NQF Level 2: BTEC First
Guided learning hours: 60
Live sites at www.totton.org
Unit abstract
Whatever the size of a business, whether a huge international business like News International
or a family-run hotel in the Scottish Highlands, it is more than likely to have a website.
Websites are now the accepted way for businesses to communicate with their clients and
customers – to advertise their existence, tell people what they have to offer, and to sell their
products and services. There is, consequently, a growing need for those with the skills to
construct and maintain these sites.
This unit will develop initial skills in web authoring techniques. Learners will develop an
understanding of the worldwide web and the appropriate skills to produce web pages. Learners
will be able to undertake simple tasks relating to the design and implementation of web pages.
They will learn about authoring techniques, how to compile websites and how to publish their
material on the worldwide web.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit a learner should:
1 Know about web authoring
World wide web; internet service providers (URL, domain name, top level domain, domain
name registration, hosting)
Software: HTML text editor eg Notepad; visual editor eg WYSIWYG web editor
HTML: font size; font colour; background; paragraph, line break; hyperlinks eg image,
page, website; page name eg index.htm for homepage
2 Be able to develop a plan for a website
Plan: purpose, audience, legal and ethical considerations
Structure: site structure eg home page, linked content pages; page layout eg consistency,
heading style, body style, colours, backgrounds
Content: text; imported content eg text, images, animation, video, sounds, music
3 Be able to use web authoring software to produce a website
File types: eg htm, html, gif, jpeg, wav, mov, mpeg
Page structure: head; body; metatags (author, keywords, description)
Layout: background; repeated content eg copyright, trademark, logo, head, subhead, body;
template; style sheets
Tables: dimensions; table alignment; cells (border, padding, colour, cell alignment)
Import content: eg text; images, animated gif, flash, video, sound
Text: font; alignment; emphasis; size; heading styles; colour
Lists: eg unordered, ordered
Images: resolution; size; alignment (horizontal and vertical); still; alternative text
Hyperlinks: page links; www; email; anchors (text and image); link colours
4 Be able to review own web authoring work
Finished product: compared with original intentions; suitability for intended audience;
technical qualities; aesthetic qualities
Production process: technical competencies; creative abilities; time management; teamwork
(if appropriate)
Sources of information: self-evaluation; comments from others eg audience, peers, tutors,
client; documentation eg notes, minutes of meeting, production diaries
This unit introduces learners to the worldwide web and to the software required to author
websites. Their explorations should begin with research into the variety of sites and information
on the worldwide web. Learners should be encouraged to use libraries, archives and electronic
sources for research. They should be looking at a wide range of websites and understanding
how these sites are constructed.
Learners could produce a report on their findings, maybe
capturing some images to support this exploration. Their introduction to the concept of web
authoring software may need to take place in classroom situations with individual exercises
being undertaken by learners. They should be allowed to experiment with software to produce
simple web pages that could later be turned into more sophisticated material.
Learners should plan and produce their own pages for a website. This website might be
produced for an intranet rather than launching it on an internet site. Learners should be allowed
to develop appropriate pages from a basic home page right through to more complicated pages
such as forms or animated pages.
Learners should be encouraged to evaluate their own work and the work of their team, where
appropriate. They should use appropriate language and terminology when producing their
evaluation. They should look at the technical qualities of the web authoring work and how it
works in relation to their initial ideas.
Last updated 16th October 2008
Dreamweaver CS3 supported by Photoshop CS3, Flash CS3
Sessions held in the Mac Room 164 of the Multimedia Department, Totton College, Southampton UK.
Download free fully-working 30 Day trial versions from Macromedia (click the 'try' link)
Free open source Web design software for Windows, Mac and Linux is available at http://www.nvu.com
Edexcel BTEC ND course qualification document
Unit abstract
Web authors produce the interfaces which more than a billion people worldwide use
in increasingly sophisticated ways.
Some of the applications for Websites include advertising, sales, education, gaming,
communicating, news, sound and vision, research and sharing, to name but a few.
People are developing new ways of communicating through instant messaging,
voiceover internet protocol (VoIP) and Web logs (blogs).
Shopping habits have also changed with savvy users making use of
online product reviews, ratings, price comparison tools
and online auctions to make sure they get the best deals.
The internet is no longer limited to the desktop: millions of users access web pages
through mobile devices (mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital television, etc).
Businesses make significant use of web-accessible material on their intranet sites.
Most medium to large organisations have their own website development and
management teams. The exciting thing is that the internet is still a developing,
evolving medium with plenty of scope for individual expression, innovation and creativity.
This unit provides knowledge, skills, understanding and practical experience for
learners in authoring for the worldwide Web. It will provide learners with core
knowledge and skills appropriate to a wide range of jobs classified under the broad
title of Web authoring including Web page design, Website publishing, testing and
planning, and search engine optimisation.
Learners will develop an understanding of the concepts and terminology related to
Web authoring. They will also learn the basics of website design and the tools and
features of Web authoring software.
Learners will touch on other important issues such as accessibility, security, reliability,
availability, speed and viruses. The unit will also help learners identify the personal
development required to pursue a career in Web development.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit a learner should:
1 Understand hypertext markup language (HTML)
Web page: Web page construction; text; fonts; colour; images; tables; hyperlinks;
language and terminology; metadata; cssHTML: nature of HTML and XHTML (extensible hypertext markup language);
features of HTML and XHTML; how to use HTML and XHTML
2 Be able to use Website design and production software
Language and terminology: authoring; sites; uploading; File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
Workspace: view; title bar; tab bar; menusPanels: common; layout; text; tables; frames; forms; templates; characters;
media; head; script; applications; design; code; application; files; answers;
propertiesTools and features: drag and drop; linking; integration and import of different
media formats; browser compatibility; ease of use; standard colour palettes;
interactivity; site management; built-in FTP; built in libraries; templates; HTML
editor; frames; navigation bars; frame content; forms; single line; multiple line;
check boxes; radio buttons; list menus; buttons; validation and testing; editing
code; style sheets; custom styles; cascading styles; external and internal styles;
find and replace; layers; creating; naming; modifying; order; nesting; animation;
keyframes; objects and properties; visibility; behavioursSite management: purposes and uses of site management; site maps; local and
remote sites; connections; copying; synchronisation
3 Be able to produce a media rich Website to a specification
Components of production: client’s requirements; audience considerations;
generation of ideas; conceptualisation; visualisation; information architecture;
storyboarding; resourcingPlanning: importance of planning; time management; deadlines
Production: adhering to schedule; teamwork and management of resources;
liaison with clientProfessionalism: meeting deadlines; client negotiation; quality management;
teamworking; liaison with client; working to the client’s brief; presentations
4 Be able to publish, test and review own Website
Sources of information: self-evaluation; documentation, eg notes, sketches, story
boards, production logs; comments from others, eg audience, peers, tutors, clientProduction process: pre-production, eg planning, preparation; production, eg
time management, project management, monitoring work in progress, technical
competencies, creative ability, own work, teamworkAccessibility: alt text; use of tables; shortcut keys; skip keys; colours and contrast;
use of validation toolsSearch engine optimisation: meta tags; search engine ranking algorithms; links to
established sites; preventing Web pages being spidered; avoiding errors, eg
machine-unreadable menus, broken links, poor navigation structureTesting: uploading to server (FTP); broken hyperlinks; speed; security; browser
compatibility; W3C standards-compliance; usability; accessibilityFinished product: compared with original intentions; fitness for purpose;
appropriateness to audience; technical qualities; aesthetic qualities; content; style
Edexcel recommended Web sites:
Edexcel recommended Books: (NB we are using CS3, a newer version than 8)
Personalise your site with images History of the internet & WWW. Image maps, Rollovers in Dreamweaver Improving layout control Spell checking. Designing for your readers using the Window Size pop-up to prepare your site at a suitable size (800 x 600 or 640 x 480 pixels recommended). Rulers and tracing images. Dynamic HTML Half Term Experiment
with Flash animation Animated gifs, adding
interest and enhancements Photoshop Web Gallery Templates,
Library Items and Frames CSS - Cascading Style Sheets Search
engines, META tags, uploading your sites Uploading and testing your site so far to your own site or the group site: Imageready rollovers, Accessibility Issues, Christmas Holidays: Navigation Bars Favicons, browser issues, working on your project site MicroSoft guide, favicon.co.uk and Photoshop plug-in from iconfactory.com Issues with Browser compatibility.
Passwords html working on your site
Half Term no session
HTML formatted email. working on your site working on your site & folder
free online shopping cart systems : recommended paid-for e-commerce solution : alternatives include actinic.com, 1and1.com, ecommercetemplates.com and ekmpowershop.com
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Induction project
25 Sep 08 - Print Production introduction to InDesign CS3
2 Oct 08 - Print Production Magazine Cover using InDesign CS3, Gutenberg video, wood & metal type
9 Oct 08 - Setting up a site, index page, adding additional pages, links
16 Oct 08 - Images, Rollover images, making a .gif button in Photoshop
23 Oct 08 - image optimisation handouts, Layout using tables
© Jednet 2000-2018. External links are of course subject to change.
Jednet cannot be held responsible for other people's sites.
If any of these links are broken or lead to unsuitable content please contact
jednet@mac.com
Unit 12 Web Authoring is on page 121 of BF017268_FD_in_Media_L2_Issue_3.pdf © Edexcel Limited 2008
http://www.edexcel.org.uk/quals/first/media-pa/btec-fd-sep-2006/btec-fd-media/