cumbersome as the style was combined with the code. During the course of the class, I realized the potential and utility of CSS in how it can provide more effective techniques to provide great presentation style and optimizing the design document from a management point of view. I enjoy Chimene's teaching style as her class notes provide a good wealth of information. This helps and encourages her students to try and experiment with the concepts taught. I appreciate having the access to opportunities to gain more skills in and expand my knowledge of Web Design. " - Dana Mah
"I came out of this class with genuine affection for CSS. That may sound odd, but it makes so much sense and is so versitle, really, that it's enjoyable to use! I look forward to CSS II and learning yet more about this 'artform'." - Laura Ashton
"Great class. Chimene is wonderful to work with." - Leslie Scouras
"Chimene was great. I definitely know more about CSS than I ever thought possible in such a short time too!" - Kevin Zollicoffer
"I really enjoyed this class and found it a smooth and easy transition into CSS. Thank you very much!" - Divo Brevik
"I wish I would have taken this class a long time ago. CSS is an often un-tapped resource due to its level of intimidation. Chimene did a wonderful job of illustrating the principles. I very much appreciated her in-depth lectures that provided tons of examples to really help us grasp and let us see the concepts. The problem with books is their lack of illustration - Chimene was able to bridge that gap with her excellent lectures...not only this, but also challenging us with assignments to put what we learned to work. This is one of the best eclasses I've taken." - Joshua Rowe