Note: We are now accepting registrations for our advanced courses, running from June 1, 2010, to September 30, 2010. Please contact us if Summer 2010 interests you!

Calling all web developers and website owners! Summer 2010 brings you the opportunity to upgrade your web design and search engine optimization skills. Learn PHP and MySQL to add functionality and interactivity to your websites, or start learning the popular web authoring tool, Dreamweaver. Website owners, learn how you can improve your site ranking and bring in more traffic to your site with Wordtracker for SEO. See below for course descriptions.

Most courses run for a duration of one month, and students are required to purchase textbooks ahead of time for PHP and MySQL. Students will not have to purchase any software, as the instructors will provide a trial version of the software for the Dreamweaver course. As well, the Wordtracker for SEO course offers a one-week full version trial of an online program called "Wordtracker," also free!

For those registering for Dreamweaver 8 -- please ensure you wait to receive the trial version directly from your instructor. The trial is only good for 30 days and it MUST be provided by your instructor. If you wish to purchase an updated version of Dreamweaver AFTER the 30-day course, that is completely at your discretion; however, this course is ONLY for Dreamweaver 8 (not the new Dreamweaver 10 (CS4).

IBDE Advanced Courses Schedule - Summer 2010

How to Register

If you are an IBDE graduate from previous years or are currently enrolled in the IBDE program, please use this form to register.

If you are a web designer or owner and are absolutely new to IBDE, please contact us for registration details. Note: We will also assess your skill level and any previous training in web design to ensure you meet the required prerequisite level for our advances courses.

Advanced Courses - Course Descriptions:

Introduction to PHP Programming (Part 1 of 2)

120 hours (June/July)

This course gives you a solid introduction to programming in PHP5. You will acquire the skills needed for practical programming applications and will learn how these skills can be put to use in real world scenarios, such as calculating payment amounts for shopping carts, randomizing web page contents, automating date calculations, etc. Best of all, you will be able to apply the basic programming principles that you learn here to the next programming language you tackle.

• Understanding the role of scripting in web development
• Understanding PHP and web servers configurations
• Creating basic PHP scripts
• PHP data types and operators
• Functions and control structures
• Manipulating strings
• Working with files and directories
• Manipulating arrays

Advanced PHP and MySQL (Part 2 of 2)

120 hours (July)

This course gives you a solid introduction to using MySQL database with PHP programming language to build database driven websites. You will learn the SQL language and master database design principles. You will acquire the basic skill to create three-tiered data applications such as websites that require user login / authentication, websites with automated web content, interactive websites, simple shopping cart, and a whole lot more.

• Installing MySQL
• Introduction to MySQL database
• Manipulating MySQL database with PHP
• Managing state information
• Content Management Systems

Dreamweaver 8 Standards Compliant Website

120 hours (August/September)

This course is an excellent introduction to the #1 industry-standard web authoring tool used by developers worldwide. Learn all the basics of authoring in Dreamweaver but with a complete focus to XHTML standards. Gain a clear understanding of XHTML, CSS, and how to apply semantics to your markup for improvements in compliancy as well as usability. In other words, taking a very proactive approach to designing for the future and for all users. This certification will be an excellent asset for any student portfolio.

• Introduction to web standards
• Understanding XHTML and semantics
• Constructing the document (XHTML, Page Elements, Heading, and Main Navigation)
• Understanding CSS and how to apply it to page layout and navigation
• How to ensure your pages validate
• Focusing on designing accessible and compliant websites

Wordtracker for SEO

120 hours (August/September)

This course focuses partly on the use of the Wordtracker program to assist you in gaining ground on your heaviest competition. You'll learn all about organic ranking and how to improve the ranking your site receives from the search engines without any focus on PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising or any other kind of paid marketing. This is much more than a meta tag introduction. You'll learn how search engines operate, their relationships with one another, how they share information, their strengths and weaknesses, key SEO page elements, competitive analysis and link popularity, the main focus for MSN, Yahoo! and Google, and how to impress those top 3 engines for improved indexing and ranking of your own website.

• Defining SEO
• On page vs Off page characteristics
• Search engine relationships
• Knowing your market
• Search engine friendly design
• Optimizing your OnPage text
• Utilizing your inbound links
• Analyzing link popularity
• How to improve your Google PageRank
• Using Wordtracker to understand keyword research
• Applying Wordtracker results effectively

Introductory Courses - Course Descriptions:

Microsoft Expression Web and CSS

120 hours (June/July)

This is a two-in-one, hands-on course that teaches students to master both Expression Web as an authoring tool and CSS for building high-quality, standards-compliant websites. Students will learn how to easily integrate the latest web technologies such as CSS2.1, XHTML, Javascript, and Multimedia into their design, using powerful pre-designed scripts and tools in Expression Web. Students will be introduced to ways of implementing professional design techniques such as “creation and usage of dynamic web templates” to speed up web development in Expression Web. In addition, this course shows students the role of other related software such as Photoshop, Image Ready, and Formmail in web design. The entire course is delivered using rich audio and video for effective learning.

• Part 1: Understanding Design Options
  • Creating your first site
  • Customizing the interface
  • Creating and applying CSS styles
• Part 2: CSS and Dynamic Web Templates
  • Getting more advanced with CSS
  • Managing images and links
  • Dynamic web templates
• Part 3: Multimedia, Behaviors, and More
  • Adding interactivity with behaviors
  • Designing attractive forms
  • Testing and publishing your site
• Part 4: Troubleshooting, Tips, and Tricks
  • Troubleshooting CSS
  • Expression Web tips and tricks

Introduction to SEO

60 hours (August/September)

This is a short course available to any past IBDE student or any BA student looking for the basics of keyword strategy and meta tag markup. It's an absolute necessity that all websites today are designed with at least this bare minimum of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) knowledge to ensure that sites are search engine friendly so that they will be indexed by all major search engines, including Google.