Rant, Learn or Teach

9 August 2006, 04:54

This is a call for the right kind of CSS instruction for people who are just getting their start with web design.

Modern arguments about any subject usually contain some elements of truth from both sides. Except in those (often political) debates where one side knowingly distorts the position of the opponent, the tidbits of truth can serve as a perfect starting point for a real education.

There was a CSS rant. Then, there was a CSS training offer. “What would those two days of training cost…?”Now, what is there for the more pedestrian users of CSS? While there were some misguided conclusions in Dvorak’s article, there were also elements of truth. CSS can be very frustrating when one is left to some sort of self-taught methodology. Standards bodies don’t provide the kinds of answers that work-a-day CSS users need in spite of protestations to the contrary.

If experts can’t agree, what are those of us on the outside supposed to do? Books about CSS sometimes use valuable chapters explaining table-based layouts before declaring those techniques to be wrong. What we need is a video of Molly’s two-day training session. Better yet, we need An Event Apart focused on those of us who want answers like the ones Molly promises to Dvorak.

The question is this, “what would those two days of training cost if they were provided to an audience of about ten or twelve interested designers?”

Filed under:

  1. Is that two days of training, or two days of Q&A? Because there’s likely to be a notable difference in price between the two; the latter is more like consulting than training.


    — Eric Meyer    9 August 2006, 12:13    #

  2. There’s also a lot more to discuss. Where do we hold the training? When? Who travels and how far? Do we podcast? No?

    Good education needs to begin in school. We’re just getting there, the Web, much less the way we teach it, is still very young. It will take some time before truly skilled educators and better resources for them are put in place, which will help a lot, at least in the longer term.


    — Molly E. Holzschlag    10 August 2006, 08:09    #

  3. Eric:

    I believe the economies work in favor of a Beginning CSS class. However, I’d stipulate that it would not be driven by an attempt to show people how to replace tables with valid CSS. Rather, I’d like to see a class focused specifically on building valid XTHML pages using a strict doctype and styled with CSS. Molly’s “know the Cascade, understand origin, sort order and the specificity algorithm; know the secrets of CSS, float, position and hover,” should make up the syllabus for such a beginning class.


    — Steve Pilgrim    10 August 2006, 09:08    #

  4. Molly:

    The logistics of a class such as this shouldn’t be confused with conferences or “events” when it comes to deciding locations and prices. Lining up sponsors, classrooms/meeting rooms and dealing with registration and payment is no small matter. However, I believe there are organizations that are not only good at those things, but they might take an interest that allows a $299 class with an audience of 25 people in various locations around the country. $7500 for two six-hour days should cover most expenses and leave a decent fee for the professional who does the teaching. These are merely back-of-the-envelope numbers to put some boundaries around the challenge.

    Siting classes so that a professional travels and attendees are closer to home probably draws greater attendance. If a network of standards-oriented design firms around the country could be assembled, I have confidence that they would publicize the class as would bloggers in the area.

    Using my own comment feature today, I see that clicking comment beneath an article does NOT take you to the comment area. Rather, it takes you to the individual page for an article and you must scroll down to the comment area. I suspect that’s an anchor problem and not a CSS issue, but it’s the kind of detail that most beginners don’t immediately understand or know how to fix. Focus on the topics you’re going to teach John Dvorak, build a basics of XHTML and an advanced CSS class and you begin to see the makings of a national training company with multiple instructors and multiple classes during any given week. Just dreaming!


    — Steve Pilgrim    10 August 2006, 09:23    #

  5. Hey Steve:

    It’s not like I don’t already do that. As does Eric. And sometimes we do it together!

    We are trying. I’ve spent the last years of my life teaching as many people as best as I can, and I hope that counts for something.


    — Molly E. Holzschlag    10 August 2006, 14:36    #

  6. I guess at the end of all of this, we’re still left with the original question, “What would 2 days of training like that proposed for John Dvorak cost?” Mere details are when and where? :)


    — Steve Pilgrim    11 August 2006, 05:20    #

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