Spring 2025
Comprehensive Software Project: Planning and Design
INEW 2330 2A1 CREDIT 3 Semester Credit Hours (2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: ITSE 1402 or COSC 1309; one lower-level programming course; ENGL 0305 or ENGL 0365 or ENGL 0115 AND ENGL 0307 or ENGL 0375 or ENGL 0117 or higher-level course (ENGL 1301) or Placement by testing. ENGL 0309 or ENGL 0310 also meets prerequisite; MATH 0308 COURSE DESCRIPTION A comprehensive application of skills learned in previous courses in a simulated workplace. Covers the development, testing, and documenting of a complete software and/or hardware solution. This course may be used as a capstone course for a certificate or degree. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: 1. Design and create a simple, functional website with clear navigation. 2. Organize and present effectively to communicate information. 3. Apply basic design principles to create a visually appealing layout. 4. Test and refine the website to ensure proper functionality and usability. INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Sarita V. Medhekar Email: smedhekar@lit.edu Office Location: Virtual Office Hours: Virtual REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS There is no required textbook for this course. ATTENDANCE POLICY Regular attendance will be monitored throughout the course based on online work submission. DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process by the specified drop date as listed on the Academic Calendar. If you stop completing the assignments and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. STUDENT EXPECTED TIME REQUIREMENT For every hour in class (or unit of credit), students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit-hour class, students should prepare to allocate approximately six to nine hours per week outside of class in a 16- week session OR approximately twelve to eighteen hours in an 8-week session. Online/Hybrid students should expect to spend at least as much time in this course as in the traditional, face-to-face class. COURSE CALENDAR TOPIC LAST DAY TO ACCEPT LATE WORK on this Date Week -1 Week – 2 Lab - 1 02/01 Week – 3 02/08 Week – 4 Lab - 2 02/15 Week – 5 02/22 Week - 6 03/01 Week -7 & 8 03/15 Week – 9 & 10 Lab - 3 03/29 Week – 11 & 12 Lab - 4 04/12 Week – 13, 14 & 15 Lab - 5 04/26 Week – 16 Final Project 05/06 Week 1: Course Introduction • Navigating the Online Course Platform (Blackboard) • Reviewing the Syllabus • Meeting Your Instructor Week 2: Personal Introduction • Introducing Yourself: Background, Interests, and Goals • Sharing Initial Thoughts on the Project Scope Week 3: Project Kickoff • Understanding the Project Scope: Building a Website for a Client or Personal Use • Brainstorming Website Ideas Week 4: Website Planning • Creating a Site Map and Wireframes • Writing a Project Plan Week 5: Setting Up the Project Environment • Introduction to File Structure and Organization • Tools for Website Development: Text Editors and Version Control • Setting Up a Version Control Repository Week 6: Building the Website Structure • Creating Basic Web Pages (Home, About, Contact) • Organizing Content into Sections (Header, Body, Footer) • Linking Pages for Navigation Week 7: Designing the Layout • Choosing Colors, Fonts, and Visual Themes • Adding and Styling Images Week 8: Adding Interactive Elements • Enhancing Navigation with Dropdown Menus Week 9: Testing and Debugging (Midpoint Review) • Reviewing Website Progress • Performing Cross-Browser Testing • Identifying and Fixing Errors Week 10: Adding Advanced Features • Designing Forms for Contact or Feedback Pages • Adding Tables or Lists for Information Display • Embedding Media (Videos, Maps) Week 11: Collaboration and Version Control • Tracking Changes Using Version Control • Documenting Changes and Updates Week 12: Finalizing the Design • Polishing the Website Layout • Ensuring Consistency Across Pages • Optimizing the Website for Performance Week 13: Testing and Maintenance • Testing for Mobile Responsiveness • Creating a Maintenance Plan for Updates and Security • Planning a Backup and Disaster Recovery Strategy Week 14 & 15: Documentation and Presentation Preparation • Writing User Documentation (e.g., How to Navigate or Update the Site) • Preparing a Technical Report for the Project • Practicing the Project Presentation Week 16: Final Project Submission and Presentation • Submitting the Final Website Project • Presenting the Website and Documentation to the Class/Instructor COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: • Total: five labs, each lab is 10%, so the total for labs is 50%. • Final Project: 50%. GRADING SCALE 90 – 100 A 80 – 89 B 70 – 79 C 60 – 69 D 0 – 59 F LIT does not use +/- grading scales ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Students found to be committing academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, or collusion) may receive disciplinary action. Students need to familiarize themselves with the institution’s Academic Dishonesty Policy available in the Student Catalog & Handbook at http://catalog.lit.edu/content.php?catoid=3&navoid=80#academic-dishonesty. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc. can be online at https://lit.edu/online-learning/online-learning-minimum-computer-requirements. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. AI STATEMENT Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, have changed the landscape of many career disciplines and will impact many students in and out of the classroom. To prepare students for their selected careers, LIT desires to guide students in the ethical use of these technologies and incorporate AI into the classroom instruction and assignments appropriately. Appropriate use of these technologies is at the discretion of the instructor. Students are reminded that all submitted work must be their own original work unless otherwise specified. Students should contact their instructor with any questions as to the acceptable use of AI/ChatGPT in their courses. ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES/INFORMATION 1. Students should log onto Blackboard and access this course at everyday to keep on track with assignments. And do the assignments by each due date. 2. Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated. 3. Internet Usage – Students are expected to use proper net etiquette while participating in course emails, assignment submissions, and online discussions. 4. Students should turn assignments in by the posted due date and time. Late work is accepted until ONE WEEK AFTER THE LAST UNIT ASSIGNMENT, but not encouraged. The due dates are to keep you on track to a successful finish. 5. If you wish to drop a course, the student is responsible for initiating and completing the drop process. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an ‘F’ in the course. 6. Exams are timed. 7. Grades will be posted under the Grades icon on the class gradebook. All grades are automatically graded and posted. If you see a missing grade, please email me to call it to my attention so I can correct it. 8. If you need to contact the instructor my LIT e-mail is smedhekar@lit.edu. Your e-mail will be answered within 24 hours Monday – Thursday and within 72 hours Friday - Sunday. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE/PREFER EMAILING MY SCHOOL EMAIL AND NOT SENDING A MESSAGE THROUGH BLACKBOARD. Be sure to include specific details and your section number. 9. All assignments will be completed using the link in Blackboard. Assignment CANNOT be submitted via email. All due dates will be posted in Blackboard.