Wednesday October 24, 2001

Officials say curriculum prepares students for wide variety of jobs

In a world where the Internet is playing an increasingly important role in areas throughout the business world, a UA program offers students a chance to become fluent in Web-based technology.

The University of Arizona Extended University Webmaster Certification Program could play a vital role in preparing students for their careers, said Duane Vile, program coordinator.

"(Johannes) Gutenberg invented moveable type (in the 1450s), and we have been in the hard copy business for over 500 years," Vile said. "Now we're moving from that. We see the Internet is the future. I can see on CNN news live pictures of Afghanistan whenever I want. So why would I want to subscribe to a newspaper? That news is 23 hours old."

Vile said that working adults who take the Extended University's Webmaster Certification Program are keeping up with the modern technology.

Only 20 percent of the people in the certification program are UA students or faculty, and the average student is 39 years old.

Students are instructed in fields including design, coding, scripting, databases and e-commerce. All of the teachers are professional practitioners in the field, Vile said.

"Our classes are not theoretical," he added. "They are two-thirds exercises and discussions and one-third lectures."

The students are evaluated by a portfolio project that usually takes them 2-3 months to complete. The completed project is a Web page that is fully functioning for a company or non-profit agency for which they work or volunteer.

Molly Holzschlag, an author of technology and design books who teaches advanced mark-up in the program, said that there is a growing need in the work force for people who know the skills of computer technology.

"Technology, especially computer technology, is a huge area of growth for the serious professional," she said. "The cool factor is over. It's not cool to be in computers anymore; it's about learning hard skills that will last you a career."

Vile designed the certification program two years ago, and it remains the only application-focused Webmaster program in Tucson.

Even students in the computer science department do not have the classes that the program offers, Vile said.

"Universities need to be thinking about anticipating the future," he said. "Why are our curriculums five and 10 years behind? Why do none of the MIS students know how to design a Web site? Why do the journalism students not have an online marketing class? Because the people who design the curriculums are an older group of people who are not comfortable with the Internet."

Because the UA does not offer these courses in students' curriculums, the students must register for Webmaster certification as a separate program than their regular UA work. All courses are non-credit and cost $4,000 in total, but UA students and faculty get a 25 percent discount.

"Nobody should take this program unless they are interested in online technology," Holzschlag said. "If the person is not completely interested, it is going to be particularly difficult."

They will get a broad understanding of the material, and it is their future work that will give them a deep understanding," he said.

For more information on the Extended University's Webmaster Certification Program, visit www.eu.arizona.edu/comped.