This week (12/8-12/14) is Computer Science Education Week, and to promote it, the Maker Lab is participating in the Hour of Code. “The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics.” (http://hourofcode.com/us#)
They even have resources for going beyond an hour of code – be sure to check out the university resources (http://code.org/learn/beyond)
Today we're using Codecademy's “About Me” exercise to dive in to HTML and CSS.
You have two tabs open, one for Codecademy and one for Mozilla Thimble. Please create accounts on both sites if you have not already done so.
HTML: hypertext markup language (learn more about HTML)
CSS: cascading style sheets
Ability to recognize HTML/CSS tags
Ability to change HTML/CSS tags
Familiarity with additional resources for learning
Understanding of how HTML/CSS are used in presenting the internet
In this exercise, you'll want to find a background image. Try a general Google search for background image, or look for something more specific if you wish.
Use this HTML Color Picker from the W3Schools, or search for another one. You can even use the eyedrop tool in Paint.Net, Gimp2, and other programs to help you identify a particular color.
Find HTML/CSS books at the Chicago Public Library, or, other places to learn online:
Girl Develop It (Chicago) offers local workshops and online resources
Reference items and examples: http://www.w3schools.com/html/
Basic description of what you need: http://html.net/tutorials/html5/lesson1.php
Do you need a web host to learn HTML/CSS? No. All you need is a browser and computer. You don't even need an internet connection. But if you want to share your webpages online, you'll need a place to host them. While you're learning, start small and free by hosting on Google Drive. When you outgrow Google Drive, you can try finding a free host with potential to upgrade, or pay for hosting if you're ready!
These are good options for getting a webpage up immediately, and if you pick them apart, you can learn more about advanced coding.