The Certificate in Web Applications Development
This package of Open University (OU) Modules looked ideal for a novice to pick up the basics of Web Design. The course has now been withdrawn, but much of the data and links are still locatable. Many students of the courses have provided their own websites with links to useful data and resources. The course consisted of six modules aimed at the production and maintenance of web pages for use in a website. The content of the modules range from the design of the pages, support for their display and use on your own PC, interaction with the hosting server and manipulation of databases to achieve this.
There are a large range of concepts, system designs, protocols and tools used and considered within the modules. In addition the impact and history of the web are covered together with the changes in approach to improve usability and accessibility for all.
The package was more involved than I envisaged and has enthused and suprised me, at the same time as frustrating and stretching my abilities over a year (so far).
I started the course after takeing early retirement from a job I had held for nearly 40 years. My work used IT but did not involve significant development of it. That being said I have always had a keen interest in computing and IT in general so I did have a little relevant background before launching into pursuit of the certificate.
Further details of the course modules are provided in the following pages, with my own thoughts on my passage through them. I would encourage anyone wishing to follow a similar path to read the relevant OU pages (again, links in the following pages).
A number of reference pages have also been added to highlight a few, of the many, sources of information used in my investigations.
Finally, an explanation for the site design - to try out some of my recently acquired skills. Also, after starting early retirement I spent the first few months at home with extreme weather conditions around me - one of the worst winters in years. So it's an opportunity to use a recent camera acquisition and a means to record some memories of the winter