Teaching Guide

Teaching Guide

Aim:
The aim of this Introduction to Composer module is to teach participants basic Netscape 6.2 Composer skills in order to create their first web pages.

Rationale:
Teachers want to create web pages that are specific to their classroom needs. Netscape Composer is a free and user-friendly web page editor teachers can use to create web pages for classroom use.

Goals and Objectives:
Teachers will know how to use Netscape Composer in order to make professional web pages. Teachers will

• learn how to create a new page in Netscape Composer
• learn how to edit, save and preview pages
• learn how to format pages
• learn how to insert tables, images and links on to pages
• learn how to publish pages

In addition, this module prepares educators to meet the National Educational Technology Standard for planning and designing learning environments and experiences.

Audience & Prerequisites:
In general, anyone interested in learning how to use Netscape 6.2 Composer can work with this tutorial. This module is specifically designed for educators with no web page editing experience. Participants should know how to save work to appropriate files.

Subject-matter:
This is a basic Netscape 6.2 Composer tutorial.

Instructional Plan:

There are two parts to this module, it may take three to six hours to complete. Mentors can cover one part on one day and do the rest on another day. Participants will begin by editing a template. Mentors will guide participants through this process by providing group and individual instruction; including demonstrations, hands-on practice and answering questions. Participants will begin their own professional web pages for the second part of this module. Participants should apply knowledge gained from previous section and work independently. Mentors will give demonstrations and answer questions as needed.

Use the template lessons page to show participants how to do things. After a thorough demonstration, participants will be assigned practice lessons in order to build skills and help you determine how much they understand. They should practice by editing the classroom web page template. When finished, use the rubric to critique work. A review of file management should be done on a day prior to working on this module. This Cheat Sheet<--link to pdf file here > may be used as a quick reference tool. Let participants know how much time they have. A couple extra hardcopies of the hands-on lessons in the professional web pages section should be kept on hand. These lessons are included in the WIT handbook.

Mentors should wrap up the module by reviewing parts of Netscape Composer, answering questions and letting participants show their page(s). Give homework assignment.

Checklist Before Getting Started
	Netscape 6.2 installed on all machines
	ftp client, flash and acrobat reader installed on all machines
	copies of the cheat sheet/lessons
	make sure toolbars will show in Composer when launched

 

Please email me with comments about this module..

Using the Template - Task I

The following is a description of lessons:

1. Introduce Netscape
Let participants know that they will use Netscape 6.2. Go to the site and show how to download Netscape 6.2. Point out that download takes a little time and installation is short. Show how to launch Netscape 6.2 from the desktop and start a Composer page. Point out the difference between Navigator window and Composer window.

Assignment: Participants launch a window, toggle between windows and compare navigator window and composer window. Also, participants should spend some time playing with the software. Move mouse around and over toolbars, look at pop-up menus, click on some of the selections on the menu and toolbars, and open and close windows. PC users should practice left and right clicking and MAC users should practice clicking and holding down mouse, practice highlighting and typing. When finished, do not save this page. Take up to fifteen minutes for this practice.

2. Editing, Previewing and Saving
Inform participants that they will be using a template for quick practice. Go to the template, select edit page and have participants change name on web page, save in appropriate folder then preview it.

Assignment: Participants will click on classroom web page link, edit page by changing the name on the page, save it and then preview it. Spend fifteen minutes practicing.

3. Formatting

Open saved file and point out that the file is local by looking at the URL. Participants should thoroughly understand that their work must be put on the CUIP server in order for others to see it. Their work can only be seen at the machine they are sitting at. Demonstrate this by trying to pull up the mentor's classroomwebpage template demo. at another machine. Demonstrate

• Paragraph styles. Click Paragraph Style drop-down box and choose style
• Change font color, size, style. Click on appropriate button and make selection.
• Indenting and aligning text. Click either of the indent or align buttons..
• Make bulleted and numbered list. Click Bulleted or Numbered buttons.
• Change background. Use Format|Page Colors and Backgrounds.
• Title of Page. Use Format|Page Titles and Properties.
• Add a horizontal line. Click Horizontal Line button.

Assignment: Participants will open their classroom web page file and practice the above formatting on their page. They should save and preview their work. Spend fifteen minutes in this practice session.

4. Tables
Point out the advantages to using tables: helps organize text and images on a page with or without borders and adds more color to a page. Show some examples of tables on a page. Demonstrate how to insert and format tables by doing the following:

• Create a table, setting rows, columns, width and borders. Use Tables|Insert and click on Table.
• Format tables and cells, covering size, style, alignment, color, spacing and text wrap. Double-click on the table and choose Table or Cell tabs to make selections.
• Add and delete columns and rows. Click on the table and then Use Table|Insert or Delete to add or delete.

  Example 1, Example 2 and Example 3

Assignment: Participants will add a small table onto their classroom web page. Spend fifteen minutes on practice.

5. Images
Images add visual appeal to a page, but they also can serve as a link. It is important to keep copyright issues in mind. Participants should go to the Hoxie school site and save a couple of pictures to use (spend ten minutes at Hoxie) on their classroom web page. Demonstrate the following:

• Insert an image and alternate text, work with dimensions, text alignment and spacing. Click Image Button.
• Show some of the different types of graphics that can be on a page like buttons, lines, background images.

Assignment: Participants will insert images, saved in the images folder, onto their web page. Fifteen minutes here.

6. Links
Demonstrate the different types of links participants will be using.

• Link text to an external URL and a file stored locally. Click Link Button..
• Create an anchor and target. Click Anchor Button and Target Button.
• Create an email link and link an image to a web page. Click Link Button.
• Remove a link and discontinue a link. Highlight link and Use Format|Remove Link or Discontinue Link.

Assignment: Participants will insert an external link, link to a local file, place an anchor and target it, create an email link and make an image a link. Also, will practice removing and discontinuing links. Spend fifteen minutes.

7. Publishing

Publishing is covered thoroughly in the FTP module.

Assignment: Participants will publish their page.

Using the Hands-on Lessons (self-paced) - Task II

Participants will work through the second section, on their own, to create professional web pages. The activity may be done on the following day or after a break from working on the template. Before getting started with the lessons, mentors may have participants sit at a different seat and try to bring up their files. This should be a repeat of your previous demonstration, but it will give participants a chance to get their files from the server while sitting at another machine. Before starting, remind participants to save carefully and publish often.

Homework Assignments (suggested):

• Review Files and Folders Management
• Download Netscape Composer at home

Materials:
Materials: Netscape 6.2, including Composer and Navigator, a printer, paper to make hardcopies of this module, a LCD projector and publishing path.

Assessment and Evaluation:
Mentors will observe to see if and how individual participants are demonstrating objectives. Participants will use the Lesson Plan Rubric to draw conclusions about their skills. Mentors will evaluate each web page to see if the covered elements are appropriately present on the pages.

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This module created by: E. Fabiyi