Pre-Conference Workshops

Developing & Maintaining Web Content: An Idea Generating Workshop

This popular HighEdWeb workshop is a great way to start off the conference! Using some of the cornerstone topics in communications and public relations, this workshop examines the development of good Web content. The second half of the workshop looks at research techniques available for developing and assessing Web sites.

Presenter(s)

• Douglas Tschopp, Augustana College

Graphics Optimization for the Web: Advanced Tools and Techniques

This session will review the image optimization information shared at HighEdWeb2007 in Rochester, New York, as well as build upon and greatly expand that information. New topics to be included in this workshop will be Flash (.swf) file optimization, 32-bit .png optimization, and available techniques associated with optimizing video footage. We will also discuss and illustrate the benefits of image optimization as it relates to software and GUI design as well...working to make the applications on one's computer(s) run faster while requiring less hard drive space to store.

Presenter(s)

• Derek Tonn, mapformation, LLC

Information Interoperability on the Web - An Introduction to XML and XSLT

You've probably heard of Web 2.0. You may have heard of Semantic Web, Microformats, RDF, OWL and, broadly, APIs. Exchanging information, in a machine readable format, is one of the foundations of the modern web infrastructure. RSS and Atom feeds allow your reader to periodically deliver you new stories from your favorite blogs. Google Maps API allows you to "mashup" your information with information provided by Google. A virtual storefront can be created with data retrieved using the Amazon Associates Web Service. All these examples use XML as a semi-structured information exchange format. This workshop will provide an introduction to XML, the concept of validity and its relation to XML Schemas, namespaces and the two major manipulation interfaces: SAX and DOM. The workshop will also provide an introduction to XSLT: a Turing-complete language used to transform XML documents into other (possibly not XML) documents. The workshop will consist of lecture and exercise components. The exercise components will consist of creating new XHTML documents from existing, public web services (such as Google News API). No previous experience with XML is required, but some background in programming (even simple Javascript) is useful for the XSLT portion. Participants should bring their own laptop, if possible, in order to immerse themselves in the exercises.

Presenter(s)

• Jason Woodward, Cornell University

Intro to Flash

This workshop will cover the basics of developing Flash animation for the web. We will be using Macromedia Flash CS3 Professional to do some hands-on exercises that will show the student how to create animations, simple interactivity and a video game. We will also cover such topics as Flash CS3's built-in accessibility features, managing symbols and instance, working with video, and publishing your flash movie.

Presenter(s)

• Shelly Brown, Southwest Baptist University

Introduction to RedDot CMS RQL

RedDot CMS RQL allows you to extend the functionality of your RedDot CMS or to automate administrative tasks. Topics of the workshop include: overview of RQL and it's uses, using RQL in SmartEdit, using RQL from an external application, determining undocumented RQL queries from the logs, developing custom plugins and making use of an ASP.Net RQL Library. Participants must have hands on experience with the RedDot CMS versions 6.5 or later, familiarity with HTML and XML, and experience with a web-based programming language such as ASP, PHP or ASP.Net (C# or VB). The workshop will include hands on work with the RedDot CMS system (computer workstations will be provided).

Presenter(s)

• Chad Killingsworth, Missouri State University

Photoshop Basics for the Web

Explore the Photoshop CS3 interface and several tools to create and edit images. Learn to use layers, as well as color correct, retouch, size, and crop photos/images for the web. Participants will learn about raster and vector graphics, and how to optimize the images to look great and load quickly on the web. Join us for this group-paced workshop with structured hands-on activities.

Presenter(s)

• The Computer Institute, Missouri State University

Post-Conference Workshops

Advanced CSS Workshop

A hands-on opportunity to play with some advanced CSS concepts. Bring your laptops and an open mind. We'll cover many of the current hot design techniques: multi-column layout, faux-column layout, advanced image replacement techniques, advanced list manipulation, rounded corner boxes, son-of-suckerfish dropdowns, cross-column pull-outs, CSS hacks, and customized CSS for alternate devices.

Presenter(s)

• Daniel M. Frommelt, University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Advanced Photoshop Tricks for the Web

For those who are comfortable with basic Photoshop skills, learn to use Photoshop CS3 to take your designs for the web to the next level. We will explore several hands-on activities to create stylized text and specialized buttons and navigation. Learn techniques to combining images and adding effects to photos, and to make images "pop" on web pages. Join us for this group-paced workshop with structured hands-on activities.

Presenter(s)

• The Computer Institute, Missouri State University

Negotiation for the Web Professional

Negotiation is a basic skill. We do it every day, whether we think about it or not. Studying negotiation yields a toolbox of techniques one can draw upon to navigate everyday human interactions. As professionals, the goal is to get along, find agreement, and get what we need to get our jobs done. After all, command-and-control is for the business sector, and when are we Web people ever in charge? This workshop is designed to cover some of the basic tools every negotiator should have, with an several in-class scenarios to illustrate key points.

Presenter(s)

• Steven Lewis, The College at Brockport

Using Subversion SCM for Web Applications

While many web sites now use content management systems for their web site content, web applications are a little different in how they need to be managed. SCM, or Source Code Management is the process of managing change in the code base, giving you the benefit of being able to have multiple developers work on the same code, at the same time, while managing conflicting changes. It allows you also to do parallel development on multiple versions of the same application, as well as protects you from changes that may break your code, but allows you to experiment safely since you can back out any change made. In this workshop, we will create a repository for a web application, show how code can be managed in the repository, and demonstrate the use of various client connections to make using the repository easy, so it will get used! Bring your laptop, Mac, Linux or Windows, and you will learn how to connect to the repository and create your own locally on your laptop!

Presenter(s)

• C. Daniel Chase, University of Colorado

Web 2.0: How to thrive in the brave new world of Social Media Marketing

Web 2.0—from social networking to file sharing and content co-creation—is radically reshaping the higher education marketing landscape. How will blogs, RSS feeds, tagging, video and community content sites like MySpace change the way we market and recruit? As a social and cultural phenomenon, Web 2.0 and the rise of social media is transforming nearly every aspect of digital communication, from Web site design and content creation to search. This session will clarify the phenomenon and its ramifications, and explore the 2.0 and social media tools, strategies, and tactics colleges and universities should add to their marketing and admissions recruiting arsenals.

Presenter(s)

• Fritz McDonald, Stamats, Inc.

What’s New in PHP 5: We Search the Changelogs so You Don’t Have To

Now that PHP 4 has been discontinued, you’ve probably been busy testing all of your scripts to ensure they still work in PHP 5…but have you taken the time to learn what PHP 5 can really do? From two brand new XML parsers to an improved object model, PHP 5 offers many new features designed to make PHP code more efficient to run and easier to write. This session will look at several of these new features, including iterators, reflection, exceptions, PHP Data Objects, and more. Participants will learn about the new features and how to begin using them to write better code. Prior experience with PHP is recommended.

Presenter(s)

• Jason Pitoniak, Rochester Institute of Technology