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A web sized education problem?
- 1. A “Web-Sized” Education Problem? Chris Mills, Opera Software, OWEA/Open Edu Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 2. Let’s talk about... Web education • The problem • Potential solutions • What the community is doing • Improving things together Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 3. The education problem Skills shortage in the web industry • Many web developers need educating • Well-trained graduates also needed • But these needs aren’t being met Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 4. Think of other professions Such as • Accountancy • Architecture • Law • Medicine Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 5. These have features Such as • Regulatory bodies • Codes of practice • Qualifications • Faculties at university Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 6. The Web is different • We have the W3C... • ...but this is a standards body • And what we call standards... • ...are actually recommendations Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 7. Codes of practice? • There are best practices • But mostly we just view source... • ...and copy and paste Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 8. (Low barrier of entry) The Web is easy (sort of) • It has a low barrier of entry • Which made the Web what it is today • But there’s a lot of bad code out there • Which hangs around forever! Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 9. There are exams • At some universities • But these are few and far between • And vary widely in content Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 10. Many educators get it Including many of you guys! Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 11. But many don’t Courses vary • Some teach bad front-end practices • Some don’t teach them at all • Some teach a really odd mix of skills • Some are just comedy Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 12. So ... WTF? Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 13. Standards becoming standard? Didn’t happen at the very beginning • For example HTML only became standard at about HTML3 • Before that things weren’t standard • Browsers took a while to catch on Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 14. Browser support... Was a nightmare for ages • So tables for layout were needed • We weren’t thinking about accessibility so much • Or progressive enhancement Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 15. Outdated courses This is when many courses were written • Things have changed so much • 10-15 years is a lifetime in web terms • Updates in courses and teaching skills desperately needed Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 16. Courses should have • HTML/CSS/JS + best practices • Universal design - REAL accessibility • Proper production skills, like workflows, testing, teamwork • Web sites not looking the same across all browsers! Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 17. We should get rid of • Tables for layout, spacer gifs, inline JavaScript • Resources on HTML3, Netscape DHTML • Courses that try to fly before crawling • Dumb sysadmin policies (IE6 lock) Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 18. Also, web is an orphan Where does it fit in to education? • Comp/sci is a solid technical discipline • Web design is technical, artistic, social, linguistic, media, publishing... Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 19. Not taken seriously It doesn’t get taken seriously • Comp/sci folk think it isn’t real programming • Design folk think it is scary as it involves code Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 20. Why oh Why?? • Lack of web standards teaching experience • Updating curricula too hard/ expensive? • Lack of support from department? • Lack of teaching resources? Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 21. Enough moaning already! Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 22. Now for the solutions... Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 23. Solutions We want to get rid of the excuses! • Create supporting resources • Evangelise/do outreach • Mould better web developers! Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 24. The pera WSC The Web Standards Curriculum • Over 60 articles • All the web design basics you need • Translations underway in over 10 languages • Released under creative commons Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 25. Open knowledge sharing Is absolutely vital • Spirit of the Web • Makes everything easier • Build up useful network of allies Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 26. WaSP InterAct Web design curricula • Course structures, rubrics, sample assignments, exam questions, etc. • Perfect complement to the Opera WSC • Also released under CC Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 27. InterAct with Web Standards “The book of the film” • Written to meet the needs of educators • Written in collaboration between educators and industry folk • Holistic view of web design Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 28. Mozilla/P2PU school of Webcraft Community led accreditation • “Student” builds a project • Assessed by industry professionals • Gives them a portfolio • Works outside university structure - useful as not everyone has access Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 29. OWEA Open Web Education Alliance • W3C incubator group • Looking to provide a “standard for web standards” education • Also performs outreach activities Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 30. Reach out! Trying to get everyone doing outreach • Educate the ones that don’t get it • Point them to our resources, and share your own • “Train the trainers” Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 31. University tours Started by Opera • Deliver guest lectures • Evangelize standards and good teaching practices • Getting local representatives on board too Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 32. Other meetups From big to small • WE Rock events • Highjacking Ignites, bar camps, etc • Ad hoc discussion meetups Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 33. It’s not just educators... Existing web devs and non-technical team members also need educating • Existing web devs: improve practices • Edu administrators: hold the power • Marketers/managers: non-technical team members need to understand Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 34. Summary Final thoughts... Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 35. How does it all work together? Improve Create Curricula Resources Examination/ WEB Accreditation PROFESSIONALS! Train educators/ Evangelise students Best Practices Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 36. Forging links between industry and educators Is two-way • Industry updates educators on curricula and best practices • Educators provide industry with validity, respect ... and fresh meat! Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 37. Government, international? Both of these already in consideration • Working on government (hush hush) • Eventual aim is to spread this worldwide Wednesday, 15 September 2010
- 38. Thanks for listening • cmills@opera.com • @chrisdavidmills • http://dev.opera.com • Web standards evenings in Manchester! http://standards-next.org/ Wednesday, 15 September 2010