Web Design/Development Course

Kazaa

Hi everyone,

Just was looking into doing a part time course in Web Design etc in September - there seem to be a few out there, DBS, SCD, and loads of little courses here and there.

I have a background in animation and I was looking to have more knowledge in this area..also want to make my own website!

Has anyone heard or been to any good courses on web design around the Dublin area?

The DBS course costs €1250 for a ten week course for one night a week and I think thats a little steep but if anyone recommends it I might think differently...

Any ideas would be great!

Axwell

I think a problem that exists at the minute with a lot of courses being taught is they teach the same stuff they thought a few years back and havent moved with the times. Most of them still teach table design in html and havent moved to xhtml with css design. You should check the modules of the course and see is it up to todays standards as most arent to be honest and you will spend a lot of money and come out at the end still only knowing the basics and have to learn more. Personally i think you would be better teaching yourself through online tutorials than spending that kind of money.

For starters look at http://www.w3schools.com/ and the tutorials in html,xhtml and css then some javascript too maybe.

If you prefer video type tutorials check out http://www.lynda.com/ you have to pay a subscription but they are very good tutorials.

I think if you did some of the above you would get a better grasp of things than going for a taught course option on dated material.

terry_s

http://www.iact.ie/iopen24/product_info.php?products_id=4


http://www.iact.ie/iopen24/product_info.php?products_id=5

swordsinfo

I done a course with referd above and to be honest I thought it was a complete waste of time no prep work done at all really put together badly - that was for mcse maybe their web stuff is different!

EKRIUQ

Anybody know a course where they do PHP, MYSQL, Javascript and possibly some Ajax. I'm learning from books and online tutorials at the moment but would like a class scenario?

Axwell

terry_s wrote: »

http://www.iact.ie/iopen24/product_info.php?products_id=4


http://www.iact.ie/iopen24/product_info.php?products_id=5

In my opinion these fall under the category of courses that arent up to scratch that i mentioned where you come out with the basics you could easily thought yourself after spending a fortune, I did one of their courses before and at the end felt i should have learned a lot more for my money.Personally i wouldnt recommend them and would stick to the online tutorials

terry_s

I would agree about lynda.com. tutorials very easy to follow and alot cheaper if it were me i would go down that route.

But i found IACT fairly good at delivering training i completed the webmaster two course with them a long time ago and found it excellent granted you dont walk away with all the answers but what course or tutorial does do that for you its all about practice after that.

swordsinfo

But for the money that a IACT course cost (it was expensive for MCSE) you really want most of the answers. If you jsut want knowledge there are millions of tutorials out there to help you o0n the raod especially w3c schools. Either way get involved in it - webdevelopment is unlike most jobs the fact that you see the it evolving as you are making it and the results are straight away!!!

Axwell

I would say stick to the self taught method using tutorials first and see how you get on, if you really feel you need a course after that then go for it but i think if you give it a go first and see if you like it or its something you want to get into then the tutorials will be enough and you will pick it up as you go along and then its just down to practice and getting some sites done to get a portfolio together and try and improve yourself as you go.

swordsinfo

definately!

Kazaa

thanks a mill everyone for advice...axwell - i checked out those tutorial websites you mentioned, really really good and easy to follow!
I think I will try and teach myself for now...just got to get the motivation to sit down for a few hours a week like I'm in a classroom!

p

Generally speaking the courses around aren't great. They don't come close to teaching best practice.

However, if you haven't got a knack for self learning, then a course like this can give you a kick start, just make sure to compliment it with your own learning and awareness of best practices.


This is a great book for teaching you the basics from scratch in a nice easy fashion, and doesn't teach you techniques from 1995.
http://headfirstlabs.com/books/hfhtml/

Note, a background in animation will help you immensely with design, you should still try learn as much about web design as much as the technical details. A good article & follow-on book is here:
http://www.sitepoint.com/article/principles-beautiful-web-design
http://www.sitepoint.com/books/design1/

PurpleBerry

Kazaa wrote: »

The DBS course costs €1250 for a ten week course for one night a week and I think thats a little steep but if anyone recommends it I might think differently...

I was going to do this course but I posted the course contents up here on Boards and a few people told me that it was pretty out-of-date and I would be very, very lucky to get a job out of it.

I got a letter from them a few months ago asking for payment. I replied to ask them (or confirm with them) that they were looking for €1250 upfront five months before the course was due to start and I haven't heard back from them.

Tutorials and self-learning is the way to go according to most people. Good luck with it.

siralan

I too am considering doing a part time web design course. My background is in finance and construction so I have absolutely no basic knowledge. I have a reasonably good knowlege of I.T.

I am basically looking at a change of career and and web design interests me.

I have had a look at the various part time courses online and with DBS and am considering strongly CMIT as to do the course online from home would appeal to me.

Would this course equip me with the skills to design a basic website from start to finish? Or can somebody recommend a course to me? I am hoping that web design offers me a career in a industry that is growing (unlike construction!)

Any advice people could give me would be greatly appreciated:)