Our young medium is still ironing out a few kinks — perhaps the biggest of which is the way budding web professionals are being educated. Schools that teach web design struggle to keep pace with our industry, and those just starting their curricula often set off in the wrong direction because the breadth and depth of our medium can be daunting. The WaSP InterACT curriculum project seeks to ease the challenges schools around the world face as they prepare their students for careers on the Web. WaSP InterACT is a living curriculum designed to change and keep pace with the fast moving industry. Its courses are divided into six learning tracks that provide students with a well rounded foundation in the many facets of the web design craft:
- Foundations
- Front-end Development
- Design
- User Science
- Server-side Development
- Professional Practices
Each course in WaSP InterACT is centered around a core set of competencies that learners must master in order to receive a passing grade. All assignments, and exam questions tie back to these competencies so educators and trainers can more easily assess each student's progress.
A Community-Driven Initiative
WaSP InterACT is more than an initiative of The Web Standards Project's Education Task Force — it's a community-driven project in which your involvement counts. Though each course is classroom-ready, educators can contribute additional assignments, and learning modules that explore new teaching techniques and address local issues. Want to get involved? Find out how you can contribute.
Your involvement is also critical to help WaSP InterACT reach educators around the world. If you know of a teacher or trainer who could benefit from the WaSP InterACT curriculum, spread the word.
Opera Web Standards Curriculum Collaboration
In many WaSP InterACT courses you'll find articles from the Opera Web Standards Curriculum as required reading. Chris Mills, the curator of Opera WSC and a member of The Web Standards Project, has assembled a magnificent series of learner-focused articles that guide students through the foundation concepts of building professional websites. They perfectly compliment the educator-centric courses in WaSP InterACT, and relate directly to the competencies in many foundation courses.
The History of WaSP InterACT
The WaSP InterACT curriculum project began in early 2008 as a major initiative of The Web Standards Project's Education Task Force. The initial curriculum was released in March of 2009 with 11 courses divided into six learning tracks, though many new courses are on the roadmap for future release.
Who's Behind WaSP InterACT?
An amazing group of dedicated educators and industry experts have spent countless hours developing WaSP InterACT, and are still busy pouring their hearts into new courses right now. Their hard work is so greatly appreciated.
- Rob Dickerson - Edu Task Force co-lead
- Holly Marie Koltz - Edu Task Force co-lead
- Aarron Walter - WaSP InterACT Project Lead
- Stephanie Troeth - WaSP InterACT organizational mastermind
- Glenda Sims - WaSP Group Manager
- Jeff Brown
- Virginia DeBolt
- Nick Finck
- Lars Gunther
- Robert Hoekman, Jr
- Leslie Jensen-Inman
- Chris Mills
- Terry Morris
- Christopher Schmitt
- Jessica Taylor
Special thanks also to these very important contributors who helped bring this site together:
- Chris Bush - website design
- Jessica Taylor - branding design
- Leslie Jensen-Inman - creative direction
- Aaron Gustafson - WaSP Group Manager and Website Committee Lead
- Jeff Smith
- Chris Casciano
- Kimberly Blessing
- EllisLab - ExpressionEngine CMS
- Media Temple - hosting