a web sized education problem?

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


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


Such as• Accountancy• Architecture• Law• Medicine

Think of other professions


These have featuresSuch as• Regulatory bodies• Codes of practice• Qualifications• Faculties at university


The Web is different• We have the W3C...• ...but this is a standards body• And what we call standards...• ...are actually recommendations


Codes of practice?• There are best practices• But mostly we just view source...• ...and copy and paste


(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!


There are exams• At some universities• But these are few and far between• And vary widely in content


Many educators get itIncluding many of you guys!


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


So ... WTF?


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?


Browser support...Was a nightmare for ages• So tables for layout were needed• We weren’t thinking about

accessibility so much• Or progressive enhancement


Outdated coursesThis is when many courses were written• Things have changed so much• 10-15 years is a lifetime in web terms• Updates in courses and teaching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


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!


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)


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...


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


Why oh Why??• Lack of web standards teaching

experience• Updating curricula too hard/

expensive?• Lack of support from department?• Lack of teaching resources?


Enough moaning already!


Now forthe solutions...


SolutionsWe want to get rid of the excuses!• Create supporting resources• Evangelise/do outreach• Mould better web developers!


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


Open knowledge sharingIs absolutely vital• Spirit of the Web• Makes everything easier• Build up useful network of allies


WaSP InterActWeb design curricula• Course structures, rubrics, sample

assignments, exam questions, etc.• Perfect complement to the Opera

WSC• Also released under CC


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


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


OWEAOpen Web Education Alliance• W3C incubator group• Looking to provide a “standard for

web standards” education• Also performs outreach activities


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”


University toursStarted by Opera• Deliver guest lectures• Evangelize standards and good

teaching practices• Getting local representatives on

board too


Other meetupsFrom big to small• WE Rock events• Highjacking Ignites, bar camps, etc• Ad hoc discussion meetups


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


Summary Final thoughts...


How does it all work together?

WEBPROFESSIONALS!

CreateResources

EvangeliseBest Practices

Examination/Accreditation

ImproveCurricula

Train educators/students


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


Both of these already in consideration• Working on government (hush hush)• Eventual aim is to spread this

worldwide

Government, international?


Thanks for listening• [email protected]• @chrisdavidmills• http://dev.opera.com• Web standards evenings in

Manchester!http://standards-next.org/


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://dev.opera.com

http://dev.opera.com

http://standards-next.org

http://standards-next.org

a web sized education problem?

Technology

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web design basics

teamwork web sites

web terms updates

web standardsthe book

websized education problem

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standards becomingstandard