Enhancing Web Pages with AJAX

SPRING Semester Dates: (Tentative Date)
AUTUMN Semester 2008 Dates:: (Tentative Date)
Times: Monday 18:00am - 21:00
Duration: 15 hours (3 hours x 5 weeks)
Fees: $1000.00
Venue: City campus - Building 10

Expressions and Enrolment

If you are interested in this course, please submit an Expression of Interest form to register your interest. Please note if you wish to enroll into this short course, you must also submit an Application Form [PDF 114k] to pay for and secure a place. Submission of an application form is confirmation of your intent to enroll and terms and conditions will apply.

Page Index
Who should attend
Course Objectives
Course Description
Course Outline

Who Should Attend?

This course is aimed at people who are developing web sites or are learning about the development of websites who wish to:

  • Enhance their web page development skills.
  • Enhance their Javascript skills.
  • Keep abreast of current web technologies.

Course Objectives

At the end of this short course the student will be able to:

  • Understand how AJAX works in web pages.
  • Implement AJAX enhanced web pages for all of the common web browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Safari and Opera).
  • Create web forms that react dynamically to user input
  • Access web services from web pages using AJAX.
  • Use one or more of the available AJAX toolkits to create dynamic web pages.
  • Use one or more debugging tools when creating AJAX applications.
  • Understand the steps necessary to ensure adequate security of AJAX applications.

Course Description

AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript and XML) is a set of web technologies involving Javascript, XML and asynchronous requests to a web server. AJAX allows the creation of web pages that can update their content dynamically. Webpages using AJAX are more responsive to user input and since only part of a web page is updated, bandwidth usage is reduced. Because AJAX enhanced web pages can send requests to a web server without the user clicking on any controls, their behaviour is more like that of desktop applications.

Course Outline

  • Web pages and the client-server model.
  • A quick review of HTML, Javascript, XML, CSS, Javascript OOP and the DOM.
  • The basics of AJAX and the XMLHttpRequest Object.
  • Sending requests to the server using the XHR object and processing the response using Javascript.
  • Example Application – testing usernames for online registration.
  • Example Application – dynamic list and combo boxes.
  • Example Application – online Sudoku game.
  • Example Application – tooltip rollover.
  • Accessing web services using AJAX.<>
  • Accessing web services using the XHR Object.
  • AJAX Toolkits.
  • Example application using an AJAX toolkit – calendar
  • Debugging AJAX.
  • Ensuring AJAX application security.