This course is part of the Web Design for Everybody (Basics of Web Development and Coding) Specialization
Introduction to CSS3
Offered By
Web Design for Everybody (Basics of Web Development and Coding) SpecializationUniversity of Michigan
About this Course
4.8
3,076 ratings
The web today is almost unrecognizable from the early days of white pages with lists of blue links. Now, sites are designed with complex layouts, unique fonts, and customized color schemes. This course will show you the basics of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS3). The emphasis will be on learning how to write CSS rules, how to test code, and how to establish good programming habits.
When done correctly, the styling of a webpage can take enhance your page. When done incorrectly the result can be worse than no styling at all. To ensure that your sites do not put up barriers for people with cognitive and/or physical disabilities, you will learn how to evaluate pages using the standardized POUR accessibility guidelines. Upon completion of the course, learners will be able to sketch a design for a given HTML page. Using that design they will use CSS to implement the design by adding fonts, colors, and layouts.
This is the second course in the Web Design For Everybody specialization. Subsequent courses focus on adding interaction with JavaScript and enhancing the styling with responsive design.
It will be difficult to complete this course if you do not have access to a laptop or desktop computer for the homework.
Skills you will gain
Cascading Style SheetsWeb DesignStyle SheetsWeb Development
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
1
Section
Week One: Getting Started with Simple Styling
Welcome to Introduction to CSS3! In this course you will learn how to style your pages by taking advantage of the power of CSS3. We will focus on both proper syntax (how to write your styling rules) and the importance of accessibility design (making sure that your style enhances your site, not make it harder to navigate). It is so important that you jump in ready to make mistakes and typos in this course. The only way you will really understand the material is to practice typing it in on your own as often as possible.
8 videos (Total 80 min), 8 readings, 2 quizzes
8 videos
01-02 Cascading Style Sheets16m
01-03 Colors9m
01-04 Styling Your Text12m
01-05 Code Together9m
01-06a Display and Visibility - Part 111m
01-06b Display and Visibility - Part 27m
01-07 Optional -- Homework Description4m
8 readings
Syllabus10m
Resources10m
Help us learn more about you!10m
Building Your First Web Page10m
Early coding3m
Code Placement5m
Homework One Description10m
Peer Review1m
1 practice exercise
Styling Syntax and Theory26m
2
Section
Week Two: Advanced Styling
Colors and fonts are just the start to styling your page. The nice thing about starting with these properties is that they are usually very straightforward to implement. You pick a color and boom - instant, expected results. This week we move on to new properties that tend to require a little bit of tweaking to get the desired results. In particular we will talk about the Box Model, background images, opacity, float, columns, visibility, and designing for different browsers.
8 videos (Total 79 min), 9 readings, 3 quizzes
8 videos
02-02 Code Together8m
02-03 Styling Links and Lists11m
02-04 Advanced Selectors12m
02-05 Browser Capabilites11m
02-06 Code Together7m
02-07 Designing For Accessibility6m
02-08 Optional - Homework Description6m
9 readings
Resources1m
Coding Together1m
Supplemental reading on complex selectors20m
Shorthand rules5m
Browsers6m
Code Together2m
Background Images and Opacity6m
Optional - The importance of headings10m
Homework Two Description8m
2 practice exercises
Optional Practice Quiz: Review26m
Advanced Selectors Quiz32m
3
Section
Week Three: Psuedo-classes, Pseudo-elements, Transitions, and Positioning
Have you ever noticed on a web page that some links are blue and others are purple, depending upon if you have clicked on the links? How is it possible to style some anchor tags and not others? This week you will learn how to style pseudo-classes (e.g. a link that has been visiting, an element that has the mouse hovering over it) and pseudo-elements (e.g. the first-letter of a heading, the first line of a paragraph). These elements are not difficult to style, but do require careful coding. It is also the first step to adding simple animation to your site. We end this week with the subject of positioning -- how to get elements to stick to a certain part of your page. Think about annoying pop-up ads. How do the programmers get them to stay RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCREEN despite the fact that you keep trying to scroll them away.
5 videos (Total 29 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz
5 videos
03-02 Transitions5m
03-03 Transforms5m
03-04 Code together - Transitions4m
03-05 Positioning10m
5 readings
Resources1m
OPTIONAL READINGS - Transitions, Transforms, and Animation2m
Positioning2m
Why not a Peer Assignment this week?1m
Some Fun Links1m
1 practice exercise
Final Quiz18m
4
Section
Week Four: Putting It All Together
This week I am going to do some code review. I will show you how I used pseudo-classes and pseudo-elements to style a table. Then I give you a demonstration of three different navigation bars that utilize different styling options. We will want to step back and talk about how these different options may affect the accessibility of our site. The final step to completing this course is the completion of the peer-graded project. You will have the chance to demonstrate the ability to follow styling guidelines while still putting your own personal touch on the project. Just remember, you need to validate your work for proper syntax and accessibility.
7 videos (Total 34 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz
7 videos
04-02 Creating Navigation Menus3m
04-03 Accessible Navigation7m
04-04 Creating Navigation Menus 23m
04-05 Creating Navigation Menus 35m
04-06 Optional - Homework Description6m
04-07 Conclusion2m
3 readings
Resources1m
OPTIONAL: A Change to the Accessibility of Headings2m
Final Project Description7m
Where To Go From Here?
If you would like to do more now that you have finished this course, I have a few recommendations. The most important thing is that you continue to practice your skills and always have "something" that you are working on.
4 readings
4 readings
Coursera Options1m
CodeAcademy - other badge tutorials2m
Meetups2m
Post-course Survey10m
4.8
45%
83%
17%
Top Reviews
By AF•Dec 26th 2015
Excellent course! Well paced and the course really builds skills in using CSS3! Highly recommend this course to anyone looking to get a good grounding in CSS or who wants to go over the basics again.
By MS•Apr 12th 2018
I have learned SO much in this class. I am making web sites, writing code, making mistakes, and solving problems.\n\nThis is the most practical class I have taken on Coursera. I HIGHLY recommend it!
Instructors
Colleen van Lent, Ph.D.
LecturerSchool of Information
Charles Severance
Associate ProfessorSchool of Information
About University of Michigan
The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.
About the Web Design for Everybody (Basics of Web Development and Coding) Specialization
This Specialization covers how to write syntactically correct HTML5 and CSS3, and how to create interactive web experiences with JavaScript. Mastering this range of technologies will allow you to develop high quality web sites that, work seamlessly on mobile, tablet, and large screen browsers accessible. During the capstone you will develop a professional-quality web portfolio demonstrating your growth as a web developer and your knowledge of accessible web design. This will include your ability to design and implement a responsive site that utilizes tools to create a site that is accessible to a wide audience, including those with visual, audial, physical, and cognitive impairments.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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