Categories
Langara Outlines

WMDD4840 Outline (2019-02)

WMADD 4840 Content Management Systems
Credits: 3 Room: B014 (Mac Lab)
Contact Info:
Kevin McMillan
Office A248
604.323.5941		 Days & Times:
Summer 2019
Mondays: 930 – 1230
find my office Office Hours
Mondays 200-300

PDF of Official Outline

SKIP to Class Content

This class will cover Content Management Systems, specifically WordPress—by far, the most popular CMS in the world. Here are a few lists of major sites running WordPress as well as a bunch of WP statistics.

Like anything in life, this outline is subject to occasional changes.

Throughout the term, I will add links to additional supporting content.

I want to make as much of your learning task-based, so nearly every week there will be problem-solving exercises to be completed in class or over the week.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to

  • install a Content Management System (CMS) framework on a production web server
  • configure a local testing environment with the same CMS
  • evaluate, install and configure appropriate CMS themes, modules, widgets, and plugins
  • create content, media, menu structures & content types
  • create and restore data and system backups
  • identify and implement appropriate security and anti-spam measures (user accounts, permissions, patches, etc.)
  • customize themes
  • write basic themes

Textbook / Reference Material

There is no textbook for this course: we will use primarily online sources.
How to Login To Lynda.com With a Langara ID

Lynda.com Videos
MAC: Installing and Running WP: MAMP  (ch 1 & 2 )
WINDOWS: Installing and Running WP: WAMP (ch 1 & 2.0-2.4)

WordPress 5 Essential Training (all chapters)
WordPress 5 Essential Training: Site Admin (all chapters)

WordPress: Building Themes From Scratch Using Underscores
WordPress: Developing Secure Sites

WordPress References
The WordPress Codex
WordPress Developer Resource
Codex: Stepping into Template Tags
Codex: Template Tags List
Codex: Conditional Tags

WordPress Cheat Sheets
WP Mega Cheat Sheet
WP Developer Super Cheat Sheet

Course Structure

The class schedule is detailed below.

Techniques learned in one assignment or exercise will always be the starting point for subsequent ones. Be assured, therefore, that no lectures or required video viewings can be easily missed.

It is your responsibility to make sure that you do not miss any announcements or course materials given in any class. Any additional announcements will be made via email to your mylangara accounts.

Assessments
Main Assignment: Theme Project 30%
Quizzes 15%
Lab Exercises 15%
Midterm 20%
Final Exam 20%

Final Assignment Description

Note, also, that dates listed can change in response to class progress. 

Important Dates

List of dates for withdrawals, refunds, etc. 

Image Downloads

I’m putting these here, because we will use them in a number of classes:

WMDD Server Space Application

In order to learn how to transfer a locally-developed WordPress site to a live server, you will need to get some space on the WMDD instructional server, To do that please download this form, fill it out and send it to Denis Billette via email.

Week 1: May 06 (Intro to Content Management)

  • CMS vs Static Sites / WordPress.com vs WordPress.org models
  • Setup of Local Testing Environment: MAMP
  • WP Dashboard
  • WP Editing Area
  • Media / Galleries
  • Embeds
  • Posts
  • Pages
  • Gutenberg Editor

Weekly Videos

Resources

Lab Exercises / Homework

Week 2: May 13 (Site Configuration 1)

  • Posts vs Pages Review
  • Settings / Customizer
  • Menus
  • WP Importer
  • Intro to WordPress CSS
  • Permalinks
  • Comments
  • Classic Editor

Weekly Videos

Lab Exercise / Homework

Week Three: May 20 (Victoria Day)

  • College closed.

Week 4: May 27 (Site Configuration 2)

  • Quiz Number 1
  • Themes
  • Plugins
  • User roles
  • Security pt 1
  • Automated Backup

Weekly Videos

Lab Exercises (Homework: Due at the Start of This Class)

Lab Exercise To Do In Class

Week 5: June 03 ( Moving a Site )

  • Quiz Number 2 (Entirely on Developing Secure Sites Video Course)
  • Duplicator plugin
  • Fresh install on host class demo
  • Transferring a locally-created site to a remote host class demo

Resources

Lab Exercises

Week 6: June 10 ( Midterm )

  • For the test, you will be given content, and asked to configure a particular theme and plugin(s).

Weekly Videos (Watch by Next Class)

  • Lynda.com: Building Themes From Scratch Using Underscores
    Chapters 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

Weekly Reading (Read by Next Class)

Week 7: June 17 (Introduction to Theming)

  • The Template Hierarchy
  • The Loop
  • Basic Template Tags
  • WordPress CSS Structure
  • get_template_part

Weekly Videos

Resources

Lab Exercises

Week 8: June 24 (Underscores Introduction)

  • Underscores SASS Setup
  • Gulp & WP
  • The Loop in Underscores: get_template_part
  • functions.php: menus
  • enqueue_style
  • enqueue_script

Weekly Videos

Lab Exercises

Resources: GULP

Resources: SASS

Week 9: July 1 (Canada Day)

  • Colllege closed.

Homework for Week 9. Due at Start of Next Class.

Week 10: July 8 (Underscores 2)

  • WP Template Hierarchy 2
  • Leveraging WordPress CSS
  • wp_query: multiple loops

Resources

Lab Exercise

Week 11: July 15 (Underscores 3)

  • wp conditions
  • wp_query: multiple loops
  • more WP CSS & underscores SASS
  • custom fields

Resources

Weekly Videos

Lab Exercise

Week 12: July 22 (Extending WP)

  • nested loops
  • custom post types
  • custom fields

Weekly Videos

Lab Exercises

Week 13:  July 29 (Exam Review or Work Day)

  • Depending on class progress, this day will be for working on final project, or possibly a practice exam.
  • The final exam will involve writing a WordPress theme using Underscores.

End of Term Dates

  • Last day of the term: August 03
  • College closed: BC DAY, August 05
  • Exam Period: August 6 – 17
  • WMDD4840 exam is Saturday Aug 17: 9-12 in B014.