Syllabus for CSC 341: Open Source Application Development (Fall 2013)

• Mon. 9:00 - 10:00 & 4:00 - 5:00 (Holroyd 133 or Holroyd 124)
• Tues. 10:30 - 11:30 (Holroyd 133 or Holroyd 124)
• Wed. 9:00 - 10:00 & 4:00 - 5:00 (Holroyd 133 or Holroyd 124)
• Or by appointment

Topics: Students will develop web solutions that integrate client (HTML, CSS and JavaScript/jQuery) and server side (PHP) interfaces. The emphasis for the course will be on development for server side, with results being viewed and designed for the client. At least half of the course will include database maintenance (mySQL) using the open-source solution, including development of authentication and authorization.

Meetings (Time and Place)

Monday & Wednesday 2:00-3:15 in Holroyd 153

Holidays:
Labor day: Mon, Sept. 2
Midsemester break: Mon, Oct. 14 & Tues, Oct. 15
Thanksgiving: Wed, Nov. 27 & Thurs, Nov. 28 & Fri, Nov. 29

Other important dates:
Classes start: Aug. 26
Midsemester grades due: Oct. 21
Last day to withdraw: Nov. 1 Classes end: Dec. 6
Finals week: Dec. 9 - Dec 13

Course Calendar Link

Text:

Relevant Websites:

• http://www.php.net/manual/en/ (PHP)
• http://www.w3schools.com/html5/ (HTML5)
• http://validator.w3.org/ (HTML Validator)
• http://www.w3schools.com/css/ (CSS)
• http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/ (CSS Validator)
• http://www.w3schools.com/js/ (JavaScript)
• http://www.w3schools.com/jquery/ (jQuery)
• http://www.w3schools.com/json/ (JSON)
• http://www.w3schools.com/ajax/ (AJAX)

Online Books:

To find one set of relevant ebooks in La Salle University Connelly Library collection, go to the online catalog and do a keyword search on "safari online".

Title(s) relevant to this course:

• Learning PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, and CSS: a step-by-step guide to creating dynamic websites / Robin Nixon
• Programming PHP/ by Rasmus Lerdorf, Peter MacIntyre, Kevin Tatroe
• PHP and MySQL Web development / Luke Welling, Laura Thomson
• Beginning PHP and MySQL: from novice to professional / W. Jason Gilmore
• XML and PHP/ Vikram Vaswani
• MySQL admin cookbook: 99 great recipes for mastering MySQL configuration and administration / Daniel Schneller, Udo Schwedt
• JavaScript by example / Ellie Quigley
  
• jQuery 1.4 reference guide: a comprehensive exploration of the popular
• jQuery cookbook / jQuery Community Experts
• Speaking in styles: fundamentals of CSS for Web designers / Jason Cranford Teague
• jQuery in action / Bear Bibeault, Yehuda Katz
• The ultimate HTML reference / Ian Lloyd
• Head first HTML with CSS & XHTML / Elisabeth Freeman, Eric Freeman
  
• Beginning HTML, XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript / Jon Duckett
• Beginning JavaScript and CSS development with jQuery / Richard York

Learning Objectives

• Explain the difference between open-source solutions including advantages and disadvantages
• Compare open-source to proprietary development environments
• Install the open-source development environment (for non-classroom use)
• Explain the difference between client-side and server-side programming
• Implement introductory code examples (using variables, control structures, functions, arrays, strings, file processing, etc.)
• Design and implement a general class
• Design and implement a solution for a form process including validation and security
• Implement a server-side solution with persistance using session variables and/or cookies
• Develop test cases for solution
• Design and implement a database solution to a proposed scenario
• Design problem solution to retrieve information from a database
• Develop maintenance applications for database tables
• Develop and implement an authentication and authorization system

Assessment:

There will be a weekly lab as well as a weekly homework. There will be three open-book, open-notes exams in which you will write code and a final of the same format. The various components of the course will be weighted as follows:

• The plus/minus grading system will be used.
• Attendance will be taken.
• Absences, lateness, inattention, etc. will be factored into the lab/class component of the grade.
• Over three unexcused absences may result in the reduction of your final grade.
• One can email solutions provided that they are compressed or post them and send me the link.
• Homeworks and labs are due a week after they are assigned. Labs and homeworks submitted after the test on the relevant material will not be eligible for full credit.
• The lowest of the three test grades will be dropped. The final has a weight equal to two tests. If the final is the lowest grade, it will be counted equal to a test and no test grade will be dropped.
• Make-up tests are given at the discretion of the professor. If you miss a test, you should assume it will serve as your dropped score unless you have met with me to discuss the reason for missing the exam and to schedule a make-up.
• All tests are cumulative, though they will tend to focus on and give more weight to the new material.
• It is your responsibility to keep copies of all of your assignments, tests and so forth at least until you receive your final grade for the course.

Classroom Behavior:

While in the classroom, students should behave in a manner that is neither distracting to nor disrespectful to the professor or other students. Cell phones should be turned off.

Cheating:

Academic Skills Workshops