I have given it a thought to engage students by giving them small websites to do and improve their skills.

One of my students came up with this website http://starcityacademy.com/ and am really impressed.

My people what do you think of this project ?

Impressive indeed. But i must advice on your font size choice (Your student is most probably used to the type you use on most websites you create) is a little bit too big, especially for your footer section. To me, it'll be better you reduce the font size for those boxes by 1px and that of the footer by 2-3px. Also, try and use line-height to make a clearer font display.

This won't make your websites look too "Nigerian".

#My_Honest_Thoughts

I'm not impressed (I will tell you why).

@Greenmouse, it's either this student of yours has been doing all your websites or you did this one and claimed your student did it or you have transferred your un-semantic way of html markup to your students. There are lots of things that are wrong with your html. And considering the fact that this is 2013, every web developer should know these basics.

Let me outline them to you:

1. Abuse of div.
You did this:
<div class="hone">
<div class="logo"><img src="images2/logo.png" /></div>
<div class="name"><h1>Starcity International Academy</h1></div>
</div>


What stops you from doing it like this:
<div class="hone">
<img class="logo" src="images2/logo.png" />
<h1 class="name">Starcity International Academy</h1></div>
</div>


2. Abuse of hierarchy.
You did this in your nav menu:
<a href="index.html"><div class="navone"><ul><li><img src="images2/home.png" /></li></ul></div></a>


It's wrong. Why will you not mark it up like this:
<ul>
<li class="nav"><a href="index.html"><img src="images2/home.png"/></a></li>
</ul>

How can you use div and ul into 5 times? As long as your main navigation is concerned, you need only one ul and no div. Just give the ul a class.

3. Predefined height.
I know there are cases you may have to define a height of an element, but giving a predefined height to certain elements is considered to be wrong.

But you did this:
#container{margin:auto; width:900px; height:780px; dbackground-color:#fff; dpadding:0px 10px 0px 10px;;}

You gave a whole main container a fixed height? This is wrong. Main container that will container all the information should not be giving a fixed height. Its height will be determined by its content. You can only give it a padding.

Even your div classes of one, two and three that are carrying the "Creche, Nursery and Primary" should not have been given a height. You gave them height of 200px. Since they contain texts which can re-position and reshuffle itself when browser is re-sized, the containers should not have a fixed height. Just zoom the webpage out and see that the text will be forced to outgrow their container because the container is fixed with a predefined height.

Do you know why I said am not impressed? The website is a pure free web template.
How do I know? See: body{margin:0 auto; dbackground-color:#F38620; background:url(images2/bg2.jpg) repeat-x;}. There are lots of css properties you prefixed with d, which means disabled. Instead of going through a hell of editing a template and adding d d d here and there, why not teach these young boys how to do these things. The website is even simple and so the boy can learn to code it on his own if you can teach him properly.

Now get it right, am not against people using free template to design their works. But I will be among the last web developers that will bend down editing another man's template when I can do a custom one that will look better. I will never teach my students how to edit free web templates. I will teach them how to code wordpress themes from scratch. I will teach them how to use their leisure time to code about three web templates and make them available for people to download and edit and use free of charge. I will teach them the best practices in this industry.

Friends, this industry is growing with an alarming speed. Lots of things are coming up and we must take our stand never to be abandoned. This month makes it two years responsive web design was started. Lots of webdesign companies have made it a general standard in their companies to be offering responsive web design to every client as a standard and not as an extra charge. Companies like: http://www.mixd.co.uk

Let us sit up and become the best we can be and then teach these young fellows how to design and code awesome stuff from scratch.

@GraphicPlus... Nice review over there. I think this (http://www.mixd.co.uk) will teach lots of Nigerian Web-developers to upgrade. Enough of all these "Nigerian Looks".

GraphicsPlus: I'm not impressed (I will tell you why).

@Greenmouse, it's either this student of yours has been doing all your websites or you did this one and claimed your student did it or you have transferred your un-semantic way of html markup to your students. There are lots of things that are wrong with your html. And considering the fact that this is 2013, every web developer should know these basics.

Let me outline them to you:

1. Abuse of div.
You did this:
<div class="hone">
<div class="logo"><img src="images2/logo.png" /></div>
<div class="name"><h1>Starcity International Academy</h1></div>
</div>


What stops you from doing it like this:
<div class="hone">
<img class="logo" src="images2/logo.png" />
<h1 class="name">Starcity International Academy</h1></div>
</div>


2. Abuse of hierarchy.
You did this in your nav menu:
<a href="index.html"><div class="navone"><ul><li><img src="images2/home.png" /></li></ul></div></a>


It's wrong. Why will you not mark it up like this:
<ul>
<li class="nav"><a href="index.html"><img src="images2/home.png"/></a></li>
</ul>

How can you use div and ul into 5 times? As long as your main navigation is concerned, you need only one ul and no div. Just give the ul a class.

3. Predefined height.
I know there are cases you may have to define a height of an element, but giving a predefined height to certain elements is considered to be wrong.

But you did this:
#container{margin:auto; width:900px; height:780px; dbackground-color:#fff; dpadding:0px 10px 0px 10px;;}

You gave a whole main container a fixed height? This is wrong. Main container that will container all the information should not be giving a fixed height. Its height will be determined by its content. You can only give it a padding.

Even your div classes of one, two and three that are carrying the "Creche, Nursery and Primary" should not have been given a height. You gave them height of 200px. Since they contain texts which can re-position and reshuffle itself when browser is re-sized, the containers should not have a fixed height. Just zoom the webpage out and see that the text will be forced to outgrow their container because the container is fixed with a predefined height.

Do you know why I said am not impressed? The website is a pure free web template.
How do I know? See: body{margin:0 auto; dbackground-color:#F38620; background:url(images2/bg2.jpg) repeat-x;}. There are lots of css properties you prefixed with d, which means disabled. Instead of going through a hell of editing a template and adding d d d here and there, why not teach these young boys how to do these things. The website is even simple and so the boy can learn to code it on his own if you can teach him properly.

Now get it right, am not against people using free template to design their works. But I will be among the last web developers that will bend down editing another man's template when I can do a custom one that will look better. I will never teach my students how to edit free web templates. I will teach them how to code wordpress themes from scratch. I will teach them how to use their leisure time to code about three web templates and make them available for people to download and edit and use free of charge. I will teach them the best practices in this industry.

Friends, this industry is growing with an alarming speed. Lots of things are coming up and we must take our stand never to be abandoned. This month makes it two years responsive web design was started. Lots of webdesign companies have made it a general standard in their companies to be offering responsive web design to every client as a standard and not as an extra charge. Companies like: http://www.mixd.co.uk

Let us sit up and become the best we can be and then teach these young fellows how to design and code awesome stuff from scratch.

@graphic plus why do you always doubt people, if i did, i will say review my project.

yorme: @GraphicPlus... Nice review over there. I think this (http://www.mixd.co.uk) will teach lots of Nigerian Web-developers to upgrade. Enough of all these "Nigerian Looks".

@yorme, are sure you learnt from this website (http://www.mixd.co.uk). Bc your work doesnt look matured enough.

Layout is good and design is good. He does need to work on his code. In addition to what GraphicsPlus has laid out above, add these to the list:

1) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; - take advantage of css margins and/or paddings
2) Multiple BRs inside P tags - unnecessary. Put all content inside of P tags. Again, control with margins/paddings
3) If code is commented out, chances are that it's not wanted. Get rid of them to reduce page weight
4) &bull - use ULs and LIs instead
5) Make your paths absolute and not relative
6) I assume includes are used to group global items (header, footer, etc)

I am ok with the work. I believe the student has not spent more than a month and has come up with this. He can sure do better in times to come.

@Graphicplus, I dont agree that was a template. if any parameter was deactivated, it does not automatically make the work an edited template. If you check well most of the deactivated parameters are borders which when active help you see your layout better.

@greenmouse, I think its time we begin to design responsive websites. I have taken the pain to learn it on my own starting with my next website. www.novemberwebconsult.com

greenmouse:


@yorme, are sure you learnt from this website (http://www.mixd.co.uk). Bc your work doesnt look matured enough.

For your information, i am currently working on a redesign of my website which will be launched asap. I am not saying your works are not good enough, but all i am advocating for are designs that are not "Nigerian" in their looks. We (i inclusive) need to grow.

AFOLSNETWORKS:
@Graphicplus, I dont agree that was a template. if any parameter was deactivated, it does not automatically make the work an edited template. If you check well most of the deactivated parameters are borders which when active help you see your layout better.

It's not true sir. You can't have close to 100 deactivated properties and tell me you took the pain to plan and write them and then deactivate them. Why write them in the first place?

...which when active help you see your layout better.

Not true. If when active they help to see the layout better, then why deactivate them? Look, am matured enough to know what am talking about. And what I said is true. But get my point. Since this was done by a student, he really tried by trying to modify an existing template. Template editing no be beans as Yawa pointed out in a certain thread.

All am saying is that we must go beyond the status quo and change the game in Africa.

I presumed the dude is just starting out, may be less that 1 year experience.
But, the correction above should be noted by the mentor/teacher so he can improve.
We all make error.

yawa-ti-de:
Layout is good and design is good. He does need to work on his code. In addition to what GraphicsPlus has laid out above, add these to the list:

1) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; - take advantage of css margins and/or paddings
2) Multiple BRs inside P tags - unnecessary. Put all content inside of P tags. Again, control with margins/paddings
3) If code is commented out, chances are that it's not wanted. Get rid of them to reduce page weight
4) &bull - use ULs and LIs instead
5) Make your paths absolute and not relative
6) I assume includes are used to group global items (header, footer, etc)

Thanks alot, the student is taking note right away.

guru01: I presumed the dude is just starting out, may be less that 1 year experience.
But, the correction above should be noted by the mentor/teacher so he can improve.
We all make error.

thanks man

yorme:

For your information, i am currently working on a redesign of my website which will be launched asap. I am not saying your works are not good enough, but all i am advocating for are designs that are not "Nigerian" in their looks. We (i inclusive) need to grow.

You are the one that need to grow, check my portfolio, we are not in the same cartegory :

example: http://www.vlptours.com/
http://www.staytuneonline.com/
http://hybrid-hse.com/

etc.

I cant see any of your website that can match up with this sites, so learn before you teach or advocate for others.

AFOLSNETWORKS: I am ok with the work. I believe the student has not spent more than a month and has come up with this. He can sure do better in times to come.

@Graphicplus, I dont agree that was a template. if any parameter was deactivated, it does not automatically make the work an edited template. If you check well most of the deactivated parameters are borders which when active help you see your layout better.

@greenmouse, I think its time we begin to design responsive websites. I have taken the pain to learn it on my own starting with my next website. www.novemberwebconsult.com

is this part of your responsive websites : http://www.mahatpetrogas.com/underconstruction2/

greenmouse:

You are the one that need to grow, check my portfolio, we are not in the same cartegory :

example: http://www.vlptours.com/
http://www.staytuneonline.com/
http://hybrid-hse.com/

etc.

I cant see any of your website that can match up with this sites, so learn before you teach or advocate for others.

Greenmouse!, Greenmouse! It seems u didn't take time to read my post properly. I never said my websites are much better than yours. What i am only saying is that WE NEED TO GROW.... I'm learning too, anyways... and i'm improving.

@greenmouse. please how long have you trained the student that created the website?? [color=#000099][/color]

yorme:

Greenmouse!, Greenmouse! It seems u didn't take time to read my post properly. I never said my websites are much better than yours. What i am only saying is that WE NEED TO GROW.... I'm learning too, anyways... and i'm improving.

Ok no wahala