Programming and the web

1. Programming and the Web
for Beginners

2. About the Course
• In this course, you will use computers to creatively design web pages using
HTML and CSS. You will then use Javascript to develop programs and
algorithms--ways to get the computer to solve problems. As you progress,
you will master the programming process that will be used through the
remainder of the courses in this Specialization. After completing this course
you will be able to: 1. Make a web page with HTML and CSS; 2. Explain the
high-level process of developing a program; 3. Think critically about how to
solve a problem; 4. Solve programming problems with Javascript, including
if/else and looping constructs; 5. Use Javascript to manipulate images and
process data; and 6. Recognize debugging as an application of the scientific
method. By the end of this course, you will complete a mini-project where
you will use Javascript to create your own images algorithmically and a
website you have built with HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

3. Welcome to the Course
• Welcome! In this module, you will be introduced to computer science
and to the organization for this course. At the end of the module, you
will have a chance to gauge your incoming knowledge of some of the
concepts that will be presented in this course. If you struggle to
answer any of the questions in this quiz, that's good! That means this
course will be a good fit for you, where you will learn these answers
and more!

4. What Is a Web Page?
• The final project for this course is building your own web page. In this
module, you will gain a better understanding of what a web page is,
how it works, and other key elements of the digital world like web
servers, browsers, internet protocols, and more. In addition, this
module will introduce you to the power of collaboration in designing
web content as well as help you consider what makes a good user
experience. By the end of this module, you will be able to: (1) define
what a web page is, as well as key components of the digital world
like web servers, browsers, and internet protocols; and (2) explain key
details about the Internet, its history, and how it works.

5. Building a Web Page with HTML
• In this module, you will gain your first tool for building web pages:
HyperText Markup Language (HTML). With HTML, you will be able to
structure text in a web page as well as add tables, insert links, and
show images. By the end of this module, you will be able to: (1)
access and use CodePen, the tool you will use for building websites in
this course; (2) design the basic structure for a webpage using
HyperText Markup Language or HTML (ordered and unordered lists,
tables, headings, links, inserted images); and (3) describe some of the
ethical issues surrounding the sharing of digital content.

6. CSS for Styling a Web Page
• As you use HTML to structure and add content your web page,
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) will help visually bring your web pages to
life! You will learn in this module how to use CSS to customize the
colors, fonts, and overall look of your web pages. By the end of this
module, you will be able to: (1) explain Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
and how they are used in modern webpages in conjunction with
HTML; (2) use CSS to make changes to the style of your webpage
content, including changes to color and font; and (3) use any color
you want for an element in a web page you create: whether it has a
standard name, or you need to specify it by number.

7. Learning to Program in JavaScript
• When designing a web page or creating something else with computers,
there are often recurring tasks that would be very time consuming to do
manually. Solving these challenges programmatically, that is, by writing a
program that tells your computer how to do the task, is often more
efficient. In this module, you will learn the basics of your first programming
language (JavaScript) as well as essential programming tools: conditional
statements, loops, variables, functions, and more. By the end of this
module, you will be able to: (1) identify situations where a program is
needed for tasks that are not possible to complete manually; (2) program
in JavaScript using conditional statements, loops, variables, and functions;
(3) use vocabulary related to creating and editing digital images; and (4)
edit images by writing and running a pixel modification program.

8. Design Principles for Programming
• In this module, you will learn the seven-step process for developing a
computer program from scratch: from identifying a solution to a
problem, to listing out the step-by-step directions of your solution, to
translating these directions into code. As part of this process, you will
also learn how to test and debug your code. By the end of this
module, you will be able to: (1) replace a green screen background
with an image of your own choosing; (2) use the seven-step design
process for developing programs from scratch; and (3) debug code
using the scientific method.

9. Finding Information in Data
• In this module, you will write and use functions in JavaScript
programs to manage program complexity with well-developed
abstractions. You will also learn how to use arithmetic to manipulate
pixel color and values so that you can hide messages in images, an
example of what’s called steganography. You will implement the
seven-step design process to solve a real world problem of image
enlargement. By the end of this module, you will be able to: (1) write
useful functions in JavaScript programs; (2) use arithmetic
expressions in manipulating images; and (3) solve problems with the
seven-step process.

10. Mini-Project: Create Your E-Portfolio
• In this final module for the course, you will bring together your new
skills with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and you will create an e-
portfolio—the concluding project for this course.