a web sized education problem?
Post on 15-May-2015
2.883 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
A “Web-Sized”Education Problem?
Chris Mills, Opera Software, OWEA/Open Edu
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Let’s talk about...Web education• The problem• Potential solutions
• What the community is doing• Improving things together
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
The education problemSkills 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
Such as• Accountancy• Architecture• Law• Medicine
Think of other professions
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
These have featuresSuch as• Regulatory bodies• Codes of practice• Qualifications• Faculties at university
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
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
Codes of practice?• There are best practices• But mostly we just view source...• ...and copy and paste
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
(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
There are exams• At some universities• But these are few and far between• And vary widely in content
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Many educators get itIncluding many of you guys!
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
But many don’tCourses 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
So ... WTF?
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
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
Standards becoming standard?
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
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
Outdated coursesThis is when many courses were written• Things have changed so much• 10-15 years is a lifetime in web terms• Updates in courses and teaching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
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
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
Also, web is an orphanWhere 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
Not taken seriouslyIt 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
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
Enough moaning already!
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Now forthe solutions...
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
SolutionsWe want to get rid of the excuses!• Create supporting resources• Evangelise/do outreach• Mould better web developers!
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
The pera WSCThe 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
Open knowledge sharingIs absolutely vital• Spirit of the Web• Makes everything easier• Build up useful network of allies
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
WaSP InterActWeb design curricula• Course structures, rubrics, sample
assignments, exam questions, etc.• Perfect complement to the Opera
WSC• Also released under CC
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
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
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
Mozilla/P2PU school of Webcraft
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
OWEAOpen Web Education Alliance• W3C incubator group• Looking to provide a “standard for
web standards” education• Also performs outreach activities
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
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
University toursStarted by Opera• Deliver guest lectures• Evangelize standards and good
teaching practices• Getting local representatives on
board too
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Other meetupsFrom big to small• WE Rock events• Highjacking Ignites, bar camps, etc• Ad hoc discussion meetups
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
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
Summary Final thoughts...
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
How does it all work together?
WEBPROFESSIONALS!
CreateResources
EvangeliseBest Practices
Examination/Accreditation
ImproveCurricula
Train educators/students
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Is two-way• Industry updates educators on
curricula and best practices• Educators provide industry with
validity, respect ... and fresh meat!
Forging links between industry and educators
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Both of these already in consideration• Working on government (hush hush)• Eventual aim is to spread this
worldwide
Government, international?
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Thanks for listening• cmills@opera.com• @chrisdavidmills• http://dev.opera.com• Web standards evenings in
Manchester!http://standards-next.org/
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
top related